Merchants Guild - Bentleigh East

Bentleigh East or East Bentleigh?  Whichever you call it, The Merchants Guild has certainly made a good impression on postcode 3165.

Crying for something new and groovy, the Merchants Guild answered the prayers of many locals looking for great coffee and something different to eggs and bacon.  In fact, there's not a "Big Breakfast" in sight but rather a menu showcasing a mix of influences, from Mexican (Short cut bacon with avocado and corn salsa with eggs and jalapeno pesto) to Mediterranean (Eggs panzanella with jamon, basil and dehydrated cherry tomatoes) and many cultures in between.

I have tried other dishes at Merchants Guild - all fabulous - but I do keep returning to the Sweet Pea and Feta smash on dark rye with Spanish Sardines.  Perfect portion size, perfectly poached egg and perfectly cooked sardines.  The combination of ingredients is, well, perfect.  The sardines, for those that only know the tinned variety, are subtle yet plump and flavoursome.  Sprinkle with lemon and this, for me, is the stand out dish at Merchants Guild.
* Dish in the background is the Smoked Tasmania Trout with Sorrel, Kipfler potatoes, pickled Beetroot and green goddess creme fraiche

So - how's the coffee I hear you ask?  There's a rotating menu of blends/roasters so ask the wait staff for what's on offer on the day.  Whatever the offer though, the coffee is consistently good. Served in smaller cups, this is the way coffee is meant to be.
Apparently Merchants Guild are also known for their teas, and get great reviews for their passion in delivering the perfect brew.

The relatively recent addition of a back courtyard has alleviated the wait time somewhat, but weekends can be pretty busy at this popular cafe.  Be prepared to wait, but they do have a wait system in place and things move pretty quickly.  There's dog friendly dining out the front too.

For more info go to http://themerchantsguild.com/

I'm Back! Cerberus Beach House - Black Rock

After another lengthy hiatus - it's time to get this blog rolling again.  It's not like I haven't been doing anything, seeing anyone or going anywhere - life and new ventures just unfortunately get in the way sometimes.

So to kick things off again, it was a visit to the Cerberus Beach House at Half Moon Bay Black Rock that brought back the inspiration to write about all things good South of the Yarra.

A visit to Half Moon Bay on a sunny day is just heaven.  To sit upstairs at the Cerberus Beach House, with the windows open and the bay glistening is even closer to heaven.  Add great food and wine and really, I should just stop writing now.

But I suppose we should talk about the food.......  I have visited the Cerberus Beach House on many occasions over the years and have not been disappointed.  Seafood is obviously the mainstay but there are other options if this is not your thing.  A toasted cob bread started things off, served with chive butter and two oil options (chilli and dukkah style).  Fish and Chips were the flavour of the day for my two dining companions (flake was on offer), crispy batter and crunchy chips, with a light side salad of radish, cucumber and greens. And by the look of the empty plates at the end, quite clearly delicious.  I chose the Calamari and Prawn green mango salad with vermicelli noodles and fresh asian herbs.  Beautiful fresh flavours, with perfectly cooked seafood.  A very generous serve, too big for me, but rather that than be left hungry.

Although I was not partaking in alcohol on this occasion, there is a good wine list.  The coffee is solid and a perfect end to a perfect lunch as we whiled away some more time watching people drift away from the shore in their boats.

I would highly recommend visiting for lunch during the week if you can - it's a lot quieter and there's no hurry to leave.  You can sip on your wine and watch the world go by.

And if you're up for a more casual meal, or taking your fish and chips and parking it on the beach, there's a take away kiosk downstairs offering the same great fish and chips and a great range of burgers and other Aussie staples like dim sims and potato cakes.  They even have a brekkie range of egg and bacon rolls and muffins served from 10am (9am on weekends).


For more info go to www.cerberusbeachhouse.com.au     

** Parking requires a ticket so don't forget your loose change!