Glass Den – Dani Valent

restaurant review glass den by Dani Valent

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15 Urquhart Street, Coburg, 9354 5032

My score: 3.5/5

If the point of eating out is to luxuriate in stuff you wouldn’t make at home (plus no dishes!) then Glass Den is nailing it. That was my conclusion as I ploughed through their signature Bluestone Benedict, a magnificent brunch creation that makes dinner seem the very definition of unnecessary. Housemade roti is piled with melty braised beef cheek, torn kale, poached eggs and a sucker-punching hollandaise laced with chilli. It’s elaborate but hearty and comforting.

You wouldn’t do tira misu hotcakes at home either. These fat, springy sponges soak up chocolate splodges and sprinkles and generously dolloped coffee cream. There’s a shot of espresso on the side to ensure a lively day, too. It’s at the freakshake end of the breakfast spectrum but that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable. Rocking the activewear crowd is a coconut panna cotta trembling in a crunchy sea of granola and berries. Again, you’d be unlikely to create this in your own kitchen, even though it’s way prettier than a bowl of corn flakes.

There’s a heartfelt vibe to the place. Thai chef Mini Pakchima injects the menu with spicy sorcery but credit for dishes is shared around. For example, barista Nam is the inspiration for the Breakfast Banh Mi, a Vietnamese-style sausage sandwich that includes jalapenos and smoky barbecue sauce as it globetrots its way to flavour. The Avocado Riot is ‘inspired by our resident activist Alex’ in a nod to Glass Den’s progressive ethics, also expressed in its mostly female crew and Coke-free policy. There’s been a particular focus on training up and retaining woman baristas; apparently you don’t need a beard and a fixie to make a great coffee. As a woefully under-caffeinated Sunday morning blow-in I appreciated the happy obsession with making the perfect flat white. Smoothies, juices, chai, tea and booze are chosen or created with similar care and attention.

The customer experience isn’t entirely cosy: the main dining room is more ‘glass’ than ‘den’ and the rear atrium is shielded by plastic curtains (on the upside, there’s acres of room for prams). Service is friendly but can feel a little disorganised. Two tips: never let a customer stand in the doorway wondering what to do next, and don’t make me cry by letting eggs go cold on the pass.

Glass Den is in the old gatehouse of Pentridge Prison, now an incomplete residential development that is nowhere near as nice as it should be. In this context, the cafe is an exuberant and positive splash, a knitter and nurturer of community, offering reasons to eat out that are beyond dishes-free dining.

See their website.

More Winter Breakfast:

Hapsburg Empire, 123 Bridport Street West, Albert Park, 9686 8226.
I usually think of this as a cake and coffee stop but they’re serious about breakfast too: think buckwheat crepes and fancy omelettes.

Our Kitchenette, 217 Riversdale Road, Hawthorn East, 9939 9340.
Start the day cheery with a new spin on porridge: sweet grits are topped with vanilla-poached pear and walnuts. Now open Mondays too!

Horse on Heels, 50 Rose Street, Fitzroy, 9972 3948.
Keep calm and eat waffles at this new cafe, where the griddled goodness comes both savoury and sweet. Try waffles topped with salted caramel and banana, pork belly and even chia pudding.

Hannah, 141 Chapel Street, St Kilda, 9534 4442.
Groovy tunes on vinyl keep the mood humming and warm even when it’s bitterly cold outside, and the weekend breakfast specials are a southside event. How about brioche French toast with gingerbread ice cream and caramelised apples?

First published in The Age, 26th June 2016.

2018-05-03T17:06:56+10:00

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