Eat. @ CIBI

45 Keele St, Collingwood 3066 ph (03) 9077 3941

We were on a look out for brunch on a blazing hot Saturday morning, but a table of 5 can be hard to come by and we wandered around Collingwood for a bit and had a surprisingly delicious brunch at Cibi a few weeks ago.

We had a short wander through the shop area which had all sorts of interesting Japanese bits and bobs on display (how many times do you think I had to say "Don't Touch!!" to the kids?)   

We were soon seated and started off with a mocha ($3.8).  Cibi is a fusion treat of Japanese and Australian and the coffee here is truly Melbournian.

We had the Traditional Weekend Special ($18.5). which had grilled slice salmon fillet, free range egg omelette tamagoyaki, seasonal green vegetables, potato salad, organic brown rice and miso soup.  

For $4 more we also ordered the Ultimate Special ($22.5), which was the traditional breakfast, with the addition of tsukemono (homemade pickled goodies), natto (fermented soybeans), umeboshi (sour plum) and nori (dried seaweed).  They added extra elements of taste and texture to the brekkie and the kids enjoyed trying these different traditional Japanese side dishes.

We also shared a soba salad ($14.5), with organic soba, avocado, cherry tomato, lightly pan fried bean curd, spring onion, green salad, olive relish with dashi dressing.  I really liked this dish and have been making different variations of this at home since it's so healthy and tasty!

We ended the meal with a green tea and azuki bean muffin ($4) which was all sorts of yummy, not too sweet and a perfect way to end a meal.

Cibi is a cute little place, and it's fusion of traditional Japanese light fare with good coffee, mixed in with a bit of retail therapy is a breath of fresh air in Collingwood (even thought they have been here for quite a few years!).  An excellent alternative when we don't feel like the usual egg/bacon based breakfast.