Another week, another stayover in Wangaratta for work. A colleague told me the best coffee in town was served at Expresso on Ovens St, and after two visits I can confirm it does make excellent coffee (I cannot definitively say it is the best in town, but the competition, particularly those open early in the morning, is limited).

The first time I was there I had an enormous and scrumptuous bacon, egg and tomato relish toastie made with a Turkish bread roll. This time I chose the eggs benedict. The eggs themselves were again excellent, and I will have to ask next time if they are local. The intensity of the colour of the yolks and their freshness suggests they’re not from the supermarket.

The hollandaise was perhaps the best I’ve ever had, with slight imperfections in the consistency of the emulsion suggesting it really was freshly made rather than coming from a jar as is common in many cafes. It was finished with some fresh basil and a smear of caramelised balsamic. Truly orgasmic. Considering I don’t have much of a choice about spending time here, I’m pleasantly surprised by what I’m finding.