FCBA x Kelby's Cafe, Marrickville, NSW

It's funny to think about how long we've been doing this food blogging business as a hobby. Contrary to how I initially thought it would play out, it's actually gone rather smoothly. Maybe it's a combination of our frequency, tenacity and the fact that my writing got better and more personal but I feel as though it's going a whole lot better than my previous attempts at maintaining this hobby. How "well" something is going (especially something like a hobby) is hardly quantifiable...that said, I'd make the argument that we're doing pretty well! We've been invited to events and we've met so many like minded people so if you want to say that we're successful as food bloggers? Yea, I think we're doing alright.

So, last weekend, we were invited to attended a small gathering as a part of Food Critics and Bloggers Association (FCBA) where we went to Kelby's Cafe for a delightful food sampling. We've been members of the FCBA since we were recommended to join by Drool Worthy World but we've never really attended any events partly because we haven't been entirely available but also because we didn't really know how to RSVP whilst securing out spots. Fortunately, we got on it right away as soon as we got the invite and before we knew it, we were sitting down at Kelby's cafe with Sophia @ FCBA, Wonggreg and Aroundtheclockfoodie.

The general feel of the cafe reminded us of a friendly, neighbourhood eatery where everyone knows each other. Comfortable, cosy and homey...initial impressions wise, it's not a place you would expect to see inventive and inspired dishes but we were pleasantly surprised! Looking past the standard menu, you will notice many specials plastered onto the blackboard covered walls. As explained by our lovely host, the dishes are inspired by his Lebanese upbringing and he wanted to bring a bit of exoticism into his dishes which is what differentiates Kelby's from the rest.

The five of us decided to start with a few drinks. The Mrs was the standout by ordering the chai tea which quickly caught momentum with our other dining guests. I stuck quietly with my usual coffee but I did note that the cups and saucers were very, very attractive. Each had a different and very detailed African animal patterned onto it. When it came time to order food, we unanimously decided to order five items from the specials menu to share.

All five items came at the same time so we'll go through each dish one-by -one. The first special, the chilli eggs consisted of chilli scrambled eggs, grilled haloumi, avocado and pita bread. In my opinion, this would be the dish that most people would be used to. Imagine a mixed breakfast with toast replaced with soft, toasted pita bread served with buttery, flavoursome scrambled eggs, avocado and a really refreshing, spicy sauce. In summary, a much better version of what you would normally be able to eat for breakfast...most definitely a favourite of mine.

The Kelby's Hash had to be one of my other favourites of the day. I reckon this was the most luxurious and decadent dish as it contained wilted spinach, sujuk, crispy roast potatoes, haloumi, caramelised leek all topped off with two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. If you're a hungry, hungry man (like me) this will definitely be the dish to order as you will be so satisfied after! Such a substantial and delicious meal!

The crowd favourite had to be the Autumn Delight which were poached eggs over toast with avocado, tahini yoghurt dressing, a grilled tomato and balsamic glaze. With this dish, you get to enjoy a nicely toasted piece of sourdough bread that's slathered with a mix of fresh, buttery smashed avocado and dressed with this creamy, tart yet savoury yoghurt dressing. The tartness is balanced by the sweetness of the balsamic glaze and then you get the runny poached egg on top and the sweet grilled tomato as well. Simply sensational!

If you're looking at a less substantial light lunch, the next dish is the one for you! The Not Too Naughty omelette was the lightest of the five dishes we ordered. A fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside omelette containing diced potatoes, sage and feta cheese...the dish is perfect for someone who wants a richly flavoured dish that won't sit heavy on their stomach.

Finally, the Green Eggs would be the perfect pick for pescatarian friends. Pesto infused scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, asparagus and fried capers. This would probably be (in my opinion) the most savoury dish of the bunch since the briny and salty fried capers works really well in accentuating the flavours of the whole dish. The buttery eggs and smoked salmon slices meld really well together and the toast helps carry all of that into your mouth.

Overall, the Mrs and I had an absolutely lovely time at Kelby's cafe. Not only is their hospitality absolutely amazing, their passion for fine food really comes through in all the dishes they produce. Thank you Kelby's for treating us to such a lovely brunch session and thank you to FCBA for providing us the opportunity to dine with you. We hope to have the opportunity to attend the next event and the next event after that.

Roastville - Marrickville, NSW

The Mrs has been a bit busy this weekend with the in-laws heading off on a holiday for a few weeks so she this morning, she had to get up early and help drive them to the airport. Knowing the Mrs, she wouldn't have been all too happy about that (she loves her sleep) but one definite benefit of going to the airport is that you're extremely close to where all the brunch action is. That's exactly what the Mrs had planned and as soon as she dropped off her parents, the three of us (the brother-in-law, her and myself) all headed off to Marrickville to checkout a place we've been hearing about: Roastville.

 

The original plan was to go there and check out their fried chicken and waffles which has been circulating instagram lately but unfortunately, upon arrival we'd learned that the waffles were only available from 11:30am onwards...shame. Still, that didn't deter us from having a great meal there so we promptly ordered coffee and food. The coffee beans are roasted in house and therefore, it's obvious that you have to try what they have on offer. The Mrs looked impressed so that's a good sign but I'll be honest, despite being great there really wasn't any outstanding or notable differences...then again, I'm really no coffee connoisseur.

Well, I really didn't come here for the coffee but for the epic looking food. The brother-in-law and I both ordered the dirty bird benedict (which I didn't actually know was their signature dish) and I have to say...it was amazing. The excessiveness of the dish is the first thing you'll notice...when you look at the dish, the first thing you ask yourself is "how am I even eating something like this in the morning?" but it totally works. There isn't too much hollandaise (a crime a lot of other eggs bennys are guilty of) but what you get really helps to accentuate the dish. It's a perfect amount of moorish creaminess and tartness with what a really delicious kick from that mild harissa. The chicken is super tender and juicy (so juicy) with ample tonkatsu-like crunch (the Mrs said they probably use panko bread crumbs). Finally, that bread...it was so moist and flavoursome that it was almost biscuit like in texture...definitely my highlight of the day.

The Mrs wanted to be different and ordered the eggs on toast with a side of chickpea, kale and tomato ragout as well as some chorizo...which surprisingly, totally worked. The toast is nice and rustic (just the way she likes it) and the beetroot relish really helped cut through the butter egg yolk and give it some sweetness. The ragout was delicious in it's own simplistic way with crunchy kale, chickpeas and a slight tartness from the tomato which to me, tasted like there was almost a middle-eastern spin on the ragout. The chorizo was also great in that they didn't use the smoked variety which at times, ends up a bit dry when cooked. Instead, they opted for the unsmoked kind which made it really sweet fatty and meaty.

Although I am admittedly slightly disappointed that I didn't get to try the fried chicken and waffles, today was definitely no loss as I got to try their spin on my favorite breakfast and we are extremely impressed with their execution of the food. They strike a very fine balance between healthy, raw ingredients and excessive yet satisfying and soulful dishes. Marrickville was already an amazing foodie destination but I believe it's now gotten even better with it's addition of this delightful cafe.