Perth Voice Interactive

FROM the comfort of our footpath table we watched the queue outside Milkd lengthen down the street and thanked our lucky stars we’d beaten the morning rush.

Then everyone realised the person at the head of the queue wasn’t queuing at all but merely leaning against the wall waiting for someone inside. Doh!

Our table was well placed to watch the subsequent comic antics and comings and goings, and further observation revealed Milkd does a rip-roaring trade in coffee and muffins to go. It doesn’t do its own juices, which is disappointing, however, I was assured the OJ ($7) was freshly squeezed (elsewhere). And I have to say I couldn’t fault it—I just would have liked more choice than orange and apple.

Service was languid but then it was a Sunday and we had nowhere else to be and there was plenty to watch on this Eighth Avenue hub. Hip 20-somethings, with fashionably half-shaved heads (men and women) middle-class matrons with designer dogs, groovy young mums and bubs, and a range of customers in between mingled at this trendy little eatery, illustrating the wonderful community vitality of Maylands in 2014.

Milkd gets its bread from the New Norcia bakery, including a particularly good sourdough. Poached eggs and sourdough ($13) are a match made in heaven my other half mumbled as rich golden yolk soaked obligingly into his lightly scorched bread.

As I sank my teeth into the zucchini, artichoke and feta on grilled bread ($11.90) I concurred that sourdough does indeed rock.

The combination of zucchini and artichoke made for happy bedfellows and the zing of feta, garlic butter and a sweet/sharp mango chutney on the side ensured this was a delicious way to start the day.

The last member of our trio mixed and matched his meal with poached eggs, beans and avocado ($21). Milkd makes its own version of baked beans (nothing like the soft beans in sugar-tomato glop we grew up with) and they were fantastic, the navy beans soft and buttery and the tomato sauce rich and sharp. The avocado a brilliant addition.

Having lingered long we were up for trying the toasted banana bread and toasted mango and coconut bread ($5). The banana bread was a classic version, moist and slightly spicy, while the mango bread was lighter, soft and fluffy with a powerful coconut flavour.

A couple of very good coffees ($4) ensured a well rounded finish to a most enjoyable breakfast.

Milkd
45 Eighth Avenue, Maylands
9272 4041
open Mon–Sun 6.30am–6pm