One of the things I enjoyed about living in Abbotsford was that after a string of night shifts, I could walk home down Gertrude Street and reward myself with an excellent breakfast at any one of the brilliant cafes - De Clieu, Arcadia, Birdman, takeaway bread from Fatto a Mano, Proud Mary (a short detour) or as close to home as it got at Three Bags Full.
Three Bags Full in particular won me over as all the places serve similarly good and priced food, but they particularly have the gingery chai latte (from Phoenix chai syrup) that slightly burns the throat and makes me feel alive. I haven't had that flavour anywhere else in the world in a chai. I recently discovered a reasonably close cafe along the Kingston foreshore that may soon replace my Melbourne equivalents. Local Press isn't close enough to be overly convenient, but I think it's better than the closer local option of Penny University.
Let's start with the chai - served in a teapot with a warmer jumper, steeped with whole spices and easily avoiding the sweet syrup crap taste that most places have. My only preference would be if it was served with a strainer to prevent floaties in the cup. But I can work around that if the drink is good. Local Press is (probably) alluding to the refreshing juices in jars and there are also smoothies with chia seeds and other super ingredients.
The food is beautifully presented and complements the waterside view (not the best but I'll take it) and general people watching:
- Green Breaky Plate (za'tar coated hard boiled eggs with kale & almonds, avo, asparagus, quinoa tabouleh, fetta & dill yoghurt with smoked salmon) - healthy combination of textures (various seeds & nuts, feta, quinoa, salmon, asparagus, yoghurt...) and flavours including an excellent kale which I don't normally think highly of.
I went back the next month for lunch (woke up too late for breakfast). The dishes are still vibrant and flavoursome and only mildly more expensive:
- Smoked Trout & Quinoa Patty (with green apple, fennel & radish slaw, coriander, candied walnuts, kiwi-yoghurt dressing & sriracha chilli sauce);
- Grasslands' Free-Range Rare Pesto Beef (on Italian-style salad with marinated bocconcini, basil & heirloom tomatoes).
There's plenty of options to try for next time.
03-2015
A late Sunday lunch on a sunny afternoon was as pleasant as can be. The people types ranged from young families with energetic kids, a small mob of Chinese uni students, some early-20s attractive females in tight gym gear and some older couples wearing sunnies.
- Kingfish Sashimi (with pickled ginger, wasabi peas, wasabi mayo, avocado, roasted black sesame, nori sheets & grapefruit) - as usual the vibrant presentation mixing colours and ingredients was matched by the flavours and 6-or-so textures. I have to admit for $24, 5 slices of kingfish seemed a little thrifty but they were excellent quality and complemented best by the small Hershey's shaped wasabi mayo (Kewpie perhaps?). Rocket and firm rice salad added additional elements and made the dish more filling.
This was washed down lovingly with the usual berry & chia seed smoothie. Then it was off to the the gym.
04-2015
Easter Sunday - busy considering it was a Sunday at the best cafe around Kingston and similarly quiet given it was Easter and many were out of town. There was luckily no wait for seats at the communal table, nor were there any shortage of bike shorts and lycra. The beards were less frequent than usual which was great.
Round 2 of chai was served in another cosy teapot with warmer. There are 2.5 cups for the $4.50 (+50c for soy) which makes it an incredible bargain, especially given it's the only drinkable chai I've come across in Canberra. There is a mild sweetness (which can be enhanced at the table by sugar, including coconut sugar ie. palm sugar), a touch of ginger (I'd prefer more but it's acceptable) and is satisfying.
Juice of the day was a pineapple, beetroot, ginger concoction.
- Green Breaky Plate (za'tar coated hard boiled eggs with kale & almonds, avo, asparagus, quinoa tabouleh, fetta & dill yoghurt with ocean trout);
- Green Pea Pancake (with poached eggs, macerated avo, corn salsa, fetta, chilli jam & mint garnish) - another presentation spectacle matched by textures (pea pancake with very mild intrinsic flavour, tomato/peas/corn, smoked salmon, fine feta) and an occasional unexpected chilli after-burn mixed with poached eggs and avocado.
Still my favourite local cafe.
