Update 17/06/2023: Grigons & Orr is now closed.
With a trip to the markets lined up, Cindy and I met up with Mike, Jo and Tracy for breakfast at Grigons and Orr. We'd enjoyed our first visit, although I'd inexplicably ordered something vaguely healthy. With a group of five we were forced to sit outside, which meant making use of the proffered knee rugs.
I'm not sure if we were given preferential treatment last time or if things have changed, but this time around we were forced to order everything at the counter. It's not really a big hassle, but having to duck inside whenever you want another coffee kills some of the relaxed breakfast vibe. Also: the menu has changed a bit - there are a few more veg/vegan options: a cous-cous based savoury dish and beans on toast, plus the cous-cous porridge and scrambled tofu (hidden in the lunch section of the menu).
I went for the tofu, with sauteed spinach on sourdough toast ($12).
The scramble is scrambled into a pretty smooth paste, with not a lot of tofu chunks. There was something sweet in amongst the herb and tomato-y flavours, which wasn't quite the flavour I was looking for - typically, I was hoping for something a bit spicier.Cindy went sweet: French toast (home-made brioche, coated in creme anglais and fried and served with pan-roasted apple and maple syrup.
The brioche made for an almost cakey French toast which was drier than Cindy expected, but the excellent roasted apple and delicious maple syrup more than made up for it.Grigons and Orr didn't quite measure up to my expectations this time around - the outdoor seating is a bit rough in winter (and the exhaust of the Queensberry St traffic is probably annoying all year 'round), and the counter service didn't rock my world. Still, the food was impressive enough and the range of vegan options is excellent.
Nobody else seems to have reviewed Grigons and Orr since we last checked it out.
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Grigons & Orr
445 Queensberry St, North Melbourne
0403 515 814
veg breakfasts $6-$14.50
http://www.grigonsorr.com.au/
Accessibility: The interior of G&O is crowded and has a step entry; we didn't visit the toilet but it would likely be less accessible still. Exterior seats are accessible, though some are on slightly sloped pavement. Ordering and payment occurs at a low counter.
slightly off topic, but i've been meaning to say thanks for the accessibility notes at the ends of your posts. it's a great idea. (and if you do find some wheelchair accessible and/or unisex/gender neutral toilets in your melbourne travels, perhaps you could submit them to: http://www.toilart.org/mapping/ !)
ReplyDeleteI used to be fortunate to live a few blocks away from here - love and miss it so much. It is high on the list of places to go on our next trip home to Melbourne!!
ReplyDeleteHi nixwilliams! We must credit fitzroyalty and its readers for highlighting the need for accessibility info. Thanks for mentioning unisex/gender neutral toilets as another feature - we'll try to keep an eye out for them! (You might like to add a comment to Brian's post too.)
ReplyDeleteJackie, it's a charming spot. Not sure how long I'll be able to maintain my enthusiasm for those outdoor tables through winter, though...!
thanks! will do.
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