Sweet and savoury brunch at Babooshka, Northbridge

It was a hot day so I (as usual) knew that a cold pressed orange juice ($7.00) was on the cards. They offer to put it into a glass for me but I’m quite happy drinking out of the plastic cup with straw – I just want the cool respite from the heat! The orange juice is pulpy and sweet; vividly refreshing. It really hits the spot and reaffirms the juice fiend that nests inside me.

I’m not sure if their aircon was broken or if they don’t have one, but it was extremely stuffy in there. I think sitting in the corridor and getting the outdoor breeze might have been a better idea for us. We were too lazy to move, so we just sweated it out. Though by the end of our breakfast, I have to admit I was getting a little too warm.

After a big morning of working out, Sherilyn’s in the mood for a generous dish so opts for the Tsar’s breakfast ($24.00) which is Babooshka’s version of a big breakfast. She orders gluten-free toast ($1.50) to replace the normal toast, and it comes out underneath poached eggs, speck bacon, Boston beans, spinach and avocado.

Initially when I saw the eggs I immediately thought they were overcooked, but they were actually quite spot on – a golden river of yolk spilling out onto the plate as her fork pierces the surface. The gluten free toast is not two but three slices, and crisp little vessels stacked with the other ingredients.

I have a taste of the Boston beans and have to say I quite like them though Sherilyn’s not so sure. They’re definitely different to your normal breakfast beans and the texture is a little mushier, however they have a punchy taste and work well within the dish.

For $24, I think I personally would have expected something a bit flashier or more generous in the meat department. I’m not sure when it happened that big breakfast’s crept over the $20 mark – so when I see pricier ones I expect good things. But I think that my view might be a little tainted from my constant travels through Asia where you’ll never pay anything close to Perth prices.

Outside of the hot insides of Babooshka and some little food tweaks, I enjoyed trying out this new brunch spot in Northbridge. I did think that the food took awhile to come out (around 30 minutes) but considering the size of their kitchen and that there were only two staff members working, it wasn’t completely surprising. Perhaps an extra person or two on board might speed things up a little. And for those of you who love your caffeine pick-me-ups, from what I hear they do a mean coffee too.