HEARD By Chelsea Hard

Walking into Porgie + Mr Jones you are immediately hit with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the chatter of the locals waiting for their coffee and those just waiting to get their brunch on. What looks like a little café from the street, reveals itself to be a sprawling eatery with space for those wanting to get their coffee and go, to the ones who want to sit down and enjoy the quiet of a weekend morning. Heading out into the courtyard, you are instantly transported to what feels like a whole new space. The courtyard is filled with natural light and beautiful greenery, with a sandpit down the back to entertain the little ones, and if that wasn’t good enough Porgie + Mr Jones is pet friendly.

Once settled, the staff were eager to have a chat about our morning and run through the all-day menu. This definitely helped us figure out what we really wanted to eat and not just let our stomach’s do the talking. Seeing as though it was a particularly sunny day, we started with a chocolate thick shake and Orange Juice – nothing beats a pulpy OJ to start brunch.

Wanting to try something a little sweet and a little savory, we opted for the French Toast – soaked in vanilla anglaise with white choc mousse, caramelized chocolate and textures of strawberry. For those unaware, textures of strawberry means, that the strawberries are prepared in a variety of ways – each having its own twist. It was a true sweet tooth’s delight. The combination of white chocolate mouse and strawberry textures each complemented one another to create what will surely become a brunch favourite.

And to balance out the sweetness overload, we tried the Salmon & Fritters – with citrus cured salmon, sweet potato fritters, beetroot relish, chive creme & soft herbs. This dish was light and fresh, yet perfectly sized to fill the brunch sized hole we had. This was a classic done well.

But not done yet, and wanting to try something a little extra, the beef brisket tacos were just what we needed. 12-hour slow cooked brisket with Texas style dry rub, kale and corn slaw, grilled chili salsa verde, cheese and onion rings. The beef was juicy, the onion ring was crunchy and the corn salsa brought a burst of sweetness with every bite, a winner all around.

Porgie + Mr Jones is a must visit for the perfect courtyard brunch complete with delicious food and friendly staff. If you’re already in the area or want to venture somewhere new, Porgie + Mr Jones is the place to go.

porgie + Mr Jones
291 Auburn Road,
Hawthorn VIC 3122
www.porgiemrjones.com.au
@porgiemrjones