Hardware Societé
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Slowly but steadily, I intend to revive this long-neglected blog and continue to share my gastronomic experiences, little as they may be, to interested readers out there.Let's start off with Hardware Societé. This place is always bustling with people, it is really difficult to get a seat here without a half hour queue. And by that, I meant the minimum wait is 30 minutes, especially during the weekends. It is advisable to get in early so that you can avoid waiting that long. But for people who really want that extra few hours of sleep during the weekend, waiting time could vary between 20 minutes, up to 45 minutes, depending on your luck. It is a pity that they do not take reservations. They have a really small interior, with a few outdoor seating. The friendly staff takes your name and patrons willingly wait squatting at the Korean grocery place just opposite the little café, waiting earnestly for their name to be called so that they could quickly pacify their growling stomachs.
It is really not difficult to guess why this place is so popular. Eggs and more eggs dominate their menu, but the way they serve them, and the accompaniments - be it bread, cheese, crab meat etc - makes the whole meal to-die-for. You will not feel disappointed having dined there!
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| This was a customised menu I believe, according to my friend's cravings - A mixture of Croquette Madame, but not quite a croquette but a baguette. Fried eggs changed to scrambled. A little variation here and there, but still tasted so damn good! |
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| Crab and egg cocotte. There are no words to describe but I shall offer you one non-English word: Parfait. |
Their coffee was pretty good as well. Surprisingly there have not been highly rated in many coffee review books around in Melbourne (or they just did not put their little place up for assessments). I did not expect a lot from their coffee, but they managed to surprise me. True, they were not the finest beans I have ever tasted, but they have managed to make an ordinary coffee bean turn into a smooth and silky cuppa that seeks to challenge all the big shot cafés out there.
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| Not just a pretty 'sur'face. The underneath is what you dig for with every sip. Unforgettable. |
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| Taken while squatting directly opposite the little café. |
The details
Hardware Societé
120 Hardware Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9078 5992
Hours
Mon-Fri: 7.30am-3pm
Sat & Sun: 8.30am-2pm
Verdict (30 points)
Service - ****
Food/Taste: ****1/2
Coffee/Drink: ****1/2
Ambience: ****
Convenience: *****
Price: ****1/2
TOTAL: 26.5/30
Labels: Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Coffee, Eggs
