Food- Kanteen

Kanteen

150 Alexander Parade, South Yarra.

People often describe my job as a Red Bull sampler as driving around aimlessly. May you stand corrected, quite often my 'aim' is to satisfy my food cravings; be they hung over, sweet-toothed, or just pure boredom. Working for Red Bull has allowed me to adventure out into areas I would never have been to before, or simply that I had driven past and never noticed.

Take for example Kanteen in South Yarra.

Far from the toilet block it once was, Kanteen has become a popular spot for Toorak mums, Toorak socialites, and people from Toorak who own four wheel drives. Did I mention that people from Toorak go there?

Putting this aside, Kanteen has become one of my favourite eating destinations. The staff here are by far the friendliest I have come across, and will often sit down and engage in random banter with you.

Coffee here is great, if only they made it in large cups :(

My meal of choice: Avocado and cottage cheese on Pide'. This will never fail you. Perhaps because cheese is the greatest thing on earth...or because this cafe uses the best avocadoes in town, but the pide' has become the definite favourite amongst most of the Melbourne Red Bull Wiings team.

Kanteen also takes my award for one of the best muffins in Melbourne. Always moist and usually with an orange base flavour, they vary from poached fruit to berries and white chocolate or hazelnuts and dark chocolate. Yum-O.

Eggs at Kanteen are also worth an order. Go for the Spanish eggs- baked in a terracotta pot and served with crunchy toasted pide. It is different, it is unusual, you may as well be in Barcelona. Caution very hot!

Kanteen has a camp-like vibe going on; its open plan and concrete floors are made cosy by fluro plastic cups and cute floral arrangements on share tables. The outside seating overlooking the Yarra is perfect during warmer days to sit back, read a book, enjoy a latte and appreciate the finer things in life.

Ah Toorak; soccer mums aside, you've done well.

Date rate: I'm a fan

Coffee cure: Prompt and delicious

Hungover happy: Egg servings are small, keep that in mind.

Price: Matched to Toorak expectations