HollyBelly

I managed to finally visit a cafe with much hype and anticipation, “HolyBelly” cafe. The name left me to think, wow, that’s one creative, hip, thoughtful, playful, witty… name for a cafe. But that’s what most cafes are these days. A good cafe though, always starts off with a cool name. This one has it.

HolyBelly is located in the 10th arrondissement of the city. According to my best mate Google Maps, I got out from the metro station Chateau D’eau. All I will say is don’t get off from here. It’s just a further walk this way and I actually walked pass one slightly closer after I had finished my meal. The station I would recommend you to get off from would be Jacques Bonsergent (Metro Ligne 5) instead, since the walking direction is far more easy and it’s just saves you some walking time. I know and understand how frustrating it could be trying to find that one place you’re looking for and you’re just too hungry to be calm in such a situation.

I’m not a hardcore brunch expert like some of my friends, but coming from Australia I certainly know a thing or two about the cafe industry. All over Sydney and Melbourne, you will be able to find a cafe with the just the ambience and vibe you desire. Hungover? Hungry? Need to work? Before work? There’s everything for you. A good cafe will be one that brings all of that together. HolyBelly connects all the main elements for me: food, beverage, service and atmosphere.

First thing first, food. The menu is simple with the favorites you would expect for breakfast and some healthy options for lunch. By the time I had arrived, they were already serving lunch, but as I love breakfast so much and completed missed it for my morning class, I had gone for possibly’s the menu’s simplest item at the time: poached eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, done. Just hearing these words make me crave for them, regardless of any time of the day. To go with my meal, I also ordered a beverage. A very interesting beverage to say the very least.

The hot drink got to my table. Honestly it was one of the most interesting and delicious hot drinks I’ve ever had. It’s called “London Fog", in which brings the blend between a classic earl grey tea and a few hints of vanilla syrup. These two are linked together by some beautifully frothed milk. I could actually elaborate a bit further about how good this drink was. The details and attention were there, whether they were purposed meant to be or not. I noticed the temperature of the drink. It’s a hot drink and can be compared to your cup of cappuccino, flat white, or latte. The temperature of London Fog when it arrived at my table was ideal. It was neither steaming hot nor cool like the fridge. If I wanted to, I could've finished the whole thing in five second. Taste wise, it was strange, but in a very positive sense. The flavour and aroma of a typical earl grey was there, with beautiful, fresh notes of citrons. The vanilla syrup of extract used was very subtle; it was enough to add the sweetness to the drink. The milk though, was perfectly steamed. I used to work for a place that would pump out loads and loads of coffees in a short period of time, so I’m not stranger to the barista role and the art of frothing milk. I can tell who knows how to make a good coffee and milk-based drinks when I see one - unfortunately way to many cafes in Paris use the machine to just make their milk, so it comes out from what is basically a nespresso machine. But the London Fog is the bomb. I switch train lines twice and walk to HolyBelly on a cold winter’s day just to sip on some London Fog.

As good was the drink was, I tried to keep as much of it left as I could, so that I could enjoy it after the food. The Eggs & Sides finally arrived at my table. The presentation was kept very simple and I got to see all the ingredients on the the plate. The food was good and it was clear that the chefs in the kitchen didn’t try to overcomplicate what is a very clean and simple breakfast. The eggs were perfectly cooked, the hash browns were delicious, the sausage patty was unique and good too. The bread was a nice thick slice, beautifully toasted. The butter was nice as well.

It was no secret that I had a great brunch. I’d now like to discuss the ambience of the cafe. I mentioned earlier that it’s a reminder of Australia for me. This cafe would basically be a regular cafe in Sydney or Melbourne, easily. All of the crew can speak English. The lady that assisted me during my time there spoke perfect English, American English if I’m not mistaken. The gentleman at the front, just behind the coffee machine speaks very well, too. The lady who I believe had prepared the dish came out from the kitchen, still with her cooking apron, and served my order to the table. It’s a very warm and friendly environment. It was stressful and definitely a cool place to just chill out.

Just towards the end, I will post a link to their official web page. They have a super slick layout to their page, and there, you can find more information on the menu. This will come in handy as they are keen on changing the menu every once in a while to work with local producers and what’s good and fresh for the season. You may also read their FAQ section, which I thought was quite neat. Like every good cafe in this modern era, they also have an Instagram account, which posts nice artsy fartsy photos of food, travels and beyond. Cheers!