Verb
| Where | 336 Racecourse Road, Flemington, 3031—View map |
Contact | 03 9376 2333 |
Website | — |
Open | Breakfast Monday–Friday 7.30am to 3.30pm |
Payment | EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, Cash |
Diet | Check with venue |
Seating | Inside and outside |
Kids | Welcome |
Pets | Welcome |
Formica and Jazz
Francesca Fogarty
I'm having the life I always wanted to have. Strolls around the Maribyrnong with a gal-pal; brunch interspersed with social analysis and household cleaning tips. It's sex and the city in the suburbs.
Following a sweaty walk up hill (due to a serious lack of prolonged exercise for one party, who shall remain nameless) we arrived at Verb. Initially we sat outside, and despite the sounds of traffic mingled with the ticking of the crossing lights, it was somehow pleasant. Alas, pre-spring, eating outdoors was thwarted by the reality of the cold.
Inside Verb is a warm jumble of Formica tables, old books, and posters advertising the mainstream, and not so mainstream, treats of Melbourne. Gentle Jazz permeates the room sending you immediately into a soporific state. This place is clearly kid-friendly, with colourful cups of pencils, toys and children's books lining the shelves. Perhaps if I'd been alone, a bit of colouring-in would have gone down a treat.
To jolt my body back into reality after the shock of an uphill walk, coffee was immediately ordered. The brand was Atomic and it was hot and good. The smoothie-king, Hamish, introduced the fitness freak to the delight of smoothies. The very berry smoothie arrived for Hamish, and a honey and banana smoothie for the fitness freak.
They were full of fruit and flavour, yummy by anyone's standards.
The fitness freak was a bit disappointed with the lack of fitness freaky options-fruit salad et al.-meaning the fitness freak had to break her normal routine of a walk and Bircher muesli. Instead she got green eggs and ham. Scrambled eggs mixed with a perky pesto came out on a massive plate. An additional side of avocado was an alien-like perfect shade of green, and it was a whole avocado to boot.
I ordered the baked eggs with roma tomato, goat's cheese, herbs and spinach. It was flavoursome and hearty. The tomato sauce was thick and rich, and there was enough toast to mop up every last drop.
Hamish as usual ordered the big breakfast, kransky sausages, tomatoes, halumi cheese, bacon and fried eggs. It was a cardiac surgeon's living nightmare.
The breakfast menu was reasonably diverse. Nutella pancakes with banana, and rice pudding means that this place doesn't just serve the standard eggs and bacon formula.
The food portions are generous and colourful. They smell, look and taste good. The service is attentive and cheerful. As is standard in the West, the patrons are a complete mix. Tattoos and running shoes meet grey hair and breastfeeding. Verb is a relaxed option for a weekend brunch. Settle in, spread your paper out on the old school tables and enjoy the jazz. For a busy street, you're taken away someplace different by Verb. Enjoy it.