The Random Foodie: The Copper Mill, Alexandria

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

The Copper Mill, Alexandria

Located in Alexandria, The Copper Mill is a welcoming addition to the suburb's ever-growing cafe and restaurant scene that has been expanding since the opening of The Grounds of Alexandria. It's also a good walking distance from St Peter's Station and even closer to Sydney Park if you happen to be in the area. As you step inside, you notice the industrial decor of the joint While it's quiet on the weekdays, it's much more busier on the weekends especially with the limited seating inside so there will be a small wait for the tables at peak hours (though not as bad as the Grounds of course).

It's rare to find a cafe where I actually want to try every single dish of the menu but The Copper Mill is definitely one of those places. What distinguishes this cafe to others within the vicinity is the Peruvian influence in many of the dishes from the menu thanks to their Peruvian chef. The menu changes regularly with some dishes being available on weekends only. You can definitely a number of dishes with certain ingredients that would be harder to find elsewhere such as the vegetarian dishes 'Portobello Mushies', the 'Puffed Galette', the Tacu Tacu and their own take of the 'Huevos Rancheros'. You know what's even better? The Copper Mill does all day breakfast. Score!

Skim Mocha ($4.00)

In all of my visits to this cafe, I've always loved the coffee here. Not only was the coffee art so pretty but the coffee itself was well balanced between the bitterness of the beans, the sweetness from the cocoa and the creaminess from the milk. The coffee was made using Golden Cobra's coffee beans which was unique compared to the usual names I've seen around the other cafes but certainly a winner for me.

Huevos Rancheros - blue corn tortilla, black beans, roasted capsicum, pecorino, sunny side eggs and bacon ($17.00)

One of the dishes that I've been looking forward to try at this cafe was the Huevos Rancheros. According to the staff, apparently this dish is only available on Sundays (possibly Saturday too but might need to double check). While most recipes see the eggs served on a crispy flour white tortilla, this version uses the more unique blue corn tortilla. It's insanely messy to handle and not too aesthetic with so many ingredients bundled together on the plate but the flavour combination was what mattered the most. The serving was more than generous so it would keep you full to the end of the day.

Peruvian Roll ($10.00)

Another unique dish at The Copper Mill was their signature Peruvian Roll.

With loads of unique ingredients and the leniency towards Peruvian cuisines, it's no wonder that I've constantly had craving to make return visits for many other dishes. The board menu changes on a regular basis however there are still a few regular dishes such as the Peruvian Roll that has been on the menu each time I've visited this cafe. The service seems friendly and attentive and most of the prices were actually on the cheaper end of the scale. The industrial-esque decor of the cafe may not look too fancy but it does represent the rustic appearance of the dishes and the overall down to earth atmosphere. Looking forward to returning again and again for more dishes such as the coddled egg and the beef hash.