BOHO Espresso

Shop 5, 241 West Coast Drv  (Luna Shopping Centre), Scarborough
Breakfast served daily 6am - 11.45am


Erric and I have been talking about checking out BOHO espresso for the past few weeks and we finally made it today for a Sunday brekky. The cafe is part of the Luna Max shopping complex and it has a massive area to eat outside under the shade which isn't rammed full of tables. I like that they have left the area spacious enough that you don't feel like you are forced to listen to the conversation of the table next to you! All the tables have a bucket of planted herbs as the centre piece and the whole cafe just oozes "relaxation".


The breakfast menu is concise yet it was still hard to decided what to have! The prices range from $6 for toast up to $22 for the La Boheme - roasted mushrooms & tomatoes, poached eggs, bacon, spinach and asparagus on sour dough. Erric decided to try the La Boheme and I was tossing up between the Breakfast wrap - bacon and egg wrap served with tomato relish and mesclun ($11) or the Benedict's Fix ($19). I have had a fixation on hollandaise recently so I went the benedict. I saw the "Full of Beans" come out to a table and that looked delicious. It is a mixture of beans in tomato coulis on fresh ciabatta ($16.50).

They also have an extensive juice and smoothies menu and what I was waiting to try.. their special young coconut drink called "Cocobee" ($10). This was a young coconut drilled to get the juice out, which is then mixed with banana, honey and coconut cream and squeezed back through the drilled hole using a bottle. The waitress was only too happy to explain to me how they did it! Erric ordered a "Ranga" juice ($7.50) which is orange, carrot and lemon. We joked it should have ginger in there too to make it a proper "ranga" drink.

BOHO uses Ristretto coffee which comes from a local Perth roaster. The coffee was beautiful. Both Erric and I commented how good it was. The texture was smooth and there was a bit of a toffee flavour coming through as well.


Erric said her juice was really good. It has a mellow citrus flavour and was refreshing. Now.. my impressive Cocobee drink - wow. It tasted so good! I love that it is served in the young coconut and it was nice and icy cold! It was also never ending - as soon as I thought I had nearly finished there was still heaps more. Well worth the $10 in my opinion.

As soon as the food came out, Erric was like "YES! Warm plates!". She said she prefers a warm plate for her breakfast rather than getting a stone cold one. Her La Boheme was like a big breakfast stack. The roasted mushrooms had tonnes of flavour and they had used fresh basil in the stack which added even more flavour to the dish. The only minor issue was that one of the poached eggs was holding a fair bit of water but they were still cooked nice and runny.  Erric said other than the water the dish was awesome.

My Benedict's Fix was delicious. The eggs were cooked perfectly and were obviously poached directly in water which weirdly.. I haven't seen in a while. I have been seeing a lot of eggs poached in glad wrap! The hollandaise at first glance looked a little thin but it was anything but. It was nice and buttery with a good amount of seasoning. The only thing it was lacking was the tang of the lemon juice. The casalinga bread that it was served on was very fresh and the spinach they had added still had a nice crunch.

The service at BOHO is impressive. Everyone is very personable and who I assume is the owner or manager took the time to chat to us and check on what we thought of everything.


This place is fantastic for a casual breakfast where you wouldn't feel under dressed if you walked straight from the beach to one of their shady tables. I love that a place like this exists right near the beach. I feel that these types of casual but quality cafes are an island in a sea of up market cafe's and restaurants. BOHO Espresso is a definitely a relaxing island to visit!

Portofinos Cafe

2 Quinns Rd, Mindarie
http://www.portofinos.com.au
Breakfast served daily 8.30am - 11.30am
Fully Licensed

After Erric called in sick for our breakfast date I decided to take Andy for breakfast to satisfy my craving for a review. I felt like being near the water so I suggested we see if Portofinos was open for breakfast. There is both the restaurant and the cafe (both called Portofinos) on the beach here but the restaurant is generally open only for dinner and Sunday lunch. The cafe is in a great location right on Quinns Beach next to the caravan park. It's strange that what was once a school holiday destination is now part of suburbia! In saying that the caravan park was full!

Andy and I got a table right at the window so we were over looking the beach. It really is a fantastic view! The menu is fairly basic with the usual meals making an appearance like pancakes, omelette, bacon eggs,  etc. Prices range from $4 for muffins up to $19 for either the  Big Breakfast (eggs, chipolatas, bacon,  tomato & mushroom on toast) or the Breakfast Pizza (bbq sauce, bacon, eggs, sausage, garlic potatoes, onion, sun dried tomatoes). I chose to have the eggs Benedict ($18) which was served with asparagus and Andy decided on the Breakfast Pizza. We both ordered a coffee and a milkshake each.

The milkshakes were nice and cold which was perfect for this 37 degree day! The coffee (Dimattina beans) needed a lot of work. The milk was overheated leaving an almost solid crema crust on top of Andy's flat white. Mine was quite bitter and as I drank it I discovered it was full of coffee grounds that had formed a silt at the bottom of the cup. Talking to my friends at Cafe 54/The Roastery - this suggests too finer grind or maybe the portafilters have not been kept clean. I think cafes should ask their coffee provider to give a free Barista lesson to their staff. Coffee really can make or break a breakfast. 

 The meals came out not long after the coffee which was good. Andy's pizza looked amazing! It's literally like a big breakfast on a pizza base. He said the spanish onion was cooked until soft as were the potatoes. He loved that the pizza had egg on it. It had a lot of flavour and the difference he liked was the use of BBQ sauce rather than tomato. 

 I always try the hollandaise sauce first when I order eggs benedict... this sauce was pretty good although it was missing the slight tang. It was still very creamy and buttery with a good amount of seasoning. The eggs were cooked perfectly and the muffins were slightly toasted so they were still soft.

What I found strange was that the cafe has beautiful decor and lovely staff but then after you order at the counter you have to get your cutlery from two plastic takeaway containers sitting on a ledge. PORTOFINOS PLEASE CHANGE THIS! I was actually a little disgusted at seeing it. At least wrap them in the napkins or something so I am not getting my cutlery out of the same old take away containers that 100 other people have put their grubby hands into.

In saying this, I am glad I am discovering great places like this north of the river. I think if Portofinos just tidy up a couple of things like the coffee and the cutlery situation then it would be perfect for a decent breakfast with an amazing view and friendly service.

 I have added the label "kid friendly" because there is a wonderful playground that is part of the cafe but there is not kids menu for breakfast.

The Partisan

Shop 22/60 Royal St, East Perth (down on the water in Claisebrook Cove)

http://thepartisan.com.au/

Breakfast served 8am - 12pm Tues - Sun 

The Partisan is somewhere that has been suggested to me several times and a few weeks ago I took Mr Peter Baby there as a gift along with Ella Vator, Lady Tango, Gypsy A Go Go and Mrs Chops. I love going for breakfast anywhere near the water and The Partisan have really taken advantage of their location on Claisebrook Cove and outside tables and bar style seating are shaded by umbrellas and a beautiful Jacaranda Tree.

When Gypsy A Go Go and I arrived we were immediately greeted by one of their lovely wait staff who seated us and offered to take our coffee orders. We decided to wait for the others to arrive and in the mean time we were brought water which was appreciated on this balmy morning.


When the others arrived we placed our coffee and drink orders. Gypsy A Go Go and I were the only ones who ordered an alcoholic drink with our coffees (only served after 10am). I, of course chose a Bloody Mary ($13.40) and Gypsy ordered a Mimosa ($12). We both thought our drinks were delicious. My Bloody Mary was nice and spicy – just how I like it. It is one of my favourite breakfast drinks. I hope one day I am going to end up as lady of leisure and all I do is drink bloody mary’s by the pool every morning. (I have bought myself a lotto ticket for the $31million).

The coffee that The Partisan uses is by Five Senses. Everyone was impressed with their coffee. The flavour had a hint of caramel in it and the texture was smooth and creamy all the way to bottom of the cup. Perfecto!

The menu prices range from $3.50 for toast up to $19 for One Pan Breakfast (eggs, toast, bacon, tomato, mushrooms and sausage). There was a good selection of toasts on offer including banana and walnut ($6) and Fig and Fennel ($5), which Mr Peter Baby decided to order with her Homemade Granola Muesli which came with poached seasonal fruits ($7). I decided to have Eggs Benedict which was served with Karri Valley ham ($17). Gypsy A Go Go, Lady Tango and Mrs Chops all decided on eggs on toast ($13) with sides of either mushrooms ($3), smoked salmon or bacon ($4).

There is also a lovely selection of Croques (French style toasted sandwiches) available on the brunch menu which would also make for a lovely breakfast.

When all the meals came out I felt that the presentation and consistency was a bit lacking on this morning, for example Mrs Chops’ eggs on toast didn’t come with butter but Lady Tango’s did. The eggs on toast with the salmon just didn’t look “finished off” on the big plate like the other meals did. Lady Tango also said that she had one poached egg cooked perfectly and the other was hard.

Mrs Chops and Gypsy A Go Go both agreed that the mushrooms were cooked well. They weren't soggy and were a nice meaty size.

The scrambled eggs that Gypsy ordered looked so creamy and she said they were amazing. The sprinkles of stirred through fresh parsley added to the flavour.

My Peter Baby enjoyed her muesli saying the strawberries were nice and sweet. The toast had more of a fig flavour than fennel, she said she couldn’t tell there was fennel in there.

I loved my eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce was perfect. It was creamy and seasoned well with a slight tang. I think sometimes this dish is a bit of a litmus test for a restaurant and their “breakfast ability”. The eggs were cooked well and the karri valley ham had so much flavour to it.

Despite a few minor issues with the food, the service was impeccable. The wait staff were really friendly and attentive. I also really liked their use of local produce that was both seasonal and fresh. I think it’s great to see a small business using what we have in our own backyard.

I recommend making a booking on weekends as it is a very popular place, especially if you want a table overlooking the beautiful water. The Partisan is a lovely addition to the Claisebrook Cove area.

Fez Cafe

83 Walcott St, Mt Lawley

http://www.fezcafe.net.au/

Breakfast served daily 7am - 11.45am

It's been a long time since my sister and I have been out to breakfast together so we decided to make a Sunday breakfast date at Fez Cafe. The reason we chose Fez was because it was close to home and they had gluten free bread on the menu.

It was quite busy when we arrived but we managed to get a table. The young waitress brought us over water and menus straight away. We were left to look over the menu but when we were ready to order we gestured to the same waitress who acknowledged us. Sarah and I kept talking and then we realised she hadn't come over yet. It seemed her job was to just seat people and polish cutlery. Whilst she was polishing cutlery I gestured again and it was then apparent there was one person who was taking orders and she was the only person who could do so. Sarah and I thought this was a pretty inefficient way of running things considering the other waitress could have easily taken our order instead of polishing cutlery.


The menu was interesting with a strong Moroccan and Mediterranean influence... which is of course what Fez Cafe is all about. Prices ranged from $5 for breads such as fig and fennel, raisin and walnut or banana  up to $20 for the big breakfast - two eggs (fried or poached), Mondos chicken and herb chipolatas, bacon,  grilled tomatoes, tuscan beans with toast. If you want scrambled eggs with this meal it is an extra $3 which I thought was a little strange. Sarah decided she was going to have the Fez Poached Eggs - grilled cherry tomatoes, avocado, spinach and herb feta on toast ($17). This is what I had my eye on! So I had to make a new choice. I was deciding between the Spanish Omelette - spicy chorizo, cheese, mint, cherry tomatoes and toast ($18) and the Eggs Benedict ($16).


There is also a Berber traditional breakfast (meatballs in rich tomato sauce, roasted capsicum, caramelised onion sauce with fried egg on top) on the menu which Sarah was trying to convince me to get but I just didn't feel like meatballs! 


I ended up choosing the Spanish Omelette and we both ordered coffees and milkshakes.


The coffees came out nice and fast and were really good. They use Five Sense beans and it was made perfectly. Great temperature with a creamy texture. The coffee had a chocolately undertone in the flavour which made me want to keep sipping more. The milkshakes could have been a bit colder. It was like drinking room temperature milk. I don't think ice or ice cream was added.

When our meals came out I was overwhelmed by the beautiful sweet aroma of my omelette which was coming from the fresh mint sprinkled on top. The combination of the spicy chorizo with the sweet cherry tomatoes and mint was really nice and almost refreshing. The eggs was cooked well also and there was no soggy residue. The bread was very nice and I think it would have been a perfect finish to the dish to have olive oil drizzled on it instead of being given butter.

Sarah's eggs were cooked nicely and the feta was tasty. She thought it was a bit of a weird combination with eggs, tomato, feta and avocado but it all worked together really well. The gluten free bread also got her tick of approval.

Despite the issue with trying to order we both thought our coffees and food still came out very quickly. The service was friendly but I think there needs to be more flexibility with the wait staffs "roles".  A table shouldn't be left waiting if there is someone free to take care of them. Sarah and I both liked Fez cafe overall. The food was fantastic and it's a good little cafe to go to for breakfast with a bit of a difference.

Bellisa Cafe

60B Walter Road, Bedford

http://www.bellisacafe.com.au/

Breakfast served 7.30am - 11.30am Mon - Sat & until 1pm on Sundays

After all being at a wedding the night before a few of us decided to meet up for breakfast on Sunday morning if we were feeling up to it.... luckily Mr Peter Baby, Governor FB and Andy were bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for a delicious breakfast! We decided to go somewhere local and chose Bellisa Cafe in Bedford. 

I have driven past this cafe many times and wanted to try it out. I notice that it is usually full, which is always a good sign in my opinion! 

The cafe has a modern feel inside that is still homely with all the pretty cupcakes on display as well as homewares for sale. Once we were all seated the waitress took our coffee order and I noticed that Bellisa has a range of Husk teas in all sorts of wonderful blends. 

The coffee Bellisa use is from local coffee roaster Dark Star and all of us agreed that it tasted very good. Governor FB commented how good it was after his first sip. The temperature was perfect and the texture was smooth with a slight nutty flavour. 

According the Bellisa's website the menu changes every 6-8 weeks to take advantage of locally sourced seasonal produce. The menu on Sunday had several staples on there as well as a some menu choices that were a little different. I like this blend of choices so there is something for everyone. Some of the seasonal choices included Grilled Atlantic Salmon with leek croquettes, grape tomatoes, capers and hollandaise sauce ($23) or avocado, grape tomatoes and ricotta on toasted ciabatta with vincotto dressing ($15) or what I was originally eyeing off - the Breakfast wrap - avocado, crispy bacon, egg, roquette and mayonnaise ($12). 

I ended up choosing the grilled asparagus with roquette, a field mushroom, poached egg and pan fried haloumi ($17) with a side of bacon ($4).  Mr Peter Baby and Governor FB chose the big breakfast - scrambled eggs, bacon, potato cake, mushrooms, italian chipolatas and roasted tomato ($22). Andy chose Eggs Benedict ($18).


Mr Peter Baby and Governor FB loved their big breakfast. Governor FB commented that his chipolatas where actually chipolatas and not just "little sausages". Mr Peter Baby said the potato cake had a nice herb flavour that had a soft mash texture. Both Governor FB and I thought the bacon was a little on the salty side rather than having a smokey flavour.

The asparagus on my dish was cooked well. It was still firm but tender. The haloumi was fried well leaving it soft. It went well with the dish and the field mushroom was nice and meaty and full of flavour. The poached egg was cooked perfectly as well and I enjoyed mopping up the yolk with pieces of asparagus on the end of my fork.

Andy also said his eggs were cooked perfectly. His hollandaise was creamy and he couldn't fault it. It wasn't too buttery or too vinegary. 

The service was friendly and generally attentive. My only complaint was that we had to ask for water a couple of times before going up to the counter to ask but other than none of us had any complaints but the food, coffee or service.

There is nothing else like Bellisa cafe in this area. It's almost as if it got lost on it's way to Beaufort St in Mt Lawley but settled in an unlikely spot.... and... it's fantastic! I hope that people in the area and surrounds continue to frequent this great cafe.

Bellisa Cafe also does High Tea on Sundays from 1pm as well as degustation dinners.

The Waterfront Cafe and Restaurant

33 Ocean Falls Boulevard, Mindarie
http://www.thewaterfrontcafe.com.au
Breakfast served 8.30 -11.30am


Andy and I have been very underwhelmed by what the Mindarie marina has to offer in the way of breakfast until now. The Waterfront Cafe is a relatively new addition to the marina  and a very welcome one at that it seems. We decided to head there on a very windy Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago and found the cafe to be packed with a few free tables outside. We sat at one before noticing a table becoming free inside. We asked if we could sit there and the waitress quickly cleared the table for us. We were glad because the wind was blowing a gale outside!


The menu was comprehensive with the usual breakfast choices along with some other dishes that were at little less common but Andy (who is a Brit) commented they would be loved by the British ex-pats. It's no secret that a lot of English people live in the northern suburbs and I really think they have put some thought into their menu and target market. You could easily say there is something on this menu for everyone! The prices ranged from $4 for toast up to $18.50 for steak and eggs which also comes with fried potato. Andy decided on the Big Breakfast -  Bacon, pork sausage, two eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomato, baked beans, fried potato and toast ($18) and to keep the sweet series going I went with a choice that had the best of both worlds, the American Breakfast - Two pancakes, fresh fruit, grilled bacon and maple syrup ($15.50).

Anyone who hasn't tried bacon with maple syrup is missing out. Had I not been dedicated to ordering something sweet I would have gone for a childhood favourite - Bubble and Squeak - Mashed potato, cabbage and onion cake, with pea puree and poached eggs ($14). We also both ordered a coffee and a milkshake.


There was also a kids menu with 6 choices all for $6.95. Even the fussiest of kids would find something they liked on this menu. There was eggs and soldiers, pancakes, fruit salad, bacon butty, egg on toast or a cheese toasty.


You have to order at the counter so I was surprised that our coffees still came out very quickly. The coffee (Bonissimo) was made with a nice creamy texture and was a good temperature. We both found the flavour was a bit on the lighter side.

Andy's big breakfast was very good. The mushrooms were nice and meaty and the fried eggs were cooked perfectly. The potatoes were a nice change from hash browns and were crispy with a soft centre. Overall it was a fantastic breakfast.

The pancakes on my breakfast were light and fluffy and cooked well. I can't stand having doughy pancakes! The bacon had a little too much fat on it for my liking but I cut it off and along with the maple syrup and pancakes it was delicious. I really liked having the fresh fruit on the plate, which I had afterwards. It was really refreshing.

The service at The Waterfront Cafe was excellent. Our coffees and meals came out quite quickly considering how busy they were and the waitstaff were all friendly and attentive. I would recommend making a booking for weekends, especially for bigger groups. Andy and I are slowly finding more and more good places for breakfast in the north and this place is another one to add to the list. This is the perfect place for a family breakfast in a lovely location overlooking the water.

Bivouac Canteen & Bar

198 William Street, Northbridge
http://bivouac.com.au/
Breakfast served Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 3pm
Fully Licensed


After Coolio Ma Cha Cha told me about this place it has been on my mind to try it and what started as a couple of us heading here for breakfast turned out to be a large group! Each time one of us (Coolio Ma Cha Cha & Gypsy A Go Go) mentioned we were going to Bivouac the group grew larger as everyone was really keen to try this place! So our group for this review consists of a few new people in addition to Coolio, Gypsy, Mono Lisa & Johnny Awesome we have  J Star, Mach-1, Detective Cogger and Audio Cass.


Now, if you are wondering how to pronounce the name - think of it like "beaver-wack" and the word Bivouac basically means an "encampment".


We arrived with our group a little before 10 and the owner kindly said they would be a few minutes until they were ready and he asked how many of us was there. Straight away he said he had the perfect table for us inside! When we went in we were sat at a large bench where we all comfortably fit. Bivouac is a small place so there isn't a lot of room for massive groups but we were pleased they could accommodate us. 


Our coffee orders were taken straight away which I always like. It didn't take long for our coffees to come out and everyone agreed that the Five Senses coffee was amazing. Johnny Awesome has his black and he was impressed by the flavour. It had an almost nutty flavour that was full bodied and at perfect temperature. Mach-1 commented that he liked his coffee so much he ordered another which he rarely does. J- Star ordered a soy cappuccino which she said was very nice as well.

Most of us has already been looking at the menu during the week and had decided what we wanted. There are 4 choices for breakfast - Gypsy Baked Eggs - chorizo, potato, red pepper ragu, egg and sourdough ($15.50); Salute the Sun -  avocado, ricotta & lemon on sourdough ($9.90); The Revolution - french toasted brioche, citrus ricotta, pistachios & strawberries ($14.90); Canteen Tray - grilled italian sausage, baked beans, scrambled eggs on toasted sourdough. ($15.50).  

I love that Bivouac has a "Bouzy Breakfast" as they call it. They have paired 3 of the 4 menu items with an alcoholic beverage. Each choice is only $22 - great value! The Revolution is paired with champagne, the Gypsy with a Bloody Mary and the Canteen with beer. It's such a great idea and they even let Audio Cass swap which "bouzy" drink she wanted with her Gypsy Baked Eggs.


Now I am still on the sweet breakfast mission so I ordered The Revolution & Bubbles as did Gypsy A Go Go. Everyone else ordered the Gypsy and Bloody Mary. The drinks didn't take long to come out and I was immediately jealous I didn't have a Bloody Mary because it is my FAVOURITE cocktail. This was soon dissolved when I tasted my champagne. It was lovely! I tried Coolio Ma Cha Cha's Bloody Mary and it was really nice and very spicy. I love spicy ones but a few commented that it was a bit too spicy for them especially combined with the heat from the chorizo and ragu in the Gypsy Eggs.

The food came out in good time for our large group and it was a big "WOW" moment from everyone. The food was presented beautifully, it was almost a shame to ruin it by eating it! 


The Gypsy Baked Eggs reminded me of something similar to a Shakshuka (I had a sneaky taste) - it was spicy and flavoursome. Everyone agreed that the dish was fantastic and a perfect size for a breakfast meal. Mono Lisa said that she really enjoyed the olive oil on the sourdough instead of butter. Audio Cass said her dish was seasoned well, the toast was fresh and she really enjoyed the meal - especially the value for money with the drink. Coolio Ma Cha Cha commented that the potatoes were cooked perfectly and the dish had lots of flavour.

My Revolution was amazing. As soon as I took the first bite I was in heaven. The combination of everything along with a sprinkle of fresh mint leaves really made this dish something special. The mint and fresh strawberries gave it a freshness that counteracted the heaviness of the Brioche. It was amazing. I loved the pistachios in the mix with the sweet ricotta and syrup that was drizzled over the meal.

Here is what Gypsy A Go Go had to say about her experience,
"I love starting the day with bubbles and I was presently surprised at how nice the champagne was. I scanned the menu at home before our breakfast date and had my heart set on The Revolution. I almost did the old switcheroo at the last minute and got eggs but stuck to my plan and so very glad i did (although the Gypsy eggs looked & smelt fab when they came out!). The presentation of The Revolution was pretty with fresh mint leaves and rosewater syrup and in my opinion the perfect amount of food. The restaurant itself has a super casual unpretentious vibe which I loved and I couldn't fault the service at all."

We all agreed that the service was fantastic. They went above and beyond for our group even though it was a busy Saturday morning service. Something that I noticed after we left and commented to Gypsy A Go Go about was that we realised we never noticed the wait staff when they were clearing our table or anything. They were THAT good. They did their job and never really disturbed our group. It was fantastic.


I can't recommend Bivouac enough for the service, the food... everything... so much that they are now in my top 3!