Last weekend, E and I met my dad at 10am on Saturday for brunch at the ACMI café. It was early for us – but my dad had 
already had breakfast (especially early to see my mum off before she left at 6am for the airport to fly to Alice Springs), purchased a new car and a few CDs.So my dad went for the ricotta pancakes with berries and icecream for his second breakfast (for anyone not familiar with second breakfasts, check out the Scottish hobbit in the Lord of the Rings film – can’t remember which of the trilogy but the idea delighted E and has stuck with us).
I have had the rustic baked bean before and decided to go with these again, and a couple of hash
browns. I toyed with the idea of some other veggie but I know the beans are homemade with lots of tomato in them and I didn’t feel like any of the other veggies on offer. E went for the big brekkie!I think my dad hit the jackpot. He was most pleased with his and when I had a taste I wished I had ordered the pancakes. E liked his but it was a bit big (well they don’t call it the big brekkie for nothing!). Mine was nice but the beans were bit intensely tomatoey. In fact, I think what I didn’t like so much this time was that I was served Turkish bread rather than the sourdough which was on the menu. The
beans needed a more substantial bread. But the hash browns were wonderful and crisp, so no complaints there, except why can’t they be healthier!All in all, a very pleasing brunch before we headed off for the Guggenheim exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria. (A modern art exhibition is quite fitting really for a morning spent in some of the fine modern buildings of Melbourne.)
Update August 2015: cafe is revamped - had great chocolate cake.
ACMI Lounge Cafe and Bar
Federation Square
Flinders Street
Melbourne 3000
Phone: + 61 3 9655 1900
Open Monday to Friday 8.30am till late
Open Saturday & Sunday 9.30 am till late
I have had some great vege chips here, but never made it out for breakfast... must keep it in mind!
ReplyDeleteI am a full supporter of second breakfasts, dessert breakfasts, lunch breakfasts and dinner breakfasts. :-) In fact, on the few occasions that I've travelled from the US to Australia, I have eaten THREE breakfasts in a row before falling over from jetlag!
I think I may have had a bite @ ACMI before. Will try it out and remember things next time.
ReplyDeleteAnd did you enjoy the exhibition?
Hi Johanna! I am playing catch up since I was traveling from Ohio back to Key West this week. Now I am home !!!
ReplyDeleteYour blue puppy cake was so cute and colorful. I bet the kids did love it!
Two breakfasts! Now there is a marvelous idea! I see your mom was off to Alice Springs. My hubby and I on our visit to Australia many years ago stayed the night in Alice Springs. We were traveling in a bush camper and was on our way back from Ayers Rock. We stayed in a little camping area right in Alice Springs. Your mention of that little town brought back fun memories!
Sounds like a really lovely day and those pancakes look divine!
ReplyDeleteSecond breakfast - love it!
ReplyDeleteMust check it out. Loved the Guggenheim, have seen it an embarrassing number of times over the last few weeks. Thanks for the breakfast recommendation.
thanks Cindy - the more breakfasts, the better - I can't leave the house without eating at least something small so when I brunch out I guess it is technically a second breakfast :-) It is a great concept!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anh - yes I did enjoy the exhibition - not all of it - there is modern art I don't see the point of but other modern art that delights me. I loved the box lit with green flourescent lights that made everything outside the box appear rosy coloured - and loved that a pile of liquorice sticks was an art exhibit - esp as we could take one away!
winedeb - hope you had a nice holiday - glad you liked the blues clues cake - I haven't been the Uluru (ayres rock) but have been to alice springs a few times especially one memorable conference outside the town in beautiful scenery although the venue was a tent with inadequate fans which was a bit hot for me!
thanks Truffle - I wanted my dad's pancakes - seemed much nicer than my beans :-)
thanks Lucy - I hope you got to visit the Guggenheim exhibition when it was less busy than on the Saturday morning that we went - some fantastic stuff there!