Breakfast @ Axil Coffee Roasters

After what seems to have been a long gestation period, Axil Coffee Roasters finally opened their doors earlier this week and as we're working in the area we thought we'd pop in for a visit.

Axil is housed in what used to be Blashki & Sons - in a way they probably service the same customers - it's just moved from students wanting academic wear to students needing a caffeine fix.



It is a huge space and on first appearance there are some quite clever design features - the extra wide space partitioning coffee making from cafe proper means there's plenty of space for those waiting for their takeaways. Unfortunately, there is a but, the seating is a case of style over comfort.

The banquettes, at least where we were sitting, were obviously built without the use of a tape measure. If you're tall you'll probably won't fit without your knees bashing against the table, for me, the tabletop just came above lap level, not a comfortable position at all if you are eating. Poor Paalo on the other hand sat opposite on one of those of-so-popular "designer copy" chairs and frankly looked like an adult in a kindergarten sized chair. He had the opposite problem, the chairs are too low for the table.

That's enough about the furniture, what about the coffee and food?

The breakfast menu is available all day and on paper it looks good -  dishes like Savoury french toast and Egg benedict bagel sound like they are trying to take a step away from the predictable and ordinary.

Having said that I ordered one of the simplest things on the menu but there is method in my madness.

Poached Eggs on Toast with Avocado

Yes it is a simple dish but if you can't get simple right, you have a problem but luckily they got it right. Good toast, the eggs, perfectly soft and runny and the avocado, ripe and fresh.

Buttermilk Pancakes with chocolate, pear, praline and Zabaglione ice-cream

Paalo was pleased with his pancakes - soft and fluffy, topped with poached pears and a totally delicious zabaglione ice-cream.

While breakfast was a success, the coffee side of things wasn't as good. Our first coffee was spot on, our second was not. Too hot, bitter and in my cup, grainy and while it sounds harsh, those errors in the coffee aren't acceptable considering the experience of the owners.

Service was patchy and our food took about 30 minutes to arrive but this is understandable since it is only their first week of trading - might also be a bit of nerves showing since it seemed most of the customers this morning where either in the coffee business or cafe owners.

  The details:

  Axil Coffee Roasters
  322 Burwood Road
  Hawthorn

  Phone: 9819 0093

  Open:
  Daily - 7am to 4pm

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