Review: Bread and Circus

21 Fountain Street
Alexandra

9698 2939
info@breadandcircus.com.au

Open 7 days
7am - 4pm

These April hols have seen Buggles & Squeak eating out a lot, and this morning finds us waking up with a craving for a fresh, unfussy and delicious breakfast. Glancing over the daily online menu promises that Bread & Circus is the place to fulfill these needs. Our last failed atempt at visiting Bread & Circus had to be aborted due to the crazy hordes that meant we could not get a table, but this Monday morn we feel confident we can snare one.

Upon entry we pass by the enticing smell of coffee emanating from Don Campos
which is located at the front of the building, and enter the open space that is Bread & Circus. It's industrial feel is right up our alley and the space is light and bright which is enhanced by the fact that it opens up on two sides to the outdoors. Currently you get to enjoy the view of a construction site but that's okay by us.

The space is a jumble of produce, raw materials and plant life which all ties in with the virtually organic and sustainable vibe the place has. Squeak has been very keen to try the Very Particular Pancakes (pre-soaked buckwheat black quinoa coconut-rapadura wholefood pancakes w/ maple-orange gloss or maple biodynamic yoghurt) which she spies on the daily menu, however is thwarted when she tries to order it; being told that they aren't available today. Hmm.. strange considering they are listed on the menu with today's date listed at the top. Options on the breakfast menu are relatively limited, so it is a shame to find one of the key offerings absent. 

Anyhoo... Squeak then decides to order the Parmesan not-so-scrambled eggs biodynamic eggs under shaved parmesan with real truffle oil, fresh tomato something green & sourdough. The 'something green' in this case proves to be spinach and avocado.  Squeak loves the eggs which have fantastic flavour and are cooked perfectly. She would like a bit of butter for the sourdough, but concedes that it probably doesn't gel with the whole 'healthy' vibe the place has going for it.

She also orders a side of grilled haloumi because everything in life can be made better with the addition of haloumi. It is, as expected, delicious and quite generous in its serving size.

Squeak is partial to all things aniseed so is immediately drwn to the fennel, liquorice peppermint 'almost tea' listed on the menu. It satisfies her and is, once again, generous in size.

I love avocado so decide to order the Sourdough toast with organic avocado and fresh tomato under olive oil and coriander. The colours on this dish are amazing and make you feel good just to look at them. The tomatoes are bright red and juicy, and the avocado is vibrant. They are full of flavour and delicious. I was slightly perturbed by the inclusion of coriander, but find that it works well and is not remotely overpowering at all.


Mmmmm... haloumi!

 I, too, must have grilled haloumi... and it is delicious.

I wash it all down with a large glass of Cold pressed organic apple juice which hits the spot.. tasting of pure apple and certainly not too sweet.

Bread and Circus refers to itself as a 'Wholefoods Canteen', and is at pains to stress that it is not a cafe. In our understanding of what cafes and canteens are, we think it seems to be more like a cafe... but as we sit amongst the plants and pineapples on the tables around us, savouring the cool breeze and warm sun as they stream in from outside, feeling like we've done our bodies a favour - we are pretty content to let it be whatever they want it to be.

Buggles