First glimpse at Andrew McConnell’s Cumulus Inc in Flinders Lane

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt writing about the opening of restaurants is that it rarely goes to plan. As a writer it is easy to be caught out. Openings can be delayed by months or even years. And so it was that on Thursday the 26th I rocked up to Cumulus Inc (45 Flinders Lane +61 3 9650 1445) for supper to find the chef (Andrew McConnell of Three, One , Two and formerly Circa The Prince) and architect, his wife Pascale Gomes-McNabb, and the smell of drying varnish.

Luckily I had my mate James, my construction consultant, to sniff out the joint. The level of detail impressed him especially the rubber knobs under the chairs and bar stools protecting the wooden floor (which was itself damaged in construction delaying the launch before the last minute delay). There’s the two bars flanking the main space, marble beside the open kitchen and an impressive specially processed steel bar by the, um, bar, which is lit by the large metal warehouse windows.

The next night the Martini Monster found it closed also while I was still crammed into the space the size of a matchbox in a tram. It left us to score two lucky bar seats at Movida (although the MM wasn’t so lucky with the maitre d’ she handed her mobile number to; we’ll never be able to return).
As I write this Cumulus still hasn’t got its liquor license but at least it is open for breakfast and lunch (although not supper) and some pretty good coffee.
I managed to find the joint open for Saturday breakfast on a recent scouting expedition in search of the perfect all-terrain underpants. To appreciate Cumulus Inc you need to appreciate what is known as moderation. I’m fed up with breakfasts in Melbourne because most cafes show no restraint. The portions are huge and I usually leave half of what’s on my plate. I’d pay the same for half the food and my betting is that a few others would two.
What I want is not one huge bowl of gunk but a proper breakfast, which usually means three courses.
This is exactly the sort of breakfast McConnell provides. I start with some fruit, melon and strawberries (okay, I know it’s not the season but they were good).

I then move onto sardines, five trimmed fillets on a square of toast, the seasoning and garnish restrained. Jak has a perfectly cooked eggwith smoked salmon, dill and the interesting addition of sorrel which has a lemony zing.

At this point a work colleague of Jak’s arrives sometime before noon. It turns out Cumulus has a similar breakfast demarkation to McDonald’s and they have to wait until midday to order lunch (quail nicely presented on a skewer and some great looking pork belly) which like everywhere else nowadays is to share.
The food appears to be good value and you’d shouldn’t expect trencherman-sized portions. What you get is food prepared with the kind of attention to detail that you’d expect from the chef.