Collingwood 3066
03 9417 1377
http://www.cavallero.com.au/
Smith Street is an area which I want to know better. Sure I have been enjoyed tapas at Bebida, eaten dinner at Peko Peko, had my hair cut, looked at cheap electrics, socialised over drinks at Panama, gorged on brownie at Soul Food and eaten lunch at Monties: but I still feel there is more to discover.
Cavallero was the chosen spot for a Sunday morning breakfast with school friends. Raining outside, despite being in the remnants of Summer, we grabbed a booth table inside the modern building with open space and darkly painted floor boards. Perhaps it was a warehouse previously.
My café owning friend once told me about the importance of ‘eye-candy’. I would like to think my taste in food is above the attractiveness of an establishment’s staff, but I still noticed the staff at Cavellero. The waitresses were gorgeous.
And the food? Well, there was only one vegetarian option for breakfast (even the side dishes were meaty) so I ordered it. Baked eggs.
Different to eggs cocotte, they arrived very similar to a recipe I found in the Age over a year ago with which I became obsessed. Eggs baked in tomato with spinach, basil and parmesan, served in a large bowl with toast. The version I make is done in a pan with fetta, olives, chilli and paprika. The eggs were softer in Cavallero’s serve from the baking, and it was a hearty meal which I enjoyed.
I lie, there was one other vegetarian dish on the menu, an aesthetic glass of muesli, yoghurt and fruit trifle. My very healthy friend ordered this for her meal.
The one strange annoyance at Cavallero was that they add a service charge. At about 8%, we were confused as to why our bill was greater than expected. The service was good but it would have been better to have this charge disclosed at the start so that we could end on a high note.
