Tin Pot Cafe

Tin Pot is a bit of an old faithful - not my most favourite place but always there and always with an extensive breakfast menu. Service is always friendly but a bit hit and miss with remembering things or meals coming out together. This most recent visit was odd because there were plenty of tables when we arrived but we had to stand around for ten minutes while they cleared off a particular table for us. Don't get me wrong, it was a good table but it would have been easier for everyone to let us sit somewhere else.

So, combine odd loitering in the doorway with screaming children and a strange all-white renovation, it was a very strange start to breakfast.



I went with the vego beans - they were good but fairly one note and when I got a bit of feta in a mouthful, it totally changed the whole meal. Overall, it needed a nice squeeze of lemon but it appears that there is some sort of lemon crisis happening in Melbourne at the moment. So, good beans but not a patch on the Tre Espresso beans.



Es went with porridge with banana and, despite the "NO CHANGES TO DISHES" claim at the top of the menu, she was able to sub the maple syrup for brown sugar. I tasted it and it was good. Esther said that it was nice and creamy and not too sticky or stodgy. High praise indeed.

J&D had various things that I can't remember now so . . .

Tin Pot - nice, reliable, needs more lemon.


Tin Pot Cafe
248-250 St Georges Rd, Fitzroy North
(03) 9481 5312‎

Julio, Fitzroy North

Julio
171 Miller St, Fitzroy North

I'd never even heard of Julio before I was escorted there for a mid-week lunch with my friend S — I think that officially makes me unhip.

It was tiny and quiet and had a menu that appealed to my love of all things carbohydrate. I was almost swayed by the pancake special or the Romeo & Juliet (white cheese and guava paste on sourdough) but I ended up going the vego sandwich path.



Oh my. Someone must have informed the kitchen about my love of goats cheese. This sandwich was pretty much everything I love in a sandwish — excellent bread, excellent cheese, excellent vegies. Excellent all round.

I dug Julio so much that when my mother was in town for a couple of days and we needed a Sunday Morning Breakfast place, I suggested to Es that we try there. I figured if it suffered the usual Sunday Morning Breakfast crowd, we could cruise by CERES, A Minor Place and Green Refectory until we found a table.

Happily, despite it being pretty busy, there was the perfect table and, lo, we breakfasted.



I went with the Poached Egg Special which came with a generous helping of avocado, what was essentially a delicious huge homemade potato gem and a tasty capsicum and tomato sauce. OM NOM NOM.

Es went with the Semolina Pancakes with Stewed Strawberries and my mum had a Ham & Cheese Croissant. Everyone seemed very happy with their breakfast and I think, chances are, I'll be back to Julio.