15 May 2007

Replete Providore


302 Barkers Rd, Hawthorn
(03) 9818 4448
Open: Mon-Fri: 7.30am-4pm; Weekends: 8am-5pm

LET me state from the outset, I’ve got a soft spot for Replete Providore.

During my university days I earnt my crust firstly as the cafe’s dishwasher, then at front of house and finally in the kitchen.

Sure, that was when the Hawthorn eatery was owned by Chris and Anna Wilding and known as Wildings but my partiality remains. Wildings became Replete a few years back when Chris and Anna went bush. Now Chris can be found in the kitchen at Woodend’s Holgate Brewhouse in Keatings Hotel and I’m still a paid up member of the Barkers Rd café’s fan club.

Fans of the Age Cheap Eats guide may remember the café got the gong for best breakfast in 2005. That was for the ricotta hotcakes with lemon curd and strawberries ($13). I’m usually a sucker for bacon and eggs in the mornings but this dish is fine enough to convert anyone to being a breakfast sweet tooth. In my world the hotcakes are perfect when washed down with a freshly squeezed blood orange juice ($5).

Other morning standouts are the Bagna cauda eggs ($14.50) which is two poached eggs on Turkish pide topped with a roasted capsicum and olive stew and a cream and anchovy sauce.
The Asian-style fresh corn fritters ($15) come with hand-cut honey soy marinated bacon, a pineapple and avocado salsa, Replete’s chutney and sour cream. The thick slabs of bacon were a bit strong even for this bacon-lover but the corn fritters provided a good balance.

If you want something a bit more traditional, the Replete breakfast ($16.80) is pricey but a solid breakfast-with-the-lot offering. Just make sure you order it on an empty stomach because it includes a Spanish sausage, two eggs, hash cakes, slow-roasted tomatoes, Istras bacon and field mushrooms on toasted Irrewarra breads with Replete relish.

In my world, Replete is the perfect way to start the day.

9/10

- Zoe

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

On your recommendation I will most certainly catch up with a friend for brunch at Replete Providore next week.