Eating: Follow the Leader, Ripponlea

2/8/2014

Once upon a wintry Saturday in Elsternwick Melbourne, the first of Mel’s and mine plans for winter adventure took a turn. Instead of our original plans for a self-guided tour of Melbourne University we decided to stay closer to home, where we launched our day at Follow the Leader on Glen Eira Road.

It’s bright simple decor provided the setting for a hearty morning start. I enjoyed the Macchiato, since I’m not a huge milk drinker. It was strong and fortifying, and with my limited expertise, I knew it wasn’t burnt and that it was strong enough to wake me up with a gentle shake on shoulder.

I partook of the Corn fritters with bacon.

There was something about the texture of the corn fritters that bespoke of comfort yet was so fresh and lively at the same time. the more I ate of the fritter the more I found to love about it. What you get is a plate with corn fritter, goats cheese, tomato jam, and watercress.

What made this dish, was the little things like the way it was cooked with even consistency. The fritter composed of corn, zucchini and what I think was a slight hint of a no-heat pepper. It was soft and gooey on the inside but a slight crunch on the outside. The bacon was of a good thickness, that tasted like bacon and not just salt, which helped to balance the sweetness of the tomato jam. The goats cheese was thoughtfully spread over each fritter, so that with each bite you got a good balance of pungent cheese, sweet jam, salty bacon, and fresh watercress that had a slight wilt to it.

The thing I really appreciated about this dish was the basil infused oil around the edge of the dish. It helped give the whole dish a lift as the aroma of the basil fed your sense of smell while the fritter fed your sense of taste.

We noticed the same basil infused oil on Mel’s dish of Sweet Potato Hash, with feta, eggs and, tomato jam. She too commented on how fresh her dish felt. Just because they were fresh and light did not mean they weren’t filling. It was a wonderful way to start our Ripponlea adventure.

I normally don’t get heavy milk drinks for brunch, due in part to my tummy’s occasional fisticuffs with milk, but mainly because what I feared would happen, happened to Mel. In that she got so full from all the cream in the milk that she had hardly enough space for lunch. Whereas I, being the younger and taller one, was able to fill my tummy aplenty with delicious pork belly. But that is another story for another post.

In conclusion:

Great little brunch location, with a short wait time and friendly staff. Good solid selection of your classic brunch favourites with a few special gems like the corn fritters and sweet potato hash, finished with a little extra basil sparkle. I would definitely recommend you visit here if you’re doing something in the area. Not sure it’s a go-out-of-your-way to visit, but if you enjoy exploring different areas in your spare time, here’s a good place as any to spend your hard earned relaxed hours.

Follow the Leader

65 Glen Eira Road

Ripponlea

(03) 9530 0415