The Dancing Moose; Breakfast of Champions

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for many reasons: health, fitness, and life longevity, to name a few. My personal favourite however, is that it’s literally the first opportunity of the day to sink some delicious food—a duty I take very seriously and with great pleasure. So when our favourite independent eatery ‘The Dancing Moose’ (Ashley Cross) invited us to sample their gourmet breakfast menu you can imagine my excitement. Having previously appraised their implausible evening menu, the team was full of expectation for the food that was to come.

The day began like any other—well to us anyway; the review hotline echoed its familiar peal and our team of foodie avengers assembled to the Housemobile, otherwise known as my 1.2L Honda Civic. We sped (at a safe, but exhilarating, 30 MPH) to the location and bowled onto the scene, where a friendly face greeted and seated us.

The culinary escapade began as all do, with a round of drinks. Around the table were full-bodied reds, crisp cloudy ciders and cocktails galore. I had opted for their signature take on the classic Mai Tai, or as they put it ‘Our Tai’; a chirpy blend of Appleton SB rum, Patron orange tequila, orgeat and gomme syrups, orange bitters and a healthy squeeze of lime juice—I love elevenses.

Our waitress informed us that Head Chef, Charlie Bronson was preparing a range of brunch menu goodies that would be heading to our table shortly, so we took the little waiting time out to take in the atmosphere. It’s hard to deny The Dancing Moose brand’s signature style; a cross between an American diner and a pleasure-seeking, British gastro pub, mixed with plenty of pop-culture memorabilia, neon signage and a cozy atmosphere. Mix that with a vibrant team, delicious comfort food, and a wicked liquor selection and poof you the perfect setting. As we were otherwise distracted taking it all in, our food arrived.

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First up was the Health Kick Start; an adequately named array of perfectly cooked, health conscious wholefoods including fresh smoked salmon, poached eggs, buttery sautéed spinach, seasoned avocado and grilled tenderstem broccoli. Shortly followed by the Bacon Bruschetta—a seemingly simple dish that packed a lot of flavours. Everything from the tangy balsamic glaze and sweet basil, to the distinct pungency from garlic and the finely sliced onions came together in this one big hit of delicious piquancy, proving that with the right ingredients humble food
can really shine.

Next was a cult classic the Big English fry-up, with all the usual suspects, all of which—from the Lincolnshire sausages and streaky bacon, to the crispy black pudding and beans—was delicious. At the same time to my right, Vicky was enjoying the equally plentiful Veggie option; with vegetarian sausages, silky Portobello mushrooms, eggs, and that moreish salty, wilted spinach. Judging by the look on her reaction (a loud and proud “mmmm”) I’d say she was pretty happy.

The penultimate course was the delectable—and my personal favourite—California Eggs: poached eggs, pulled pork, jalapeños, spiced hollandaise, homemade salsa, avocado, served on grilled sourdough bread. This was breakfast amplified—sweet, smoky, spicy goodness in every bite. Each element was perfectly portioned and harmoniously worked with one another to create this incredible explosion of flavours. Seriously, if you try nothing else, make it this!

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Our final dishes were two sweeter options to round off the meal. The first was the world’s fluffiest stack of 3 American Pancakes, topped with glossy maple syrup, strawberries and bananas—“a perfect sweet treat, and two of my five a day!” I tried to tell myself. And finally, we dug our spoons into the Superfood Yogurt Pot, with thick Greek yoghurt, crunchy sweet granola, blueberries, banana, strawberries and raspberries; the perfect end to the meal.

Final verdict? We heart The Dancing Moose brand and if you’re looking for a breakfast with plenty of panache and incredible flavours, then this is your best bet.

By Charlotte Williams

t. 01202 745506
a. 28 30 Station Rd, Poole BH14 8UB
w. www.dancingmoose.co.uk

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