The west side is slowly catching up with the rest of Melbourne when it comes to burgers and brunch options. Exciting for me as it means brunching on the weekend no longer requires a 30 minute-plus trek. 

Located a mere 15 minutes from home, I recently checked out North & Eight during a brunch catch up with a friend. 

Not your average eggs benny, North and Eight's version replaces the usual ham or bacon with tender, pulled ham hock. The potato hash added an additional tasty element to the plate. 

Scanning the menu, my eyes saw mushrooms and crispy polenta and the dish was pretty much instantly sold. This was even despite already having a mushroom dish for brunch the day before! Polenta is either hit or miss as the texture can be really, really ick when prepped incorrectly but these polenta chips were delish! The fried exterior was crispy while the polenta itself was airy light and fluffy. The medley of mushrooms contributed an abundance of earthy flavours and a blend of textures that kept each bite interesting. Icing on top of the cake, the indulgently creamy flavour and light texture of the hollandaise foam and sweetness from the tomato jam really upped the overall flavour palette. 

With plenty of tasty options that appear to come with a bit of a tasty twist and with its location close to home, North and Eight gets some major ticks in my books. Needless to say, brunch adventure @ North and Eight take two is just waiting to happen! 

North and Eight

285 - 287 Buckley St,

Aberfeldie, Victoria, 3040.

(03) 9331 3858