Shortstop – Doughnuts with a Difference

Clockwise from Left Top:  Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut, Australian Honey & Sea Salt, Earl Grey & Rose, Red Velvet, Rhubarb & Ginger

Kitchen at Shortstop

Inside Shortstop

Inside Shortstop

Inside Shortstop

Display Cabinet at Shortstop

Seating at Shortstop

Latte at Shortstop

Coffee & Takeaway Donuts

Coffee & Doughnuts

DOUGHNUTS!

Menu:

Shortstop Donuts is the newly opened US-inspired doughnut shops in Melbourne – that has a huge amount of hype surrounding it and been in the planning stages for over a year. Anthony Ivey (ex-Market Lane) together with business partner Sinye Ooi has been traveling around the US and Canada to research various sugar-fuelled places in order to perfect the recipe for the opening. Even before the opening, they had a large following (18000 followers!!) on Instagram – especially around the Earl Grey doughnut.

Shortstop Donut is located in Sutherland Street in the heart of the Melbourne CBD – off Little Lonsdale or Latrobe Street (near Melbourne Central). The fit-out is clean and simple – headed by Adele Winteridge and the team at Foolscap Studio using white tiles and blondwood for its counters and tables. The space is open, light and airy thanks to the use of glass. There is limited seating (3 small round tables with a window bench) and a huge a kitchen where you can watch as the doughnuts are made.

They serve both espresso and filter coffee from Market Lane (with a potential move to Small Batch and Seven Seeds) alongside nine different flavours of doughnuts – Rhubarb & Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom & Sugar, Apple, Bacon, Honey & Thyme, Peanut Butter & Jam, Bourbon Crème Brulee, Australian Honey & Sea Salt, Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut, Earl Grey & Rose, Red Velvet.

The difference about Shortstop doughnuts is that they specialise in cake rather than the usual tried and test yeast doughnuts. There is a wet, milk-based batter that allows for the creative and interesting flavours that you see in store.

As expected there are long queues with the shop selling out by early afternoon – they sell over 600 doughnuts are day. You can order online – and if you order before 1pm – they will be available for pick-up the next day.

I decided to take a box of these heavenly doughnuts for my team at work – I selected 5 different flavours – Rhubarb & Ginger, Red Velvet, Earl Grey & Rose, Australian Honey & Sea Salt and Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut.

The Earl Grey Doughnut was my favourite – made with Earl Grey Tea, injected with Lemon Myrtle and dipped into a Rose-Water and Rose Petal Icing. It tastes even better than it sounds.

The Rhubarb & Ginger was great tasting – with the ginger flavour being based in the pink icing – the cake dough was sticky, soft and flavorsome.

The Red Velvet Doughnut is divine – the redness is thanks to the use of beetroot (rather than food dye) – and has been piped with cream cheese and finished by being dipped in dark chocolate.

The Australian Honey & Sea Salt cruller was quite interesting – the mixture of honey and salted brought a new meaning to salted caramel. The texture was crunchy with a gooey inside – yum!

The Banana & Chocolate Hazelnut – is made with banana cake as its base and then dipped with chocolate and hazelnuts. I would have liked the intensity of the banana flavour to be increased a bit – but the softness of the doughnut was perfect coupled with the crunch on the outside.

Shortstop Donuts is a one stop shop where you get both your coffee hit as well as a sugar fix. Get in early to avoid disappointment! It is also recommended that you consume the doughnuts within 3 hours of purchase for eating pleasure.

NOTE: You can place an order online by visiting http://www.short-stop.com.au/

Rating : 3.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu –A selection of 9 different flavours (NOTE: Not all flavours are available every day)
Atmosphere / Ambience: Light, Airy and Relaxed
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.short-stop.com.au/
12 Sutherland Street, Melbourne
Tel No: 9642 0807

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 7:30am – 4:30pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shortstopmelb
Twitter: @shortstopmelb
Instagram: ShortstopMelb

Advertisement

The Bell Jar – Vintage Style Cafe

The Bell Jar

Outside The Bell Jar

Inside The Bell Jar

Latte at The Bell Jar

Ricotta Pancakes with Banana, Berries, Maple Syrup and Cream

Ricotta Pancakes with Banana, Berries, Maple Syrup and Cream

Ricotta Pancakes with Banana, Berries, Maple Syrup and Cream

Menu:

The Bell Jar café is located on the Clifton Hill side of Smith Street (almost near Queens Parade), almost hidden between a battery shop and few garages. I actually drove past it and had to do a u-turn and come back around.

The Bell Jar is a very vintage, unique and welcoming café – from the moment you step in you are greeted with a cheery hello from the staff. There are tables located out front that you could sit at – inside there are wooden box seats that line the window, as well as mismatched and vintage tables and chairs in the main dining area. Out the back there is another room which has a communal table perhaps for a larger party as well as a courtyard. Styling is minimalist but it works with the look and the feel of the place – the main highlight is definitely the shiny coffee machine which is placed front and centre of the counter. This counter in itself is quite intriguing – made of wooden floorboards, there is a selection of cakes and muffins that you can buy placed on top here too.

Coffee is by Five Senses – ‘Dark Horse’ and includes blends of Ethiopian, Guatemalan and Sumatran beans. There is also Calmer Sutra Chai, Larsen & Thompson Teas, as well as juices from Emma & Tom’s and Sunzest Fresh OJ. While I mull over the menu I order a latte – which is strong, fragrant complete with the nutty flavours – it was a real pick me up!

The Bell Jar has an interesting menu which starts of with dishes under the ‘x’ section, followed by ‘xx’ and ends with ‘xxEXTRAxx’ – which is a really unique and great concept. The starting dishes include Toast, Breakfast Bruschetta, Porridge and Muesli dishes. Some of the larger dishes include Baked Beans, as well as an interesting dish consisting of Spiced Pumpkin and Avocado – there is also a fritters dish, as well as a Bell Jar Breakfast – their take on the Big Breakfast. There are a list of specials which are located on the blackboard as well – when I visited there was a Parmesan toast with roast tomato and basil dish, an eggs Benedict dish as well as ricotta hotcakes. There is also a separate lunch menu which consists of six different sandwiches to select from – a combination of vegetarian and meat options available. Refer to the menu pictures above for more detail.

I was tossing up between getting the fritters or the hotcakes and in the end decided I felt like something sweet. So I ordered the Ricotta Hotcakes with Banana, Mixed Berries and Maple Syrup – sans the bacon and I asked for some cream on the side. The dish did take quite some time to come out (and the waiter did apologise for the wait) – but I think the wait was well worth it.

The dish was well plated and against the stark white of the plate – the pancakes and the colourful shades of reds of the berries was delightful. The banana was layered in between the pancakes – so it created a wedding cake like appearance. This was topped with strawberries – with a mix of blueberries and raspberries off to the side, enveloped with maple syrup. The pancakes were delicious and fluffy and I loved the thickness of them – perfect! The combination of bananas, tangy berries and the pancakes together with the sweetness of the maple syrup and the cream was fantastic. You felt as if you wanted to savor every mouthful. If these are on the special board again – try them out! Hopefully they move it onto the main menu so it’s there all the time!

I had a great time at The Bell Jar – the vibe is fantastic and the coffee and food are delicious! Check out this hidden little vintage and quaint gem!

Rating : 4 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – Breakfast and Lunch menu – refer to pictures above
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Chilled out, relaxed. Has a very vintage feel. You can sit outside or by the window. There is also a communal table in the back room as well as a courtyard area to sit in.
Service: Friendly and Welcoming
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.thebelljar.com.au/
656 Smith Street, Clifton Hill
Tel No: 9482 7980

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 7am – 4pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8am – 4pm