Slow and steady ~ NO ~ Cheap and cheerful wins the race!

The poll is closed but EatThis readers are definitely looking for good value, so here's my Top 9! Why not Top 10? - who wants to be conformist!!!

And while you're eating your way through the list share your favourites with us all or vote in the next poll - what's your favourite bread?

• Moroccan Soup Bar (MiddleEastern, Non meat, $20 Banquet, Fitzroy North) 
• Tom Phat (Contemporary Asian, Open all day Wed-Sun, Brunswick)
• Pacific Seafood BBQ House (Cantonese, Richmond)
• Babka (Bakery/Cafe, Breakfast or lunch. buy some veggie bread to take home, Fitzroy)
• Laksa King (Have the Laksa!, Flemington)
• Supper Inn (Chinese until 2.30am!, City)
• Quan 88 (Vietnamese, Richmond - of course!)
• Mitte (Daytime cafe, Fitzroy North)
• Tiba's (Traditional Lebanese fare,  Brunswick)

......breakfast most places is gentle on the wallet/purse, but don't forget lunches. Limited choice set menu's for lunch at some of Melbourne's best can be great value. 2/3 courses, coffee together with all the finery can be had at:

• Embasse (3 courses $45)
• Jacques Reymond (2 courses $48)
• Maha (3 courses $40)
• The Press Club (2 courses $42)
• Ezards (3 savoury courses $50

Brunch is the best!

I love brunch - I can catch up with friends who have been up since the 'crack of dawn' when I have just slothed out of bed and we can savour breakfast or lunch together. Rather than one of my favourite haunts today we tried Snow Pony. The baked beans were yum! - nearly as good as the ones at Babka (don’t forget to buy a loaf of the vegetable bread to take home) and A Minor Place. The bread at Dench’s makes it a great choice for breakfast (and a loaf or two to takeaway) but my all time fav is Tom Phat for anytime of the day, fantastic breakfast dishes, great juice combinations, a glass of wine/ale, light lunches, rich mains, fabulous desserts (Roti pancake, wow!)- an interesting (good interesting) Asian/European mix (an article in The Age Newspaper recently labelled the flavours as Thai but thats way to restrictive Malay, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese) and mostly friendly'ish' & efficient service. Try everything its all great!! Snow Pony, 95 Whitehorse Road Balwyn; Babka Bakery Café, 358 Brunswick St Fitzroy; Dench Bakers, 109 Scotchmer St Fitzroy North; Tom Phat, 184 Sydney Road Brunswick; A Minor Place, 103 Albion St Brunswick.