You had me at bacon.
Because my trip to Wellington was organised so quickly, I didn't have much time to do research. Yes, food research. I usually like to spend days or weeks looking online for recommendations, checking out restaurant websites, food blogs and reviews for the best eats in the area.
As I'd walked past Dixon St Deli on my first afternoon in Wellington, I doubled back once I realised the name sounded familiar. Pressing my nose up against the glass windows, I could just make out the menu of the closed cafe. Oh yes, I knew where I was heading for breakast the next day.
At 5.30pm, I'm eating two chicken and potato enchiladas with Poblano Mole from Viva Mexico. By 7.00pm Im about to start a three-course dinner at The Ambeli. I'm not really in need of a huge breakfast the next morning, but the bacon... it's the main reason I got out of bed so early.
Long black $3.30
At 8.45am on a Saturday, Dixon St Deli is still filling its glass display cabinets with pies, pastas, salads and cakes. The space is bright and airy, the morning sun streaming in cheerily through the glass. I love the huge u-shaped banquette seating in the middle, broken up around the edges with tables for two. There's a pile of morning newspapers on a side table, and jars of pickles and mustards lined up on the surrounding shelves.
Wellington is known for its fantastic coffee culture and my long black is just what this night owl needs - a rich smooth blend of coffee with a silky crema on top.
French toast with bacon, banana and syrup $14.50
And then comes breakfast.
Good French toast is hard to find, and I'm in awe of this triple decker construction, sandwiched with large slices of middle eye bacon and caramelised banana halves. The bread has been generously swaddled with egg and then pan-fried, the bacon is a little salty but that's why the banana always works so well - a sweet creamy foil which helps everything go down the hatch.
Of course the ceremonial annointing of maple syrup over everything is mandatory. Sweet, salty, eggy, spongy, banana syrup bliss. Plus a few diced bits of fruit - everything in moderation...
Grab Your Fork attended Wellington on a Plate as a guest of Positively Wellington Tourism. The meal at Dixon St Deli was visited anonymously and paid for personally. For more information on Wellington, check out http://www.wellingtonnz.com.
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Dixon St Deli
45 Dixon Street
(just off Cuba Mall)
Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (04) 384 2436
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 7.30am - 5.00pm
Saturday and Sunday 8.30am - 4.00pm
Oh my! This is my kind of brekky! I too love the french toast/banana/bacon with lots of maple syrup combo...you are speaking mt breakfast language Helen!
ReplyDeleteTell you what, I could have started my day off with a pile of eggy french toast with bacon and bananas easy today! The mini fruit salad off to the side is the cuteness - it's almost as if the owners know you'll be feeling bad and will need a couple of squares of apple to justify the gluttony :)
ReplyDeletewhoa... that more looks like my lunch! =D haha
ReplyDeletelooks delish!
Hee hee aren't eating trips just the best ^^! Looks like you did very well! And that breakfast sounds/looks like my kinda breakfast XD maple syrup dripping, crispy bacon, soft and fluffy eggy toast mmm
ReplyDeleteWow, that breakfast has everything! Definitely worth getting up for.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter G - Oh yes it's a great breakfast. A combo that straddles the border between savoury and sweet. You're a man of fine taste - but you already knew that right? :)
ReplyDeleteHi Shez - Ha yes, I definitely think the fruit salad balanced my breakfast. Virtuosity indeed!
Hi squishies - It was a very nice way to start the day. I could quite happily eat this for lunch too.
Hi FFichiban - Is there any other kind of trip? lol. They say you should feast like a king at breakfast - I think I did a pretty good job!
Hi Arwen - I'm not naturally a morning person, but yes, it's amazing what the promise of bacon can do! :)
ReplyDeleteHaha I remember you mentioned that before... but I feast like a king for breakfast, lunch and dinner.... and afternoon tea and supper and snacks...
ReplyDeleteHMMMMM BACON!! Looks like a great breakfast to wake up to!
ReplyDeleteHi FFichiban - Oh yes feasting all day is my kinda thing too :)
ReplyDeleteHi Yas - I love WAKIN' to BACON! lol.
Oh my, how yum would that be. Have moved back to The Netherlands from NZ and am missing those breakfasts combined with good coffees soooooo much! Would have loved to go to Wellers now to enjoy some of the Wtn on a plate!!!
ReplyDeleteI love French toast or pancakes with bacon. I can seriously have it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Is there any chance you know of a place that serves it with crispy bacon in Sydney? :)
ReplyDeleteHi Anon - Oh I can empathise, I'm often more homesick for food than anything else! Maybe you'll have to schedule a visit back to Wellington soon :)
ReplyDeleteHi Cat - I agree, pancakes with bacon is perfect for every meal! I find that breakfast menus do change but alas, I've yet to find a really good one with crispy bacon. Perhaps a good excuse to whip out the crepe pan at home!
Yum! I've long been a fan of Dixon St Deli's lunch/snack options: good salads behind the counter, filo parcels, soups - but I've never been there for breakfast, looks like I'll have to try... And I'm glad (though not too surprised) you enjoyed Wellington's offerings, though I'm a bit jealous at all the Wellington on a Plate events you went to! (I was away for most of it - sad!)
ReplyDeleteHi Millie Mirepoix - All the food looked good at Dixon St Deli. A shame you weren't there for much of WOAP but you get to enjoy all of Wellington's spoils all year! I loved the markets and the coffee was sublime...
ReplyDelete