6/25/2012

Three Bags Full, Melbourne for Brunch

Yet another day eating out. This time, it's for brunch - my very favorite meal of the day :)

My friends and I decided to go to the well-known 'Three Bags Full' in Abbottsford. By the time we got there, it was already noon, plus it's Sunday, so I was mentally prepared for the fact that we were definitely going to have to wait a while to be seated. And having done research prior to going, there's a bit of a hype surrounding this place and so waiting for 30 minutes for a table is something which is frequently done and no one seems to mind.

And 30 minutes it was. [There were 5 of us (myself included) so it took longer to be seated] By the time I sat down, I already knew exactly what I wanted. Well, to be honest I was debating in my mind while waiting for a table.


The Menu

And decided to get the daily special - Eggs in Hell. I wanted to see how well they poach those eggs given how extremely busy they were on a Sunday brunch time. I figured that if they can't make their signature poached eggs and hollandaise - the brunch classic - well, then this 'hype' needs to be toned down a bit. So it was a test.



And of course, I will not leave without not having ordered coffee, so I went for a long macchiato.

Long Macchiato

And it was a wonderful choice. I really needed a full-on kick to jump start the day, so this was strong enough to do so! I drank this without adding any sugar, as I've recently just been eating sweet things non-stop. Plus I usually like my coffee without sugar. But for once, if I were to go back (and I think I certainly will), this time I'll be adding just a pinch of sugar. But the crema of this brew is quite nice, and I enjoyed this overall!

My friend had a cappucino, which had some latte art on it. She said that it was good. Mental reminder to also try this out some time when I'm downtown.


Cappucino

Now for the highlight. Eggs in Hell. I actually ordered an extra side of spinach to cut down on the salt and spice from the chorizo, so the actual dish on its own would be spinach-less. Did this turn out to be a smart move? Why yes, indeed.

Ready?

Eggs in Hell (with extra Spinach)

Oh my word, will you just look at that? Beautiful.

My two cents:

The chorizo is definitely good quality. It was savory, spicy and tangy on the tongue. Some pieces were a tad bit chewy, but isn't that how it's supposed to be? However, I thought that it should have been cut and fried into smaller or thinner slices, or even have less of them per serve. It was great - don't get me wrong - but at the end of the meal, the sausage was the only thing I couldn't finish because the strong taste of the sausage was overpowering the delicate yolk. It was just so salty ;(

Here's another look:




The sourdough toast underneath was absolutely wonderful. You'd think it shouldn't matter, but it does. The texture had just the right amount of crunch, 'fluff' and chewiness, and the slight sourness played in line with the tang from the chorizo sausage. Especially when the yolk and oils from the roasted peppers coat the toast...hmmm!

The spinach was nothing special, just something to cleanse the palate a bit after the heavy chorizo. The grilled red pepper on the other hand, was perfect. It was the perfect amount of 'smoke' and sweetness, which created an amazing balance with the other ingredients on the plate. Just give me more of the red peppers, the toast, the eggs and hollandaise, and I'm a happy camper.

Now for the ultimate test. The poached eggs and hollandaise. Cross-section!!

Poached Egg + Hol. Sauce cross-section

Yes, yes, yes. They were beautiful. The consistency of both poached eggs were beautiful, the hollandaise itself creamy and tangy. Just the way I like it.

The verdict? A-

It would've been an A had the chorizo been less overpowering (way too salty since half-way through the meal - not a good sign). The ambiance was great, coffee was good (though not life-changing). 'Will definitely re-visit. Next on the list? Beetroot Salmon. Or Ricotta Hotcakes.

Looking forward to my next visit!

xoxo

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