One Sunday morning Speed-eater and I organised a catch up with the family as his very-good-cook-mum was in town. I emailed a few venues in Fremantle as I wanted to make a booking as there were nine of us, however unfortunately no cafes really take bookings in Fremantle. I ended up deciding on Chalky’s as the email reply I received was prompt and friendly, which gave me the impression of a cafe where customer service is important. The first point of contact with a cafe/restaurant is pivotal for me, I think you form impressions of a place right from this initial contact, and in this instance they got my service because of it.
Chalky’s is located out of the ‘main’ cafe area in Fremantle which made parking easy. We easily got a table inside at Chalky’s when we arrived (there is also outside dining). Our drink orders were taken as soon as we sat which I love when I get to a cafe. I loved how my English breakfast tea came in a cute little jar.
English Breakfast tea
Flat White
Our breakfast orders were taken not long after. The menu has a good range of options to suit everyone’s needs. Not eating any diary anymore, I asked whether the scrambled eggs could be made without cream and with soy milk instead. The waitress informed me that on weekdays when they are quieter they would normally cater this request, however due to how busy they were this morning unfortunately they could not. I was not bothered by this as the waitress offered a reasonable explanation and was polite about it…and I had a backup option (forever the planner). I ended up building my own breakfast, sourdough toast ($7) with homemade spicy beans ($4), guacamole ($4) and roast field mushrooms with gremolata and parmesan (minus the parmesan for me; $5). Well this breakfast ended up being $20 but wow was it worth it. I loved the spicy beans; they were the best ones I have had in a while. The guacamole was fresh and combined beautifully with the beans. What I really loved was the field mushrooms. The gremolata that accompanied it packed a punch in terms of flavour and I loved the addition of walnuts in it.
My breakfast
Miss drinks-tea-like-most-drink-water was in attendance and went with the Mushroom Toast which came with poached eggs roasted field mushrooms, hazelnut gremolata, parmesan and sourdough toast ($16). Miss-drinks-tea said she really liked this dish, however she palmed off her poached egg to her hubby (lets call him makes-the-best-roast-potatoes-i-have-ever-had as he made me fall in love with roast potatoes after cooking them for one early Christmas lunch, wow, the man can cook a potato). I learnt something new about miss-drinks-tea that day; she does not like eggs much unless they are in a quiche or omelette.
Mushrooms Toast
Makes-the-best-roast-potatoes-i-have-ever-had and attacks-food-perociously (speed-eater’s brother) both ordered the death-by-benedict ($16). When this arrived it was a slightly different take on eggs-benedict. The usual suspects of poached eggs, bacon, and hollandaise (house-made) were in attendance however it was served on hash browns rather than two english muffin halves. Because of this the dish looked rather small and not quite right. Makes-the-best-roast-potatoes-i-have-ever-had commented that he would have rather it on toast than the hash browns.
Death by Benedict
Speed-eater-bf went with the Muesli ($9). These were pre-prepared as I noticed them in the cabinet at the front (which would stopped me from ordering them, I like freshness when I eat out). This was toasted muesli mixed with mixed berries and yoghurt. Speed-eater commented that he did not like that it was served in a jar as it made it somewhat difficult to eat.
Muesli
Bf’s Mum; the-very-good-cook ordered the Goats Toast ($16). The goats toast consisted of poached eggs, beetroot relish, goats fetta, rocket and sourdough toast. I was not quite quick enough to get a photo of this dish before the-very-good-cook tucked in. The only blimp here in terms of service was that the-very-good-cook’s meal came out a good 10 minutes after the rest of us had been served. I am pretty sure attacks-food-ferociously had already finished before the arrival of her dish. When we enquired it appeared as if they may have forgotten.
Goats Toast
Eats-like-a-proper-lady (speed-eater’s sister in law) ordered a croissant however I didn’t get a photo of this one. All in all a lovely breakfast, despite the wait for one of the orders. Mr please-one-more-cookie-nephew had a complaint however, the babycino didn’t come with marshmallows!!
The Baking Jogger Blogger 