Code Black Coffee

From the team that brought us Code Black in Brunswick comes the new kid on the Block, Code Black on Howard Street in North Melbourne. After four long years of development, the soft-hued space with its pastel tones, lofty stools and blonde wood is finally up and running.

Naturally, Maggie, Peach and I rummaged through our diaries to find a suitable date for us to check it out. Unsurprisingly, this newbie came with a waiting line of 45 minutes.

In time, we finally nabbed ourselves a table and put in our orders for some caffeine and food to settle our rumbling stomaches. The waiting game had resumed, this time round extending our hanger levels with another 30 minute wait. I blame Broadsheet.

Skinny Flat White

  

Black Beans with Jalapeño Cornbread

From the softly smoked black beans with a subtle kick, perfect sunny-side up egg with yolk still completely liquid to the grilled lime – it was simple food cooked well with flavours that packed a punch. I adored their addition of cornbread, bursting with corn kernels which were a much welcomed change from your standard sourdough. Though it was a shame that I couldn't see or taste any jalapeño in my cornbread.

Salt-baked Chicken Salad

Peach stuck with her #cleaneating and went for a light salad consisting of salt-baked chicken, chilli, lime, avocado, watercress, red onion, tomato, herbs and an added poached egg for extra protein.  

  

 Seared Tuna Salad

Following suit, Maggie too went for a salad, opting for the zesty herb-crusted tuna delicately seared rare, served with cucumber, snow pea tendrils, bok choy, chia, millet and a drizzle of Asian dressing. And brunch would not be brunch without eggs, so an added poached egg was a must for Maggie too.

For both dishes I only had a small nibble, but I found that both dishes paled in comparison to my beans, with both salads rather lacking and erred on the blander side of things. At the same time, it does seem unfair to measure up a salad to a full-bodied dish of beans. Luckily for me (not so much the others), this meant no food envy for me this time around.

The food here at Code Black Coffee leans towards lighter and cleaner flavours, appealing to the more health conscious. Service was here and there but hey, these guys are new to the area and still finding their feet. Nonetheless, I enjoyed my visit, though I’m not sure if I can say the same for my brunch buddies. 

Code Black Coffee

119 Howard Street 

North Melbourne, VIC 3051

http://codeblackcoffee.com.au/

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Middle Fish

Middle Fish - A little piece of Thailand to put a smile on your face.

Tea with Condensed Milk

Breakfast Roti - Avocado, Barley, Herbs, Tahini Yogurt and Crispy Fried Egg

Kao Tom Salmon - Salmon, Ginger, Celery and Poached Egg

Som Tum Fruit Salad - Seasonal Fruits with Palm Sugar, Fish Sauce, Garlic, Chilli Flakes, Quinoa and Toasted Almond Flakes

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Middle Fish

Middle Fish
122-128 Berkeley Street
Carlton VIC 3053

http://middlefish.com.au

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Di Bella Coffee Roasting Warehouse

I often hear great things about Di Bella Coffee Roasting Warehouse - it being a favourite spot among Melbourne North-siders. Clearly, a visit was in order. 

A step into Di Bella and it seemed like we were in a whole new world. Met by the delightful aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafting through the air, the vibe is rustic and laid back. Very North Melbourne.

Crispy Pork Jowl

Feeling a little cheeky (heh), I went for the Crispy Pork Jowl with its syrupy son-in-law eggs, pork sauce, balsamic soaked croutons and turnip tops. Crispy, salty, and rich, the pork jowl was a clever alternative to your typical bacon rasher. A bite in and I was greeted with moist meat and insanely luscious fat that drove me crazy – both crazy good and crazy thinking about the hours I’d be spending at the gym burning it off ! 

Crispy Prawn Brioche Roll 

On the other end of the table, T tucked into his Crispy Prawn Brioche Roll – crispy prawn pieces, kewpie tartare and banh mi style salad all sandwiched between a soft buttery brioche roll. With crinkle cut chips on the side, T thoroughly enjoyed his pick.

Overall, I was charmed by Di Bella, with it’s easy going ambience, cozy feels and swift service. I'll be back, but for something much more healthier the next time round.

Di Bella Coffee Roasting Warehouse  

19-21 Leveson Street  

North Melbourne, VIC

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Twenty & Six Espresso

From the outside, Twenty & Six Espresso isn't the most exciting thing ever. But of course I had been eyeing off this place for god knows how long, so I knew exactly what was behind those doors. And you know what, I'm just going to casually throw in a little life lesson - you shouldn't judge a book by its cover anyway.

Iced Coffee and Mörk Iced Chocolate

At first glance, we found the menu here at Twenty & Six Espresso rather small - but a proper read through later, there is really something for everyone. From the Brioche french toast, Roasted chicken picnic sandwich to the Lemon house cured salmon tartare, the small yet exciting menu caters for all. The small menu also allows them to change it up seasonally.

Seared Tuna

JJ and I, like always, were on the same wave length and we both chose to have the Seared Tuna. Flash seared to perfection, the tuna had a deliciously meaty flavour - a rich, buttery texture that was packed with protein. In contrast, there were a handful of punchy flavours, from the sweetness of the asparagus spears, herbed infused roasted tomatoes to the salty white anchovies nestled within. The kiplfer potatoes with salsa versde went well here, adding another dimension of texture. To top it all off, we were also  graced with the most perfect wobbly oozy slow cooked egg. 

Fried Polenta

The other two were instantly drawn to the fried polenta - with braised mushrooms, crunchy asparagus spears, slow poached egg with ricotta and salsa verde. No complaints here as both dishes were wiped clean.

With such great vibrant food and fresh flavours, the girls and I were certainly impressed with the creative take on brunch Twenty & Six Espresso had going. The only gripe we had was that we were seated outside where it was far too hot. But hey, that's not Twenty & Six's fault - I'm blaming Melbourne for that.

Twenty & Six Espresso

594 Queensberry Street 

North Melbourne, VIC

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Auction Rooms

It was an insanely hot day, but the inside of Auction Rooms was cool and breezy - both the people and the room. The industrial-chic interior of this converted warehouse was absolutely gorgeous and I found myself absolutely captivated with it's rustic ambience and open space. 

Here at Auction Rooms, they're quite serious about their coffee (and the rest of Melbourne I suppose) - roasting and serving up Small Batch Roasting Co Specialty Coffee from beans sourced from the world's best coffee-growing regions. 

Even when we were waiting in line for a seat, we were asked if we were interested in sampling their filter coffee of the day - the Colombian Geisha. The friendly waiter proceeded to explain the origins of the coffee and asked us to spot hints of stone fruit and chocolate notes. Excellent service, I must say. 

Iced Coffee

Served super chilled, my Iced Coffee was bang on - rich, sweet and certainly worked to hit the spot. 

House-style Lemonade

Simple and fresh, T ordered Auction Room's house-style lemonade - perfect for a hot summer day. 

Olive Oil Poached Tasmanian Trumpeter

Onto the food now - and boy was the brunch menu adventurous. With us oo-ing and ah-ing, I hoped the waitress understood why we took so long to decide to place our bids.

In the end, the Olive Oil Poached Tasmanian Trumpeter had me sold. The fish had a beautiful firm white flesh, which was moist and tasty. Even though it was poached in olive oil, the fish was not oily at all. The soft omelette pillow, reminiscent of clouds went surprisingly well with the chewy sweet-fleshed pippies. 

Zucchini Blossom Salad

T, on the other hand went for a light, fresher option - a salad of zucchini blossom, Lebanese purslane, manchego cheese - all studded with puffed quinoa and drizzled in a muscatel vinaigrette.

I really do wonder how it took me so long to visit Auction Rooms. I mean, it satisfies every criteria - good brunch, good coffee, lovely space and lovely people. I feel like I've been missing out.


Auction Rooms
103-107 Errol Street

North Melbourne, VIC

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