Herald Sun, Tuesday June 14 2005

Here's a sight to warm the cockles of a town planner's heart: Sunday morning in Pin Oak Cres, Flemington. There are as many pedestrians and cyclists as motorists. Those with staying put are small talking over the fence with the neighbours, reading the paper in the sun and/or breakfasting heartily at Pepper. Altogether now: aahhhh.
Pepper is the neighbourhood focal point, not just because it's one of the few shops open on a Sunday morning in this old-fashioned strip along the train line. It's an inviting little corner cafe making its home in what was once a hygienic library, whatever that is. Good clean fun, no doubt.
And it does look clean, despite a second-hand look to the interior and the furniture, in a cobbled-together, Brunswick St, Fitzroy, kind of way.
The fella I eat with fancies himself as a bit of a coffee aficionado. At my urging he embarks on a taste test. There's regular coffee...there's organic East Timorese coffee. One of each for a side-by-side comparison puts East Timor a smidge ahead. It's apparently smoother and fuller-flavoured against today's comparison brew.
(I'm loath to cast aspersions, but it'd be rude not to point out that the same coffee aficionado has been none the wiser when his evening cup of instant has been substituted for decaf, which he professes to abhor.)
Serious caffeine business out of the way, he orders a special; a stacked arrangement of poached eggs, fried haloumi cheese, spinach, tomato, sourdough toast and minted yoghurt on the side. It's colourful and tasty, the haloumi a nice touch.
He's pleased, as are all the other patrons ordering the same thing. I reckon $13 is a bit steep though.
I go a sweet double header: a good-sized serve of decent, house-made muesli with natural yoghurt and lightly stewed apple and pear. No complaints. And then I saddle up for an apricot and coconut muffin, just out of the oven, very like a homemade one and absolutely delicious.
In the wash-up -
Tasty breakfast food that comes with friendly service. A deserved local favourite.
15/20
Donna Coutts