Food- Lawsons Grove

Lawson’s Grove shop.

1 Lawson’s Grove. South Yarra

An oldie but a goodie.

This is without a doubt one of my favourite cafes to visit. Not only because of the service, and aside from the quality and great tasting food, but also because of the feeling you get from the moment you see the Lawson’s Grove street sign.

Winding through Toorak’s side streets, passing amazing house after extravagant house past monstrosity of a house, you stumble upon the hidden treasure that is Lawson’s Grove.

Its funny how within a few minutes you are transported from the chaotic and bustling streets of Melbourne to what appears as a European side street- complete with overhanging willow trees, narrow roads speckled with vintage cars and high rise apartments- the good (French) kind.

Almost an underground oasis, you feel as though you have stepped into another realm. There is a quiet and humbling ambience to this little shop. Looking around, it’s the finer details of Lawson’s Grove that tug at my traditionalist’s heart. Unlike the modern, industrialised revolution of most new cafes, you will see milk crates as chairs with hessian cushions, gingerbread men for sale, and children’s toys and books lying around.

Within this building you are greeted by friendly staff and an open kitchen where the chefs prepare not only your breakfast and lunch but also takeaway meals and deli choices, for those busy Toorak mums whose day got just a bit too hectic to prepare dinner.

Scrambled eggs here are ‘divine’ I say this because it’s like the yellow brick road turned to silk and made its path down my throat and into my most appreciative belly.

Baked eggs with meatballs- I quote from the harshest critic of all, “this should make you feel like your getting the biggest cuddle from your mum, on a cold winters day, with a blanket wrapped around you, sitting by the fire. Well, a little less descriptive: ‘amazing’.

Cinnamon infused porridge with raspberries and brown sugar is going to give Uncle Toby’s a run for their money. I don’t care how bad grains are for you- this is sweet, comforting goodness in a bowl.

Lawson’s Grove is one of those cafes that you almost don’t want to tell people about. You love that you can go there and still manage to get a seat because its still only locals who know about it, plus a few eager beavers, or those who I hope read this blog.

It seems like everyone at Lawson’s Grove comes for the same reason, great food, great coffee, and a little time away from their existing life. You leave your troubles at the door, and embrace the quiet life.

On my list of things to do is an epic day at Lawson’s grove, consisting of eating, reading, and enjoying the company of my one and only, le Mac.


Date rate: A date with yourself, a computer or a date with another, you could spend your whole day at Lawson’s Grove.
Coffee Cure: After tasting several cups, it's safe to say they know what they are doing.
Hangover Happy: the posh hangover cure
Price: they may have hidden the location, but certainly not the bill.

Food- Sardine

Sardine

15 Morey Street. Armadale

Spoonfuls newest offering may not sound as sweet, but Sardine is definitely going down a treat.

Same owners, similar theme. Sardine is squished into a tiny space, much like the fish in their tin can, yet true to the old saying; good things do come in small packages.

This café will only seat about 6 customers inside and another 8 outside, but in its hidden location just outside of the Armadale station steps, they shouldn’t expect too much chaotic traffic.

This place is all about colour. Hanging on the stark white walls is a ‘bead curtain’ made entirely of different coloured plastic bottle caps and container lids. The front door is a beautiful melon shade that adds to the fresh and playful vibe of this café.

Genovese coffee didn’t send my tastebuds into an orgasmic shock, but it certainly satisfied my caffeine craving, and would do so on any given day in a rush to catch the morning train.

The food however is another story. Don’t let the tiny kitchen, small bench space or minimal fridge display deter you; these guys know what they are doing.

I have tried the chicken baguette- a satisfying choice with all the expected flavours plus some extra excitement with celery and a yummy, creamy mayonnaise.

What really hit the spot- baked ricotta with pistachios, blueberries and figs. The different and unusual ingredients made for an amazing combination that was sweet yet light enough for an afternoon treat.

Ps. Ice chocolates here- very good.

Big points for crockery and glass wear- lattés come in glass cups and sauces, sugar cubes in woven baskets, the crockery is a combination of a tin/porcelain finish, and there are even bins made of hundreds of fake sardines.

Whilst you might miss Morey St, the rest of Sardine stands out- from the street sign; a beautiful blue, to the orange tables within and the red settings outside.

Definitely the only sardine I shall associate myself with.

Date rate: Hidden retreat
Coffee Cure: A quick stop for take away
Hangover Happy: Egg and bacon roll on offer- very good
Price: Just as cute as the shop fit.

Food- Little Ox

Little Ox-

452 New St. Brighton 3186

Since becoming a resident of St. Kilda I have made little time to go back to my hometown of East Brighton. Whether it is because of my undying obsession with my new surrounds or perhaps I was just a bit over the ‘Brighton’ type, there honestly has not been anything luring me back to that side of town.

Until now.

When I first drove past Little Ox I couldn’t help but comment on how cute the shop front looked. It’s taken me quite a while to get here but I finally made it, and can’t help but gush at how impressed I am of Brighton’s latest addition.

Little Ox is in a prime location; the shop stands alone and can’t be missed with its big egg yolk artwork on the grey exterior. Located just outside of Elwood village, yet far enough away from the likes of Bay and Church Street to be considered ‘Brighton’.

Interior wise this place is very clean cut with a cute French/country twist. White walls from floor to ceiling are complimented with spots of colour, even down to the yellow-rimmed glassware. The cutlery is housed in an old school desk, while bookshelves display random kitsch and several cookbooks. There are old English themed posters and canned tomatoes stacked high above the kitchen, as well as cute flowers arrangements adorning each table.

On the two occasions I have been, I indulged in my regular order of all things sweet.

First up was the banana and pistachio bread with cinnamon marscapone. A delightful combination for a cold winters day. Secondly, poached pears with raspberry coulis and brioche. The banana bread is definitely the winner, but by the exclamations from Jess, her order of buttermilk pancakes with strawberries, whipped cream and topped with a crispy meringue appeared to be the best ever eaten- sweet, fluffy goodness.

From where we were sitting we were able to converse with the three male chefs, all happy to persuade us into eating more cake. Evil.

Coffee here deserves a long mention. Mine was so good I actually had to think twice about what I was drinking and what my tastebuds were clearly having a dance about. I wondered if I had mistakenly ordered a mocha, as the chocolate undertones were so apparent. This full-bodied latte with both berry and chocolate notes made me feel as if a black forest cake had come to party in my mouth. Nom nom nom.

A big surprise when I found out the blend was Red Star, a fairly unknown commercial blend roasted in Port Melbourne. These are sustainable beans sourced from areas including South America, Africa and Asia with a fully transparent supply chain.

Chatting with Tommy Collins, we came to the conclusion that even a standard blend can be amazing- if made by the right barista. I went to chat to the young, tattooed cutey and to thank him for my amazing latte and upon banter discovered that this kid really knew what he was talking about. At the young age of 21 he proclaimed he should know something about coffee as he’d been doing it ‘for years’. Turns out since the age of nine his father had a coffee cart and had taught him all he knew. Practice makes perfect.

Conclusion? I’ll be back to Little Ox, not just for the cute staff but also for the incredible coffee. Kudos.

Date rate: Brighton you can finally impress
Coffee cure: I think I have found my take away haven.
Hangover happy: This place attracts the young and the old, so as long as your happy sitting next to grandma when you feel like shit, go for it.
Price: It won’t kill your budget, but bring a few extra pennies.

Food- El Mirage

El Mirage

349 Lygon Street Brunswick East

Almost everyone knows that I am a pancake girl. I love them.

From my childhood days of being the ‘packet mix queen’ and cooking up a batch every Saturday morning before netball, to my now undying obsession with eating cake for breakfast; pancakes have guided me through the many ups and downs of this oh-so-hectic life I live.

It all started with ‘The queen of hearts’ as I used to call it- strawberry jam and ice cream, or good old maple syrup, but this love affair soon grew serious when I ventured into the café world. Las Chicas in Balaclava was definitely the one to pop my ‘gourmet’ pancake cherry. #2: Sweet ricotta, bananas, strawberries and maple syrup, Rachel Zoe would die- In more ways than one.

#3: Orange mascarpone, blueberries and mint. The most unusual, but most rewarding risk I have taken.

So after this big spiel on pancakes, it seems only natural that I would jump at the chance to try ‘the best pancakes ever eaten’ as recommended by a friend.

This led me to El Mirage, located amongst the industrial centre of East Brunswick. As I passed several conspicuous looking venues, all with elderly Italian men grouped outside for their ritual meetings-I wondered, what it is that they talk about, or do they just stare at passers by? I almost walked past this café; tucked further back from most of the adjacent shops.

With a teal green wash on the exterior, this place reminded me of an army base of some sort. Upon venturing inside, I felt the vibe of a modern, industrialised diner.

In a nutshell- this place is uber industrial chic; very minimalist and very sterile- however this might have had something to do with the fact we were the only people seated at the time.

The table layout is very simple, with one wall dedicated to diner like booths with khaki coloured vinyl chairs and the rest of the room filled with separate tables. There is a wooden art frame enclosing the kitchen window, but other than that, the bar area is merely a long steel benchtop against the right hand side of the café, stretching across the length of the room. The ceiling consists of several wooden panels curving into the stark white conjoining walls- very cool.

The general feeling from this cafe is one of seclusion; you feel quite tucked away from the rest of the world. While I say industrial chic, this is one place you can take ‘the boy’ without him hating every second.

While the room slowly filled up with customers I couldn’t help but wonder what the acoustics would be like on a busy day. Not to mention how cold it was inside. Lucky I was about to be warmed up from within.

Coffee supreme was served at is best: perfect temperature, texture and taste. Food wise- it was an easy pick: Pancakes with maple syrup, lemon curd and mascarpone.

These were without a doubt one of, if not the best pancakes I have had.
Golden crisp on the outside (you even heard a slight crunch on the first bite) and light and fluffy within. The lemon curd was rich and tangy, complimented by the creamy mascarpone. Maple syrup made this a threesome one couldn’t refuse.

Today’s partners in crime Miss Breeza and Miss Abi, so kindly obliged to me tasting their breakfasts:

The Slim Jim- poached eggs with ricotta, fig chutney and avocado; I was very impressed with the contrasting sweet and savoury flavours. Bree went for the Mexican beans with melted Parmesan and salsa - spicy spicy but a good addition.

El Mirage has an extremely impressive menu. I just wish I could say the same for the service. Seeing as we were the only people in the cafe at the time I would have expected a lot more of a friendly response, and sometimes it’s a shame to get the cold shoulder in the early hours of the morning.

Kudos for the amazing food guys, you made me forget any prejudice quickly, I hope that next time I can love every aspect just as much.

Date rate: On an empty day… awkward alert- but as long as its busy its worth a trip!
Coffee cure: Satisfaction
Hangover happy: It’s possible
Price: Breaki under $20