I’ve had my eye on Temperance Society for quite some time now. How could I not given their frequent presence on the Insta feed, namely their delectable looking chocolate panna cotta dessert among other goodies. With some leave from work over the Christmas break, it seemed like a fitting time to finally head over to the east side and visit Temperance Society. Boxing Day of all days, but we lucked out and managed to avoid any crazy Chadstone traffic.

The brunch menu is fairly extensive and it took some time to whittle down the options. The panna cotta was a must-try, of course, but savouries first. On warmer days or if you’re jonesing for a lighter option, the warm chicken salad makes a great pick; immensely flavoursome, well balanced and refreshing. Equally vibrant in the flavour department was the chilli scramble thanks to the fragrant fried shallots and punchy parmesan but perhaps slightly lacking on the spicy front. The rosti is a recommended addition to this dish, or any other dish for that matter - crispy, fried slab of potato layers, need I say more?

Then came time to tuck into the Chocolate planet panna cotta. Once the camera got its substantial feed of this dish… it took an accidental knocking over of the chocolate bowl for me to finally put the camera away. Between the edible flowers and the adorning chocolate bowl filled with fruits and chocolate brownie pieces, all the elements made the panna cotta dish a stunning masterpiece. But when it came down to taste, all that was really needed, at least to the liking of our taste buds, was the chocolate orange panna cotta and the granola. All the other bells and whistles, while tasty or well executed, could be taken or left. The panna cotta was sensationally silky and smooth, our cutlery gliding through effortlessly, and the chocolate and orange balance nailed perfectly. I’m a huge fan of the chocolate and orange flavour pairing, so absolutely adored the panna cotta. The nuttiness and crunch captured in the Oreo and pistachio rounded out the choc orange presence beautifully. Well worth revisiting for this dish alone…

Warm chicken salad - with fried chat potatoes, green beans, poached egg, balsamic tomato, spinach, and cous cous with honey mustard sauce.

Chilli scrambled eggs - with coriander, bacon, cherry tomatoes, mint, fried shallots and parmesan on sourdough, with added halloumi and rosti.

Chocolate planet - chocolate and orange panna cotta with Oreo and pistachio granola, mixed berries coolie, brownie, banana brulee and seasonal fruits in a chocolate bowl.

Temperance Society

127 Kangaroo Rd,

Hughesdale, Victoria, 3166.

+61 3 9568 2500

Disclosure: I dined as a guest of Temperance Society. All opinions expressed in this post are based entirely on my experience and observations made during the time of my visit.