West Footscray and the surrounding area is just going off. The gentrification that we have talked about in this region before means that there is more demand for better food, and much better coffee. Two people who have been instrumental in the foundation of some of the inner west’s best are Fi Marment and Jess Haire. Set inside a retail store run by design lovers Mary Long and Jos van Hulsen, POD offers some very contemporary food and incredible service in a spot where a bit of retail therapy never goes astray.
Fi opened Cafe Fidama all of those years ago in Yarraville (she is the Fi in Fidama), ran the floor at Mizusus in Albert Park and has had her finger in a number of other projects in the inner west, including time spent working at the Sourdough Kitchen in Seddon. Jess has been a fixture in some of the best kitchens, including time at Sean Donovan’s recently sold Station Hotel in Footscray, The Plough Hotel, Le Chien in Seddon and many others. These two live, love and work in the inner west and we are all better for having them here.
Its great to sit and observe the work of the staff – they go to great lengths to know the names of their customers and it is encouraging to see everyone greeted by name when they walk in the door, including the small people who are taken care of with gingerbread ninjas. The one thing that is thankfully lacking at POD is pretension.
The food at POD is fantastic. You wont find a standard bacon and eggs or an avocado smash on this menu – no sirree! With a menu that frequently changes with the seasons and a little bit of imagination, breakfast, brunch and lunch just got serious. This Scoffer fell head over heels with a breakfast of cos hearts, poached eggs, potatoes and vegemite mayonnaise. I can’t begin to tell you how good that mayo was and what it did to this dish. Sadly, they have moved on and its no longer on the menu. We do hope for a comeback to rival John Farnham on this dish or just the mayo. Instead of bacon, Haire serves a slab of kaiserfleisch, with a choice of sides including some house made beans, whipped goats cheese, mushrooms or for the super healthy, a breaky salad of greens and quinoa. Muesli, rice puddings and fruit make an appearance and the house made beans get a run on their own as well. We confess to having tried most of the menu and we struggle to find any fault.
Its clear Marment and Haire know what they are doing and it shows in consistency, taste and their service. Very good Niccolo coffee is pushed through a very busy machine, and I have to mention the scones. Savoury and sweet scones are always on the menu, including a current offering of bacon wrapped scones with house made chutney and sour cream.
POD at PID (Post Industrial Design) is at the western end of Barkly Street, between the little India hub and Ashley street. Its a great place for breaky, brunch, lunch or to stop for a coffee.
Open 7.30 – 4.00pm Tuesday – Sunday with occasional dinner experiences (get on this email list and book quickly – these babies sell out in record time). POD at PID is the quintessential local dining hub.
