Ernest V

Ernest V

432 Glen Huntly Road, Elsternwick, 9532 4322

Unlicensed MC V Eftpos

Mon-Fri 7am-5pm, Sat & Sun 8am-5pm

Breakfast $6-$16.50, lunch $11.50-$19, sweets $3-$4.50

I don’t suppose anyone in Elsternwick was hankering for a bit of Cairo on Glen Huntly Road but there are plenty of locals happy about the arrival of Ernest V, a Middle Eastern-influenced cafe with its sights set high. The cafe is owned by old friends Roz Lawrence, a rag-trade escapee, and Salah Maklad, who has a long history in Melbourne hospitality (he trained as a waiter with Mietta O’Donnell in her Alfred Place days) but has recently been living in Egypt where he owned a chic restaurant called Flux.

Ernest V’s name reflects its most stunning feature, the arresting antique wall tiles imported from Egypt and inscribed on the reverse with their makers’ names, one of them Ernest. Other notable design elements include the wrap-around enclosed rear deck, all the better to prevent the escape of rogue children and dogs. The outdoor menu blackboard doubles as a kids’ drawing wall.

The coffee at Ernest V was good from the beginning but there’s been a refocusing of the food offering since the place opened in high summer. New executive chef Carl Barnes comes most recently from top local caterer Food and Desire and the menu reflects an eye for big flavours and elegant presentation.

I loved the ful, the big breakfast of the Cairo cafe scene, which features braised beans, baked tomato, coriander and a fried egg of perfectly sunshiney, gooey yolk. The pancakes have firm fans: a generous stack is studded with caramelised banana pieces; they’re scattered with candied walnuts, wisps of Persian fairy floss and whipped maple syrup butter. Tart, freshly made lemonade is a nice way to cut through the sticky sweetness. The scrambled eggs are simple and stylish, cooked with green chilli and piled on housemade cornbread alongside thin-cut, crisp-cooked bacon. Get a hash brown on the side: they’re made here and gorgeously garlicky. The base of the breakfast trifle is a delicious, rich cream and yoghurt blend but there’s not enough rhubarb compote or muesli to balance the dish. For lunch, consider wood-fired pizzas and the lamb burger with spiced juniper berries and pistachio aioli.

Service was friendly and keen but not entirely slick and I fear that when the cafe is cranking, slippages may occur. A liquor license is pending, after which Ernest V will start opening a few evenings a week for pizza and tasting plates, giving new meaning to a night on the tiles.

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INDULGE

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