Kent Road Bistro - Wooloowin

Oh my, what an amazing dinner we had last night at Kent Road Bistro in Wooloowin with wonderful friends.

The menu changes each month to keep it fresh and interesting, and this approach is working wonders for them as many regulars book in every month.

Here’s what we chose from the July menu and everything was absolutely delicious.

• Spring Bay mussels with spiced pancetta & couscous.
• Heritage Hill pheasant & morel pithier.
• Lamb rump with bubble & squeak terrine & salsa verde.
• Smoked duck breast with cauliflower purée & cumquat jus.
• Mushroom ragu and English spinach with cream & nutmeg.
• Pine nut & rosemary tart with raspberry dust & creme fraiche pannacotta.
• Citrus laced cannoli filled with rum & vanilla mascarpone.

Spring Bay mussels with spiced pancetta & couscous

Heritage Hill pheasant & morel pithier

Lamb rump with bubble & squeak terrine & salsa verde

Smoked duck breast with cauliflower purée & cumquat jus

Mushroom ragu and English spinach with cream & nutmeg

Pine nut & rosemary tart with raspberry dust & creme fraiche pannacotta

Citrus laced cannoli filled with rum & vanilla mascarpone

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Kitchen 8 - Northgate

The croissants are back!

Woo Hoo, the K8 Brisket Benedict is back on a toasted croissant and it is as delicious as I remembered.

Read Kristen M.'s review of Kitchen 8 on Yelp

The Groove Train - North Lakes

It's always been a bit hit and miss at this location, but last Saturday was ridiculous. I'm not sure if there was a new chef or they were just having a bad day, but unfortunately, it was the worst meal I've had in years. 

We both ordered the big breakfast, aka The Whole Groovy Hog, which comes with fried eggs, bacon, Italian pork sausage, tomato, onions, mushrooms and a hash brown on toasted sourdough. We requested poached eggs instead of fried, and settled in with our coffees ready to do some people watching.

When our breakfast arrived my partner's plate came out without any eggs at all...I guess the chef forgot to put them on. We let the waitress know and they were brought out, but unfortunately, both poached eggs had hard and dry yolks. My poached eggs still had some life to them, but the whites were hard and tasted like vinegar. 

My unappetising eggs were accompanied by blackened charcoal sausages with ends that crumbled into ash when I touched them. When I mentioned it to the waitress she said "that's how they are supposed to be". Hmmm?

Pointing to the sausages on my partner's breakfast which were cooked properly, i.e. not black, she said that they just hadn't been cooked as long...well, duh.

Overall, this was a very disappointing breakfast and we will be steering well clear of this Groove Train in the future.

Sadness on a plate

This didn't leave me feeling Groovy

Read Kristen M.'s review of The Groove Train on Yelp

The Junction Cafe - Tannum Sands

After asking for a recommendation for a good breakfast cafe from the caravan park we ventured out to Junction Cafe this morning.

They have an all-day breakfast menu I was pleasantly surprised to find a Keto-friendly option as well as cream for my long black.

We chose the Keto Breakfast Bowl with an extra poached egg added and the Junction Big Breakfast. Both were very generous and although they were delicious we couldn't finish everything - great value

The staff are lovely and there is shaded seating out front so you can bring along your best friend.

Junction Big Breakfast

Keto Breakfast Bowl

Very generous serves

Dog friendly 🐶

Read Kristen M.'s review of The Junction cafe on Yelp

Gather and Feast - Caboolture

We are always on the lookout for new cafes to try and found Gather & Feast in Caboolture by chance.

We both had the Feast and were not disappointed. The eggs were perfectly poached and sat atop super crunchy sourdough. 

The serves were very generous with 2 eggs, bacon, 3 chipolatas, mushroom, avo, relish, baby spinach, halloumi and a lovely green sauce.

Read Kristen M.'s review of Gather and Feast on Yelp

Mojo's on North - Bribie Island

While on the hunt for a big breakfast on Bribie Island we stumbled upon Mojo's on North. 

The prices were great and the serves looked very generous, but the clincher was the large undercover seating area on a hot Saturday morning.

We both got the Mojo's Mega Breakfast and while my OH polished his off, I was defeated!

Mojo Mega Breakfast

Mojo's Mega Breakfast - 1 large pork sausage, 2 rashers bacon, 2 eggs, mushrooms, baked beans, hash brown, and 2 slices of toast - $19

Read Kristen M.'s review of Mojo's on North on Yelp

Mill Creek Cafe - Dayboro

We headed to the lovely village of Dayboro for a birthday breakfast and found the Mill Creek Cafe which has an outdoor seating area nestled in among the trees.  

We went for the Salmon Eggs Benny & a Breakfast Burger and they didn't disappoint. 

Next time I have to remember to ask for the hollandaise sauce on the side as it was a very generous serve and I prefer a bit less.

Salmon Eggs Benny

Breakfast Burger

Coffee with a view of the market stalls setting up

Lovely outdoor seating area

Perfect poachies

Read Kristen M.'s review of Mill creek cafe on Yelp

Shingle Inn - Strathpine

We've been to this Shingle Inn location a couple of times now and the breakfast is always good.

The Big Breakfast is generous with poached eggs, bacon, chipolatas, tomatoes, mushrooms, sourdough and hash browns.

I opted for the Goodness Bowl and the only issue was the discoloured avo which still tasted fine but didn't look appetising.

Cappuccino

Nice runny poachies

Goodness Bowl

Big Breakfast

Read Kristen M.'s review of Shingle Inn on Yelp

Kitchen 8 - Northgate

Kitchen 8 are back open for dine-in and still have all of our favourite breakfast dishes.

The Brisket Benedict now comes on a muffin instead of a croissant, 😭 but the brisket is the star and that is so delicious that it could just be plated up on its own and I would still order it!

They don't have cream for my long black so I get a doppio instead and it always comes with a shot of Soda water to cleanse the palate.

Brisket Benedict

Doppio with soda water

Takeaway window

Ramekins Cafe - Carseldine

Update: 7 June 2016

Smashed avo with poached eggs and bacon added

Look at that ooze

Update: 14 August 2015

Sweet Potato & Kale Fritters with an extra egg & avo added

Update: December 2014

In Dec 2014 we called into Ramekins again and I had the Smashed Avo & dukkah with poached eggs, mushrooms, hash brown & ham off the bone. It was served in a small paella pan and was delicious. The poached eggs were nice and runny this time and the dukkah was a nice addition to the standard smashed avo.

We headed back to Ramekins for a lazy Sat breakfast in Aug 2015 and decided on the Eggs Benny with Ham, and the Sweet Potato and Kale Fritters. The fritters were on the smallish side but I had added an extra poached egg and avocado so it was the perfect sized breakfast.

23 June 2013

We were craving hash browns so headed out to Ramekins for a leisurely Saturday breakfast and were quite surprised at how busy they were. We managed to snag a table and ordered coffee and two Big Breakfasts and added some avocado and Hollandaise sauce.

The first thing I always do when my poached eggs arrive is to cut into them and pray that they will be perfectly oozy and delicious. Unfortunately, both eggs were almost completely solid and there was not a runny yolk in sight. My avocado was turning black so I sent it back but luckily the rest of the breakfast was delicious.

Maybe on a quieter day they would be less frantic and the poachies would be nice and runny...perhaps one day I'll return to find out. Until then I'll continue my search for the best breakfast in Brisvegas.

Skinny Cap

Big Breakfast with Avo

Read Kristen M.'s review of Ramekins Cafe on Yelp>

Spring - Brisbane CBD

I've been working my way around the Brisbane CBD sampling the various breakfast options and always find myself ordering a variation on Smashed Avo..I think I may be obsessed!

The Spring Smashed Avo offering is a simple affair on sourdough toast and lemon. The avo was well seasoned and deliciously creamy. As a takeaway option it is perfect if you only have time to duck out for a quick coffee as you can enjoy this when you get back to your desk.

Smashed Avo on homemade sourdough toast with lemon

Gramercy Coffee - Brisbane CBD

Tucked away in a laneway at Wintergarden, Grammercy reminds me of all the wonderful cafes I left behind in Melbourne. Take a seat, peruse the menu and your order will be taken within minutes. 

I can't go past the Smashed Avo with Labne on super thick and crunchy sourdough and their coffee is smooth and creamy.

Smashed Avo and Labne on Sourdough with an egg added

Bing Boy - Brisbane CBD

Oh Boy! If you are looking for something fresh and satisfying for lunch in the city. Bing Boy pumps out freshly made super-thin wheat omelette wraps with various fillings. 

The Pretty n' Peking with super juicy Duck, Cucumber, Sweet & Sour Carrot, mixed salad & crispy Wonton Skin is delicious and definitely worth the wait.

Pretty n' Peking

Tip: If you are in a hurry make sure you look around to see if there are a lot of people waiting to collect their orders as you will be given a number & they make every order fresh in front of the store.

Sunshine Kebabs - Underwood

We were on the other side of town and after a light breakfast. I wouldn't normally try a kebab shop for breakfast but Sunshine Kebabs was large and inviting and we noticed a photo of a delicious looking plate filled with meat, cheeses, olives, eggs, spreads, tomato and cucumber slices. 

With a generous serve of warm fresh turkish bread on the side it was plenty for two people to share.

Big Turkish Breakfast $15.50

Read Kristen M.'s review of Sunshine Kebabs on Yelp

Putia Pure Food - Banyo

I had high hopes for Putia and at first glance it's a lovely cafe with a great menu and gorgeous courtyard, but it was let down by hard poached eggs...those words should never be uttered in the same sentence.

Our orders were taken and the coffees arrived promptly but we had to ask for sugar as there was none on the table and none offered. It was the same story with salt and pepper, they would benefit from setting the tables first up to save repeated requests for the basics.

Gympie bacon with poached eggs, relish and wilted greens

We ordered the Gympie bacon with poached eggs, relish and wilted greens and asked for soft poached eggs. Unfortunately, we were served hard poached eggs, and I mean hard dry pale yolks like a hard-boiled egg. Very disappointed... When we mentioned this to our waitress there was no offer to cook the eggs again but they did offer to bring free drinks. The juice they brought was nice but it couldn't satisfy my craving for runny yolks..

This is not a runny poached egg

Overall the rest of the food was really nice. If they could cook eggs I would happily rate them higher but there is no excuse for hard poached eggs coming out of a professional kitchen. With no offer to cook them again I can only comment on what I received and will be steering clear of Putia from now on.

Update: I reviewed this business on Yelp and Urbanspoon and the manager replied on Urbanspoon which I respect as it shows that they are serious about connecting with diners and addressing any issues. Unfortunately, it appears that his staff lied to him and advised him that they had offered to replace the eggs but as I'd almost finished them it was too late. But I hadn't even taken a bite out of my breakfast when I spoke to the waitress and there was no offer of replacing my eggs. Only an offer of a drink. It's such a shame that the staff are lying to their manager as this doesn't help solve minor kitchen and service issues that are easily fixable.

Read Kristen M.'s review of Putia Pure Food on Yelp

Panama Jacks - Bracken Ridge

We've been to Panama Jacks at Bracken Ridge Tavern twice since we discovered it so close to home. It's the perfect place for a Friday night out or an easy midweek meal. All of the staff are lovely and very helpful.

The Steak & Rib Combo ($36.90) is enormous with a Cape Grim rib fillet, a half rack of ribs, chunky chips, coleslaw, chargrilled corn cob & onion rings. We ordered two and used the Entertainment Book to get one free but it beat us both and we brought home most of the ribs to enjoy the next day.

On our second visit, we ordered the garlic bread, chicken parmy and a chicken snitty with gravy. The chicken serving sizes are much more realistic, i.e. the parmy isn't the size of your head like some of my fav bars back in Melbourne..

If you are after dessert you can head next door to PhoPanama JacksPanama Jacksenix or to the Gloria Jeans inside Panama Jacks for coffee & desserts.

Tips:
Grab a bucket of Coronas for $20 and get a free hat.
Join the BRT Rewards Club to get great discounts, rewards and specials. It's free and you will receive a $10 food voucher for your next visit - you can't beat that.

Enormous Steak & Rib Combo

Market Street Cafe

Whenever we have a hankering for a chicken schnitty roll for lunch we head to the Market Street Cafe...and today I realised that we may have been doing this a bit too often as the lovely lady behind the counter started rattling off our preferences (avo on one side, mayo on the other, lettuce, cheese and tomato on one but not the other - she did well to remember all that!)

There are tables outside and also plenty of seating downstairs (including couches) and they are happy to bring your order to your table when it's freshly made.

Market Street Cafe
30 Market St
Brisbane Queensland 4000

AJ Vietnamese Noodle House - Brisbane CBD

I first heard about this place on The Nutrition Guru and the Chef's blog last year and couldn't believe it was just up the road from work and I'd never noticed it. I hightailed it up Charlotte St and was lucky enough to get a table. I got the Beef Noodle Soup and was hooked.

I've been back loads of times and have tried the Special Noodle Soup (be prepared for some less than common ingredients in this one!), Spring Rolls, Hainam Chicken Rice, Rice Vermicelli Salad with Grilled Chicken (delicious) and today I had the Combination Noodle Soup. Every dish has been excellent and great value for money.

There are about 10 tables inside and it's often full but tables turn over pretty quickly and they also do takeaway. There are often throngs of people waiting on the street for a table or takeaway because it is definitely worth the wait..

It's cash only so make sure you have cold hard cash and a healthy appetite.

On my next visit I'm going to try the BBQ Pork Wonton Noodle Soup, is two visits in two days an addiction??

Combination Noodle Soup

 Hainam Chicken Rice

 Rice Vermicelli Salad with Grilled Chicken

AJ Vietnamese Noodle House

70 Charlotte St
Brisbane Queensland 4000

Arrivederci Pizzeria - Milton

Monday Madness at Arriverderci is well worth a visit - 25cm pizzas for $12 and $5 tap beers.

We won tickets for the Broncos v Tigers game and decided to grab a quick pizza for dinner beforehand. We didn't have a booking but we were greeted warmly and seated, given water and menus and they explained the Monday Madness deal. You can't go past $12 for a 25cm pizza so we grabbed a Pizza alla Diavola (Tomato, cheese, salami, olives, mushrooms, chilli & tobasco) and Forza Roma (Tomato, cheese, salami, Italian sausage, ham & bacon) as well as a couple of beers.

Both pizzas were delicious. The italian sausage on the Forza Roma was lovely with a hint of fennel? They also have 50cm and 1m pizzas which looked awesome. Perfect for a group to share.

Forza Roma

Pizza alla Diavola

Arrivederci Pizzeria 

1 Park Rd
Milton Queensland 4064

Read Kristen M.'s review of Arrivederci Pizza Al Metro on Yelp