Two Little Pigs

On a cool, but comfortable Sunday morning, 3 little piggies and their partners went out for brunch. Jo had organised a brunch catch up for herself, Bryan and I, and our partners at Two Little Pigs in Brunswick. 

For whatever reason Two Little Pigs had been completely off my brunch radar, perhaps because it's in the north and I tend not to pay attention to that side of town because I'm dreadfully lazy, but once Jo brought it up, and I had checked out the menu that was on offer, I couldn't wait for the weekend to roll around!

As the name might suggest, the cafe is mad for pork, with sausages and cured meats hanging across the room as you walk in. 

I was initially worried as we walked by that there would be no space for an impromptu table of six, but fortunately there's a relatively spacious courtyard with bigger dining tables, and some darned strong heaters, which I made sure to curl up next to…Brad can deal with the cold…right?

Coffees and hot drinks came in cheerful yellow crockery, coffees looked smooth and my chai was hearty and rich. 

The upside to doing brunch with six people, even if it can be a bit hit and miss in regards to finding a table, is being able to see and try lots and lots of dishes. 

The tall white boys of the table needed their fill, and opted for the 'Two Little Pigs', which really wasn't all that little! A giant plate of free range eggs, thick cut bacon, house made sausage, duck fat mushrooms, spinach, mashed potatoes and apple chutney, the plate must have been double the size of my face! With bleedy poached eggs, the boys chowed down their their plates, Brad completely finishing the lot with a satisfied lick of his lips. I assume all good.

Jo and Bryan's partner, Fatbee (as he's called), went for 'Pea's & Ham', a serve of crisp roasted pork belly, with poached free range eggs, green pea veloute and some sourdough toast. 

What a stunner this was! In aroma, in colour, and in the audible crunch that conjured food envy with each bite. I loved that the guys at Two Little Pigs weren't afraid to push the boundaries for 'breakfast' and really dish up something really interesting, and maybe a touch rich, but that's what the fresh pea veloute is there for. 

Bryan opted for a lunch dish, the pork belly waldorf sitting on the fence between healthy and decadent, with roast pork belly, celery, royal gala and granny smith apples, walnuts, egg yolk mayo and preserved lemon. The pork belly looked fantastic, and although the 'salad' looked relatively simple, it was insanely delicious. The yolk mayo really adding a delightfully rich edge to the freshness. 

And what did I order? Uh well, one of the few dishes without pork. What's wrong with me? Who knows. But goodness, I still left happy. My 'Bubble & Squeak' with poached eggs sitting on a chickpea fritter of braised beef, caramelised onion, truffle oil and corn kernels was comforting, with creamy fritters and the strong aroma of truffle tapping you on the nose. Delightful, and not overly heavy. 

I had recently read that if you have low blood pressure (mine's relatively on the low side), that eating salt tends to help, so when I saw the duck fat fries…well Bryan was an enthusiastic supporter and with six people to share the load, it was even more difficult to resist!

They weren't as crunchy as I was hoping they might be, but they had that moreish flavour, with a wee bit of parmesan shaved over the top, that meant Bryan and I couldn't stop picking at it!

To wrap up, we got brunch dessert (again, six people, sharing the load, good times!) which was one of the specials of the day; Nutella doughcakes with strawberry butterscotch ice cream. They were so fluffy, and as the name suggests, are made up of quite a lot of dough. I definitely could have gone for more nutella inside, but overall, still very tasty and something different to your average pancake. 

From not knowing anything about Two Little Pigs, I left absolutely besotted with it. I love a menu where every item on it has me excited, as there's so many different things on it that I haven't seen before. But more than that, it's beautifully presented and deliciously executed as well. I'm intrigued by the charcuterie, and although I don't think I could make the commitment to have it for breakfast, I do hope to meander down for a late lunch to give it a go sometime. 

Two Little Pigs

146 Sydney Road

Brunswick 3056

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