The Green at St Columbs

Located in the former chapel at the St Columbs church, The Green at St Columbs is the latest wholesome, community-minded project from Jesuit Social Services. Interior by ZWEI, coffee by Code Black Coffee and a modern, all-day menu crafted by Head Chef Kevin Dick (ex Cutler & Co. and St. Ali North) ? It's all exciting stuff.

Skinny Flat White

Salmon Gnocchi and Eggs

The hot smoked salmon fillet was beautifully cooked, rich and packed with flavour, working wonderfully with a pair of oozy poached eggs. Served on a bed of horseradish yoghurt, golden pillows of pan fried potato gnocchi and a crusty slice of sourdough made this dish a substantial meal. 

Middle Eastern Vegetarian Braise

On the other end of the table, my friend picked the Middle Eastern Vegetarian Braise with poached eggs and toast - a warm and hearty feed for a cozy brunch on a winter's day.

Fig Jam Doughnut

To skip dessert at The Green would have been a crime, with their boastful display of house-made cakes and pastries glistening from behind the glass counter. Their fig jam doughnuts were absolutely gorgeous - think fluffy pastries injected with luscious fig jam that sugar-coated our lips with each bite.

Brunching whilst simultaneously helping The Green at St Columb's mission of building a just society where people can live to their full potential ? Why wouldn't you. 

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of The Green at St Columbs

The Green at St Columbs
5 St Columbs Street
Hawthorn, VIC

 

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Hakata Gensuke

Baby, it’s cold outside. It’s wet, it’s dark and it’s pouring with rain. Ramen is suddenly the only thing that makes sense. Hakata Gensuke ramen that is.

God Fire

I must say, Ramen has to be one of my ultimate comfort foods. And the ramen at Hakata Gensuke is no exception. If anything, it's the rule. My Level 4 God Fire was wickedly spicy, a steaming bowl of Gensuke's silky tonkotsu broth with a secret blend of 'Spicy Fire' swimming with bouncy noodles and your basic trimmings. I also went for an added egg because really, who can say no to a gooey centered egg ? Seriously, I can not think of anything better to warm the soul on a chilly, grizzly day.

Signature Tonkotsu

On the other end of the table was the Signature Tonkotsu - rich, cloudy and collagen-full pork bone broth served with thin noodles and an upgrade on the trimmings. For an extra $8, you get three more slices of fatty cha shu, seaweed and flavoured egg. All politely slurped up in no time.

Hakata Gyoza

Chicken Karaage

We also grabbed ourselves some bite-sized Hakata Gyozas and Chicken Karaage. Juicy Hakata style fried chicken tossed in secret spices - so so luscious on the inside yet amazingly crispy on the outside. Oh man, biggest craving for this JFC right now. 

Guys, hang up your dripping umbrella and wet jacket, shrug off those winter woes and fill up Hakata Gensuke. Best ramen in Melbourne I tell you.

Hakata Gensuke

860 Glenferrie Road 

Hawthorn, VIC 3122

http://www.gensuke.com.au/ 

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Bagelicious

What's more to love than a soft, chewy bagel complemented with a wide selection of tantalising flavours ? Yeah, it's pretty hard to beat. So when Yonathan from Bagelicious invited a bagel buddy and myself to check out his second addition to the Bagelicious family, I was all smiles. 

Chicken Schnitzel

Our first choice was the Chicken Schnitzel on a poppy studded bagel, a unanimous decision. The schnitzel was thick yet tender, crusted in a lovely golden coating and smeared in a generous dollop of mustard and mayo. The crunchy salad of cucumber, lettuce and tomato was refreshing and made the bagel whole (minus the hole). 

Smoked Chicken

The Smoked Chicken from the Pressed Toast Bagel menu came highly recommended by Yonathan, and boy it did not disappoint. Served on an Everything Bagel, the bagel came out in a rainbow of pesto, smoked chicken, roast capsicum, red onion and cheddar. The sharp cheese melted straight into the juicy chicken whilst the vegetables added a fresh touch to each bite. 

Cinnamon & Raisin 

We ended with the Cinnamon & Raisin Bagel hot out of the oven, oozing with the heavenly pairing of peanut butter and jelly. Mm mm mmm.

My oh my did I enjoy Bagelicious. These are what I call #baegoals

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Bagelicious

Bagelicious

646 Glenferrie Road  

Hawthorn, VIC 3122

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Humburger

A licensed exotic burger eating house - Eat. Drink. Hum.

Frenchy - Beef, Potato Rosti, Herb Hollandaise, Chunky Garden Mayo and Cornichons

New York - 2 x Beef, Bacon, Cheddar, Caramelised Onion, Pickles, Mayo and Tomato Sauce

Fries with Hum Seasoning

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Humburger

Humburger
789 Glenferrie Road
Hawthorn, VIC 3122

http://humburger.com.au 

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Axil Coffee Roasters

Melbourne weather is unpredictable, we all now that. So to wake up to clear skies, and warm light on a winter's day was a cheerful start to the day. Like every other Melbournian, this translated to a nice lazy Sunday breakfast out, and today we got our fix at Axil Coffee Roasters. 

I really do love visiting eateries here, there and everywhere. Not only for the food or coffee, but for the dining experience. In particular, I love to see how they use their space, the decor and the ambience. Having said that, Axil is one of the many that really has me wowing over their interior. How quaint are the details of the lighting and the wall of pot plants ?

Every item off the menu sounded inviting, from the sweets selection, specials to the everyday mains. Both my friend and myself are big chatter boxes, the I-talk-so-fast-I-have-no-time-to-breath kind, and we had loads to catch up on. As a result, our waiter patiently came back time after time to check if we were ready. And finally, after the fourth time, we were ready. 

Skinny Flat White

Now, Axil being a specialty coffee roaster, and owned by one of the best baristas in Australia, Davis Makin,  it only seemed right to order myself the single origin of the day. Today showcased the specialty coffee from Brazil Clovis. Smooth and full bodied, my skinny flat white went down well with hints of strawberry and orange.

  Scrambled Egg and Chorizo Breakfast Wrap with Rocket, Avocado & Tomato Salsa

I'm not one to usually order scrambled eggs, normally opting for poached eggs for that yolk porn goodness. But today, the thought of golden pillows of eggs was too tempting. And boy, I never knew a wrap could looks so inviting, just feasting my eyes on this only made me hungrier.  Filled with fluffy folds of scrambled eggs, thicks slices of spicy chorizo, this breakfast wrap was gigantic! Topped with rocket, fresh cherry tomatoes and creamy avocado, the flavours together made a mouthful of heaven. And yes, I did manage to finish the entire dish.

Bircher Muesli with Raspberry, Cherry & Yogurt Sorbet

My friend decided to go for a healthier option. Having had an entire weekend of eating out breakfast, lunch and tea, she opted for the lighter choice of Bircher Muesli. Now, both of us having made Bircher Muesli before ourselves, we know it's pretty easy and simple. And for it to be a dish to make it's way onto a menu, we would hope it was pretty darn special. The result ? Deliciousness. Soft rolled oats, mixed with a combination of cherries and raspberries, and garnished with almond flakes. And of course, we can't forget the scoop of yogurt sorbet that crowned the dish. The friend titled it the best bircher muesli she's ever had.

On this busy Sunday morning, staff were warm, patient and attentive despite our endless chatter and indecisiveness. Breakfast was top notch and value for money. If you're yet to visit Axil, head on over – it’s worth it.

Axil Coffee Roasters
322 Burwood Road 
Hawthorn

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