Blue Fox Cafe makes traditional brunch look boring. The brand spanking new sister cafe of Liar Liar, brings a touch of inventiveness to the streets of Kew. Gone are the days of traditional bacon and eggs. Out comes the chef tools – smoking guns, 65 degree eggs, coconut ‘snow’ – is it just me or is Melbourne brunch stupendously gourmet, compared to other countries? The cafe is part of the Coffee Culture Communications Group, which also owns Melbourne favourites: Addict Food & Coffee, Sir Charles and Prospect Espresso. Now that’s an impressive portfolio.
The visual spectacle at Blue Fox begins with the big boy toys. A smoky jar arrives on the table and we known we’re in for some hocus pocus chef magic. Small cubes of trout are infused with natural smoky flavours. In the absence of heat, the gorgeous pink flesh picks up the smokey flavour, adding a degree of complexity to the tartare. The saltiness is refined, with a oozy 63 degree egg. The yellow yolk seeps through the trout cutting through the salt. We spooned the tartare onto the chargrilled sourdough, a heavenly combination of smoke vs smoke. This is definitely no run of the mill brunch dish.For vegetarians and mushroom lovers, consider the truffle braised mushrooms served with dollops of zesty salsa verde, pillowy soft polenta and the acidity of a red onion pickle. We added a side of hash because potato… do we need any other reason? The taste of peas were vibrant in the fritters. The oval masses sitting on a bed of minted pea puree and scatterings of wasabi peas for a touch of heat. For dude food, the buttermilk fried chicken is a sight to behold. Served with heavenly truffle parmesan fries, the cheesy crispiness makes these hard to share. The mango hotcakes served with coconut snow and pandan syrup makes for an irresistible description. Alas, there was no room for dessert, next time, Blue Fox! Blue Fox joins the ranks of Melbourne cafes that are raising the bar. The simplistic interior of golden hues and pastel blues, is completely deceiving to the complexity within. Not settling for standard fare, the menu goes beyond traditional breakfast to create an exciting dining experience.