I ♥ Breakfast

California Dreaming

2011-11-20T11:07:00.001-08:00

Special Guest: Steve Barilotti (Barlo)

I met Mr Barilotti one beautiful Cape Town Autumn day a very long time ago. We found ourselves on the deck of the Nauticat, the one time HQ Boat of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa, chugging out to Dungeons (a sickass big wave break just outside of Hout Bay). Since that auspicious moment he's been a soul friend and has taught me to look at not only surfing but the world in general through different eyes. It was Barlo who took me on my first trip up the Californian coast...an unforgettable week of surf history, galleries, fish tacos, crackers Danish replica towns, wine valleys and my first ever tower of blueberry pancakes. Oh and a blue mustang. It was in California that I discovered that burittos and avocado work just as well at breakfast time as with an ice cold corona at night. Tequila you can add at either time...

Barlo's travelled the world writing for Surfer and endless other iconic Surf mags and so he's infinitely qualified in the master art of picking the best spot for a post dawn surf breakfast. Apparently I am not infinitely qualified in the master art of persuasion as it has taken me a year of nagging to get him to send me one of his local favourites. Hopefully my skills will improve and I'll manage to get him to send me a few more...

Pipes Cafe

121 Liverpool Drive

Cardiff, CA

760-632-0056

Website

The new kid on the block but quickly becoming a runaway star in its own right. Owned by hardcore North County local Tim Fischer and wife Karen, this former Thai-restaurant-turned-surf-cafe fires on all culinary cylinders. Located just across the railroad tracks from Cardiff State Beach Park, the outdoor dining patio offers great visual access to parked cars. The walls sport surf art, maps and signed surf posters from Slater to Buttons endorsing the cafe's food in breathless terms. The latest surf videos play nonstop for the heavy San Dieguito high school crew. Surf star appeal: heavy. Rob Machado eats there 2-3 times a week when he's off the tour. Taylor Knox and Gerlach too. The Surfers--Slater, Machado and Peter King--all practiced in the cafe's back room before cutting their CD. The signature bro deal dish is the Pipes egg burrito--prepared four ways and is legendary in it's size. Cost: $3-3.75. Salsa: 8.3.

Trick or Treat?

2011-10-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

For some unknown reason, I woke up at the arse of sparrows today and by 8.30 was desperate for someone to wake up and come with me for breakfast.

Luckily my mate Melissa is part Insomniac and finally got annoyed by my messages and agreed to meet. After last weeks top find in Chelsea, I figured West was Best and so did a bit of digging to find out if Shepherd's Bush has more to offer than a f#cking brilliant Caribbean take-away (Ochi in case you've been looking for a good one - as frequented by Rihanna...and me) and as I didn't fancy jerk chicken before 12, luckily I found a few good reviews about a place called Brook's Counter and Table.

Amazing that I lived in South by South West for 6 years and must have driven past this little gem at least 100,000 times without noticing it. In my defense (and not just because I am generally unconscious until 2 Starbucks Vanilla lattes), it is pretty unassuming.

But inside, it's all Treat and no Trick. Brook's Counter and Table is exactly what it says on the tin: one counter and some tables (ok and some chairs). But. Man. Oh. Man. That counter is packed with some amazing things. It's self service so you can go up to the counter and pick from the deli selection or on a Sunday from either the Breakfast or Brunch Chalk boards.

If you've ever read this Blog before you'll know that a few very simple things make me breakfast happy... must have: breakfast available all day (because today was a massive exception and usually I can't get my ass out of bed until 12 on Sundays); Eggs Benedict; great juices; great coffee and if possible a bit of imagination in the egg department and some creative alternatives to that boring old fart 'the Full English'. Well Brook's does Simple pretty damn well and completely nails every item on my wish list.

Melissa had a delicious sausage and egg towery thingy (picture does more justice to it) and I had a breakfast Tortilla (spanish styley egg, mushroom and sausage beast). I also had an apple, carrot and ginger juice as a small guilt appeasing atonement from 5 days of being fully off the wagon and quite possibly having consumed my body weight in whiskey...

So basically the Guilt reducing detox juice tipped it for me...this is a definite go back to. And it was 20 squids for 2 of us.

One final thing: if you happen to be in the Bush for a gig at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire give Ochi a try too.

Brook's Counter and Table
140 Shepherds Bush Road
Hammersmith
London
W6 7PB
Nearest Tube: Hammersmith (a 5 minute walk from there or 10 mins from Shepherd's Bush Market or Shepherd's Bush, or the 220 Bus goes right past)
Website
How to find it

Ochi Website

Made in Chelsea

2011-10-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

"I think it sort of says lunch, dinner and probably breakfast as well." Caggie Dunlop, Made in Chelsea

The Chelsea Bun

So after a six month lull and finally rediscovering my love of weekends, I have dusted off I ♥ Breakfast and got back on the wagon. My old friend and original I ♥ B side kick Barba Razzi was in London as a rare treat this weekend and so it seemed like as good a reason as any to go hunting for somewhere new for brunch.

Being Austrian and specific, B Razzi informed me that it needed to be somewhere near Earl's Court. Keen to avoid a greasy spoon, I figured Chelsea was our best option and so pashmina and knee high boot camouflage in place, I felt safe to head to SW10 in search of The Chelsea Bun, famous for its breakfasts and rated by Timeout as one of the best in the West for Breakfast and Brunch. Ok admittedly there was no pashmina as I don't own one, but I did polish my boots...

Two tubes and a cheeky taxi later we arrived at The Chelsea Bun. Cheap and Cheerful and just a tiny bit tacky, we opted for an outside table to enjoy the gorgeous blue sky autumn weather. Passing buses are a slight hazard and you're more likely to be ignored by the grumpy waitresses, but when blue sky dawns over London it's like swearing in Church to sit inside.

So seating sorted, what to eat then...

I'd already had a look at the website and had fallen a little bit in love with the Gourmet Breakfast Menu and one very attractive Malibu Omelet in particular. The name is misleading as you'd imagine egg whites and tofu but in reality you get a feasty, big assed combo of eggs, avo, salmon, marscapone cheese, cayenne pepper and hash browns. There are other brilliant options on the Gourmet Menu too, but the main thing that gives The Chelsea Bun a mahoosive tick in my book is the fact that they have a whole Benedict Breakfast section. Not the just usual 3 suspects but 7 different versions of my old favourite Monsieur E. Benedict. Even his Mexican cousin Tijuana Benedict makes a debut. Noice! Razzi opted for Benedict Royale. Avec Salmon.

A word of warning on the portions. They are MONUMENTAL. Great for hangovers and also suitable as a one meal replacement for breakfast, lunch and dinner but probably a killer for the petite eater. Luckily, not an affliction I suffer from...

The service is definitely a little ropey, but the plates are so gigantic that when the food arrives it's about 2 hours before you need to ask for anything anyway. And any place that can offer you more than 25 ways to enjoy eggs deserves forgiveness for hit and miss staff. Plus Breakfast is available all day. Winner. And you'll get change out of a twenty so for Chelsea pretty damn reasonable.

You're unlikely to bump into Spencer, Hugo, Francis, Caggie or Milly* here. But hey is that a bad thing?

* The hapless cast of British Reality TV show Made in Chelsea (which I may or may not be slightly addicted to)

The Chelsea Bun
Limerston Street
Chelsea
London
W10 0HP
Website
How to Get There
Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (then take the 19 or 319 bus or be a lazy ass and get an £8 taxi if you're hungry)

DIY Brunch in Bed

2011-10-23T09:56:00.000-07:00

So I'm finally able to justify my small addiction to trashy weekly magazines...

It turns out that Grazia inlcudes a great recipe each week. Right next to the horoscope if you're interested (no prizes for guessing how I found it then). I recently found this yummy breakfast one and although I can't claim to having made it, Iain has and it's brilliant - simple and delicious. So thanks Grazia for the following recipe and apologies for the slight liberties I've take with the wording...

Grazia's Brunch in Bed
Serves 2:
Cooking time 10 minutes (if you're Iain or Grazia, if you're more like me may be a bit longer)

The gubbings:
2 Flat breads, like a wrap or large pitta bread (we use Mission Deli Multigrain Wraps - yum)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tspn sesame seeds
30g butter
A pinch smoked praprika (we just use ye olde regular kind)
8 large free-range eggs (Grazia says preferably organic Dahling)
2 tbsp milk
50g labneh (Middle Eastern creamy yoghurt cheese - see my notes below on where to find)
A sprig each of mint, coriander and continental parsley (if you're lucky from your herb garden or if like me you manage to murder herbs on a weekly basis supermarket is the way to go!)
Salt and pepper

The how:
1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.Fan 170 degreesC/Gas Mark 5. Lightly brush the flat breads with oil, season with salt and bake for 2 minutes until crisp. Remove from the oven and break into large pieces
2. Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan and toast the sesame seeds for 1 - 2 minutes until brown. Add half the butter and the smoked praprika, and allow the butter to melt. Put the sesame butter to one side in a small bowl. Wipe the pan clean.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk and some salt and pepper together. Melt the remaining butter in the frying pan, add the eggs and stir gently over a low heat until the eggs are done the way you like them.
4. Divide the eggs between 2 warmed dishes and top each with a dollop of labneh and the herbs, drizzle over the sesame butter and serve while hot with the toasted flatbreads
5. Enjoy!
6. Fight over who is doing the dishes/ cleaning the crumbs out of bed

Notes from Beedub:

May or may not be consumed in bed - entirely dependant on how messy you are. Remember crumbs have an amazing ability to get into uncomfortable places...
If like us you have no clue where to find labneh and are in London - Green Valley, a fantastic Middle Eastern suppermarket off Edgeware Road has it. Otherwise I suggest you look for your nearest Lebanese or Middle East supermarket. The hunt is worth it though - it's delicious! There is also an option to make it but pre-meditating what you're going to have for breakfast 24 hours (that's how long it takes) in advance just kills the romance (not to mention the challenge of finding muslin - I ask you who actually knows where to find that?!)

My new locals - Penk's and Gail's in Queens Park

2011-04-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

Penk's

79 Salusbury Road
London
NW6 6NH
Nearest Tube: Queens Park
Website
How to Find It

It turns out that maintaining a Blog when you have a grown up job is harder than I thought it would be. Luckily I have discovered a few absolute gems close to my new apartment and so beating Saturday sloth isn't too tough.

So having left my beloved Tinto's behind in Fulham, I spent my first month in Queen's Park scouring my new hood to find a replacement. My friends know how much of a Starbucks addict I am, but as happy I was to discover one on my doorstep, ye olde Green Mermaid is no replacement for Tinto's.

Luckily Starbucks and Sainsbury's are about the only major chains to be found on Salusbury Road. Everything else is individually owned and lovely. It's a little slice of country life that feels about as far from the crack fest of Kilburn High Road as Mars.

Penk's and Gail's are neighbours on Salusbury Road but Post Code is where the similarity ends.

Penk's describes itself as a Bistro, but it's more quirky than that. By night, it is an arty, velvet-curtained boudoir. By day, the glass doors and curtains at the front are thrown open and it becomes a light, bright cafe that could be in Paris. I've eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner there and no matter the time of day or night, the lovely owner is always there, presiding over his tiny gourmet kingdom.

It only opens for breakfast on weekend's (just as well or I think the poor man would collapse) but oh joy it serves breakfast until 1pm - which suits my lazy ass to the tee. The breakfast menu isn't massive, but there are some special treats there including - to my delight - Kedgeree!

Growning up as the african child of a Scots father who was raised in Burma, I have been fascinated but so many quintessentially colonial food traditions. I have been desperate to try Kedgeree as long as I can remember. In case like me you aren't British, Kedgeree is a slightly bizarre but yummy spicy rice conncoction made with smoked haddock, bacon, egg, yoghurt, parsley and sultanas. As a Kedgeree virgin, I am no expert but it was lovely and a really unusual breakfast.

Iain had a good solid full english which was brilliantly cooked. Other things we could have had - pancakes, healthy mueslie bits and pieces and my standard heroes Eggs benedict, Florentine and Royale.

Oh and a Bloody Mary. Good to know for the itchy scratchy Sundays...

BTW - if you're in the area, give the 5.30 pm cocktail tasting menues a whirl.

Gail's
79 Salusbury Road
London
NW6 6NH
Nearest Tube: Queens Park
Website

Gail's is part of a slightly preteniously named chain of Artisan Bakeries, Darling. Which is fancy pants speak for a deli bakery combo. It's pretty busy on weekends so you might struggle to get a seat. If it's a nice day, my suggestion would be to grab one of their amazing sandwiches or the sundried tomato quiche or delicious gruyere pastry corner thingy and head for Queen's Park to sit in the sun.

If its a bit miz outside or you just feel like a sit down, then hustle your way to the back to find a seat. Relooking at the website writing this, I realised that there are a lot of scrummy things to eat which I missed as I had a slightly strange egg dish with the hollandaise served solid on the side (sound weird and it was!). I would definitely give it a second chance though as I have had the sandwiches a few times and they are brilliant.

* Gail's photo borrowed from the website

What do you get when you take a Hotel Lounge and add a fire place, 2 men in fuschia underpants, 3 blondes and a bottle of pink champagne?

2011-02-27T14:32:00.000-08:00

... Brunch in Shoreditch Darling

It's been a while since I have woken up before going to bed on a Sunday, fully clothed (or totally naked depending on the context) and staggered straight to the nearest Greasy Spoon, pausing only to wash my mouth out with a swill of vodka.

Today, thankfully was no such day, having risen in a very civilised manner in the leafy suburbs of North West London.

For two of East London's more flamboyant residents however, it appeared to be exactly that sort of Sunday. A very tight pair of raspberry cord trousers, jiggling next to a very ripped pair of jeans (revealing a peak of very tight pink unders) caught our attention as we settled into leather sofas right next to the fire in the Hoxton Hotel.

We were momentarily distracted by the menu until with a shriek Ripped Jeans stripped off his skin tight black shirt, declaring it 'Filthy' before whipping it around his head ala Brokeback Mountain and hurling it into the fire next to us. Thankfully it wasn't a Primada special and didn't explode into a burst of acryllic pyrotechnics, instead favouring an elegant Poof and Fizzle. Oh and a waft of Eau de Tom Ford.

And so we met the neighbours...

Somewhere in between Eggs Benedict and Earl Grey Tea, Ripped Jean's side kick slid over and perched one of his raspberry coloured butt cheeks on the arm of our couch, waving a bottle of pink champers in our direction. It turns out Raspberry Butt Cheek (RBC) hails from Sicily with dubious business ventures in Brazil and Colombia. Who knew food import and export could be so lucrative?

At some point, in a pause between his elegant lobbing of our sugar cubes at Ripped Jeans, RBC managed to completely floor our hereto impeccable Gaydar, by desperately trying to lure Melissa to a hotel room for a shower. Thankfully the appearance of the very anxious and unimpressed looking Manager distracted him long enough for us to escape.

Truthfully in this instance, I can't tell you a tremendous amount about the food as the company was far too entertaining, but then again who needs food when in the immortal words of RBC ... 'ave you hever 'ad Tequila for breakfast?'

Clearly the man was onto something - we haven't had so much fun at breakfast in ages...

....you should try it sometime.

The Hoxton Grill @ The Hoxton Hotel
81 Great Eastern Street
London EC2A 3HUWebsite
How to Get There
Some retrospective useful info...
Full breakfast menu until 12pm, Bruch til 4pm

Talho Capixaba Delicatessen, Rio De Janeiro

2011-02-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

Guest Writer: Marta dos Santos (Tata, Queen or Smithy)

So Marta. One amazing, beautiful, strong Brasilian lady who abolsutely knows how to keep me, a big crew and the occaisional Famous Face inline. Marta was one of my travelling family for the past few years and when she is not touring with a band, she lives in glorious Rio. Finally she has been home long enough to write something for me and kick off the South of the Border section...

Talho Capixaba Delicatessen

Av. Ataulfo De Paiva

1022 - Leblon

Rio De Janeiro

+55 21 2512-8760

Website

Where to find it

This one is one of my favorites.

Low key, but very cool and a bit pricy. But for sure, worth every penny!

Holds 50 pax, spread along on the outside tables, 4 high chairs by the balcony where you can see you order being prepared and on the tables at the back on a quiet comfortable room.

Talho Capixaba, used to be a butcher house with special cuts of meat, until they decided to diversify and also offer all sorts of bread baked in the house, cold cuts, juices, sweets and other goodies.

My option of breakfast is a grilled cheese sandwich with sliced turkey breast, on whole wheat bread. To drink along, melon and mint leafs juice.

The round thing looking like a flat cup cake is a Brazilian favorite, cheese empada. A must!

The Botanist - London, Sloane Square

2011-01-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

"Why do I drink Champagne for breakfast? Doesn't everyone?" Noel Coward

No 7 Sloane Square
London
SW1W 8EE
Nearest Tube: Sloane Square
Website
How to Get There

Starting this Blog has developed a very happy Sunday tradition of getting off my lazy ass and exploring London to find interesting places to eat Breakfast and meet up with old friends. Oh and, on the odd occasion, to throw in a small reason to celebrate with a bottle or two of champagne (like, in the words of Melissa, Beedub becoming an F Word).

Today the tradition continued with a celebration of the end of my life as the eternal bachelorette. I put Fee in charge of decision making and her unbeatable breakfast compass came up with The Botanist. So to Sloane Square we trekked, meeting up with other Iheartbreakfast veteran supporters Barbara P and Melissa plus old friend Tams. Truth be told, I might possibly have been slightly distracted by catching up on months of news and several glasses of Champagne, but The Botanist still managed to make an impression.

Apparently, it is best known for Friday evening drinks, but their breakfast menu is respectable with a good mix of predictables and a couple of eye catchers. Personally, I think any place where the Breakfast menu starts with Bucks Fizz and rolls gently past Bloody Mary's into the food options warrants a recommendation. I managed to concentrate long enough to order the Crepe Complete (tricky one to order after two glasses of champagne). When it arrived it turned out to be a winner - a very crafty combo of eggs, bacon and Gruyere cheese served in a crepe.

Some of the girls choices - pancakes with bacon and maple syrup; the iheartbreakfast regular Eggs Benedict and porridge. All of which got the thumbs up even from Fee who carries a PhD in Pancakes. Also worth mentioning, they serve real mint tea brewed with fresh mint leaves and their machiatos come with a stirring chocolate stick.

Price wise it's not bad - sans champagne it was £20 each. Almost in the home straight for a full house Beedub tick, the only hiccup was slightly sketchy service and the fact that breakfast service stops at 11.30am. Nevertheless, if like us, you order a few bottles of bubbly you won't even notice, so all in all this is a goodie. Try it.

Also, if you're not a Fulham/ Chelsea local, the Saatchi Gallery is just round the corner and is worth popping in at, even if you can't make head or tale of 'icecream headed man shags antelope'...

Signal Restaurant, The Cape Grace Hotel - Cape Town

2011-01-15T05:24:00.000-08:00

West Quay Road
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Cape Town
South Africa
Website
How to Get There

So FINALLY I have added a few African entries. Pretty slack really considering I am a Saffa/ Zimbo hybrid, but better late than never.

It's been two years since I was last home and it's always amazing to see how Cape Town has changed. Thankfully some of my favourite things never change and nor does the fact that I miss living there on a daily basis. If you've never experienced the magic of Cape Town, do not pass go, move straight to add-this-to-you-list-of-get-there-as-soon-as-you-can places.

Almost our first stop off the plane was to visit my best mate Pooks at the Cape Grace Hotel. She was doing some freelance work there and tipped me off that the breakfast was definitely worth a look. After a marathon 5 flights in a week, we duly arrived at the 5 Star hotel entrance in grubby jeans and Converses. Potentially not a good start you'd think, but the staff there are brilliant and charmingly ignored our travel grunge and even extended the breakfast times for us. Retrospectively this could have been more about Pooks having the entire staff wrapped around her finger and less about our aura of respectability, but I choose to think they could see past my travel hair and recognise the breakfast connoisseur within.

So about the breakfast. It's served in the Signal Rrestaurant which overlooks the V&A Waterfront Basin and Table Mountain. Most definitely views you can eat to.

You can choose from a Full Breakfast or Continental Breakfast option, both of which give access to the buffet. Full Breakfast gives you additional hot choices. Breakfast buffets, specially hotel ones, can often be very samey, but the Cape Grace manages to sneak in a few special surprises. Like fresh Oysters on ice, which happen to go very well with the champagne. Or a fruit salad with fruit you can only find in Cape Town (Cape Gooseberries - so yummy). Plus all the other things you would want and expect at a 5 star hotel.

Iain had Eggs Benedict from the Hot Breakfast selection. I'm really getting concerned that I have indoctrinated into him into my EB cult, but in this case they really lived up to the hype and justified the choice although there were several other very tempting possibilities to choose from. By the way, I don't know if you have ever tried to make Eggs Benedict yourself, but unless you've had a crash cooking course with a Michelin Star chef, I highly recommend a pre-made hollandaise sauce unless you have the patience of Job and a foolproof stove (at the very least have it as a back up!).

We washed everything down with champagne, delicious berry smoothies and right at the point when I probably could have exploded I stupidly added a Latte as well. All beverages are included in the per head price - R99 for a continental and R120 for Full so all in all in pounds under £25 for 2 people.

There are free newspapers and an amazing library so if you want to end your breakfast in a leisurely manner you can move with your coffee and finish off there. But, if like me you can't say no to yummy things, beware the Sugar Buffet that lies in wait in the library...

On the Run Options...

Sumo

When I lived in Cape Town, I used to be a disciple of Kauai Juice which offered amazing, healthy, fresh food on the run. Sadly, the original surfer brothers and friends who owned it sold it, and with them went the original ethos and my all time ever favourite breakfast hangover remedy the Breakfast Riser. Devastation!

Happily, I discovered Sumo on this trip home and found to my delight all the same good things Kauai used to offer with some of its own fresh ideas. Everything there is freshly prepared using natural ingredients. Our holiday apartment was right next door to one of the branches - in a small shopping centre on the corner of Solomans and Main Road Seapoint. I believe there are other branches too but can't find a website so keep your eyes peeled for the Blue and White signage and make sure you pop in if you find one

The Breakfast Burrito is a winner...

Nice one Megan!

Vida e Caffe

Website and where to find em

Vida e Caffe is South Africa's unique take on coffee. You can't really compare it to anything else - it's a quintessentially Cape Town style place - super cool and quirky. It launched before I left, with one brilliant shop on Kloof Street, but seems to have grown massively with stores all over the country and now, I believe, even in London. I would still suggest starting with the one in Kloof Street, not least because it is a great little corner of Cape Town to explore.

The coffee is delicious and there are a small selection of Portguese inspired things to eat (muffins, rolls and pastries). For me personally, the Quattro is king - the most decadent four cheese, herby muffin concoction. Soooo good.

And the staff rock too - lots of ex Zimbos like me.

Oh and did I mention every cup of coffee comes with Lindt chocolate?

See the Molo Afrika section in the next few months for more picks from friends and family

Schneekarhutte - Mayrhofen Austria

2011-01-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

Website (but you need an Austrian or German mate to translate)
How To Get There

Loosely translated Schneekarhutte means Cablecar Hut. Ok, so it might not be the most romantic name, but believe me, this is a once in a life time experience.

So... to best experience the Schneekarhutte:- take between 10 and 20 mates; skis/ snowboards/ or good books; headache tablets; clean unders and head for the Zillertal in Tirol, Austria for a weekend you will never forget (or struggle to remember depending on your tolerance for Schnapps).

For the past 2 years, I have been lucky enough to go there for our annual team Christmas Party. You can only reach the Schneekarhutte by ski lift and after 4.30 pm there is no way to get up and down is only by fun Black run (not advisable by night, although tempting to a few of my more mental friends).

By day, the hut is an amazing rest 'n refuel spot on Horberg, accessed by the Schneekar Chairlift (ah, now you get it). By night, its an overnight hut with a large communal room built into the Pyramid as well as individual rooms. Oh and incidentally, the-most-amazing food.

As the point of this Blog is Breakfast and not insane gourmet dinners, incredible wine collection, stupid bar Olympics, cigar smoking and voracious schnapps drinking, I will limit myself to what you can expect in the morning for Breakfast. That is if you manage to crawl out of your bunk or haven't died from hypothermia, finding yourself face down in the snow outside. These are things that may or may not have really happened to people I may or may not know...

So to breakfast...first point. The view in the breakfast room is spectacular. With or without paracetemol you'll already start the road to recovery as you walk in. Things get even better as you see the buffet and amazing charceuterie plate on each table. There are delicious fresh juices, Bircher Mueslie, fresh fruit salad and more on the buffet and you can order eggs anyway you like them. So so delicious. Oh and the coffee comes either Austrian strength espresso or beedub friendly cappucino or latte machiatto.

If like me, you get overtaken on the baby slopes by 1 foot tall tadpoles in helmets, I recommend taking a book and enjoying one of the leather sofas and Gluhwein for the rest of the day while your mates ski and snowboard.

For €99 per person for a 4 course dinner, bed in the communal Pyramid and breakfast (drinks excluded), this place really is insane and I should also mention has probably the coolest, hardest working staff in the World. Make sure you go there at least once in 2011...

PS if you have any friends who snore like tractors, you might want to gently direct them to one of the private rooms...
PPS Thanks CW Family, TDA's and Wally's for the amazing memories

New Year's Day Breakfast of Champions...

2011-01-01T07:33:00.000-08:00

"A dog's New Year's Resolution: I will not chase that stick unless I actually see it leave his hand!" ~Unknown

So according to my friend Bernd, my skills are better suited to cocktail critiques than breakfast. He could just be right and as it's New Years day and I'm feeling a bit fragile, here's my pick for the perfect New Year's day brunch...

Just have another Mojito...

(they have fruit in them so technically are pretty healthy)
This was taught to me by Alan Gage from Sweet 'n Chilli (sorry if this isn't strictly accurate Al ;0)

Ingredients (for about 6 to 8 people depending how thirsty)
Crushed ice (you need lots!)
1 bottle Bacardi Rum
limes cut into 8ths
Brown Sugar or Gom (professional bartender Sugar Syrup)
1 bottle Soda water
Bunch fresh mint

So, the thing with Mojitos is that they are quite personal so I suggest you make one first and then taste it. I like mine sweet and sour so this is based on my taste.

Line up your glasses. In each one, put 1.5 teaspoons brown sugar. Add 3 to 4 wedges of lime and 4 to 6 mint leaves. Now you need to 'muddle' these together. Translated this means take a Pestle and gently squish the limes and mint into the sugar to get everything to mix together. Don't over do it otherwise you lose the mintiness.

Next, add a handful of crushed ice. Use a spoon to drag the minty tangy goodness from the bottom of the glass through the ice. Then, add Rum. I like a good old free pour but again this is to taste.

Right, now you need to add another handful of crushed ice. Do another draggy motion to get everything to mix and pull through to the top.

Finally, add a dash of Soda, a squeeze of lime and a sprig of mint.

Voila! Easy.

Alternatively you could call Sweet n' Chilli and get them to send a bartender over to make them for you or fly to Cuba. All three work for me...

Happy New year!

Jez and Tan's Picks from Around the World...

2011-01-01T06:54:00.000-08:00

Guest Writers: Jez Browning and Tanja Rai

I met Jez and Tan a few years ago when I joined my good friend Tams on a trip to her favourite holiday spot - Lagos in the Algarve in Portugal. Since then, I have been to Lagos myself 5 times and love it more each time, not least of which is because it is always great to see Jez and Tanja. They both love surfing and really appreciate the amazing lifestyle Lagos offers but I hasten to add they both work damn hard and so anytime they have to themselves is spent surfing and enjoying life there and around the globe wherever there is swell. In my book this makes them brekka experts...

Jez

Here are my breakfast choices for the surfer.
Starting at no 5 it has to be a Pao com Chaurico from the Cepsa garage, Lagos, whilst filling up the surf chariot.
no 4.... Tosta Mista at Arrifana Restaurant, Lagos whilst watching where to put yourself in the surf crowd out there.
no 3.... dirty microwaved hotdog and a packet of Scampy fries with a Lucozade sport from Captain Rickdogs Beach hut at Centre's, GuernseyNo.2 - Sitting in one of the many Warungs above Uluwatu, chowing down on what you think is a chicken pad thai (probably dog) or a fancy burger.
No.1 Gallo Pinto & Huevo Rancherrous in the dirtiest Soda Tica you can find in Costa Rica at 11 am, post surf nose bag breakfast / lunch. The perfect way to reload after your dawny surf. You only got out as it's too hot plus you've been surfing for nearly 5 hours. It's great as it even makes you sleepy for that mid afternoon kip, before you dip in the surf for that *LEGO session.

*LEGO meaning Late Evening Glass Off..... dude....
When are you visiting again to savour some of the greatest tosta mista breakkies in the world?! Have a real portuguese one and have a bica and brandy.... that will def do the tricks in the morning nad willget you tipsy enough to convince yourself that you already had a drink so why not have another one?!

Tan

Ok......
So being a German all i love about breakfast is the variety of foods you get in a german breakfast buffee.... you can find them nearly everywhere but if you are in Berlin go to the "Schwarzes Cafe" and indulge yourself at whatever time of the day , morning, evening or night! Start with a Latte Machiato, then variety of breads with eggs butter fruit salads a sortiment of meats and cheeses, Nutella, jams,tomatoes cucumbers, quark.......oh i could go on forever!!!!So whether you are redicuolesly hungover, meeting a friend for a long talk or just want to fill up your tummy....thats the one i love the most!!!

But living a life of leisure and enjoyment in Lagos Portugal, the simpiest and best way to start the day is with a good old fashioned tosta mista and a tasty Galao!!!You get that everywhere in any cafe or even restaurant at most times of the day. But if you can spend a few hours waiting and like the simple stuff decorated with olives, and a flower then "Bora Bora" in Lagos is your place! While you wait you can people-watch (as its right in town),fall asleep on the sofa, share your snoring with friends on fb or- if you are hung over, which is pretty likely if you are visiting Lagos- sit around and be silly with your friends!Hmmmmm..... its been a while!

About Costa Rica: its an amazing pure place where your breakfast of "gallo pinto" is so yummy it blows your mind. Freshly cooked rice, black beans, tomato salsa with chillies, guacamole and eggs or beacon will def set you up fopr a long day of surfing and travelling! Accompany with a freshly sqeezed succo de pina and a cafe con leche..................Pura vida!

Notes from Beedub:
Where to find...
Bora Cafe, Lagos: Rua Conselheiro Joaquin machado, 8600 Lagos
Schwarzes Cafe, Berlin: Kantstraße 148, 10623 Berlin, Germany Schwarzes Cafe Website
Costa Rica - look on a map!
Guernsey - follow a local
Bora Cafe is a major favourite of mine too. Also don't miss Rosko's cocktail bar to generate the much needed hangover to really get the maximum benefit from a Tosta Mista - the cocktails are genius and the bartender a honey ;0)

Tinto's - Fulham, London

2010-12-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

411 Fulham Palace Road
London, SW6 6SX
Website
How to Get There
Nearest Tube: Putney Bridge

So this is a sneaky entry before I leave for my holiday to Austria and South Africa...finally African entries inbound!

Fresh off the boat from South Africa, I landed in Fulham and found myself living there for 6 very happy years with my dear friend Tams. Tams and I have many things in common not least of which is a shared love of coffee and lazy Sunday's at home.

Almost on day one of moving in, I met one of my nicest neighbours...Tinto's.

Tinto's is a tiny, crazy little coffee place owned by a Colombian called Paul. Paul fills Tinto's with amazing Spanish and Colombian Staff who, if like me you are as much of a fixture as the papier mache deer head on the wall, will become firm friends within 3 visits.

Tinto's is to coffee what Cheers was to beer. Everyone in there knows your name and what you want without you even asking. Provided of course you've been there before...they aren't psychic (yet).

The coffee is amazing - let's face it who knows coffee better than Colombians? As by now you might have gathered I have a weird fixation with weak sweet coffee and so I always go for a single shot - two shots is guaranteed to put hair on your chest and quite possibly even your upper lip. They do all the usual great coffee options including iced ones for Summer and as Tinto's is located deep in Nappy Valley they also do BabyChino's to keep the Fulham Yummy Mummies happy.

Food wise, it's more sandwichy than hot plates but they do delicious bagels (my favourite is the egg mayo), toasties, quiche, muffins and bagettes. Iain swears but the Breakie Bagette. All guaranteed to fix hangovers.

So for 6 plus years I was in Tinto's a minimum of 5 times a week. Sometimes in my pajamas to pick up a desperate coffee fixer. Sometimes to meet friends for breakfast or coffee and cake. No matter what time of day It is always warm, friendly and full of happy people, dogs, laptops, kids and laughter.

Dropping in there today was like visiting and old dear friend that I miss loads. Do yourself a favour next time you are near the Thames in Fulham and pop in. Paul might even draw a heart on your cup for you.

...Oh and even after and 8 week absence they still remembered my order :0)

Ticking Tricking and Trucking in Shoreditch

2010-12-12T13:35:00.000-08:00

Where we went...
Albion at Boundary
2-4 Boundary Road
Shoreditch
E2 7DD
Albion Website
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia Road Website
Sunday Shoots
Sunday Shoots Website
The Hoxton Hotel & Grill
The Hoxton Website
Nearest Tubes: Old Street, Liverpool

Waking to another amazing London blue sky day, it was time to dig out the passport and head East.

Like the three Mustgetbeers, Melissa joined Barbara Squared in Shoreditch for a day of London Rambling. We kicked off our day at the Albion, one of the restuarants in the Boundary - a converted Victorian Warehouse. It's a really interesting development including several restaurants and bars plus a roof terrace which we will most definitely go back to in Summer.

Truth be told, the breakfast at the Albion was pretty average with a small selection of predictables, although the place itself is a trendy, pretty cozy deli style establishment.

Despite being accused of eating 'either Tick, Trick or Truck' (translation from Austrian - Huey, Lewey or Dewey to you or I) by a horrified Barbara P, I pressed on and tried the only vaguely adventurous thing on the menu - Duck Eggs on Toast. Tasted like plain old chickeny ones to me. But then I am a bit of a gourmet heathen. Melissa tried the breakfast sandwich and Barbara had the poached eggs and bacon. Both pretty standard stuff.

So in general, breakfast available to 12h30 - tick. BUT, No Eggs Benedict - Boo. No chefs specials or anything unusual double boo and a bit over priced to boot so sadly this is the first of my Room 101 flushes.

The rest of the day, however, was far more successful. From the Boundary, we wandered along to the Columbia Road Flower Market. Brilliant! We walked straight into an East End Christmas Tree Trader shitfight. I was offered so many deals I wondered if I had inadvertently stumbled into little Colombia by mistake. If you haven't been, I really recommend a trip on a Sunday. In addition to tons of flowers and plants, the local shops are fab - lots of quirky galleries, hole in the wall bacon butty stalls and fantabulous boutiques.

A word of caution though - at Christmas time it's not for the faint hearted. My quote of the day 'Watch your back love you might end up with a tree up your arse' yelled by a man narrowly missing me as he charged up Columbia Road with a Christmas Tree.

Retrospectively, we should have just had a bacon butty there or stopped at one of the little cafes lining the road or hidden inside the galleries. Ah well you live and learn.

We also discovered a brilliant playroom for the slightly narcissistic. It's the studio of Seamus Ryan, just off Columbia Road. Every Sunday, he invites members of the public to come in and take part in his 'Sunday Shoots' project. After having damn near broken his Slipstream Glamour Photo Booth, complete with wind machine and beauty lighting no less, we braved Seamus and his camera. The Jury's out till tomorrow but at least we didn't break his camera...

Once we'd worn out our welcome taking our own pictures, we headed back to Old Street and as clouds had come over and the temperature suddenly plummeted, we treated ourselves to an open fire, coffee and dessert at the Hoxton Hotel. I had a cheeky peek at the Hoxton Grill's breakfast menu and with things like bolied egg and soldiers, the ubiquitous Monsieur's Benedict, Florentine and Royale, quite honestly you could do worse than to stop off there on your way to Columbia Road...

A Spilloige Breakfast Special

2010-12-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

Special Guest Author: Matthew Spiller (Spilloige, Signagezz, Maffew)

So how do I begin to describe Matt? I don't think my writing skills can do justice to one of the funniest, most talented, nicest, grubbiest, most genuine people I know.Oh and did I mention just a little bit mental? During my time on the road with the Red Bull Air Race, Matt was one of the founding fathers with me of the now infamous FOH team and on those ridiculous days when all else was failing, his sense of humour and ridiculous grin never did. He can also proudly claim evicting a chicken from site (amongst other stellar achievements).

Maffew's Top Tips

Ok Bazza, here goes....the magical morning grub up a la Spilloige would go a little something like this...

Home
On a warm weekend morning it would be two pieces of toasted sourdough, vegemite/marmite spread finly on the toast, half avocado mushed and spread, sliced cherry tomatoes, rock salt and a touch of lemon juice...yummo

Cooking for Friends
This was a favourite at the caff, named the Bristolian* it had a loyal following...

Toasted buttered bagel, two poached eggs, wilted spinach, roasted tomatoes and artichokes. Mushrooms baked with garlic and thyme. Home made hollandaise sauce tops it off, nice.

Out (Sydney and Wellington)
Fundamental Fresh Food 266 Darling Street, Balmain NSW 2041, Australia

How To Get There
Cafe Berlin
249 Darling St, Balmain NSW 2041, Australia
How To Get There

The Little Marionette
1A Booth Street, Balmain NSW 2041, Australia
How To Get There
Fuel Espresso
Locations and Website

Living in Sydney you can get a little spoilt, so I will give you the regulars, Cafe Fundamental on Darling Street for the big brekkie, $16 include freshly squeezed juice and coffee, or Cafe Berlin for their Bacon and Egg baguette, classic, again on Darling Street in Balmain. Beverage

Coffee, coffee, coffee, recent favourite is Fuel in Wellington, tis a chain but they seem to have got it right with their little hole in the wall outlets, always good.

Sydney - The little marionette makes a nice strong brew,again in Balmain. Anywhere you see Campos coffee you should be ok. Little tip would be at the QVB where the buses leave from in the city you can pick up a pretty good flat white for $2.50 from one of the funny little kiosks.

Of course, the people, day, weather all contribute to the experience so a little advice to make it the chilled out start to the day that you want, would be to avoid American hotels with anyone from Austria in the morning when they ask for coffee

Order up!

Maffew

*Note from Beedub: Matt is too humble to admit the Bristolian was his Cafe. Wish it was still his so we could visit!

The Breakfast Club, Soho, London

2010-12-05T13:34:00.000-08:00

33 D’Arblay Street
W1F 8EU
Website
How to Get There
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus

Realising that ye old Blog was woefully neglected and having endured weeks on the recruitment merry go round (with the odd cheeky weekend in Austria thrown in), it was time to bust out and hit the breakfast circuit again.

Blue sky in London in Winter can only be a good omen and so with a pasty sun on our backs we set off for Soho. Seemed like a good direction based on a secondary requirement to good grub - interesting photographic subjects. Melissa, one of my co-pilots, is now the proud owner of a fandabulous camera and needed to test drive it.

So to Soho we went in search of the infamous Breakfast Club. Having been there previously for coffee, its been on my hit list for some time.

Now, any place called The Breakfast Club and which serves breakfast dishes all day, every day, can't really go far wrong in my book. We arrived to find a queue outside - clearly we weren't the only breakfast freaks. I am not sure who was more relieved when they let us inside - us or the poor people seated at the table next the window who had had to endure us pressing our noses against the glass oggling their food.

Inside, The Breakfast Club is kitsch and cozy and rammed. We were seated cheerfully on top of each other and beneath a gorgarse picture of The Hoff resplendent in Speedo and Santa Hat. We had already wrestled a menu off one of the other desperados camping in the queue outside and so we all knew exactly what we were having. The menu had me at Eggulars. But to be fair, I would happily cheat with the Mr Big Stuff section or one of the little beauties in the And Finally bit.

Although I was really tempted by the Green Eggs and Ham (see the entry on Huckleberry's, LA for why), how could I resist a dish called Ham Very Eggstatic? Retrospectively, I should have waited for the monster of all hangovers to enjoy this beastie - a stack of pancakes laced with ham and cheese and topped with a fried egg. Oh and drowned in maple syrup to boot - apparently inspired by some bloke called Roger on Twitter. As (for once) I wasn't experiencing the stomach turning, grease craving clutches of a post mojitto overdose, it was actually too much for me and I would happy have swapped with Melissa who had the All American Breakfast (another but slightly less rich mix up of pancakes, bacon and eggs) or gone for one of the yummy French Toast tasties.

Iain had the Full Monty. A most definitely man sized full English breakfast feast to be found in the Mr Big Stuff part of the menu. And Full Monty it was. He was still staggering around with a pot belly 4 hours of Soho rambling later.

I was gutted not to be able to have the Chocolate Orange Latte in the special Christmas drinkie section but they passed my stupid latte order test and made me a suitably milky vanillary concoction which passed the Beedub standard with flying colours. As did the fresh orange juice. So add to that the fact that you can eat Breakfast all the way until 5pm AND they have Eggs Benedict, Florentine and Royale, The Breakfast Club is most definitely a must.

There is no question that I will return soon, but I might wait until that special Sunday morning which dawns foggy with a hint of headache and a desperate craving for a gigantic eggy feast...

PS not to mislead those healthier than I, there are also loads of healthy choices and the smoothie menu looked lush

The Elephant House, Edinburgh, Scotland

2010-11-17T15:08:00.000-08:00

Special Guest Author: Barbara Proske (Barbarazzi)

I can't believe that this lady managed to find the time to write me a review considering her crazy schedule. But then she does wrangle F1 Racing Drivers for a living. Barbarazzi is a kindred spirit, global nomad who travels full time and she is the only Austrian I know who loves English Builder's Tea...

The Elephant House, Edinburgh
21 George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EN
Website

Elephants and Harry Potter, how does this go together?

Meet the place where inspiration came from and where the words have been put on paper.
In this cafe which is located in the historic part of the city, it is said that the author J.K. Rowling spend endless hours writing her first Harry Potter novel. Unfortunately she has had too little money to get beyond an ordinary coffee - 'poor' her as she missed out on some culinary pleasures.
When you will get there yourself you won't be surprised how easily you can spend a lot of time in there enjoying the nice atmosphere with friends and the stunning view over the Edinburgh castle, which you might climb after having stuffed loads of food into your face.

You wouldn't find this anywhere else. Take a seat on one of the massive wooden elephant chairs, enjoy the good atmosphere and choose between Scottish, English or 'normal' breakfast or anything else from the menu - whatever you feel like. The choice is easy, straightforward and tastes yummy - piece and quiet is free of charge.
We had eggs on toast and the scrambled egg with salmon which will be enough for the little appetite. If you go big you might want to order more out of the daily breakfast menu.
A must try is the menthe tea - the aroma of the fresh menthe leaves will make you want to relax, sit back and enjoy yourself in this special place.
Loved the short bread as well, but didn't like queuing at the counter as the girls were a bit slow - but hey, it's not about putting down a track record, it's about enjoying yourself and the ambient and having a relaxed and laid back morning which might very well extend until well over midday :)

Picture taken from inside the cafe over Edinburgh castle

Milkd - Maylands, Perth

2010-11-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

Special Guest Authors: The Esteemed Queen and Princesses Wood

Shani and her daughters live in Perth. Or should I say they rule Perth. Shani is one of my dearest friends from Red Bull Air Race who I consider a both a mentor and inspiration. Milli and Tildi are her fabulous daughters who I plan to employ as my right and left hand just as soon as they are old enough...

Shani happens to be a fantastic cook who offers her family custom breakfast orders daily at her house so this will be just the first (I hope) of many contributions from the Wood household. I asked the ladies to send me their favourite places and after a girls day out this weekend this is what they sent (thanks Tildi for the fab colours - I love them x)

Milkd

32 Angove Street, North Perth WA 6006, Australia

Website

How to get there

Shani

Fave regular breakfast place is Milk’d in Maylands. The food is fresh and the coffee brilliant. The service is always consistently great and fast.

Every weekend the family heads here for a standard breakfast. My fave is always the mushrooms with rocket and fetta and New Norcia Sourdough. The rocket is always just so fresh and tasty and sometimes I add a poached egg – cost is $15.00. The coffee is also always great and once you are a regular they know how you like it and always make sure you are happy. Milk’d is also great for kids with games and yummy cakes if you feel like it later.

Millicent

My name is Millicent (Milli) Weaver and I am 12 years old, and from Australia.

I love Milk’d’s melts and drinks because everything is very fresh, and tastes really good. The iced chocolates have yummy ice cream, and sweet chocolate sauce with ice cubes in it.

The melts are really fresh bread with ham, cheese and tomato in between the bread. It tastes really good, and my sister and I always share one.

Matilda

Hi, my name is Matilda.

I live in Perth, Australia.

My favourite dish is a melt (from Milked.)

I am 9 years old and a live with my mum my dad my sister and my dog.

My favourite colour is blue and purple

Thanks

MATILDA LELIA WOOD WEAVER

Oz - Perth and Melbourne

2010-11-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

Special Guest Author: Hannah Walter (Hansie/ Lil Lotta)
Hannah has been one of my surrogate family for the past three years as we travelled together around the World on an international event. We have stood side by side at so many bars and buffets I lose count and I have the hugest respect for her amazing ability to juggle the demands of a 300 odd strong crew queing at her office needing anything from arm length rubber gloves (don't ask!) to a hug for the homesick.

Perth
Millpoint Caffe Bookshop, South Perth

254 Millpoint Road
South Perth
WA 6151
Website
How to get there

One of the BEST hidden brekkie stops is at the Bookshop Cafe in South Perth on Mill Point Rd. They are open 7 days a week but get super busy on weekends.

They make coffee that even Wally* would approve of (and i think he did?!) and brekkie menu various in choices and prices, between about $8-$18. Smoothies and freshly made juices are also top picks - all produce is local and VERY fresh.

My fav choices are the gourmet scrabbled eggs with goats cheese and chives - joy! - and the blueberry pancakes that are so light that you can actually eat the whole lot and not feel like you just ate a concrete block. Those with a sweet tooth can jump into the homemade cakes selection... but then you may need a little push to roll down the street.

Its great because you can browse through the bookstore, sit inside amongst it or in a quiet leafy courtyard out the back. Parking is at the side or down the back plus you can walk about 150m to the foreshore. bliss.

* note from Beedub - Wally is a guru of all things gourmet - living in Vienna, there is no one I know more knowledgable on outstanding coffee, food and especially wine so consider this high praise indeed...Incidently the coffee from this lovely Cafe kept me going for 2 weeks of being onsite. Its got an amazing atmosphere and the fact that it is always packed with locals says it all.

Photo taken from the official website

Melbourne (or Melbs for those in the know)

The Coffee Roasting Warehouse

19 Leveson St.
North Melbourne
VIC 3051
How to get there

In Melbs, BEST brekkie AND coffee is at the Coffee Roasting Warehouse in North Melbourne. The name gives it away that the coffee is TO DIE FOR, you can select your bean and all the staff are pro baristas so the coffee is perfect. Brekkie is a mix of classic choices and a more unique menu - do not go past the indian eggs, which is poached eggs in a curry type tomato mix with roti bread and fresh corindar, AMAZING! Meals are between about $6-$22. Sitting outside in the rare moments Melbourne isn't raining or inside around the warehouse or in a small back indoor courtyard. Very cute and popular so go early!

The Pavillion Cafe, Victoria Park London

2010-11-14T14:18:00.001-08:00

Special Guest Writer: Kat MacKenzie

As my knowledge of London unhelpfully seems to stop on the borders of Westminster and Maida Vale, my lovely mate Kat has generously agreed to donate some of her North and East London expertise. Kat is an extremely well travelled, dynamite package of many and varied talents including being a meastro of Sports and Events Marketing and one of the most fun people to go out with anywhere in the World...

Victoria Park

Old Fort Road

London, E9 7DE

How to Get There

Nearest Bus: Globe Town, Victoria Park (E9) (Stop GA)

Nearest Tube: Bethnal Green

Open Daily 10am-6pm

The affectionally named "Pav" sits directly on the Victoria Park lake* in the heart of east London and has been serving up delicious breakfasts, cakes and coffees for the last couple of years.

During the week , don't let the crowds of hot east london mummas and their babycinos put you off coming inside (or even better, taking a outside seat if weather permits); the coffee and breakfasts will have you coming back time and time again. At the weekend, be prepared to get strategic about grabbing a table but trust me , you wont be disappointed!
There is a full day menu but as a fully fledged breakfast lover can't see past their all-day breakfast items.

Monmouth coffee is expertly poured by their charming baristas ( and who isn't a sucker for seeing their coffee foam crafted into a cute heart?!). Food highlights include HUGE full english breakfasts with ginger pig bacon and sausages accompanied by delicious homemade beans (homemade beans surely being a benchmark for a place that really cares about its breakfast)

For me, perfectly poached , fried or a mountain of fluffy scrambled eggs are the order of the day. The best thing about this place has to be that they don't mind what i call the " princess breakfast " order, whereas most places baulk at an attempt to order off menu:

Scrambled eggs with rosemary mushrooms on the side? Eggs beno with extra crispy bacon instead of ham? "Fried eggs on wholegrain with a small side of homemade beans?"

"No problem" is always the cheery reply.

They even let me give them my ipod to put on one day - now that really is customer service!

The Pav fully deserves its excellent reception and if you go east skip the jog around the park and head straight to the Pav for a yummy breakfast

*lake is generous, lets be honest its a pond, this is Hackney!

Los Angeles

2010-11-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Finding ourselves at a loose end simultaneously for the first time in years, the now ubiquitous star of this Blog, Fiona and I found ourselves planning a road trip through California.

Although neither of us had a huge desire to spend time in LA, we both have friends there that we wanted to see and so picked the City of Angels as our launch pad. Knowing that we had a precious few days before heading South to start a serious detox Retreat, we decided to make proverbial hay and immerse ourselves in the all American food tradition.

During a great birthday dinner at Soho house, we picked the brains of friends Bob and Mariel on hot tips for a memorable LA Breakfast.

Mariel is a long time friend who has travelled the world and loves good food so was infinitely qualified to offer advice. We tried her suggestion first, co-oinciding neatly with a plan to explore Santa Monica. If you can ignore your Garmin and good friend's excellent directions and still find your way onto Wilshire then you are already on the right track...

Huckleberry

1014 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica
Website
How to Get There

Say!
I like green eggs and ham!
I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!
And I would eat them in a boat!
And I would eat them with a goat...
And I will eat them in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
They are so good so good you see!

So I will eat them in a box.
And I will eat them with a fox.
And I will eat them in a house.
And I will eat them with a mouse.
And I will eat them here and there.
Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!
Taken from 'Green Eggs and Ham' by Dr Seuss

Huckleberry is nestled in a very nondescript section of Wilshire and you'd definitely miss it if you hadn't been tipped off.

Thank your lucky stars for Mariel I say because this place is most definitely a keeper and we wouldn't have found it without her. It is a really beautiful bakery and cafe where everything is baked on onsite with the result that as you walk in, you are literally overwhelmed by the most delicious aromas. If you can actually make it to the counter without falling on your knees, then the selection of hand baked breads, delicate pastries and heaving bowls of berries will finish off even the toughest non breakfast heathen. Giant blackboards float above the counters offering event more temptation...breakfast smorgasbord (special dishes, side AND pastry options), sandwiches, salads, soups and more.

I found myself mesmerised browsing down the Breakfast Board past Granola and Niman Brisket Hash with fried Eggs, to find, to my absolute delight, Green Eggs and Ham. Now I don't know your personal relationship with Dr Seuss, but I wasn't weaned onto a bottle. I was handed The Cat in the Hat and told to get on with it. Retrospectively, I Sam-I-am, may possibly have started my love affair with breakfast purely because of Green Eggs and Ham

So naturally that was that, choice made. We found a table while I impatiently awaited my Green Eggs and Ham. Would it come with a mouse or a house or even be served by a fox in sox? Fiona, who had lost the battle with her very bossy sweet tooth, distracted me with the yummy pastry and the amazing home baked Apple tart she had chosen. Both delicious.

My breakfast duly arrived and Dr Suess himself wouldn't have been disappointed. The Green was a fragrant basil pesto drizzled over two perfectly cooked poach eggs, perched on a bed of spicy arugula, crispy proscuitto and warm buttery english muffins. Speechless.

If I hadn't been instantly smitten with the Green Eggs and Ham and as a result probably could never eat anything else should I be lucky enough to go back to Huckleberry one day, there are so many great options to choose. There are at least six completely unique egg dishes each with their own twist on old favourites. The Salmon platter looked amazing and even the Califriendly Health options looked fab. Although I think its safe to say you won't see me passing up a good fry up for the Quinoa, spinage, butternut squash and fried egg combo anytime soon...

Huckleberry is open every day except Monday's and breakfast dishes are available until 11am. So until 12am being one of my requisites for a perfect score, it didn't quite score 10 our 10, but for food this good I would get my lazy ass there in time for 11am any day. Plus there's always jet lag to get you up at 4am anyway...

Joan's on Third

8350 West Third Street
between La Cienega Blvd. and Fairfax Ave
West Hollywood
California
Website
How to Get There

So, having hit the jackpot on Day 1 we challenged Bob, Fiona's fabulous friend to raise the bar, which he did in style. Not only did he have a cheeky suggestion up his sleeve, but he invited us there for breakfast and a tour of his neighbourhood.

We arrived bright and early in a corner of West Hollywood I didn't even know existed, to find a little slice of quirky heaven. All signs of jet lag disappeared as we marvelled at gorgeous Deli's and restaurants rubbing shoulders with zany designer shops, jewellery havens and book stores. The street can even lay claim to one of Los Angeles's oldest Mexican restaurants which we've promised ourselves to go back to one day

Like Huckleberry, Jones is a Deli cum cafe also serving a range of amazing baked delicacies and deli selection as well as an organic supermarket. We stocked up on detox essentials while we were there before heading to the counter to order. As usual I opted for an Egg choice, selecting the Egg Basket Omelet served with a choice of fillings and sour cream. My filling pick was a healthy asparagus and goats cheese but I was sorely tempted by the Bonne Femme - potatoes, bacon, cheese and onions.

Fiona and Bob opted for the Buttermilk pancakes, granola and a side of toast to share. Feeling very righteous, we ordered ginger tea instead of our usual lattes which was delicious. The thing Fee and I really loved every where we went in California is that water, usually brought with a zest of lemon, orange, mint or cucumber is brought voluntarily to the table.

If I hadn't been laying the foundations for my body is a temple week, I would definitely have had the New York Breakfast Sandwich and a gigantic Latte. Sigh. Still I can always go back.

If Joan's wasn't enough on its own, Bob finished off our morning with a visit to Mimosa's - the LA branch of the cupcake bakery immortalised in Sex and the City. So now I know what Devilsfood tastes like...

Joan's pipped Huckleberry very slightly to the post purely because it offers Breakfast until 12 and it is in such a glorious neighbourhood you could make a morning's excursion out of it, but both are a fabulous way to start your day in Los Angeles (or to reward yourself for surviving a night of jet lag disrupted sleep!)

Other tips from this trip on LA: do yourself a favour and make time to spend at least half a day on Abbot Kinney Blvd, a treasure trove of a street named for the founding father of Venice Beach. It is about half a mile long and packed full of fantastic shops, galleries and eateries.

Oh and in case you didn't guess, it's in Venice...
A little more about it...

Innsbruck, Barcelona, Hamburg

2010-11-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Special Guest Writer: Bernie Hofer (alter Ego Carlos Bighole)

A dear friend of mine who lives in Austria and like me travels as voraciously as he reads

Where to find out more about Bernie's picks:
Parkhotel, Hall, Tirol, Austria
Hotel Cram, Barcelona Spain
Schanzenviertel District, Hamburg

"so....interesting project.....

me and breakfast is a quite difficult relationship as I'm most of the times physically not able for breakfast...but if I'm able I could recommend the sunday breakfast brunch at Parkhotel in Hall in Tirol....but only in summer as you can chill nicely on the terrace and enjoy mountaineous Austria...

further I can really recommend the breakfast at hotel cram in barcelona, even though its expensive, but the hotel has an impressive architecture...

further I can recommend in Hamburg to just go the Schanzenstern and choose one of the cafes there...I tried several and most of them were amazing...even though the waiters are mostly lame...but who is stressed at breakfast?

My favourite breakfast recipe:
Espresso
Fresh orange juice
Spanish Serrano ham
Fresh bread

Nothing more nothing less....maybe a glass of Pinot Grigio white wine...."

Ottolenghi, Kensington London

2010-11-10T14:52:00.000-08:00

Ottolenghi is one of my top choices for a Let Someone Else Do it option (see DIY for more)

1 Holland Street, London, W8 4NA

Ottolenghi website

How to get there

Nearest Tube: High Street Kensington

This wasn't strictly tested at Breakfast time, but after a thorough investigation, it absolutely fits the bill should you be looking to treat yourself to a cheeky breakfast for one at home or happen to be throwing a brunch for friends.

Another one of my genius friend Fiona's picks, the joy of Ottolenghi is that there are several of them - Kensington, Notting Hill, Islington and Belgravia. She discovered the place through her Mum's suddenly inspired cooking. It turns out she (Mum of Fi) had bought one of Patron Chef Yotham Otholenghi's cook books. Well, thought Fiona, if it can turn Rachel into Nigella then this place is worth a look.

So, today we interrupted our quest for difficult to find organic foods at Wholefoods in High Street Kensington so that she could show it to me. The Kensington shop is take away only but I believe the Islington Branch has a full restaurant and Belgravia and Notting Hill have small tables available for the lucky first comers.

I am no gourmet wordsmith and whilst I could use cliches like kid in a candy store and Willy Wonka's Chocalate Factory had nothing on this, I think it sufices to say that I could have bought everything in there and eaten it on the spot. Whilst there are delectable breakfast friendly pastries, the dishes on offer are more suited to Brunch. In addition to the lushest cakes, quiches and pastries I have ever seen, there are buy by the pound deli dishes including sweet potatoes dressed with sour cream, red pepper corns, coriander and cardamom, pan seared tuna and beef dressed with tantalising combinations of lime, chili, wasabi and more, feta and pepper muffins and so many other glorious dishes the challenge is in choosing the ones you want. While we were browsing, we were offered Persian Fairy Floss - a magical trip back to childhood with a very grown up twist of saffron.

As it wasn't strictly breakfast time, we succumbed to the Caramel, Macadamia Cheesecake. There-are-no-words-for-this. But I can tell you that I feel obliged to insist that you try it sometime soon and I would most definitely eat it for breakfast. And lunch. And Dinner.

Basking in my post Cheesecake euphoria, I did a bit of background research on their Internet site and found to my delight that amazingly, for the Olympic class Diva's like me, the Notting Hill branch will even pack your order in a taxi and send it to you!

So, next time you need a little morning treat in London, pop in. You won't be disappointed!

202 Westbourne Grove, London

2010-11-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

Address: 202 Westbourne Grove, London, W11 2RH

Website

How to find it

Nearest Tube: Ladbrook Grove, Westbourne Park, Notting Hill Gate

Fresh from Heathrow Terminal 1 and buoyed up with resolutions made on our trip to California, my good friend Fiona and I roped in our plus 1’s and friend Melissa to join us at 202, one of Fiona’s picks for top breakfast spots in London.

Having been spoiled with amazing food experiences for two weeks of road tripping up the Californian Coast, it was inevitably going to be tricky to find a good inaugural spot to launch my Ode to Breakfast blog.

Fiona, being something of a Londonphile came up trumps. I always find Notting Hill a treat and 202 is a little gem right in the heart of it. The brain child of Nicole Fahri, 202 is her lifestyle concept store with a twin store in Chelsea, New York. It is a warm, lively place to spend a Sunday morning browsing at her clothes and home wear collections or simply to enjoy a delicious brunch with friends. Whilst I visited it on a blistery cold autumn day, it would be as inviting on a rare blue sky day too.

We arrived in the nick of time for the Breakfast menu, which ends at 12 - one of my requisites for a good breakfast spot being the lazy bastard I am. The good news is that some of the nicest Breakfast dishes get carried through onto the Brunch menu starting at 12. Genius.

After a brief scan of the menu it was clear that this would make the Keeper list including a good range of breakfast staples (Buttermilk Pancakes, Maple Syrup baked granola with seasonal fruit, Eggs Florentine, French Toast, Bagels, Porridge and more) as well as a few unique twists and a daily specials board. The Prosciutto and Manchego Omlette and Sweet Potato, Pepper and Pancetta Hash with Egg Sunny Side up caught my eye. I also loved the various side options available for those blessed with a need to add crazy savouries to their pancakes or vice verse.

Since Fiona and I share an obsession with Eggs Benedict and it is one of my fundamental ABC’s of a fine Breakfast establishment, we were naturally disappointed not to see it included. Nothing ventured nothing gained is our motto and so we asked our Server. I pause on this point as I am not sure what is more awkward – using a potentially gender demeaning word like waitress or sounding like a pretentious knob. Answers on a post card please.

Anyway back to the challenge at hand. She and the chef were happy to oblige and custom made it for us. Big tick from me at that point. She also helpfully tolerated my freakish coffee preference for essentially a vanillery, coffee flavoured hot milkshake. Not only that, but she also managed to out Boss Fiona in a very charming Spanish way that had us all smiling.

As Eggs Benedict’s go, it wasn’t the most inventive, but the eggs were perfectly cooked and the sauce was delicious.

The men were more adventurous trying the Sweet Potato and Pancetta Hash (scrumptious – I demanded a try in the name of the Blog) and Pancakes with a side of sausage served with a yummy chutney. Other sides on offer include delicious breads and pastries, bacon, baked beans and intriguingly fried green tomatoes with chilli and mozzarella.

Prices are on the upper end of reasonable, but as I figure that Brunch is two meals for the price of one, they didn’t bother me. Cheapest options weigh in at £2.50 and most expensive dish is £9.95

So, overall, this one goes in store under R for Return list. Treat yourself if you happen to be in Notting Hill enjoying Portabello Road Market or make it your destination on a Sunday.