After staying up late my first night in Melbourne to sing such lyrical gold as “sha-la-la-la-la-la, ain’t that sad, ain’t it shame, too bad, you gonna miss the girl” with I-Hua, and eating all the chocolate from my bed as well as much of I-Hua’s bag of dried mango from Costco, I woke up bright and early for a breakfast rendezvous with another supercool-awesometastic Melbourne blogger I’d yet to meet, Adrian.
On the way, I-Hua excitedly pointed out a church that strives to strike a balance between amusing-the-young’uns and not-seeming-too-try-hard. OMG!
Before long we arrived at Duchess of Spotswood, and I found myself enveloped in a hug from the buoyantly-joyful and cheers-you-up-just-to-be-around-him Adrian. I was initially disappointed that Adrian wasn’t wearing his cat Creamy on his head as I’d so politely requested, but all was forgiven when he handed me the largest block of Kit Kat I’ve ever seen. Thank you Adrian!
I do love it when people support my obsession with both chocolate and chocolate excess.
At Duchess, I experienced for the first time the bliss that is Melbourne’s dedication to amazing coffee, as shown through its tendency to offer coffee-beans-of-the-day for a slight price increase. When offered the option of paying 80c more for the Honduras blend, known for notes of hazelnut and candy, we couldn’t say no. My soy latté (second photo) was sublime and well worth the expense. (Hang the expense!)
I shan’t say which of us added three sugars to his-or-her coffee and then proclaimed that the Honduras blend did indeed taste like candy (oh how we laughed!), but I will say that I don’t add sugar to my coffee and that Adrian will henceforth be known as my Sugar Twin.
Amidst rapid-fire chatter about blogging and Christmas and food and Melbourne’s crazy recent storms and sunburn and more, my Sugar Twin dove into his sourdough with raspberry jam then had the audacity to tweet that I was having dessert for breakfast.
Well, actually, make that “veracity” not “audacity”, because…
What can I say? The heart wants what the heart wants, and the heart wanted a Jam Roly Poly from the second it walked in the door and saw this sugar-sparkling jam-no-cream sponge creation twinkling from the cake display case.
Gosh, it was lovely. Light (and ever-so-slightly-springy) in texture with a subtle flavour from what I’m guessing might have been custard powder, a fresh, true, and almost-tart raspberry jam centre, and a glittering sugar coating, this Jam Roly Poly was the perfect kick-start to a sunny Saturday in Melbourne.
‘Course, there was the moment when a bug landed on the cake and I unthinkingly blew it and thereby sugar all over the table and Adrian, but we shan’t talk about that.
I-Hua ordered the Prince of Wales, comprised of cured salmon, avocado puree, poached eggs, and grilled potato bread, which is what I would’ve ordered had not my indefatigable sweet tooth interfered.
On the other side of the table, I-Hua’s fellow had the Idle Tongues, with ox tongue, poached duck egg, fried zucchini flower and toast.
It was a most gorgeous and fun and sparkling and sweet and lovely and laughter-filled start to my second day in Melbourne. Adrian, please let’s do this again soon. With Cookie and Creamy along for me to cuddle too, please?
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That place is creative with naming dishes. That jam roly poly is tempting, I would have been tempted to order too, though less tempted to blow sugar over the table.
It really is; the language-lover in me was thrilled by the names
Gah, deleted my first attempt at commenting because it was becoming redonkulously long and a little too ‘me, me, me’ ‘I, I, I’ for my liking (surely that’s what I have my own blog for!
).
Good on you for getting what you wanted for breakfast instead of what might be considered a ‘should have’ for breakfast.
You certainly popped into Melbourne on the right few days – while there was actually sun, blue sky and warmth (you know, like there’s supposed to be in summer!).
Please, please rest assured that I love “you, you, you” comments, so next time definitely don’t delete it! Chatting in the comments here is one of the best parts of blogging
Teehee, I tend to pull out my “I am sociologist and mealtimes are just social constructions” card when it suits me
Oh gosh, I was so lucky with the weather! It’s been horrible these past few days, I hear.
Aw shucks, I will try to be more self-centred next time I comment then
In brief I (1) noted that I had just that morning bought a slice of raspberry cheesecake from Plantation for breakfast and (2) got just a little bit too excited by the fact that Creamy is a British Shorthair.
P.S. Emma, cafe eggs normally end up like that using a nifty albeit tricky method that involves almost boiling water, vinegar, creating a mini tornado in the pot and maintaining said tornado while cracking and cooking the egg. On closer inspection though the eggs in question do look very moulded …
Oh, cheesecake! How I love cheesecake! It is the most evil of all the cakes for my lactose intolerant stomach, though.
Yes, I tend to think these eggs were done by the break-an-egg-into-clingwrap-and-tie-a-knot-before-dropping-into-simmering-water trick!
I love the pic of the church but just can’t share your excitement about the Duchess of Spotswood. I liked it but the ploughman’s lunch was style over substance and it was too crowded for a little kiddie who just wanted to stretch her legs. Seems I should have just gone straight for dessert
One should always go straight for dessert
Oh, that’s a shame! Our dishes definitely weren’t style over substance. Maybe when Sylvia is older you could try again
It all looks great … I can understand the fascination with that jam roll if it looked as good in reality as it does in the photo. How’s the camera going?
It was super lovely! The camera is generally going well; I’m very grateful to be able to take middle-distance shots again! It does well in good light, though one day I do want to upgrade and take proper lessons
I would like to see Creamy on Adrian’s head too. Or anyone’s head. Or at a restaurant in the chair next to you, having a wee bowl of saucy meat for brekkie.
How did they get those eggs so round?
My guess is maybe they did the wrap-eggs-in-glad-wrap trick, or maybe they have little bubble moulds?
You just want to see cats, period.
The rolly polly looks great, but those poached eggs would have won me over in a heartbeat. It is posts like this that also make me wonder what I’m missing out on by not liking coffee.
The church sign is great.
I did suffer some order envy upon seeing I-Hua’s dish
Ah, I’m sure you get enough pleasure out of non-coffee drinks to make up for the non-coffee 
Oh I miss the amazing Melbourne coffeeeeeee! So so good. Wow, haven’t heard of that place before… the meals look amazing
It was rather lovely indeed! Yay Melbourne!
aaaw, twas so cool to FINALLLLLLY meet you in person! Forget this commenting/twittering business, I want to meet the real you LOL
Can’t believe how easily you and I sunburn. I think Canada may be the best place for us geisha’s.
Glad you enjoyed the mega kit kat and yes, I can confirm the presence of both Creamy and Cookie the next time you’re down.
XOXO
Sugar Twin
Aw, SQUISH! This comment makes my heart fly-happy
I think we should definitely campaign for a travel company to send us on a three-month holiday to Canada. Just think of all the maple candy we could eat, Sugar Twin! And no sun-burn ouchies!
Can’t wait to see you again and snuggle Cookie and Creamy!
xo
Nothing wrong with having dessert for breakfast. I think that’s the proper thing to do. What if something happens and you miss out on having dessert at the end of the day? See, it’s practical!
Exactly! Exactly! (Though I think we both knew we were on the same page in this regard when we ordered cake with our egg dishes at Beaver Galleries
)
You definitely had the best breakfast
It can be hard to find ‘real’ jam sponge rolls these days, especially ones without cream, so I think your heart’s request was entirely justified!
Also, Melbourne coffee is one of the things I most love about Melbourne. The taste, and the options, and the cafes in which it is served…and even though I concur on hanging the expense for such important matters as coffee, the fact that it is all of those things *and* cheaper than in Perth is like the icing sugar on your sponge roll.
So justified, so justified! Yay real jam and not-silly cream!
Oh, Melbourne! One day you and I will be there together, somehow. And oh, in terms of coffee prices? I was so envious when Lisa told me that coffee in Canada is $1.80!
“One day you and I will be there together, somehow” – I’m looking forward to it already
Until then: imaginary grocery shopping dates
Surely you sang the hit by T-ARA as you were eating?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xolk2cFzlo&ob=av3n
Lemme at that Prince of Wales. Mmmm.
Ahhh! The pain, the pain! I have no idea what you’re referring to and can’t listen to a clip here, even on my lunch break! Soon…
Aww, love the group photo at the end! What a lovely meal you guys had, been dying to go to Duchess but it’s so far away! And indeed the heart wants, what the heart wants, mine made me indulge in hot chocolate followed by salty chips from the hot dog stand. Mmhmm.
Our hearts do gooooooooood.
Though for a second there I thought you were going to say you dipped the chips in the chocolate. Poor man’s churros? 
Next time you shall join us!
Like you, I’m a chocolate addict (and sugar in general) but don’t take it in my coffee. Not sure why.
….and I *love* the t-shirt on the cute guy on the left!
Me too! In fact, I usually have long blacks; soy lattes are generally just a holiday treat
Isn’t it fabulous? I didn’t notice Adrian’s shirt on the day, only when I looked at the photo! I was too enamoured with his face on the day, clearly.
Aargh! You were in Melbourne and I somehow missed this? Rats!!
I hope you had a wonderful time here, regardless.
Much love,
Catherine
I’m so sorry, I had to keep it a secret because I knew I didn’t have enough days to see everyone I would have liked to! Hopefully next time
At least I didn’t miss you out of sheer absent-mindedness! Another time, as you say.
Trust you to go for cake when everyone else is going for the hearty savoury options! That jammy roly-poly does look lovely though.
Hey, hey! Lookee Adrian’s dish! He got sweet jam too!
Oh, wait. Sugar Twin. #notjustification…
the heart wants what the heart wants…. so true. no wonder i give into my cravings. lol.
And why you always should
Awww, what a great group photo! Love this, you guys! I’m glad to hear your love of food (and forgive for saying, loveable wackiness) brought all of you together! I guess that it’s one of those times that good company always, always supersedes good food, doesn’t it? That’s always been my food philosophy anyway, as much as I love to eat. Nothing beats being around the jolly ole company of dear friends. Looking forward to reading the rest of your Melb posts, woo-hoo! =D
Teehee, you don’t need forgiveness! I’ve always been upfront about my wackiness on this blog, and I’m very happy that you see it as lovable rather than plain crazy
And yes, while the food throughout my Melbourne trip was amazing, the company and friendship surpassed it all by many miles 
And thank you, Winston! Can’t wait to share it all 
I love roly poly’s! They’re just so darn hard to make. I never know their proper name but that pretty much sums it up
Sounds like you’re having a ball!
Teehee, I’ve never been brave enough to try making them! All that business with rolling them up in tea towels then unrolling them then rolling them again… much prefer to let someone else do the work for me
I had the most incredible time!
Three sugars in his coffees!!! We well and truly can call him te Candyman, after the house blend beans they use at the Duchess. Hope you enjoyed your brunch there, certainly sounded very exciting, with sugar flying everywhere.
Teehee, you’re just jealous that I didn’t blow sugar all over you
We had a lovely brunch, just as I also had a lovely dinner that day 
ROLY POLY! the salmon looks fab. hahaha “be nice, I blog” – awesome
Heidi xo
Luckily I got my protein breakfast fix the next day…
Hahaha, sounds like two have found each other!
Teehee, alas, not single!
Oh this is making me hungry, and it’s my bedtime, not my breakfasttime! I think I would have fallen head over heels for the Prince of Wales. Anything with poached eggs reels me right in.
That said, Roly Poly = best cake name. Ever.
Ah, but surely a Roly Poly is more suited to dessert bedtime than breakfast-time?
If I could’ve gone here two days in a row, I definitely would have tried the Prince of Wales!
Oh I love The Duchess and their cool (and smartly) named dishes. There’s nothing wrong with having dessert for breakfast! (who’s up for a chocolate crackle with a cuppa?) And I think Adrian’s T-shirt is hilarious. Must get one for one of my little kids to go out and eat with, would be funny don’t you think!
High fives all around for dessert for breakfast!
Adrian’s shirt is the best of the best, definitely. And I bet your kid/s would look adorable in it 
wow that salmon dish looks great. i would skip the eggs though! also the jam and bread looks yummy
Teehee, maybe you could have asked for two lots of salmon to replace the eggs
I somehow can’t believe, but then find it totally plausible that you picked the jam roly poly over that luscious looking salmon dish. Another Melbourne cafe I don’t know…. (but then I rarely leave the city when I go).
It was truly a difficult decision! And if I’d seen the salmon dish before I’d ordered, I very well may have fallen over into the savoury side of the world
What a fab trip! And AHEM Adrian??? What an awesome tee!!!
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