Melbourne Food Review: The Quarter, Degraves St., CBD

This was back during the awful hay fever episode. I remember it distinctly as the night I barely slept and woke up at 6am and couldn’t go back to sleep. Generally, I would pick myself out of bed and go for a morning walk/run but because I barely slept I was just too tired so I figured let’s just hit Degraves St. for breakfast. So I pulled poor Josh out of a bed with a promise of breakfast treat.

(eggs florentine, poached eggs with spinach and hallandaise sauce – $12.00)

It was a lovely warm day and the day was heating up already (loves it) but we went in and sat in the booth at the back anyway. Unfortunately, I was grouchy to the max from lack of sleep and the fact that I had to be at work soonish didn’t help either.

The cafe was warmly decorated with interesting black and white photographs and while it was quite warm at the back, I didn’t mind. I am a tropical girl, after all. The breakfast options weren’t large with a few daily specials.

Due to grouchiness, I decided to be boring (I’m sorry, I try to not order the same thing over and over again) and ordered eggs florentine. The eggs were perfectly cooked this time (as opposed to my last eggs florentine) and I enjoyed it. Although still the hollandaise was a bit lacking. I’m yet to find perfect hollandaise sauce.

(Mediterranean omelet – $14.50?)

Josh ordered what was called Mediterranean omelet. I thought it was going to be normal runny omelet with ‘Mediterranean’ ingredients in them (like fetta, olives, etc.)  but surprisingly it was the Spanish style omelet (tortilla) which was served in a hot iron pan. The eggs were fluffly and cooked through – Spanish style with chorizo, onion and a few other things (can’t remember, too grouchy, no potato though).

Josh enjoyed it because he liked his eggs cooked through. I don’t but it wasn’t because it wasn’t done right. It was a fair portion of food. I ended up helping him with some. He’s not a big eater – especially for breakfast. It’s fantastic I married him. I get all his leftovers.

It was a good breakfast – typical of Degraves St. cafe standard. It did make me less grouchy before heading off for work. I’m so glad I work nearby.

The Quarter, 27 – 31 Degraves Street, Melbourne VIC