From the powerhouse hands behind Liar Liar, Three Bags Full and Two Birds One Stone, it’s little surprise that Church Street-toting Top Paddock dazzles. With one of the swankiest fit outs going around, Top Paddock is all floor-to-ceiling windows, white tiling and recycled materials; a sprawling central coffee bar houses two Synesso machines and a flurry of buzzing baristas. Flanking the white-topped behemoth are stools for those who prefer to be within arms-length of their single origin ristretto; further afield there are communal tables for large lunches, booths and tucked-away nooks perfect for dining à deux.
Our cosy corner alcove was the prime position for people-watching – much to the delight of the Mother – and peering at passing waiters balancing plates laden with mango-and-coconut bread, chili scrambled eggs and fare from the daily specials menu that echoes head chef Jesse McTavish’s farm-to-table ethos.
Succumbing to her softness for smoked salmon, Mother swiftly settled on one of the specials; a mouth-watering medley crafted from delicately pink slices of fish, punchy goats cheese, shaved fennel, soy and linseed toast, and a poached egg. It wasn’t any of these cracking components that caught mum’s eye; rather her attention was stolen by the itty-bitty baby zucchini scattered around the plate, ‘Look at them!’ she said excitedly, picking one up and waving it in front of my face, ‘It’s like they’re for a Borrower!’ Each forkful packed a delicious blend of splodge of salty, sharp cheese, sweet and smokey salmon and a crunch of those much-covet courgettes. ‘It just works,’ Mother explained between mouthfuls, ‘And it works spectacularly well.’
Just as mother was in raptures with her greenery, I was taking my first bites of what would kickstart a serious infatuation with another vegetable – broccolini. The thin, asparagus-like stalks had a pleasurable crunch and the tender tufts of florets became the ultimate vessel to mop up the runny yolks from the poached-to-bursting eggs. A handful of sugar snaps added bursts of sweet freshness; a dome of perfectly rounded avocado was delicate, creamy and was a beautiful topping for crisp-edged slices of sourdough; roughly cut halves of toasted almonds were rich, earthy and made for one amazing mouthful after another. My only negative? It disappeared far too quickly.
With our plates cleared and coffee orders taken, I was expecting a wait for our caffeine hit – and with good reason; close to midday, Top Paddock was already boasting a waitlist of blazer-glad and umbrella-bearing professionals. Brewed from Five Sense beans, coffee at Top Paddock is crafted to match the food; there’s also an in-house roaster. My café latte was strong and smooth, thankfully without any bitter aftertaste; a caramel-hued rosetta took pride of place in velvety steamed milk. Mum’s long black arrived complete with glass of mineral water, golden crema and bold, robust flavours.
Straight from the Mother Whenever I order a dish with smoked salmon, I’ve come to expect only a few measly thin slices so imagine my Cheshire grin when my Top Paddock breakfast arrived with lashings of melt-in-the-mouth salmon. I was even more surprised with the speedy service: it took longer to make a decision and flag down a waiter than it did for our meals to arrive – an impressive feat given the constant stream of new arrivals and rate of table turnovers. A tip for fellow foodies of my vintage; it might be wise to arrange for an early-week visit to avoid queues – a game of road-trip favourite I Spy might be the trick for weekend waits.
Top Paddock
658 Church Street, Richmond
(03) 9429 4332
Mother Says 