REVISITED: APRIL 2018
Ahhhhh Faraday’s Cage…what can we say? You hold a very special place in our hearts, and from the moment we left you last time, we couldn’t wait to return.
Every time we’ve been fortunate enough to visit this quaint but gorgeous café, the team at Faraday’s have somehow managed to outdo themselves, and this was no exception. Having heard only great things about the new head chef, Elaine, we couldn’t wait to try out the new menu!
As we walked through the doors, that familiar, magnificent scent of freshly baked goods hit us, and we were in heaven. We were instantly met by the new manager, Ellie, as well as a huge welcoming smile, before being taken to our table.
Within minutes, we were presented with a board of freshly baked pastries along with a raspberry and grappa jam.
At its heart, Faraday’s Cage is an artisan bakery, and what comes out of that kitchen never ceases to amaze our tastebuds- a blueberry Danish, croissant and a newer addition to their repertoire, the cronut. Aaaaaaaaaabsolutely mouth-watering! That cronut is one of the best pastries I’ve ever put in my mouth and if it wasn’t for the fact that I knew more food was on its way, I would have devoured it whole (I may have finished it off later on). The traditional (and by no means plain) croissant and the Danish were much the same- flaky, buttery and crispy- exquisite!
Then came the mains…
*’Chilli Scrambled Eggs’- fresh chilli, Reggiano cheese, spring onions and crispy shallots on toast
*’White Truffle Mushroom’- sautéed seasonal mushrooms with truffle oil, crispy polenta chip, smoked provolone, hazelnut crumb, poached eggs and pumpkin puree on house-baked brioche
*House smoked salmon & fritters’- green tea and apple wood chips, smoked salmon, sweet potato corn & quinoa fritters, white bean avocado mole, chilli jam, sweet potato crisps, corn & tomato salsa, stuffed jalapeno popper and poached eggs
The chilli scramble was light, creamy, and had just enough chilli to ignite the tastebuds without causing any permanent damage. We found that, apart from the chilli, it was slightly lacking in flavour, but a dash of salt and pepper did the trick. Overall, a lovely dish!
Mushroom and truffle has become such an iconic combination in the food world, as well as our own world, and we could not WAIT to try out Faraday’s interpretation.
First of all, a special mention needs to go out to the smoked provolone cheese, which was melted on the most soft and fluffy piece of brioche we ever did try.
Honestly, this dish was a piece of art- balancing a truly unique mixture of flavours (pumpkin puree and truffle mushrooms, anyone?), the ratios were spot on and the unbeatable mushroom-truffle combination lives to see another beautiful day.
Ahhhh Faraday’s fritters! We have an ongoing love affair with this dish, and even though it was slightly different to their previous rendition, this occasion was no different. The fritters themselves were perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy and flavoursome on the inside.
What never ceases to amaze me is how the accompaniments provide an explosion of different flavours. The avocado, chilli jam and corn & tomato salsa are hands down the best flavour combinations we’ve ever had in a fritter dish. Salty, sweet and spicy all in one, it makes for a mouth-watering experience like no other. I tend to get sick of having the same dish over and over, but I honestly think I could devour this every day and live a very satisfied life!
Going in to Faraday’s Cage at any time on any day of the week is like walking into a second home. From the beautiful, mouth-watering scents emitting from the heart of the home- the kitchen, to the wonderful and friendly team who work effortlessly to provide their customers with top quality service. We were lucky enough to be hosted by Ellie and Lidia, whose genuine and welcoming demeanours made us feel like part of the family. The food was beautiful, the décor was lovely as ever, and the atmosphere was pumping! Thank you to the entire crew- as always, we will be back!
REVISITED: NOVEMBER 2017
There’s a certain feeling of warmth and familiarity when you walk into Faraday’s Cage. Maybe it’s the cosy quarters in which is resides, or perhaps the heavenly scents emitting from the freshly baked goods on display. Whatever it is, it’s all-consuming and magnificent- almost as magnificent as the breath-taking feast we were fortunate enough to partake in.
We visited Faraday’s Cage a few months ago and fell instantly in love with the place- from the décor to the friendly service and delicious food. Boasting a few new menu items, we were very excited to see what surprises they had in store for us this time!
*Eggs Benny with 12 hour pulled pork shoulder, poached eggs, pickled chilli, chipotle hollandaise, bacon crumb and sourdough toast.
Having tried many interpretations of the infamous Eggs Benedict since our last visit, we can say without fail that this is our absolute favourite! Just thinking about it is making me salivate. The melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork is heavenly, the hollandaise has both the perfect consistency and amount of flavour, and the accompanying chilli and bacon crumb were the cherries on top! Special mention also needs to go out to those perfectly jiggly poached eggs!
*Hot smoked salmon and corn & quinoa fritters with sweet potato swirls, eggplant & tomato relish, smashed avocado, grilled corn, beans, cherry tomatoes and kale salt
Still one of the most vibrant and colourful dishes we’ve ever had! The fritters were crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and veeery flavoursome! As always, it’s the accompaniments that really make this dish. The eggplant and tomato relish was absolutely delicious and, mixed with the avocado, corn and beans, sent us into tangy, spicy food heaven!
*Coconut and matcha chia pudding with mango and cashew mousse, coconut milk, raspberry coulis, pineapple chunks, mango sorbet and watermelon crisp
This one was new to the menu and having heard so many great things about it, it was on our must-try list. Now chia puddings are a hard one- very few cafes get them right. In fact, in all our time trying out chia puddings at various establishments around Melbourne, we were yet to find one that had any actual flavour, and dreamt of the day that we would. We’re very excited to say that that day has come. I’m not even sure what they did to it, but it was one of the most delicious bowls we’ve ever had! Every element of the dish came together to create an explosion of tangy, fruity flavour and we were in love! Everything from the mousse to the coulis, chunky fruits and mango sorbet were all perfect- an absolutely flawless dish that we cannot wait to devour again!
At its core, Faraday’s Cage is a proud Artisan Bakery, and so it was only fitting that we ended the day with some freshly baked pastries (insert lovey dovey eye emoji here). Ahhh the smell of that buttery, flaky pastry was absolutely heavenly. Fluffy, delicate and crispy, this was one of life’s little pleasures. The traditional croissant was cut and smeared with strawberry aniseed and peach passionfruit jams (delicious preserves by Jam Lady Jam) and the Rhubarb Danish needed no alteration- both were exquisite!
Cosy and always inviting, Faraday’s Cage has become one of our absolute favourite cafes to visit- and not just because of the quality of the food. Faraday’s is like a home, and the service we were provided with by Abi and the team was warm, friendly and made us feel like we were part of the family. The food was absolutely divine and you could feel the love and passion that was put into crafting each dish and pastry. The atmosphere and décor were as wonderful as ever and overall, it was both a mouth-watering and heart-warming visit. Thank you to the whole team- we will be back!
SEPTEMBER 2017:
Stepping into Faraday’s cage has the same feeling as walking into a bakery in the heart of France- red brick walls, hanging plants, antique decorations…not to mention the heavenly scent and vast array of delicate pastries and artisan breads that meet you as you enter the gorgeous building. As you make your way past the display cabinet (if you can) and the industrial seating area, through the quirky hand-painted double-doors, what meets you is a cosy outdoor seating area, fully equipped with heaters and warm fluffy blankets.
This is where we found ourselves one fine Wednesday morning in the heart of Fitzroy- bundled under blankets ready to feast…and feast we did! Our host, Dion, took care of everything (thankfully, as there were too many delicious options to choose from), and so we were off!
First up, as always, were the drinks. The two Chamellia chai lattes we ordered, one with almond and one with Bonsoy, were smooth, creamy and had a satisfying level of sweetness- in short, the perfect cure for a wintry Melbourne morning! The freshly squeezed carrot, orange and ginger juice had a nice amount of tang and flavour without being too bitter or overpowering; and the iced coffee was creamy and decadent.
The poached pear:
We’d spent weeks drooling over the dozens of photos on Instagram of Faraday’s Cage’s famous House-made pear granola, and were over the moon when it appeared in all its heavenly glory at our table! Topped with honey, thyme labne, acai, fresh seasonal fruits and the most stunning poached pear we’ve seen in our lives, this dish was almost too pretty to eat (don’t worry…we got over it!). The wholesome granola had the perfect crunch and, mixed with the poached pear, berries and acai, provided a pleasant balance of sweetness that wasn’t too overpowering. Definitely worth the wait, this dish left us wanting more. Fear not, though…our next dish was arriving!
The Benny:
We have a confession to make (and a rather disgraceful one at that)- one half of our team had never tried an Eggs Benedict dish before. In this day and age, we know it’s unspeakable, but alas, it is a truth we’ve had to live with. Luckily, that was all to change. When Dion appeared at our table with the next dish, we just knew this was going to be a game-changer. Two poached eggs, topped with crispy bacon crumb, lay on a bed of12 hour pulled pork shoulder and was slathered in an extremely generous serving of chipotle hollandaise, all on top of a thick piece of delicious sourdough toast, accompanied by a pickled chilli. You think that’s a mouthful?! Oh mah lawwd, this dish was amaazing! The tender pork melted in your mouth and the chipotle hollandaise had juuuust the right level of spice. A special mention needs to go out to the house-made sourdough toast- thick, with the perfect level of crunch, the bread was fresh, flavoursome and absolutely heavenly. Overall, the variety of flavours and textures in this dish created a tantalising experience for the tastebuds. One thing’s for sure- we’ll definitely be ordering the Benny from now on!
The Fritters:
Next up came one of the more colourful dishes we’ve had- house hot smoked salmon, sweet potato, corn and quinoa fritters, eggplant and tomato relish and kale salt, accompanied by smashed avocado, grilled corn, beans and cherry tomatoes. The fritters themselves were yummy and flavoursome, but it was the accompaniments that really made this particular dish. The relish provided an explosion of tangy flavour, the avocado was creamy with a bit of spice, the corn and beans were a surprisingly welcome addition which gave the dish an almost Mexican feel, and the sweet potato crisps were the cherry on top of an absolutely delicious meal.
The surprise:
Just when we thought our time at Faraday’s Cage had come to an end, Dion appeared with a plate of preserves, announcing that it was time to taste some of their pastries- they ARE an artisan bakery, after all! Two large croissants- one plain, one chocolate, and a Danish topped with berries and custard cream were presented to us and as we took our first bites, we were transported to heaven. Delicate and fluffy, with a light and crispy exterior, the pastries were absolutely sensational. Buttery without being too overpowering, these stunning creations were made on premises and were absolutely incredible- some of the best we’ve tried. Oh, and the jams? Lime marmalade with lime rind pieces, blackberry shiraz, white peach & gin and strawberry and aniseed. Enough said!
In what used to be a large recording studio for talents such as Christine Anu, Faraday’s Cage has come a long way. Warm, cosy and inviting, this bakery café has a level of charm we didn’t expect. Everything from the antique decorations (think cobbler’s anvil), to the decorated pot plants, relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff were absolutely lovely. The food? Incredible. Each dish we were presented with was expertly and delicately crafted and you could feel the amount of love and dedication that went into perfecting each and every pastry that came out of the kitchen. Dion and the team were friendly and efficient, and the service was impeccable.
Overall, a wonderful dining experience in a gorgeous setting- the perfect way to spend a wintery morning in Melbourne.
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