Stunning New Dishes at CH James Cafe in Fairfield
CH James has released several exciting new dishes on their menu and The World Loves Melbourne joined with other leading bloggers in Melbourne to experience the newbie dishes for brunch.
Bloggers were served a sample appetiser of CH James Bircher Muesli, part of a selection of healthy style dishes to start your day right.
Another popular dish is the Chermoula Braised Lamb Shoulder with fried eggs, hash brown, garlic yoghurt and spiced tomatoes on sourdough toast. The dish features a generous amount of lamb shoulder and hit of spice. If you're looking for a substantial dish with flair this satisfies most people's hunger. A great rustic dish. Says bloggers Escort and Thief, "Lamb was delicious and flavoursome. The hash brown was super crispy. Great eggs!"
Coffee, smoothies and other beverages are a priority at CH James. Said Gastrology, "As expected of any great café, CH James delivers quality coffee (Small Batch) poured by adept baristas." Says Eat and Be Merry, "Tthe whole event kicked off with coffee, which received high praise from all concerned." Says Eascort and Thief, "Beautiful and smooth coffee. No sugar needed."
A close up of the Chermoula Braised Lamb Shoulder...
Also new is the Vegetarian Japanese Okonomiyaki Burger with tonkatsu mayonnaise, braised cabbage and a fried egg – served with chips. This is the dish The World Loves Melbourne enjoyed - part of the all day menu. Strong flavours and textures, the okonomiyaki shredded vegetables made this a hearty but not over heavy meal, perfect for brunch. Crunchy okonomiyaki is complemented by the egg, and added crunch comes from the bed of braised cabbage. An excuse to eat golden chips at brunch was also welcome.
Bloggers enjoyed a range of dishes as can be seen below.
Crumbed Ham Hock with pea panna cotta, fried egg, pork jus and croutons is an attractive option and alternative to egg and bacon. ham and peas is a classic pairing and this dish serves up a sophisticated pea panna cotta with crumbed ham hock.
Chilli and Feta Scrambled Eggs on toast is a popular dish with addition of thick cut bacon advised for the perfect brunch dish.
Buckwheat Noodles with miso broth, master stock pork belly, daikon, edamame and poached egg is a modern cafe dish. Meat lover can enjoy this with a healthy edge and a top notch broth to boot.
Said leading bloggers Gastrology, "The other dish we tasted was the hearty buckwheat noodles with pork belly. The dish was filled with four juicy portions of pork belly and a light broth served on the side. The egg was perfectly poached and oozing of yolk once cut through."
Smashed Avocado with panko egg, fetta, dukkah spice, garlic yoghurt, chilli oil is walking out the door with its popularity at CH James - surely one of the best in Melbourne. Add a hash brown.
Says leading bloggers Eat and Be Merry, "We ordered smashed avocado with panko egg and a side of cured salmon. This was a hit. The panko egg (poached egg coated in breadcrumbs and fried) was done just right, and was a kind of centrepiece. The house-cured salmon was a nice piece of fish, and had a more delicate taste than the smoked salmon you find in shops."
Love fritters? Corn and Haloumi Fritters with poached eggs, garlic yoghurt, grilled haloumi and herb-hummus is another smash hit.
Says Gastrology, "We had the privilige of tasting the corn & haloumi fritters which were crunchy on the outside and served with a creamy herb hummus." Crunchy and creamy also impressed The World Loves Melbourne.
Says bloggers Eat and Be Merry, "Another hit was the corn and haloumi fritters with poached egg."
Love a vegan bowl? How about Vegan Green Bowl with spiced avocado, kale, puffed grains, zucchini, sprouts, pickled cucumber, and pea panna cotta. You have to try the spiced avocado and the pean panna cotta.
Hotcakes! Buttermilk Hotcakes with mascarpone foam, citrus, pepita and black sesame praline. Says Eat and Be Merry, "On the sweet front, the buttermilk hotcakes were also a hit."
Says Escort and Thief blog, CH James is a beautiful and elegant café right along the busy shopping street of Fairfield. The eatery is super cosy inside with a spacious and picturesque outdoor seating area (perfect for food photos).
The chefs are in a league of their own, coming from top restaurants such as Estelle and Rockpool, these guys know how to dish it out. Brunch menu is extensive and coffees are delicious."
Says Gastrology, "CH James is a lovely modern Australian cafe with an extensive menu of brunch classics and new dishes which are worth a visit. " So thinks The World Loves Melbourne!