Proud Mary - Creedence Clearwater Collingwood

In order to postpone any desire to enjoy a balanced breakfast which I planned to have as the 20/20 cricket was on in the evening as I knew that I was going to be enjoying tasty alcoholic beverages whilst we attempted to win the ridiculous short-form game, not only did I end up at the gym but also walked to Oxford Street in Collingwood to enjoy lunch at Proud Mary with one other. By the time I turned up at the restaurant, I would have eaten a chair I was so hungry (and thirsty) so it was with gratitude that I learned that the wait was a mere 20 minutes for a table.

Proud Mary is known for its all-day breakfast options, limited lunch menu, teas and extraordinary coffee. As it was a great day weather-wise in Melbourne, I was ecstatic when we were offered one of the four tables outside. Inside is a very lively and loud room where it is difficult to have any sort of pleasant conversation because of the sheer volume of noise. Not to say that it is off-putting if you are in the mood for such a jovial atmosphere however on this occasion I was extremely pleased to be able to enjoy the serenity of the street. As the restaurant is off of Smith Street, there is limited traffic and on-street parking available in a neighbourhood that has an industrial feel.

After being seated it didn't take long at all for water to arrive. A few minutes later a happy member from the service team turned up to consult on the menu. I had a few questions about the coffee that was on offer and I found service to be very informed and happy to guide me down the path of enlightenment. I ended up ordering a single origin coffee from El Salvador and also a blood orange granita ($6) to accompany a McIvor farm pork ragu ($17) - 24 hour braised pork and fennel ragu with house made pappardelle and shaved parmagiano. It did not take long for the various beverages to come out and just before I was about to take a bite out of my table, my lunch arrived. My dining companion ordered the Avacado ($16) which is avacado on farmhouse toast, charred corn and quinoa tabouleh with goats cheese and chilli oil. I was jealous of this as not only did it appear amazing but when I begged for a taste of it, the taste was also amazing. My pork ragu was a bit flavourless with the exception of the shaved parmagiano and the pappardelle pasta was a bit undercooked. It didn't stop me from eating it all but I was disappointed in my selection just because of the lack of flavour. The pork was tender and there was an adequate portion of it included in the ragu with relieved my immediate hunger and certainly tasted better than my other option, being the table I would suspect, however the small taste of the Avacado dish made me regret my decision. I would certainly come back to enjoy that.

A second round of drinks and high quality service made for a relaxed early afternoon. With the summer of cricket coming to an end, I will have to return to Proud Mary again very soon to sample more of their breakfast menu so that I am prepared for the abuse that the West Indians will give to our bowling attack and I will not only request a table outside but happily wait for it.

Proud Mary

Link to review

172 Oxford St  Collingwood VIC 3066
(03) 9417 5930

http://www.proudmarycoffee.com.au

My Rating: 12.75/20

Service: 3.25/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Quality: 3.25/5

Value For Money: 3.25/5

Twitter: @epicurean3006

e-mail: epicureanofsouthbank (at) gmail (dot) com

web: www.epicureanofsouthbank.com

At the time of this post, 87% of the reviewers on Urbanspoon also like the Proud Mary.