Bunyip Cafe, South Melbourne

Australia has a few native monsters designed to scare small children and tourists alike. For the kids, there's the Bunyip, a huge furry half-human beast with a long neck and a head like a bird. For the tourists, there's the drop bear, which is best described as an evil, carnivorous koala that drops out of gum trees and eats your head. So I guess you should watch your back if you happen to visit the Bunyip Cafe, 313 Coventry Street, South Melbourne, Tel +61 3 9682 5844. I managed to get through breakfast without incident.



I quite enjoyed my modified serve of eggs benedict, despite a few imperfections. The spinach, ham and toast (soy and linseed) were all very good, but the hollandaise was too runny and they cheated with the eggs. Perfectly-domed little flying saucer eggs are hard to miss. They may taste the same, but true dropped eggs should be poached in a whirlpool, not a muffin-tray.

It was very quiet (completely empty) when I was there, so I didn't get much of a look at the other options. But the menu seemed to have a good range, and it may be that the big brekkie, omelette, pancakes, etc, are all very good.

The real problem for the Bunyip is its location. With places like Sweethearts and Q11 less than a minute away, it's rubbing shoulders with some serious competition. But if you're recovering from a big night, drop in for the $1.50 Berocca Brekkie and load up on vitamin B.

12/20 "nice spinach"