Back to the Bot
This morning we achieved the impossible. We booked a table for breakfast at The Bot. I know this because when I asked for our table, I was told "we don't do breakfast bookings". Hmmm... then why did someone take a booking last night? Oh... that's odd... you do have a booking. How did you manage that?
After a short wait, they managed to boot some other poor sod off our table and ushered us inside for what turned out to be a great brunch. I went the full woody, otherwise known as the full wood-roasted Botanical breakfast. Served on a hot iron plate, this monster-truck of breakfast includes cheese kransky, smoked bacon, baked beans, black pudding, roasted tomatoes, field mushrooms, roasted kipfler potatoes and a toasted muffin topped with eggs (scrambled in my case).
The back pudding was probably the highlight, with a funky taste and almost fibrous texture. I think it was made with barley and walnuts... and fat and pigs blood, of course. A rare treat.
We also tried the salmon benedict which was almost too perfect for words. The poached eggs had been carefully trimmed and groomed like a pair of prize poodles, and the hollandaise was neatly flecked with just the right amount of salmon roe and a hint of chives. Pretty as a picture.
To wash it all down, I had a glass of the 2004 Delas Viognier. Excellent. Viognier may well be my new favorite wine. That, and Petit Verdot.
17/20 "moving up"
After a short wait, they managed to boot some other poor sod off our table and ushered us inside for what turned out to be a great brunch. I went the full woody, otherwise known as the full wood-roasted Botanical breakfast. Served on a hot iron plate, this monster-truck of breakfast includes cheese kransky, smoked bacon, baked beans, black pudding, roasted tomatoes, field mushrooms, roasted kipfler potatoes and a toasted muffin topped with eggs (scrambled in my case).
The back pudding was probably the highlight, with a funky taste and almost fibrous texture. I think it was made with barley and walnuts... and fat and pigs blood, of course. A rare treat.
We also tried the salmon benedict which was almost too perfect for words. The poached eggs had been carefully trimmed and groomed like a pair of prize poodles, and the hollandaise was neatly flecked with just the right amount of salmon roe and a hint of chives. Pretty as a picture.
To wash it all down, I had a glass of the 2004 Delas Viognier. Excellent. Viognier may well be my new favorite wine. That, and Petit Verdot.
17/20 "moving up"
Labels: 17, benedict, black pudding, botanical, south yarra
posted by Jamie Wodetzki at 10:21 pm
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8 Comments:
But what's the score?? And back or black?
I think the Bot deserves an upgrade to 17/20 with a couple of extra points for coffee and buzz, compared to the original review.
Having read many of the reviews on this site – which we love - and then trying most of the highly recommended ones, we have found The Bot always comes through with the goods. It seems they have had a change in recent times with regards to bookings, seeing how it’s our favourite when it comes to arranging a group get together, but be warned – don’t leave it to last minute, as we found out the hard way just last weekend. I hope saying all this isn’t going to make it even harder……
Recently had breakfast at The Bot after reading the great reviews on the Breakfast Blog. All I can say is we were very disappointed. The service was poor. It was hard to catch someone's attention to place an order (It was a week day - it wasn't busy). And when we had finished our unenthralling food (mine was barely luke warm), the bill was unceremoniously placed on the table with a "Thank Guys" (read as "Get the hell out of here"), and that was that. Wouldn't bother again.
Went to the Bot today (8/03/08) We did book as we live an hour out of town. There were plenty of tables when we arrived at 10.30 am. Our order for drinks was taken straight away but the coffee, that i was desperately hanging out for, came 25 minutes later. 25 MINUTES!!!! That was not ok. AND THEN it was cold. I think the manager stood at the coffee machine and personally supervised the fresh ones.Our eggs and salmon with fish roe were extremely good. Like really, really good! My hotcakes with raspberries could have done with another grilled peach (it did say peaches) but it was delicious. I agree with another review that the service, aside from the ridiculously long wait on a coffee, was pretty average. The wait staff just seemed a bit dopey. The place looked shabby too, BUT the brekky is good enough for a return visit.
I came here after hearing how great it was and left thinking 'if that is their best then I would hate to dine in the worst'! This place was a huge dissapointment, the food was overpriced and when it turned up almost 45 minutes later it was stone cold. I would not recommend this to anyone.
Having been a huge fan of botanical in past years, I was extremely disappointed with this morning's breakfast.
The change of ownership has clearly crippled the place.
The flagship 'botanical breakfast' was mediocre at best and for $20 should really be the final word on breakfasts. Service was slow and change wasn't returned in the assumption that it was a tip.
Been there last weekend.
Salmon benedict was fabulous! Best I've ever had. And the service was absolutely fantastic. A friend was running late, so breakfast was served before she got there. They took it back to the warmer after about 10 minutes, but the chef decided to cook us a fresh one once my friend got there! And that was wayyy past their 1130 breakfast time! =)
I'll be going back without a doubt!
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