Collective Espresso

Mac’n’Cheese Croquette w. Crispy Soft Shell Crab – $20.0

COLLECTIVE ESPRESSO, CAMBERWELL: Anyone with any interest in the Melbourne breakfast scene has seen Collective Espresso’s Gravity pancakes – with flying popcorn reaching from the waffle into a cute little espresso cup embossed with the restaurant’s iconic logo. But do the waffles live up to the hype? Read on to find out!

The good fat: We opted for 2 savoury dishes that aren’t your typical Melbourne brunch fiesta. The pea risotto was cooked especially well, with a unique soft, pea texture rather than the classic green that commonly suggests a pesto sauce. Decorated with a few stems of crispy fried enoki and sprigs of various herbs, this was a hearty and tasty Italian breakfast option that I wouldn’t hesitate ordering again.

Pea Risotto w. Crispy Enoki – $19.0

Another standout was the mac and cheese croquette – a standard American-styled, guilty-craving diner option, this was converted to a refined style by the addition of an intact, lightly fried soft shell crab. The overall flavours had hints of spice, coupled with the sourness of fresh lemon juice providing a complement of satisfying seafood and cheesy tastes!

Gravity Waffles w. Vanilla and white chocolate, whipped cream, kiwi fruit, strawberries, salted caramel & popcorn – $18.5

The bad fat: The dish we came here for, the gravity waffles were a bit of a disappointment. In the competitive Melbourne brunch scene, with one of the best hotcakes I’ve had just down the road at Camberwell’s Prospect Espresso, I assumed that Collective would not compromise taste for aesthetics. However, the waffles were rather bland, and one-dimensional, with sweetness fully dependent on the measly strawberry puree-like drizzle. The caramel popcorn was really soggy and cold, subsequently neglected to the side.

SHOULD YOU GET FAT HERE?

YES – But don’t follow the Melbourne Instagram brunch trend and get the gravity waffles – try their other unique breakfast options instead!

FAT-O-METER: 4/5

Check out Collective Espresso here: https://www.collectiveespresso.com.au/

2wofatgirls would like to thank Collective Espresso for the invitation to dine – these opinions are strictly unbiased and were influenced in no way by the collaboration