Light Bulb Cafe

The bestie and I are always on the hunt for new places to eat. On one particular occasion, coinciding days off from uni automatically signalled for us to catch up over one of our shared loves (food), so we headed over to a place we'd been eyeing for the past few weeks - the Light Bulb Cafe.

SALA artwork

Electricity juice $6.90

Carrot, mandarin, pear, ginger

Apple crumble smoothie $7.90

Banana, cinnamon, canadian maple syrup, ice cream, yoghurt, coconut milk

This was SO good! I can't recommend it enough especially if you like apple crumble. I loved the creaminess and there is the perfect amount of cinnamon and maple syrup in it. You can barely taste the banana!

12 hr sous vide pork belly w parsnip & vanilla puree, charred pumpkin and broccolini $22

No complaints here! Beautiful presentation and great flavours. The parsnip and vanilla puree is definitely something different, we couldn't quite decide whether or not we liked it.

Sugo baked eggs w chorizo, buffalo mozzarella, broccolini and sous vide eggs $18

Perfectly cooked eggs in a flavoursome tomato base, this was filling and very satisfying. The bits of chorizo throughout added a bit of extra flavour and the crusty bread was delicious with the tomato!

The Light Bulb Cafe is a wonderful place on the more quiet end of King William Road. Although it was quiet when we went (around 11am in the middle of the week), lots of people were coming in and out getting takeaway coffee and lunch. There is great service, with the chef himself coming out and asking about our meal. We loved what we ordered and I can definitely picture myself coming back to try out more of the menu.

Caffe Papparazzi

A shockingly hot day brought the gang to Caffe Papparazzi before a trip down to the beach. We had been eyeing this place since it started popping up on social media with the launch of a new clean eating menu. The menus are all very extensive and we had a hard time deciding on what to order!

Wake me up before you gogo green smoothie $8.50

Cucumber, kale, kiwi fruit, pineapple, coconut water

This tasted really... healthy. I really couldn't taste any of the fruit and was rather overwhelmed by all the greens. It's a good thing I do enjoy a green juice once in a while, but the girls thought this tasted like grass, so avoid this one if you think you'd share their sentiments!

Healthy banana smoothie $8.50

Banana, almond milk, raw honey, chia seeds, maca powder, cinnamon

I heard nothing but praise for this one.  Also, the little glass milk bottles are a cute (but only very slight) deviation away from the typical mason jar presentation.

Big not so pretty eggy brekky $16

Eggs, vegetables (kale, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, char grilled capsicum, sweet potato), garlic, chilli, chicken

Two of us ordered this for breakfast and both agreed it was on the bland side. I definitely couldn't  taste any chilli and the chicken was also quite dry. The bread it was served with was very dense but overall this was a very filling meal! Maybe a bit of pesto to liven it up?

Eggs florentine $15

with spinach, tomato & hollandaise sauce served on English muffins

This wasn't the best Hollandaise but the eggs and spinach were well cooked. The tomato was a nice addition to break up the rest of the flavours on the dish. This was probably the most flavoursome dish of all the ones we ordered.

Paparazzi clean eating salad $15

Grilled chicken, bacon, oven-dried tomatoes, sweet potato, continental cucumber, lettuce

Warm chicken salad $15

Grilled chicken, avocado, roasted capsicum, activated cashews, lettuce

Both girls ordered the mustard, olive oil and lemon juice dressing along with their salads and still found it very bland overall. This would be something to order if you're feeling peckish and want a light lunch, but don't expect it to be flavoursome. 

Those caaaakes!

Peppermint slice $3.50

Buckwheat flour, raw cacao, pecans, coconut oil, cashews, maple syrup, coconut, peppermint essential oil

YUM! Super crumbly but a nice take on the classic peppermint slice. This one was enjoyed by everyone.

Lime and kiwi cashew cheesecake $7.50

Almonds, macadamias, coconut, sulphate free dried fruit, coconut oil, cashews, kiwi, spinach, lime, coconut cream, arrowroot

I'm always excited by "cleaner" versions of desserts, particularly raw cakes. This was a little underwhelming, I thought it needed a bit more 'zing' from the lime, perhaps extra lime juice and zest somewhere in the mix. There was also too much coconut and that was all I could taste in the first few bites. 

Caffe Papparazzi is a lovely little spot for breakfast or lunch with great service but unfortunately nothing about the menu really excited us. I can't see any of us rushing back any time soon, although some of the lunch and dinner options on the clean eating menu do sound great, particularly the 'I can't believe it's not butter chicken'!

 

Manchester Press - #MELB2014

DAY 2 - Breakfast

Another place that was on my list of places to dine in Melbourne was Manchester Press. I knew it was hidden in a laneway so I expected it to be a little difficult to spot. We eventually tracked it down and thought it was closed because there was absolutely no indication it was even open! The laneway was completely empty, but we noticed the signage and found the entrance with ease.

Already pretty busy! Spot the cold drip coffee maker to the right.

Baked goods at the counter which we spotted only after we were absolutely stuffed and paying for our meal at the counter. I would've loved to try the Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwich!

Juice of the day $6 

Apple, Watermelon, Strawberries & Mint

BEST. JUICE. COMBO. EVER!

 Salami & bocconcini closed bagel $11.50

w/ pesto & roquette

Michelle's dish contained one my absolute favourite sandwich combinations ever, and it definitely didn't disappoint! Also, I've never seen rocket referred to as 'roquette'...

 Basil pesto & pasta salad $13

w/ tomato medley, kalamata olives & pine nuts

A super simple pesto pasta salad of yet another foolproof combination of ingredients. Kym thinks this would've been perfect for lunch!

 Open Smoked Salmon Bagel $13

w/ dill cream cheese & baby capers

If you love smoked salmon, this is what you must order. This is a very simple combination of flavours, with the bagel absolutely piled up with smoked salmon. Now I'm a huge fan of it myself,  but there was SO much of it. Camella was struggling!

Reuben Rachel closed bagel $13

Thick cut pastrami w/ swiss cheese, sauerkraut & thousand island dressing

I saw pastrami on the menu and just had to order this, and I'm so glad I did. All four of us agreed it was the best dish ordered! The pastrami was tender and full of flavour, and the sauerkraut wasn't too overpowering. Paired with swiss cheese and the dressing, and you've got yourself a winner! If anyone in Adelaide can suggest any places where I'll be able to get a good pastrami/Reuben/Rachel sandwich, I will be forever grateful! I seriously haven't been able to stop thinking about this combo. 

Up close. I'm craving this just looking at the picture while I type up this review!

Hands down our absolute favourite meal we had while in Melbourne. Nothing disappointed us, with the food all being delicious and at such fabulous prices! No wonder this place is well loved. I can't wait to come back to Melbourne just to have these awesome bagels again! I've heard the pulled pork is also amazing. Couldn't recommend it anymore!

Sean's Kitchen [2]

Forget Breakfast at Tiffany's... do breakfast at Sean's! ;)

Soooo I've visited Sean's Kitchen 3 times in the span of 7 days - once for lunch and twice for breakfast. Today's post will be covering breakfast!

The first time we went, we chose to sat outside and enjoy the beautiful morning sunshine. I soon realised this was a big mistake as my poor temporary iPhone 4 camera just couldn't handle that sunshine! 

English Breakfast Tea $4 

Soy cappucino $5

(Still cringing at the lighting in this photo. I apologise!)

Gypsy Eggs $12

baked free range hens eggs, chorizo, spicy tomato & bean casserole

What drew me to this was the baked eggs and spicy tomato. I loved the texture of the baked eggs, especially since they both had runny yolks, as well as the flavour of the spicy tomato casserole. Just the right amount of punch and not too rich, although it was what I would consider a hearty breakfast. I'm not too sure how I managed to miss the beans listed on the menu (it was clearly too early for me), but there are quite a few so maybe leave this dish alone if you're not a huge fan of beans like myself! The only complaint I have would be that bread - it was rock hard and almost impossible to bite through. I didn't manage to finish the dish but it would be good size for anyone feeling super hungry in the morning.

For our second visit, we arrived to an empty restaurant just before 8am. Learning from previous experience, this time we sat inside so I could capture some proper photos!

 Latte $4

 Bacon & Egg Butty $6

bloody mary tomato ketchup

Angela ordered this on our first visit and I just had to try it when we returned! I loved it - the egg was fried perfectly with a runny yolk, the bloody mary tomato ketchup had the most deliciously rich, spiced flavour and bacon was... well, bacon. 

On our first visit, someone was ordering about 30-40 takeaway butties so it took about 20 minutes for our food to come out. On our second visit, being the only ones at the restaurant at the time we ordered, the food was ready within only about 5 minutes. The usual fantastic service and great atmosphere were evident on both mornings, particularly with all the gorgeous sunshine through the glass windows! I would love to come back, but maybe not for another month or so... 3 times in 7 days has been rather excessive. The bacon & egg butty is dangerously addictive and so affordable, let's just say it's a good thing my university isn't based in the city because you can also get it to-go in the mornings!

Cafe Troppo

A gorgeous sunny morning a few days ago saw me catching up with a friend over a relaxing breakfast at Cafe Troppo!

Pot of green tea $4

Mushie Omelette $11

Sauteed swiss brown mushrooms, fresh herbs and grated local parmesan baked into a hearty omelette and served with fresh greens

A rather enjoyable breakfast, particularly if you're like me and love eating mushrooms! The omelette was cooked to perfection and the fresh spinach salad really lightened up the entire dish.

The Poachie $14
Two soft-poached eggs with fresh greens, organic Hills avocado and troppo poesto on rye sourdough and topped with fried SA haloumi

My friend went for the poachie and he had no complaints apart from the rye sourdough which he found to be too hard.

I've visited Cafe Troppo twice now and have enjoyed it both times. (Last visit to Cafe Troppo here). The service is rather relaxed, almost too casual at times, but I have always enjoyed the food. I really like how they change up the menu every season to ensure only the freshest local produce is used and make an effort to be environmentally sustainable. Definitely somewhere I would recommend with affordable meals that make you feel good about yourself and the environment! 

East Terrace Continental [2]

A firm favourite of mine for breakfast or brunch; ETC! This post features two of my past visits.

First visit

Having just come back to the city after hiking Mount Lofty on a Sunday morning, the bestie and I stopped by one of our favourite places for a quick feed. We were both craving poached eggs but didn't want anything too heavy, so we settled for this:

Fresh-fanned avocado $6.70

on wood oven toast with drizzled olive oil

+ poached egg $2

A quick, simple and satisfying meal. Perfectly poached eggs with a slightly runny yolk which was mopped up with the toast. So delicious! For some this may be a little bland, but a little salt and pepper will do the trick. Otherwise, add Hollandaise sauce for an additional $2, or just order Eggs Benedict or Eggs Florentine! Having wanted just a light meal, we didn't end up finishing all the toast, but I think this would make a pretty filling breakfast. 

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Second visit

It's always important to fuel up before a hard day of studying, right? For breakfast, we stopped by ETC to find it much emptier than usual and Rio being the cartoon film playing on the wall. We'd considered getting something a little lighter but hey, it's SO difficult to say no to poached eggs!

Iced coffee $6.50

Mmmm ice cream to start off breakfast... #healthy

This wasn't my order, but apparently it had a very strong coffee flavour and was not overly sweet. It came out in a huge glass, so was definitely worth the $6.50!

 Eggs Benedict $12.60

with leg ham, tomato & Hollandaise sauce on English muffins

+ Hash brown $1.80

You can never go wrong with eggs benny! And I added a hash brown because.... just because :P

Toasty muffins topped with two delicious poached egg, 2 huge slices of ham and a tonne of Hollandaise sauce. Yuuum! There were also 3 slices of fresh tomato sandwiched between the muffins and ham which made them a little warm and soggy. Nothing a bit of Hollandaise couldn't fix! Seriously such a satisfying breakfast.

 Soft poached eggs $13.60

with prosciutto, spinach & Hollandaise sauce with a drizzle of napolitana sauce on wood oven toast

I have been here more times than I can remember and have honestly never been disappointed. I'm sure everything on the menu here is good! I love the fresh juices which are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. The service is fantastic and food always comes out within 10 minutes, even when every single table is full and it is super busy. It's also pretty good value, and you can fill up on a meal for around $15! Another favourite place of mine in the East End and I definitely recommend you try it out if you haven't already. Order anything with poached eggs. Trust me, they're always perfect :)

Check out my last review of ETC here!

East Terrace Continental

Having my Ps, and being up early on a Saturday morning meant that my friends and I were able to grab a quick bite to eat for breakfast before beginning an intense study session!

On the adjacent wall to the right of this, kids movies were being projected. During our breakfast, we were able to watch a bit of 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs'!

 The food came out approximately 10 minutes after ordering. Quite speedy service for a busy Saturday morning!

 Soft Poached Eggs $13.60

with prosciutto, spinach and Hollandaise sauce with a drizzle of napolitana sauce on wood oven toast

+ Extra spinach $3.80

This was my choice for breakfast after deliberating over whether I should pick something sweet or savoury. I love poached eggs so I couldn't say no to this. It was obviously way too early in the morning because I accidentally ordered extra spinach thinking that there wasn't any with the dish. Oops! Can't say no to some extra nutrients though! 

The eggs were perfectly poached, with the yolks just holding together, only to burst onto the perfectly toasted piece of bread with a poke of my knife. I think the Hollandaise was lacking a bit of its distinctive tanginess, but that would be the only fault. 

Eggs Benedict $12.60

with leg ham, tomato and Hollandaise sauce on an english muffin

 Chill Bar $13.90

traditional Turkish breakfast of poached eggs atop warmed garlic yoghurt, drizzled with paprika butter served with sauteed mushrooms and warm Turkish bread

The garlic yoghurt and paprika butter sounded very interesting. I might have to order this the next time I visit!

 Celery, apple and pineapple juice $6.50

I ordered this to accompany my breakfast and it was SO good! I often juice fruits and vegetables at home and this is one of my favourite combinations. 

Banana smoothie $6.50

East Terrace Continental definitely left a good first impression. Delicious food, great value and service - definitely a fantastic start to my morning! I'm sure I'll be back soon. This would also be a nice place to bring younger children because it has a very casual atmosphere and is child friendly, and they'll be kept entertained with the movies on the wall.

Overall, 9/10. 

Vy

xo