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Uncommon

Dani Valent
Dani Valent

The leafy interior of Uncommon cafe.
The leafy interior of Uncommon cafe.Paul Jeffers

Modern Australian$$

Until I went to Uncommon, saying the words "mung beans" made me put on a hippy-stoner voice and twist my hair into fake dreadlocks. I couldn't help it. But the mung bean and turmeric fritter at this health-conscious cafe, open since December, has cured me of my mug mung moves.

The fritter is a fetching early-sunset orange, made from those beans, quinoa and buckwheat. It's set with nigari, the special salt that's used in tofu production, giving it sturdy, compact body. A poached egg, chorizo and ricotta made from kefir (fermented milk) round it out beautifully. There's so much roughage in the dish I wouldn't be surprised if it's one of those mythical negative calorie meals.

That Japanesque tofu technique is one of many creative moves from chef Matthew Kennedy, who has taken fine dining experience and layered it with a newfound passion for healthy eating. The result is clean, vigorous food that's also interesting, technically proficient and tasty.

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Mung bean, quinoa and buckwheat fritter.
Mung bean, quinoa and buckwheat fritter.Darrian Traynor

Also dressed up for the grain parade is a slow-cooked millet porridge flavoured with cardamom and cinnamon. It's not easy to make millet magnificent but this creamy, textured breakfast bowl does so.

House-cured salmon pastrami is another star brunch: firm fish, herby scrambled eggs (not curdy enough for me), tamari-tossed seeds and a creamy scoop of honey whipped with olive oil combine to create a satisfying if cacophonous meal that checks off sour, spiced, salty, sweet and savoury.

I like the coffee: the almond milk latte is rich and strong and there's even a cold drip coffee served in a coconut. (Please Uncommon, rename this the CoCoCo!)

Salmon pastrami with herb scrambled eggs.
Salmon pastrami with herb scrambled eggs.Paul Jeffers
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It's gorgeous in here too. Light pours in to a soaring industrial space strung with lavish hanging greenery; the scuffed white floor looks lovely against dark timber tables.

It would be easy to be cynical about the hip 'n' healthy vibes but I like the place.

Uncommon is earnestly aiming to create happy, healthy humans, and that's an uncommonly winsome project indeed.

Rating: Four stars (out of five)

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Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

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