Breadwell, Melbourne CBD

I'm a big fan of breakfast places. My first visit followed a review in Epicure and I was keen to check it out. I was very happy with my food that day. I haven't been to Breadwell for a year or so and thought it was time for a revisit. I'd read a couple of middling reviews of the place and was wondering if it may have gone into decline.

I was there about 8am on a Friday morning and my goodness I'd like a dollar for every coffee they make! People line up to order their take away coffees and there are plenty of suit types and designy types having their breakfast meetings there too.

I had the same dish this time that I had the first time I came here. Shashouka (or shakshouka, shakshuka, chakchouka, and I reckon there may many other variations of the spelling too!). It seems to be a popular North African and Middle Eastern breakfast dish.

Shashukka $12.00

It is one of my favourite breakfast dishes of all time. A bowl filled with a vegetable stew of tomatoes, capsicums, coriander and a hint of chili. A poached egg is plonked on top with some cress leaves and served with two pieces of toasted sourdough bread with butter. My knife cuts open the egg and the soft yolk oozes across the tomato. It's a tough choice; use a fork or pieces of toast dipped in. I alternate between the two options. If you like a tomatoey-eggy breakfast with buttery toast, this is the one. Brekky nirvana!!

The other breakfast options include muesli, porridge, toast and plenty of eggs and extras on toast.

Happy to report there appears to be no sign of decline in this place, well not for breakfast anyway.