Braking for Breakfast: December 2014

Statler & Waldorf

Gastropubs (or gastronomy pubs) have been making their mark on the Brisbane beer and dining scene in the last few years alongside the rise of the craft beer scene. The term gastropub refers to bars serving high-end versions of pub-style food and beer. The Villager in the CBD is one of the first self-proclaimed gastropubs that I recall opening but since then several others have joined, including some old Brisbane stalwarts which have become one as part of a makeover. Statler & Waldorf joined the gastropub crew just over a year ago along Caxton St, which is slowly changing from a street of seedy bars and strip joints to the location of some of Brisbane's best bars (Lefty's Old Time Music Hall) and restaurants (Black Hide Steakhouse). Named after the two old grumps from The Muppets (and the hotels in New York), it already had my interest piqued but after a post-soccer dinner one evening I was a fast fan.

In mid-November, I got an email announcing that Statler & Waldorf were doing weekend breakfast and with talk of items like lavender crumpets and so immediately teed up a breakfast date with Y - also a fan of both S&W and crumpets. We rocked up early at 7:30am on a Sunday morning and were rather chuffed to get a park almost directly outside. Parking in Caxton St can be a pain but perhaps that's more of a later-in-the-day issue. There were only a few other diners in the pub when we arrived so we had our pick of seats and chose to dine al fresco at one of the large tables on the sidewalk. We were brought menus and water immediately by our friendly waiter and he also took our coffee orders which was fortunate as Y had not slept well due to some rowdy housemates. Y ordered a soy cappuccino and I ordered my standard long black with milk on the side.

The menus were simply a piece of paper attached to a wooden board with rubber bands, which I really loved. No flicking between pages and easy to navigate! The menu states that seasonal produce which is local and ethically sourced where possible is used and that they use in-house baked bread or else source it from Chouquette in New Farm. All of the items listed on the menu sounded amazing and Y and I had a seriously tough time deciding! I love unusual menus and this one was up there as one of the more innovative ones I've seen in Brisbane. In the end we decided to share the Coconut Bircher Muesli with vanilla bean, verjuice poached stone fruit & pepitas ($12) and the House Cured Salmon with Dill Croquette with watercress & a poached egg ($16.50). All of the items are reasonably priced with the salmon being the most expensive item.

Love the adorable milk jug

Our coffees were quick to arrive and were accompanied by vintage spoons and raw sugar in a mini milk bottle. My milk arrived in the cutest mini glass jug I've ever seen. The coffee was good and strong without being bitter. Y was equally happy with her soy cap, although would have been pleased with anything containing caffeine at that point!

Our meals arrived sometime later and I loved the presentation. The muesli arrived in a wooden bowl on a thick wood board engraved with the Statler & Waldorf emblem with large pieces of poached peach and chopped almonds and pepitas scattered on top. The salmon dish was plated prettily on a cornflour blue plate as large pieces of the salmon and crispy fried croquettes atop watercress and a few vibrant slices of chioggia (candy striped beetroot) with a soft poached egg on top. The salmon was more cooked than I expected from cured salmon but I assume it was cured and then baked or smoked. We were also given a few bottles of chilli sauce to go with our dishes (primarily the salmon I assume!) but we thought it's probably more suited to some of the other breakfast items. Nice to have the option though!

Colourful presentation of dishes

After being given an additional plate to share, we set about splitting up the salmon dish which was a bit tricky with the perfectly poached runny yolk but we managed. The salmon flaked easily and was super tender and moist. The potato and dill croquettes were hot and creamy on the inside with a lovely crunchy exterior. It was a delicious dish and the flavours and textures really worked well altogether.

House cured salmon and dill croquette with watercress & a poached egg ($16.50)

The muesli was a generous serve and thick with a pure soaked oat base. It was creamy and had a texture similar to porridge but still having a good bite to it. It was only slightly sweet which suited both of us although the poached fruit and honey drizzle added to it. I'm not sure what flavour the verjuice added but the poached peach was lovely and added a nice fruity flavour to it and the seeds and nuts gave the dish a crunchy element. I don't recall the vanilla bean flavour but that's not to say it wasn't there amongst the rest of the flavours!

Coconut Bircher Muesli with vanilla bean, verjuice poached stone fruit and pepitas ($12)

We really loved our breakfasts at Statler & Waldorf and both agreed we had to return soon so try some of the other items. In particular, for me, the Chickpea Crepe with coriander, grains, sweet potato, yoghurt and a fried egg ($12) - I saw someone else having it and it looked fantastic! The service was great and our waiters were friendly and helpful. In the light of day, Caxton St is quite a pleasant spot to have as a view but it's nice to also have the inside table options as well. And they have fresh coconuts on the menu which I only spotted at the end! I continue to be impressed by Statler & Waldorf and it's good to see so many great options around the area.

Sidewalk dining area

Interesting menu - note you can always add bacon for $3

http://statlerandwaldorf.co/

Statler & Waldorf Gastronomy Pub on Urbanspoon

Monday, December 29, 2014
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Scout Cafe

breakfast

I'd been meaning to check out Scout Cafe on Petrie Terrace for some time but I just never seemed to think of it when the time came to choose a breakfast venue. Whenever I'd passed it, there always seemed to be a lineup of cute looking hipsterish young people outside, so I assumed it was popular and hopefully for good reason. I finally remembered it a few weeks ago when working out where to go to catch up with N and S.

N had been before and cautioned that it could be a long wait if we went late so we decided to meet at 8:30am on Sunday morning. I was the first to arrive (incredibly unusual for me!) and there were no available tables but I was told it should only be a short wait. Scout Cafe is in what looks like a converted house or shop, with a small room off the main front room. There isn't a lot of space but they've managed to squish in quite a few tables with several stools to allow perching at the counter and there are a couple more outside. As I was waiting, a table outside became available but the waitress who greeted me was busy and another one gave the table to a couple who just arrived. Luckily the original waitress saw what happened but as the others hadn't arrived yet, and I preferred an inside table as it was an incredibly warm morning, I told her I'd just wait for the next one. S and N arrived shortly afterwards, just as an inside table became available - great timing!

Counter-slash-bar area

We did have to squish into what was really a table for two but we made do. We were handed menus and given water and ordered our much-needed caffeine hits. Scout's breakfast menu rotates regularly but I believe that they keep a few favourites like the avocado toast and the standard breakfast bagel. Some of the other items change completely and a few are just modified. I'd intended to get the Breaky Bagel because I'd heard that Scout do a mean bagel and this one had Kaiserfleisch, a cured and smoked German ham, on it and I love smoked ham. But as I was waiting I saw a girl at the counter eating the Breaky Salad with kale, beet leaves, zucchini, farro, avocado, shallots, sunflower seeds, chilli lemon dressing, soft boiled egg & a slice of rye ($17) and it looked delicious so I decided on that. I wasn't overly hungry and the bagel sounded like too much that morning. N chose the Smashed Avocado with fetta, herbs, olive oil, lemon on pane ($12) and S went for the Spiced Pear & Walnut Loaf with vanilla marscapone ($8).

Daily available fresh juices

Coffee did take a while to arrive but when it did, it was excellent. My long black was strong but not bitter and I didn't even need the milk I requested on the side. When our meals arrived, I was delighted to see my salad look just as good as the one I had spied earlier. It was green and plentiful - fresh kale and beet leaves and grated raw zucchini on top of a bed of farro with a large dollop of smashed avocado and a boiled egg on top and two halves of toasted rye bread tucked in on the side. N's avocado toast included two slices of toast, one on top of the other, with a dollop of mashed avocado and feta with some herbs and a few stray green leaves on top. The amount of avocado served was disappointing - there really only looked like there was enough of it for one slice. S was served two toasted slices of the fruit loaf, dusted with icing sugar and with a large scoop of creamy marscapone on top.

(clockwise from top)
Pear & Walnut Bread, Breaky Bowl, Smashed Avo

My salad was delicious - fresh with a lemony oil dressing to give it zing and the boiled egg had the perfect gooey yolk which added creaminess along with the smashed avocado. The farro had a good bite to it which added texture and the raw zucchini and sunflower seeds added crunch. It was the perfect mix of textures and flavours and with each mouthful, I felt like I was actually getting just a little bit healthier. The rye bread was lightly toasted and had a nice slightly sour taste. I smeared bits of the mixed in salad on it, which worked really well. It was filling without making me feel stuffed at the end of the meal and I took significantly longer than the others to finish. It was the perfect warm weather option!

Breaky Bowl ($17) - full of healthy goodness

Overall I highly recommend Scout Cafe for breakfast, although it is a bit on the expensive side and I wouldn't advise you to order the avocado on toast! The menu isn't extensive but does cater for both sweet and savoury tastes, small and large appetites and with a range of optional sides including gluten-free bread and bagels. They are also open for lunch and do several types of bagels and salads and there are some baked goods available for dessert. I still want to get back for the Kaiserfleisch...