Bomb Cafe - 229 Johnston St, Abbotsford

Woke up today with only one thing on my mind…poached eggs. The last time I had really nice poached eggs was at Jackson Dodd’s in West Preston. Just as I was tossing between making my own poached eggs (50% failure rate) or having it out, I noticed the nice sunny weather outside (yes, in Melbourne) and decision was made for me.

A quick search through the multitude of cafés in Melbourne led me to one that seemed relatively unknown/undiscovered but seemed to have given itself a decent reputation for good eggs-Bomb Cafe on Johnston St in Abbotsford. It’s also located in a part of town where I used to live in and where the Pies call home (close enough) :D

Entering this small, inconspicuous café (had to drive around twice before we noticed the café), we saw three guys making banquettes behind the counter with 2 bags full of fresh bread from the Convent sitting next to the counter.

The place is very small. A small front dining area with a narrow corridor going to the 'lounge room' and a small courtyard outside which I'm sure would be put to good use in summer.

I was starving, so decided to go for the biggest, baddest looking thing on the menu, the Bomb Breakfast which consisted of 2 eggs, tomatoes, spinach, mushroom, chorizo, red onions and baby potatoes.

My bro ordered the Eggs Benedict and a strong latte. Whilst I tried the milder, organic coffee. (Yes, they serve two different types of coffee beans. You’re welcome to bring your own cup too J)

Given that we were the only ones in the café at that hour, the food came out in about 15 minutes which I considered a bit long.

The Eggs Benedict was nicely done. Nicely poached eggs topped with smooth and creamy hollandaise sauce. The sauce tasted rich and buttery and worked well with the eggs.

What about the Bomb Breakfast? Well...there were two eggs on the plate and one was BEAUTIFULLY done. Perfectly poached with a soft and runny yolk that was just an absolute pleasure to even look at. Divine!! The other one however was a disappointment as it was way overcooked.

The tomatoes were nicely done with just the right amount of spices added to it and went very well with the tanginess of the tomatoes. (I’ve always wondered if tomatoes are fruits or vegetables?) The problem with this meal for me though is that there were too many different competing flavors on the dish-the saltiness of the chorizo, the sweetness of the onions, the tanginess and spices from the tomatoes etc…overall, I think they made the dish a bit too complicated for me. Visually impressive but perhaps a bit too much for my taste buds.

The verdict? A nice small local café that serves the neighborhood very well though I doubt it has enough to tempt me into driving all the way there for breakfast but if I lived locally, definitely the place to go for my coffees.