Breadwell? BreadNOT.
This small café is popular with the lawyer/banker crowd down towards the Paris end of Collins St, and I’m not sure why because the food that L and I had for lunch was pretty poor.
To whit – Breadwell’s ‘famous’ spicy meatballs with pasta ($20) and green lentil dahl with yoghurt and crispy (huh?) chapatti ($14). L’s dahl was so sweet it was like eating one of those Asian bean desserts. She said it was passable but now she knew why her friends had dismissed Breadwell as a lunch venue when she’d suggested it previously.
My dish was a gigantic mound of pasta with equally huge meatballs. As I bit into one of the ‘spicy meatballs’, I discovered absolutely no spice whatsoever and in fact detected the rather off-putting taste of sub-standard mince. ‘I’ve made better meatballs! ‘ I thought as I pushed them aside and dug into the fresh tomato sugo instead.
To add insult to injury after our disappointing lunch, I’m not kidding – I broke out into a fat sweat as soon as I got back to the office. And that’s not good for open plan.
- Breadwell, 135 Flinders Lane, Melbourne +61 3 9650 8544
I too, fall into the basket of not ‘getting’ Breadwell. I just don’t get what is ‘good’ about it, it just seems like neither a particularly bad or extraordinary place, but very overpriced.
Hi JenTran
I would happily pay $14 for the lentil dahl if it had been good, but $20 for pasta was completely overpriced. Especially given the terrible ‘famous meatballs’ on which they hang their shingle.
Jetsetting Joyce
Always see it but have never bothered. Not missing much by the sounds if it, the area swarms in banker lawyer types. Check out cafe 54 on flinders lane east of exhibition street if your in the area. Much better salads, daily pastas etc. Limited seating upstairs but it’s cost and freindly. Good coffee too.
Hi Ben
Being a lawyer type myself I have no aversion to hanging out with other lawyers :–) My experience of the food was mediocre which surprised me as most lawyer types I know are pretty discerning about their food, so I ‘m not sure what is attracting them to Breadwell. Thanks for the tip re Cafe 54, I will try it out.
Jetsetting Joyce
Yikes I don’t like the idea of fat sweat. $20 seems a lot for pasta at lunch time. I agree with your NOT rating.
.-= Foo´s last blog ..Where to eat in Melbourne from under $30 per day =-.
Twitter: frugalfoo
| April 14, 2010, 8:47 am
Hi Foo
Yes $20 for a pasta is not in accordance with the principles of Frugal Food! For that much money I would rather have my pasta at Journal Canteen, Migo’s or City Wine Shop.
Jetsetting Joyce
I’m coming out in defence of Breadwell here – heaven forbid, but I’m one of those lawyer types that visits Breadwell daily and while the lunch menu may not set the world on fire, the coffee, breakfasts and service especially are fantastic. You should give it another go, earlier in the day, before writing such a harsh review.
Hi Christy
Thanks for your comment – always good to have another opinion to add to the discussion. To be honest I’m not so enthused about trying Breadwell again – but if I was to go there for breakfast as per your suggestion, can you recommend any particular dish to try?
Jetsetting Joyce
To be honest, I’m pretty boring and always go for the ham, cheese and tomato on sour dough – which probably isn’t going to set your world on fire either. I always check out the other brekkies floating past however, and wish I had more time to sit and order properly, as opposed to rushing back to the office. Their eggs look pretty good
Maybe that’s the difference – the local crowd (read lawyers and bankers – to be expected, it’s out the back of 101 Collins after all!) probably go the t/a route more often that eating in, and there may be a difference in the two experiences. I always enjoy their t/a lunches, particularly the chicken/brie etc pides …