Elceed
610 Queensberry St
North Melbourne, VIC 3051
Ph: (03) 9326-8648
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It was a rainy, cold day, and as soon as we walked in we were hit with the comforting aroma of something gorgeously garlicky roasting in the oven - perhaps mushrooms?  It was very homey, and it reminded me of being in my own kitchen when I'm busy cooking.  I also loved the cosy, retro decor - sometimes it's nice to visit a cafe that doesn't look like a warehouse, doncha think? Hehehe.


We started with a couple of lattes, both creamy and full bodied.  Love!

The items on offer were creative versions of Melbourne cafe standards: think things like mushroom bruschetta with goat's fetta, olive tapenade and candied proscuitto; a BLT with spicy avocado smash; and chilled rice pudding as a breakfast item.  Happily, everything was well priced (the most expensive item was a steak sandwich at $19) and most of the meal-sized items hover around the $15 - $16 mark.

Chickpea and Halloumi Patties w/ rocket, red onion & beetroot salad - $16.90

I didn't sneak a taste of Wes' patties (har har), but by all accounts he greatly enjoyed them.

I can't resist anything containing broad beans, and my lunch - the pea and broad bean mash with mint, ricotta and poached eggs - was deliciously fresh and vibrant.  The rich, softly poached eggs were perked up by the super-sweet green peas and the minty mash.  Gorgeous!

Pea & Broadbean mash with mint, ricotta and poached eggs - $14.90

Equally fabulous, but on a totally different register to my meal, was Sandra's baked eggs with cheesy potatoes.  Almost like a tartiflette but without the bacon, this was incredibly decadent: thick slices of potatoes baked with eggs in a cheesy sauce, topped with a generous dollop of sour cream (or crème fraîche?) and rocket.  It sounds like it could be heavy, but it was totally amazing.

Baked Eggs with cheesy potatoes and sourdough toast - $14.50

They do a different version of baked eggs each day, but if they're doing the cheesy potatoes when you visit, I highly recommend you order them!

Any cafe that makes their sweets in-house rather than buying them in gets a big tick in my book, and Elceed has a range of gratifyingly homestyle cakes on display.  (We even saw a big square chocolate cake/slice thing cooling on a rack above the oven as we got up to settle the bill, so I think they keep baking throughout the day.)  If we weren't in a rush to get Wes back to work on time, I'd have loved to linger over a slice of Oreo cheesecake or passionfruit and yoghurt bundt cake!


Although I'm sad we missed out on Beatrix this time, I'm so glad we had the opportunity to discover Elceed - such a fab, low-key and delicious cafe!