[Melbourne] In the middle of Melbourne city perpendicular to Lonsdale Street (and Little Lonsdale Street) is Hardware Lane which is flourishing with cafes.
If you intend to do some café-hopping, this could be the place.
One café however, seemed to have pulled in more of the crowd than others.
The Hardware Société is never short of travellers visiting, that it could take anything from 20 minutes to half an hour to get some seats. Especially if you arrive in the large group.
Yet, its exterior didn’t seem far from ordinary.
Its interior was brightly donned with colourful butterfly wallpapers and light wooden furniture.
However, the hardcore instagrammers would take the seats outside where natural sunlight would shine under good weather conditions, you could people watch (or be watched), and brunch items placed on marble tables.
Donald Trump alert. Look up and you would spot a graffiti that could make your day or conversations.
Food is considered French meets Spanish, given the Australian twist, with Head Chef Jean Paul Dargan dedicated to using seasonal produce.
Favourites include Baked Eggs (AUD$19), Fried Brioche (AUD$18), Lobster Benedict (AUD$26), Pork Belly and Fried Eggs (AUD$25), and Duck Confit (AUD$25).
People do come for their Baked Eggs (AUD$19), available in either a vegetarian roasted pumpkn or chorizo sausage version, and I can understand why.
The ingredients just blend together in balanced harmony, and I particularly liked the contrast of soft potatoes and toasted almonds.
I did expect a bigger portion though.
Somehow the pork in Australia just tasted softer without that strange aftertaste that I do get elsewhere. The Pork Belly with bacon and parsnip potato cakes on rye bread was a good-enough order, though I would have preferred the crackling to be softer.
That one dish that stroke a chord with me was surprisingly the Fried Brioche (AUD$18), as I am generally more a savoury than sweets person.
The texture of that brioche was just so fluffy like a soft pillow, and the varying ingredients of passionfruit curd, raspberry gel, lavender syrup and fresh raspberries would just pleasurably play with your taste buds with tangy-fruitiness, sweetness intertwining.
Queues aside, the personable service, chill-relaxing vibes, and a few standout brunch items make this Hardware Société quite a visit in Melbourne.
The Hardware Société Melbourne
120 Hardware Street Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Tel: +61 03 9078 5992
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 3:00pm (Mon – Fri), 8:00am – 3:00pm (Thurs – Fri), Last Order 2:30pm
Google Maps – The Hardware Société
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This place was nearby and I decided to check it out. The waiter was prompt and polite. The desserts must be sprinkled with crack because I just craved for more and more. Satisfactory experience, will come again.