01 January 2015

Operator 25

Review January 01, 2015 0

I used to laugh at people who eat brunch. I tried my best to enjoy the food. I really did. But a piece of toasted white bread, served with a hot dog, a side of scrambled eggs and some tossed greens, going for $20++ dollars? I invariably left the restaurants disgruntled, and think it's pretty much the worst deal in the world. But now that I'm living in Melbourne, I realised how delicious brunch ~~can~~ should be.

Operator 25 is a brunch place I've been wanting to write about for a while. We had some family coming over to Melbourne during the December break and after we brought them there. After the meal, my visiting sister exclaimed that "Singapore brunch have some catching up to do!"

Operator 25 is found along Wills Street, just a short drive away from Queen Vic Market. As the reigning 2014 number 4 Most Popular restaurant in the entire Melbourne, it can get crowded even off-peak hours. I've been there a couple of times, and on both occasions, we had to cool our heels for a bit outside on the pavement. The restaurant interior has brick walls, whimsical art and communal tables, and I feel instantly at ease.

I started with an Iced Coffee, which in their words...

Okay, well not exactly. But it was delightful. The rest of the dishes took a while to arrive, so I was glad to have something to sip on.

The star of the meal was the Balinese Pulled Pork Burger with Sweet Potato Wedges ($20). It was one of, if not the, most flavourful pulled pork burger that ever crossed my lips. The sweet potato wedges served alongside were hot and crispy. I was so impressed by it that we ordered a side of Bowl of Sweet Potato Wedges ($7) mid-meal.

Another great dish was Smoked Chicken and Vegetable Hash with Poached Egg ($15). My visiting sister went all quiet and hogged the plate for herself when it arrived, which clued me in that I need to try it pronto. My mother ain't raised no fool. Still, she raised no Sherlock Holmes either, and I only wound up with a bite. Such is the dynamics in my family, and this makes meal-time an always-fun affair.

Because I'm a sucka for soft shell crabs, we also had Beer Battered Soft Shell Crab, Thai Style Salad, Toasted Peanuts, Tamarind Dressing and Sesame Rice Crackers ($17). The crab was not crispy enough, and the crackers alongside was a little tasteless.

My sister also assured me that the Baked Eggs with Great Northern Beans, Chorizito, Goats Curd and House-Made Corn Bread ($18) was delicious, though I never liked baked eggs, and passed on it.

The Open Lamb Kibbeh with Barley Tabbouleh and Pomegranate Dressing ($18) was a popular dish recommended by our waiter. It tastes like a Shepherd's pie, but with minced lamb. It was a slight disappointment, and it kicked-off the time-honoured family tradition of piling another's plate with food.