Get snap happy with beautiful vegan brunch dishes at Flora and Fauna, Northbridge

Flora and Fauna, Northbridge

If I was perfectly honest with you, I hate places that are hidden off the street out of sight - the so often quoted 'little gem of a restaurant tucked away in a back alleyway'...that is just so hard to find! I love the idea of a hideaway place being in some unknown nook and cranny, but hate spending a year and a half on an empty stomach driving up and down with my brake lights flashing like a disco ball trying to find it.

Yup, I guess I do get a little hangry!

Fortunately we only drove all the way up Aberdeen Street and back down again just ONCE whilst trying to find Flora and Fauna. It's not easily visible from the main street, as it is in the laneway just next to Via Torre Lane. Situated right next to Varsity Burgers, these two polar opposites could not be more strikingly contrasted neighbours. As a tiny boutique cafe, Flora and Fauna has built itself quite a loyal and vocal fan base touting about all of their beautifully artistic vegan, healthy brunch dishes and raw treats. And it is true, the bright pops of colour and arrangement of the food make delicious camera candy.

Goji Superfood Muesli - $14

As a firm believer of strictly no ordering of muesli bowls when eating out, I couldn't help but be lured in helplessly by the endless photographs of their muesli bowl I was exposed to. Because I don't think I would ever a). get full on a bowl of measly muesli; b). fancy ordering something I could smash together at home (just a less fancy version); and c). eat something so healthy, this is an entirely different story. Everyone's a sucker for pretty looking food and in this instance, all my anti-muesli values flew out the window. Gone are the days of healthy food looking and tasting like cardboard!

The prettiest breakfast muesli bowl

The combination of different fruits, nuts, flowers and vibrant colours would see this take out the title in a muesli bowl pageant. It is much like eating out of a flower garden with the presence of flower buds scattered over the bowl. I love the look of the dish with the addition of flowers, but I left a few buds uneaten as I wasn't a big fan of the slightly hard and gritty texture from the multiple layers of petals.

Digging up the treasure

The look of the muesli bowl is everchanging, as it constantly changes with the seasonal fruits available. Yay for the strawberries being sweet, because I have developed a slow dislike for strawberries over the years as the sour ones always have a fond attraction towards me. The passionfruit pulp added a nice and sharp zesty flavour burst to a few mouthfuls, and I would have loved a few blueberries too!

My eyes widened at first sight, mostly because the size of the bowl is ridiculously big and so loaded with fresh ingredients that it would overflow if you go heavy on the milk to muesli ratio (which I tend to do at home). I proved my 'I don't get full on muesli bowls' theory so wrong and ended up being pretty stuffed when I reached the bottom of the bowl.

The all important First Pour

I have always eaten goji berries in Chinese herbal soups all my life, so I'm not fazed by the sudden crowning of them as superfoods. I do like their sweetness and enjoyed them alongside all the pecans, almonds, coconut flakes and seeds in my muesli. The muesli itself is sweetened with real maple syrup, and is served with a choice out of dairy, almond, rice or soy milk or yoghurt. My only gripe is not having enough milk to pour into that deep bowl, so some mouthfuls were rather dry for me (sometimes greediness may get the better of me) :P

Herbed Smashed Avo on organic Turkish Toast (plus a side of free ranged scrambled eggs +$4) - $13

My hungry friend decided on the smashed avocado on toast, adding a dainty pot of scrambled eggs on the side as an extra. Even without it, the portion of the avocado was pretty generous and there has never been a time when a pile of green mush looked more delicious. I sneaked a spoonful or two of the smashed avocado and my tastebuds swooned in delight - the avocado is slightly tangy and bursting with flavour from the lemon, basil and whatever other seasonings were added to give it that full flavour punch. On the other hand, it was a slight punch in my face that I didn't order this for myself!

Happiness comes in so many forms

My ignorance meant that it came as a surprise that Flora and Fauna served only vegan fare. The food is so real and unpretentious, so it is refreshing for a change that I can read their menu and understand absolutely everything written on it instead of trying to guess or consulting Google what on earth my dish even is.

There is very limited seating inside the cafe - you are able to prop yourself up against the 3 or so bench seats and watch other diners eat outside the cafe at the few mismatched tables and chairs. It is a very quiet laneway and the passers-by are mostly patrons of the cafe, making it a quiet breakaway right in the middle of, yet calmly shielded away from the hustle and bustle of Northbridge.

Fauna and Flora, Northbridge

Fauna and Flora

Tuesday - Friday: 7:30am - 4:00pm

Saturday - Sunday: 8:30am - 3:00pm

Closed Mondays

0468 948 281

4/70 Aberdeen Street, Northbridge WA 6003

Take your furry friend to this pet-friendly cafe at Gustav's, Mosman Park

Gustav's, Mosman Park

I've never had a pet dog or cat in my entire life, so I've never actively sought out a pet-friendly cafe when eating out. So when my good friend's adorable puppy changed her lifestyle (for the better!), I never thought it would end up influencing myself too by dictating where we would be going for brunch.

I ended up conducting some research on Instagram and came across a gorgeous and amusing little cafe called The Leaky Tap, whose page is flooded with pooches drinking out of insanely cute but nevertheless insane toilet bowls.

Please don't freak, they were massive cups shaped exactly like toilets, and the dogs have never looked happier to drink right out of them!

Huey - you may remember him from cooking adventures on afternoon TV

Unlike the tendency to delay the fixing of a leaky tap, I felt the immediate urge to link my friend to The Leaky Tap and we ended up there pretty soon. Before going there just for Huey, my friend came across Gustav's, which was also in the same area. And thanks to the effect of positive comments on Urbanspoon - no matter how real or fake they are - we dropped by, but not before having no idea where the actual place was.

Gustav's is quite literally hidden down a driveway, away from obvious views from the street. An inconspicuous sign next to the road directs you down the driveway, and even when you reach the end it is not clear the actual cafe is there due to the lack of any signage to indicate you are at Gustav's instead of trespassing somebody's front yard.

The entrance is small and unexpecting, and once inside you are actually still...outside. The seating area is under timber roofing, providing shelter from the elements but still very much like an outdoor patio. A fake tree with bare branches stands as a striking centrepiece and whilst the design is so unique, we were thinking how much of a nightmare it must be to clean and maintain!

Sweet Potato Rosti - $16

We have a read of the breakfast and lunch menus, which are both short and sweet. Nothing in particular jumped out and said 'Eat me!', so I had a snoop at their daily specials until something did. And I'm so glad this did :)

My beautiful brunch

The special of the day was a sweet potato rosti dish, with two poached eggs, grilled mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, chilli and dukkah. I was afraid of the potato rosti being too oily for me to eat, but the staff were only too accommodating and made it with less oil for me as possible. The flat cake of grated sweet potatoes was admittedly dry as a result, but this was my fault! (Although a small cup of balsamic vinegar and olive oil is provided, but I sadly left it alone). Whilst the star component of the dish was my least preferred due to its blandness, I did still like the crisp exterior and contrasting soft innards textures.

The feature of this dish that made my heart flutter was definitely the grilled mushrooms. As the silent hero of my dish, they were flavoursome and oh so aromatic! Three just wasn't enough and I would have happily devoured another 10 or so more (not even joking). The eggs were poached perfectly and the golden yolk that gently oozed out provided the moisture needed to enhance the dish, as there isn't any sauce.

Nay for eggs that are well done, but yay for eggs that are done well!

Hello gorgeous!

A sprinkling of their house made dukkah on top especially does wonders for the aesthetics of the plate, and also worked wonders for the taste and texture. The combination of herbs, nuts and spices add a crisp and crunchy texture to each mouthful as they give a savoury kick to the taste.

Increasingly so, I find that you're not only buying a plate of food when you go out for a meal, but you're actually buying a beautiful piece of art put together by a talented artist who also happens to be a chef. When things look too good to eat, you go ahead and DESTROY it haha!

Poached Eggs - $10

Opting for a light breakfast which I really thought would not even satisfy her, my friend was nothing less than impressed. Although this was such a simple dish that had me silently screaming at her when she ordered it, this was simplicity done right and enough to make her really happy about her choice.

I'll have to admit, it's the prettiest eggs on toast I have ever seen. I'm not a big fan of having my food served to me on slates/planks of wood/whatever is trending in hipster cafes that make horrible sounds when my fork hits the bottom, this made it look rustic and just so beautiful.

I grilled her on what made her eggs on toast so worthy of her praise, but she couldn't pinpoint the exact thing that made her so 'wow'. Her two free range eggs were equally as perfect as mine, so perhaps in combination with the lightly grilled, crisp and buttered bread was what made her dish such a game changer.

Even so, I still would still never ever order eggs on toast at a restaurant - because forget YOLO, I have a serious case of FOMO on all the other potentially delicious things I would have sacrificed for eggs on toast!

I spy a pizza menu!

There is limited seating at Gustav's, but this little space is full of character. Everything you see in the area just look like they belong exactly where they are, right from the pots and pans, to colanders, to the lanterns and light fixtures hanging around the ceiling or draped over poles. Together, it is a sight you'd expect to see in someone's old but loved garage space, strewn full of their own belongings.

There's also a fry-pan clock hanging on the inside wall which I would love to make my own!

And naturally, a pizza oven

Gustav's has only been open for under 6 months, but good word are spreading and it doesn't take much (or long) to fill up the tables, especially with the limited seating available. It shares the same premises as a clothing store so there is only the choice of outdoor seating at a handful of tables. Unfortunately the only downside was the wait time it took from ordering to actually eating - a good 40 minutes for both our orders. This is probably longer than acceptable for most people, so it is a good idea to leave yourself plenty of time and prep your stomach with the anticipation of knowing it is worth the wait.

My eyes fixated on that door - the diagonal opening is just so awesome!

There was a dog parked out at the cafe's entrance the entire time, which presumably is one of the staff member's dogs. With Gustav's being pet-friendly, we were able to bring Huey right inside (technically, still outside!) and taking up more of the already cramped space, which the staff were totally cool with.

I also love the staff here, all of whom are down to earth and up for a chat. The service is great but then again, Huey does pull in all the ladies haha! We were looked after well but what mattered to me was that the staff are friendly and their smiles were genuine. And that alone, is something I find to be a very rare, thus very cherished trait.

The entrance at Gustav's, Mosman Park. Don't miss it.

Gustav's

Tuesday - Saturday: 7am-3:30pm

Sunday: 8am-2pm

15 Glyde Street, Mosman Park WA 6012

0449015425

Bookings available

Beautiful brunch dishes at a neighbourhood cafe at Flinderz, Hillarys

It let out the necessary ooze of liquid gold...

Coming towards the end of a postgraduate degree goes hand in hand with the unavoidable late nights, oodles of stress, squeezing and destroying of stress balls and the attractiveness of big, give away panda eyes. When I sat down last weekend for a late leisurely brunch, I was shocked to realise that it was my first brunch at a restaurant in 2 and a half months.

Food blogger, you say? What food blogger, I say.

Flinderz Restaurant, Hillarys

Even though I haven't set foot in a restaurant for a disgustingly long time, I have remained active on Instagram - active meaning the vicarious browsing through beautifully photographed breakfast and lunch meals that have saturated Instagram. As my thumb routinely did its usual up/down movement on the feed, it did a double take and halted on something beautiful that ignited my hunger pangs.

It was this from the lovely Amanda over at The Chef, His Wife and their Perthfect Life.

Exactly 2 days after, I woke up and texted Andy: we're going to brunch. Flinderz. Now.

He said it was the fastest decision I had ever made about deciding where to eat.

Menus in the alfresco seating area

When I turned into a little neighbourhood shopping complex, I knew immediately that it was going to be one of those places that I have a thing for. I am forever won over by those local and quiet, less well-known, 'neighbourhood gems' for lack of a better description, type of cafes. No need to hustle and bustle or fight for a table; it was simply go and take a seat wherever you would like. I like that.

Outdoor seating that's perfect for the sunny days

We chose to sit outdoors under their patio, with plenty of breeze. The grand carpark view doesn't deter anybody - everybody chose to sit outside to dawdle a beautiful sunny Saturday morning away. Unfortunately we didn't get any assistance after we sat down but I was more than happy to get up and grab menus myself. In hindsight I didn't even need to - I had already meticulously studied the menu at home and knew exactly what I would get.

Water and Cold Drip Coffee (Long) - $6

First to come was the cold drip coffee, which got Andy excited when he spotted it on the menu as he has been deprived ever since our dose at Plantation in Melbourne. We opted for the large over than the single shot, which came served in a glass with lemon slices inside and a small pot of sugar syrup. We were quite perplexed about the lemon - and if that is the norm, then us coffee newbies know nothing about it - but it gave a refreshingly citrus twist to an otherwise strong coffee.

Pulled Pork Benedict - $18

The Pulled Pork Benedict arrived next, with luscious hollandaise slowly dripping down its sides. Toast, braised pork shoulder and garlic spinach is nestled under 2 poached eggs slathered with golden spiced hollandaise and is exactly how I pictured the dish to be.

Gah!

The eggs, really, were poached perfectly and let out the necessary ooze of liquid gold. A good, satisfying serving of #yolkporn.

We didn't say much to each other after the waitress walked away after putting down the dish on our table. Our knives and forks did all of the talking.

Flinderz Taste Board - $19

It is perfectly safe to say that having any kind of 'taste board' on any menus means no choice is required of me - I'm onto it 110%. It's my greedy way of fitting everything I can into the one dish, and thank goodness for it, because I would have been torn between the Quinoa Granola I came for and the Flinderz Taste Board. Two birds with one stone. Score!

The Flinderz Taste Board is a long dish of a few goodies, namely a miniature version of their quinoa granola, a smoked salmon and scrambled egg slider, a zucchini slice and a small jar of fresh orange juice. The menu does include yoghurt and fruit compote, so I was a little disappointed to see that my taste board did not have these. Everything else that was there however, made me literally clap my hands in glee.

Zucchini slice (part of the Flinderz Taste Board)

The zucchini slice is akin to the innards of a quiche, soft and eggy with cubes of softened zucchini. It rests on a bed of rocket and overall that portion of the board is a bit plain and bland for my liking. It would be more exciting if it were spruced up with sauce or similar, which also applies to the mini slider. Besides the saltiness of the salmon, the rest of the slider is quite plain with a soft bun that would have been great if toasted just a little more.

The mediocrity of its counterparts meant that the star of the dish truly stole the show. I wished for a bigger version of the quinoa granola (true thoughts of any foodie) after the first mouthful, or that I had ordered the main sized portion of this pretty little thing. At the centre is a small mound of banana pannacotta, surrounded by a colourful moat of blueberries, strawberries, bananas, granola, nuts, honeyed jersey milk and tiny purple flowers. As with all pretty dishes, it looked too good to eat for a second (and only a second!)

You little beauty, you!

It's funny because I am against ordering any muesli/granola type breakfast at a restaurant, because quite frankly I got sick of it after eating it everyday for breakfast when I first discovered how great it was. Put a few more things in it and it's a different story (and dish) altogether - I think it's a high possibility that I will return to Flinderz and be won over by the main sized quinoa granola all over again. The aesthetics of the dish, its contrasting soft and crunchy textures and its aesthetics (again), beautify this dish in many delicious ways.

Banoffee Pancakes - $16

Instagram is beneficial in many ways, and its usefulness came in the form of Banoffee Pancakes. I spied Flinderzs' (well that was hard) posting of this sin (there's no other way to describe it) that was not written down on its menu prior to visiting and had decided against ordering it until halfway through our meals. Sure, we were full, but why would you let the feeling of fullness stop you from ordering another dish, right? RIGHT?!

Birds eye view of the Banoffee Pancakes, because you need to view it from every angle

We called a waitress over to make our order as her eyes gleaned over our unfinished plates of food, and smiled. A lightbulb started to flicker in my head when she asked whether we wanted to order TWO plates of Banoffee Pancakes, but I decided to be sensible and quickly flicked the lightbulb switch off. We stuck with the one plate.

Sigh. No words.

The pancakes were definitely a head turner. There were 3 thick pancakes stacked atop one another surrounded by vanilla cream, caramelised banana and drizzled with oozy salted caramel sauce before being crowned by a ball of deep fried vanilla ice cream with coconut. The salted caramel and fried ice cream make it such a decadent dish that is quite filling, so it would be a wise (and seemingly considerate) idea to share. I found that I yearned for a contrasting texture amongst the soft and creamy mouthfuls but boy, this baby should stay on their menu!

The interior of the restaurant is flooded with loads of natural lighting

As we sat for hours, I couldn't help but notice the relaxed nature of everybody else around us as I chatted to the next table. There was no sense of urgency with this neighbourhood cafe, and I quite enjoyed people and dog-watching from our table outside in the alfresco area. It is hard sometimes to really feel a sense of community in the neighbourhood, but when I watched a man backtrack in his steps and put down his multiple shopping bags to help a dog untangle himself from his own leash around a pole, I couldn't help but smile.

It's the simple things in life that matter.

Flinderz, Hillarys

Flinderz

Monday - Tuesday: 7am to 5pm

Wednesday - Sunday: 7am to 10pm

Tel: (08)9403 5225

110 Flinders Avenue, Hillarys WA 6025

Having an egggasm at Moore and Moore, Fremantle

First there was #foodporn in the world of hashtags...

Like any other social media checking, photo sharing, double tapping, #hashtagloving addict, Instagram is my go-to inspiration for looking up food to lust after and for new restaurants to put on my wishlist that's currently suffering from exponential growth. On many more than one occasion, a picture of a perfectly poached egg surrounded by other tastefully arranged food and drizzled with a decadent, gleaming sauce of some kind will prop up on the app, and clicking through to the location of where such magic can be ordered usually traces back to some chilled-out, hippy café in the sun-kissed, café capital suburb of Fremantle.

Moore & Moore

This laid-back town is a heaven of places to eat, drink and discover where the sun always seems to be out to play. Moore & Moore is one of an endless list of cafés in the area with a personality that feels right at home with Fremantle's. If Fremantle were a person, it would be a stylish, chillaxed hipster dude with a cool cat character - and Moore & Moore would be its equally as cool, more youthful brother.

The place is littered with mismatched, recycled furniture, complete with an old-school boxy fridge that took me more than a few seconds to figure out how to open to get some chilled water. Some of our chairs look tired and ragged and would look distasteful anywhere else, but fit right in with the old, rugged (not ragged - yep, a huge difference there), antique feel of this heritage-listed building. As I sit down on my torn chair with a perfectly irregular bumpy surface, my friend immediately messaged his sister (lover of all things hippy) to recommend Moore & Moore. This place got swag.

Interesting light fixtures, lanterns and people hanging everywhere!

Walking through the hallway of this vintage multi-purpose warehouse has a grungy feel to it; it's almost cavern-like except it is flooded with natural sunlight. Look around and swivel your head - there's loads of eccentric décor strewn across the exposed brick walls and ceiling and plenty of weird and wonderful things to look at.

Best Christmas tree I've seen, Moore & Moore's front counter and open kitchen (check out their blackboard for special dishes and drinks not on the menu)

Regardless of whether I am five or twenty five years old, this cute Christmas tree creatively put together with teddy bears would thrill me in the same way. It's not a surprise then to hear that Moore & Moore is kid-friendly and have a kids corner in the café with toys. The one thing that truly made me smile however, was the staff member who came to take our orders, clear the table, and attend to every other customer, all done effortlessly with a baby straddled on her back.

Short Macchiato - $3.80

After cleaning our cups for water (which were admittedly a little dirty), all the drinks arrived shortly after ordering and the food not long after that. The waiting time is kept down to a minimum here.

Iced Chocolate & Iced Mocha - $5.50

I had a sip of the iced chocolate, and contemplated ordering my own when its creaminess hit me. All of Moore & Moore's cold drinks are made using their homemade syrup and don't taste artificially sweet.

Smoked salmon and poached eggs on turkish toast - $19.50

I was pretty envious as I slid Yvonne's plate of smoked salmon down to her end of the table, because it looked like a true stunner. It was a sturdy construction of flaky salmon pieces and two poached eggs, broccolini, asparagus, lemon fetta cheese and crowned by a slow roasted tomato, all atop a slice of turkish toast as the strong foundation. There was an inconsistency with the salmon however, with a second plate of the same dish using smoked salmon while this dish seemed to use grilled salmon instead. Wouldn't be a worry for me, salmon is good in any shape or form!

Tuscan Style Sambo - $17

DJ ordered a dish from their lunch menu, which starts from 11:30am. The breakfast menu thankfully runs until 2:30pm and is good news for any late-riser (Because really, getting up early only seemed like a great idea when you were starving at midnight the night before). The monster of a sandwich was a falling jenga tower of a spiced organic beef patty amongst a party of grilled pumpkin slices, cheddar, caramelised onions, homemade hummus, fresh greens and tomato salsa. A colourful medley of vegetables accompanies the light and fluffy couscous that complements the already massive sandwich. And that there, is a decent sized lunch!

There is also a vegan option for this dish, featuring a no beef burger, avocado and cashews.

Little Pot of Moore - $16.50

I originally had my eyes and heart set on this 'Little Pot of Moore' but upon requesting it to be made without parmesan, I was told this wasn't possible as it was already an ingredient in the mixture. In hindsight I'm just a little glad this happened, because the serving looks a little insubstantial for a big girl like I!

The 'Little Pot of Moore' is a Tuscan style breakfast that stays true to its name - it is indeed served in a little (bordering tiny) rustic pot covered with a lid. Upon lifting reveals a baked combination of roasted capsicum, garlic, tomato, herbs and pesto under a blanket of parmesan, thyme and a cracked egg. I watched my friends dip and dunk their turkish toast with glee, but think they would be more satisfied with a 'Big Pot of Moore' instead!

Burnt butter, sage and roast pumpkin mash - $16.50

Upon being told my parmesan-less breakfast was not possible, I quickly scanned the menu at the counter for key words that caught my eye first. To put it in over-exaggerated terms, I think this was a blessing in disguise because, I frickin' loved this! This dish of burnt butter, sage and roast pumpkin mash was my rebound choice, but this goes to show rebounds aren't always the bad choice eh?

I know delicious is overrated and is completely meaningless to use, but I can't think of a better, more eloquent way to describe my ecstasy with this dish. The pumpkin mash is gorgeously moist, creamy and has that distinct, indulgent buttery taste throughout. I didn't care for the sprigs of rocket or 'tomato relish' on top (which were essentially just pieces of sundried tomatoes) because the show was taken over by that damn good mash.

Is this is egggasm or what?

The two eggs were poached perfectly; when pierced ever so lightly released a brilliant gush of yolk that screamed at me to snap a picture. First there was #foodporn in the world of hashtags, then Liz from Breakfast Confidential introduced me to #yolkporn but in my humble opinion this could surpass the ranks of both phenomena. In the face of obscenity I would definitely coin this an #egggasm. A good ooze to start the new year is a great sign of perfectly poached eggs to come.

The big inviting entrance that leads to a big courtyard at the back of the cafe

This old warehouse set-up of Moore & Moore means the place is very spacious with ample seating. The courtyard is great for relaxing with its big, shady umbrellas and communal tables while interior has been through a long period of restoration from its former days and has a great ambiance to it with its rough walls, cracked cement floors and wooden ceilings.

Indoor seating

The other face of Moore & Moore is a contemporary art gallery and exhibition space that features local designers and artists' work as it shares in the same premises of the historic heritage-listed Moores Building, and helps to promote the local art community. The cafe promises homely fresh food that leaves you full and happy - and full and happy I was. I'm already hoping to return soon and for some positive self-reinforcement, I'd love me Moore and Moore every day.

Moore & Moore, Fremantle

Moore & Moore
Open everyday from 7am - 4pm
Serves all day breakfast: Kitchen closes 2:30pm, display cabinet food available until 4pm

Tel: (08)9335 8825
The Moores Building
46 Henry Street Fremantle WA 6160