Substation, Alexandria

Sundays are the best day to enjoy a nice brunch. Matt and I head to Substation in Alexandria at about 10am. The cosy cafe is buzzing and full of people who are enjoying their weekend. 

By the time I leave, I can see a bit of a queue forming so my advice is to go in non-peak hours to ensure you get a table! The venue was an ex substation if you hadn't guessed by the name. As you walk in, you can also see physical display of their specials which really brings their menu to life.

It's starting to get a lot cooler these days but I am seated next to a nice outside door heater. To warm us up, Matt orders a Hot chocolate and I go for a Sticky Chai Latte which is presented in this teapot. I instantly feel more a live after a few sips of the chai latte. I wonder if my friend who lived in Alexandria has been to Substation. I find out that this is one of her favourites when she was a local.

The Salmon Stack was a special on this particular week that I had to order. As soon as this dish comes out, a nearby table asks me what that is. I soon see that both people have changed their order to the Salmon Stack. The stack has Smoked Salmon with zucchini fritters with halloumi, avocado, poached egg, tomato, spinach with a salsa verde dressing. It's the poached egg that really steals the show at the top as it glistens. I slice into the smoked salmon and the halloumi. I'm enjoying the egg, salmon and halloumi combination. The fritters are a bit soft in texture but still enjoyable to eat. 

Next up, Matt orders the Grilled Reuben which had house made slow cooked marinated corned beef with red cabbage, tasty cheese, parmesan cheese, honey and rosemary. The Reuben looked so tasty, I was a bit jealous as Matt took a massive bite into the sandwich. The red cabbage made for a nice crunch with the corned beef on that tasty sourdough bread. This is a really enjoyable dish. I love pickles

My favourite special was the Kashkaval Eggs which has pan fried onion, tomato, baked eggs, kashkaval cheese, mint, parsley, spinach with a side of bread and cucumber salad. The baked eggs were full of flavour from all the other components including the home made baked chorizo and cheese but I really enjoy the flavours from the cooked tomato and onion as well. The flakey bread made a nice side eat the baked eggs with as well. The cucumber salad also makes for a refreshing contrast to the Kashkaval eggs.

Given it's the weekend, it's time to treat yourself. On the way in, we saw a number of delicious cakes and other baked treats. I make a mental note to order something sweet.

There is this decadent lemon cake. The lemon cake had a really nice soft texture and a really sweet zesty lemon flavour. The cake was actually quite fragrant. Delicious! There's also the vegan slice which looks delightful with dried flowers and nuts to top it off. The vegan slice has a similar texture to a caramel slice and has a nice chocolately hit. Matt struggles to work out all the components of this slice but enjoys eating it.

Summary: Substation is a delightful cafe. Make sure you get there early and check out the specials which are physically displayed at the counter. I would highly recommend the Kashkaval Eggs although be mindful that the specials may change from week to week. You also can't leave without a cheeky cake either. That lemon cake was so delicious.

Price: $9.50-20ish for most dishes

Location: 124 McEvoy St, Alexandria

Opening Hours: 
Monday to Saturday: 6:30am to 4:30pm
Sunday 7am to 4:30pm

Weekend Food Escapes dined as guests of the venue or their representatives. All photos, opinions and words are my own.