Two Before Ten recently took over from the very short-lived 79&Fine in Civic. I managed to dine there when the Spring menu had just been introduced and found it quite hard to decide what to order. I was torn between two dishes – the confit ocean trout and the coffee pannacotta (mmm dessert for breakfast) so I asked my waitress about the portion size of the pannacotta thinking I could have it on the side. She asked the kitchen staff and came back advising the portion was small. That was good enough for me and I cheekily ordered both. Don’t judge me.
The confit ocean trout ($18) with preserved lemon, parsley, almonds, black quinoa and two poached egg on sourdough was impressive due to a) the huge chunk of trout provided, b) the absolute melt-in-your-mouth silky confit trout (OMG!) and c) the perfectly poached and oozy egg. The thick slice of sourdough was a bonus too. I found the preserved lemon a little too sour for my tastes and only managed to eat half of what was on the plate, however it did work well with the trout.
The cold brewed coffee pannacotta ($12) with filter coffee pearls, almond sponge and chocolate twigs looked gorgeous on the plate. It was a larger portion than expected so I didn’t end up finishing it all. The pannacotta didn’t have a strong coffee flavour and I thought it was a bit too gelatinous. However I did love the combination of flavours and textures. I can see this being a popular dish during the warmer months and it reminded me of a deconstructed mocha cake.
Service was attentive and I was regularly checked on for coffee orders. My mocha came out within a few minutes and the food also didn’t take long to arrive (though this was a weekday breakfast sitting). There were several other lone diners enjoying breakfast or a coffee while reading a newspaper before heading to work.
Two Before Ten in Civic is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch. It’s situated at 1 Hobart Place in the city.
Foodgasm 8/10
Service 9/10
Value for money 8/10
FPJ score 25/30
If you want more random photos and updates about food, I’m on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Facebook: /foodpornjournal
Twitter: @foodpornjournal
Instagram: /foodpornjournal