Bitton Gourmet Café & Grocer, Alexandria – Rating: 23.5/25 (re-review)

David Bitton, as you can see in the shot above, is a very happy man.  He is a gentleman and… perhaps a scholar?  Let’s just say he’s a scholar!  As far as I’m concerned he is a genius and responsible for one of my most memorable reviews in a long time.

He did not know the reason for my visit upon first entry yet he took the time to seat my guests and I.  The level of service was set and it did not drop for a second.  Attentive, friendly and courteous waitstaff were always around when needed.  They also possess ESP because all it took was me to think it and a serrated knife was brought to me!

The last time I reviewed Bitton, I was not happy with my photographs… hopefully this time I have done the dishes justice.

Yes, we would like some more coffee please!  Round one, round two, round three!  Grinders is the bean of choice and it goes down so well.  Regular ($3.60), mug ($4.20) or bowl $5.20), there’s a size to suit everyone!

Tea by Ovvio is also available for $4.50 in a cornucopia of flavours such as vanilla lemon heaven, organic sencha, minty, chamomile & lavender or juniper, hibiscus & rosehip.

Vanilla, chocolate, caramel or strawberry milkshakes ($5) are available but I recommend you head straight for the smoothies ($5).  My strawberry version was packed with fresh fruit and had the consistency and flavours you dream of just before taking a sip.

All sorts of freshly squeezed juices are also available for $5 (or $5.50 if you mix them).

This is the part of the review where I start to gush (more so)!  My guests did the same when it came to every dish.  The one pan bacon and eggs ($16) is one of the dishes on the menu that is also featured in the Bitton cookbook.  You can also purchase the spicy tomato sauce to ensure an authentic recreation.  Bacon infused eggs just work together!

If you’re looking for something simple, you have the choice of croissant, Turkish, brioche, raisin sourdough, multigrain, soy & linseed or gluten free toast ($6.50).  Either way, they are served with hand churned, hand wrapped Pepe Saya butter which in itself is a flavour worth mentioning.  A variety of jams are available but the strawberry and vanilla is definitely one of the best.

If you’re in search of a sweet treat, try the French crêpes with fruit compote and strawberry & vanilla jam ($12).  The dish is quite small but I think this would be a great one to share.  The compote isn’t overly sweet and the crêpes themselves are light.

The three cheese omelette with English spinach and sourdough toast ($18.50) sounds simple enough but thanks to the dreamy combination of goat , blue and Gruyere cheeses, there is very little to complain about!  The flavours are bold and rich but toned down slightly thanks to the spinach.  The scrumptious sourdough toast was the perfect accompaniment.

Without doubt the best croque madame ($16.50) I have ever had.

I could stop there as that’s all I need to say but I suppose I should fill this space!  I and every one of my guests will return multiple times for this dish.  I was unsure whether to order this or the wagyu beef burger ($18.50) but I figured I should stick to the French dishes and see what Monsieur Bitton had to offer. The Gruyère cheese and mornay sauce combined magnificently.  At no point did the flavours seem too rich or overpowering.  All ingredients melted in the mouth and every fork-full was simply heaven!

Hospitality, thy name is Bitton!  Once again, I had not let anyone know that I was reviewing but a round of gorgeous panna cotta materialised and was made short work of!

Our credit card was even returned to us to check whether we had a Master Card instead… use Master Card and receive a free bottle of your choice from the grocer!

Other dishes worth trying include the breakfast quinoa with cinnamon, blueberries, banana and coconut yoghurt ($14.50), eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, baby spinach and Hollandaise sauce ($18.50) or the all day club sandwich with chicken, bacon, egg, tomato, mayonnaise and BBQ sauce on sourdough ($18).

I was impressed by my last visit to Bitton but they simply outdid themselves this time around.  With outside seating and two spacious rooms, they are ready to host the grandest of breakfast outings.