Volume Cafe

When a couple of surgeons opened Volume Cafe across the main street from Dandenong Hospital, it caused a bit of a stir. I hear (don't sue!) that up along the food chain, the people in management were concerned whether opening Volume would divert traffic away from Zouki's, the in-hospital cafe chain. 

But still, no one was as ecstatic about Volume as the staff and students were, and everybody that I've talked to had nothing but good things to say about the opening. Even though the in-hospital cafe is more convenient to grab a cup of coffee from, there seems to be a lot of people walking around clutching a takeaway cup from Volume these days...

As the semester winds down to an end, we made plans to visit Volume and sample their food and coffee after a tutorial. I squinted at the blackboard (someone has terrific handwriting!) before ordering the Egg Royale ($12.50). Poached eggs served on English muffin, smoked salmon and spinach, and drizzled with Hollandaise sauce? Sign me up. The dish is decent, and the poached eggs were perfectly runny. Though, the smoked salmon is spread around a little too thin to have an impact on the overall taste. Maybe try arranging the smoked salmon into a neat mount on the plate instead, so the dish looks - and tastes - more impressive?

I had a Magic to go alongside my meal, which looked a little sad when compared to my friend's latte. They tried their best, I know. I've never seen a pretty cup of magic before. 

Latte

My friend had their Big Breakfast ($13), which looked so appetizing, I ordered the same thing on a later visit. The eggs and hash browns came with a generous pile of bacon and mushrooms. At $13, it is surprisingly affordable, and I loved every bite of it. 

SBT: Surgical Bedside Tutorial Brunch Time?

Guess who (don't sue!): I hear from a certain someone that healthcare professionals in Australia get tax rebates on all food and drinks, except from the ones operating in hospitals. Great coffee AND cheaper? It's no wonder everybody at Dandenong is crossing the streets...