Tomboy – Vintage Chic

Tomboy

Inside Tomboy

Inside Tomboy

Front Counter at Tomboy

Speakers at the front counter

Decor at Tomboy

Decor at Tomboy

Decor at Tomboy

Synesso Coffee Machine

The awesome vintage MilkBar Sign

The awesome Workman’s Bench Communal Table

The Communal Table

Another view of the Artwork

Tables at Tomboy

Latte at Tomboy

Crispy Potato Hash with Parsnip Puree, Grilled Asparagus, Kale Chips and a Poached Egg

Crispy Potato Hash with Parsnip Puree, Grilled Asparagus, Kale Chips and a Poached Egg

Crispy Potato Hash with Parsnip Puree, Grilled Asparagus, Kale Chips and a Poached Egg

My Takeaway Coffee

Tomboy is the creation from co-owners Pia Hambour (ex Movida) and Georgina March (Box Brownies) whose initial dream was to create a shopfront to showcase the wholesale baking business Box Brownies – a business all about gluten-free and dairy free sweet treats! Currently these goodies are provided daily to cafes such as Seven Seeds, De Clieu and Brother Baba Budan.

Located in Smith Street, Collingwood, Tomboy has a rustic charm to it with a variety of pieces around the venue sourced from the Adelaide Hills (near where the girls grew up). There are many stylish one-of-a-kind pieces here at Tomboy – you will definitely find something that peaks your interest from any seat you sit at.

As you step inside you will see a vintage milk bar sign that hangs over the front counter which came from an old Collingwood business as well as an old school white scale. The counter itself is quite unique – there are 1970s speakers built into the counter and surrounded by brick. These speakers belong to March’s stepfather. The communal table located at the back of the venue against the brick wall is my favourite – it is reminiscent of a workman’s bench complete with dents, scratches and metal vise’s. The surrounding tables remind me of garden bench tables coupled with seating to match. There are little touches that bring the whole recycled, vintage, relaxed feel together such as jars filled with flowers, a ladder that houses magazines and newspapers, mint green light shades hanging from thick shades and wooden boxes that house vintage books. Most fittings and décor items come from ops shops, antique stores and friends. There is a small courtyard located at the back for those wonderful summer or spring days.
Both the owners are supportive of local artists and have one wall of the café dedicated to rotating exhibitions – the right wall has been plastered and painted white. The current feature comes from local street artist Drab and features a tattooed gangster “baby” with a mopey face and moustache, wearing a beanie – it is quite a feature and adds a great point of difference. I really love the décor and styling of Tomboy! This painting on the wall seems to tie into the front page of the menu and their takeaway coffee cups – which have portraits of the staff & friends illustrated. You then join in the fun of trying to find a portrait that resembles yourself- well at least I did anywhere.

The menu (which tends to have a vegetarian flair) changes seasonally but generally always has the main staples such as fruit toast, multigrain toast, a sweet dish (either brioche French toast or waffles), breakfast bun, Poached eggs with sides, bagels, selection of sandwiches and a Tomboy Tart of the Day served with a Salad, along with additionally dishes that vary with each season. These dishes could include Spicy Red Wine beans with Goats Fetta and a Poached Egg on Toast ( you could add a pork and fennel sausage if you wish), Roasted Swiss Mushroom with Meredith Goats Fetta, Sautéed Kale, Hazelnuts and a Poached Egg or Lentil and Wild Rice Salad with Pistachios, Almonds, Roast Capsicum, Currants and A Lemon Harissa Dressing (you can add Poached Chicken). You can either find the menu located on a giant reel of brown butcher’s paper attached to the wall, as well as a more detailed menu that will be given to you at your table.
The idea is to use vegetables that have been grown from the duos own vegetable patch as well as sourcing local suppliers. The meat dishes will be of the sustainable type which fits in with the healthy living ethos the duo follow.

I order a latte to start whilst deciding on what I want to eat. Coffee is from Seven Seeds pumped out through a Synesso Hydra espresso machine, with a single origin also being. My latte is strong yet smooth with both nutty and fruity hints and was brewed to perfection. A really great tasting coffee.

I was tossing up (once again) between a sweet or savoury dish – Elvis Waffles (Buttermilk Banana Waffles, Whipped Peanut Butter Mascarpone, Maple Syrup and a Peanut Brittle) and Crispy Potato Hash with Parsnip Puree, Grilled Asparagus, Kale Chips and a Poached Egg. In the end the savoury side won.

The dish was well presented with the Parsnip Puree spread as the base of the dish with the grilled Asparagus artfully placed on top with the Crispy Potato Hash in a rectangular shape placed to its side. The Poached Egg sat on top of the Potato Hash with the Kale Chips placed around all the components described. The egg was poached perfectly and the gooey golden yolk drizzled over the crunchy potato hash. The grilled asparagus was perfectly seasoned and flavoured with the creaminess of the parsnip puree adding the perfect complement. The Kale chips added some extra saltiness to the dish and were sublime. All the components on the dish worked well together and overall it was a truly superb dish that I would recommend anyone to try.

Looking for something sweet to eat then look no further than the front counter where the delectable delights from Box Brownie can be found – cakes, brownies and other bakes goods. All treats are gluten-free however you cannot tell by tasting them.

If you needed another reason to come and try out Tomboy – then you should check out the quarterly publication the duo have put together – The Tomboy Paper – which keeps diners up to date on all things to do with Tomboy, Box Brownie and Collingwood. They have enlisted the help of creative directors Emily Gillis and Camille Moir-Smith from Yolk Studio.

Tomboy exudes bucket loads of character and charm. The food displays uniqueness with its combinations of ingredients, the coffee is exceptionally brewed and the staff are friendly. Make Tomboy next on your list to visit.

Rating : 4 Pandas
Price: $$
Menu – Refer to pictures above as well as at their website http://www.tomboymelbourne.com.au/#!food_menu/cl69
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Funky, Lively and Chilled Out
Standout Dish:
Service: Friendly
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
www.tomboymelbourne.com.au
356 Smith Street, Collingwood
Tel No: 9486 0162

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomboymelb?ref=ts&fref=ts
Instagram: tomboymelbourne
Twitter: @tomboymelbourne

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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

Hortus x Seven Seeds – Bringing Green to Docklands

 

Melbournians are always on the lookout for great coffee and where I work at Docklands we are always on the look out for places serving up delicious coffee. Enter Hortus café brought especially to Docklands from Seven Seeds.  It is an initiative by The City of Melbourne and Places Victoria designed to give the residents and folk of Docklands a place to meet.

Hortus which means “garden” in Latin is a new temporary pop-up space complete with greenery and coffee, located near the famous “Cow in a tree” by the water at Docklands. The café is a collaboration between Carlton Seven Seeds and art/architecture studio Utopian Folk. This pop-up venue is in the form of a greenhouse which features a garden that showcases native and edible plants from local artist Lauren Berkowitz and can seat up to 50 people – both indoors and outdoors. The theme is light, airy and welcoming – thanks to the streaming of fresh light and the lightly coloured wood used.

Hortus is run by Jake Sullivan who is head barista at Seven Seeds, and is predominantly here for its great coffee. Coffee consists of Seven Seeds espresso blend, alongside rotating single origin coffees. There is also room to play around with different coffee varieties, extraction methods and machinery. There are some foodie treats such as sweets from Matt Forbes’ famous Yarraville Cobbs Lane and sandwiches etc from Fitzroy’s Rustica bakery.

I ordered a latte which was perfectly made and had a crisp and punchy flavour. The creaminess and softness of the milk made for a delicious combination. It is fantastic to be able to sit outside, enjoy a great cup of coffee whilst overlooking the waterfront. A great addition to the Docklands area.

Rating : 4 Pandas
Atmosphere / Ambience: Great view of Melbourne’s Waterfront and great to just chill out.
Restaurant Details and Location:
131 – 141 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands

Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday: 7am – 4pm

Place Holder – Pop-Up Coffee

Front of Place Holder

Front of Place Holder

Art work at Place Holder

Inside Place Holder

Coffee Making at Place Holder

Coffee Making at Place Holder

Coffee Making at Place Holder

Sweet Treats at Place Holder

Sweet Treats at Place Holder

There are many pop-up venues arising around Melbourne and the arrival of Place Holder – located in Smith Street – is another one to add to the list. Place Holder is all about coffee and great coffee at that. It has been brought to the lucky people of Melbourne by former baristas – Sam King (Seven Seeds) and Sonam Sherpa (Top Paddock).

Place Holder is located in the foyer of Neometro’s Number Nine Smith Street building – and will be around for about a year until construction on a new development begins. The end result for Place Holder will be a not for profit gallery out the back by Slopes as well as a community garden by 300Acres. Such a great idea and concept for this funky space.

Coffee is of course the main premise of Place Holder, but there are small bites on offer as well in the form of cookies, cakes, lamingtons as well as small pots of muesli from Silo by Joost (Refer to my blog post at https://thegrazingpanda.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/a-healthy-but-delicious-green-option-silo-by-joost/ ). Coffee is from Seven Seeds and Small Batch with single origin specials from Market Lane, Everyday Coffee and Top Paddock will be rotated seasonally.

The fit out is simple and they have made use of the space they have with little wooden tables and stools to sit an enjoy your coffee. There are also some higher stools overlooking the coffee machine to make you feel part of the creation process somewhat. It is a very intimate space with the fresh sunlight streaming in – nothing better than the combination of smell of fresh coffee and sunlight.

I ordered a latte – which to put simply was delicious – there was a balanced fruity acidity coupled with the creaminess of the milk which resulted in a great taste left on your palate. Really does make you want to have more than one coffee at a time. Check it out for yourself. Who knows they might even be popping up elsewhere after the year or so of being at Smith Street ends.

Rating : 4 Pandas
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual and Relaxed. Especially gareat on a sunny day!
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://www.placeholdersmithstreet.com/
9 Smith Street, Fitzroy

Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday: 7am–3pm
Saturday and Sunday: 8am–3pm

Common Galaxia – Out of this World

Coffee Menu at Common Galaxia

Counter at Common Galaxia

Kitchen at Common Galaxis

Inside Common Galaxia

Coffee Cup at Common Galaxia

Avocado with Blood Orange, Marinated Goat’s Cheese, Basil, Almonds and Radish on Toast with a Poached Egg

Breakkie Board – Museli, Poached Egg with Avocado on Whole Wheaet and Honey Toast, Small Fresh Orange Juice,

Latte at Common Galaxia

Meals at Common Galaxia

Salted Caramel French Toast with Blood Orange Curd, Oreo Crumble and Blueberry Compote

Smoked Salmon on Sourdough with Spicy Avocado Puree, 2 Poached Eggs with Tomato and Herb Salad

I had heard a lot about Common Galaxia and had been wanting to check it out for a while – so when a catchup needed to be organised and J lived nearby – it was the perfect opportunity! Common Galaxia is owned initially by Luke Mutton and Kylie Mackinlay who also own Deadman Espresso in South Melbourne, but now bought by Paul Fox. Common Galaxia is located in Seddon and its main focus is on coffee – with coffee from Seven Seeds and Market Lane. The food though is not just an after thought – there is a huge variety and the dishes we had were scrumptious.

Common Galaxia has a fantastic vibe from the moment you step foot inside – the look is modern, classy and stylish. The furniture and fittings are all custom-made with functionality at the forefront. The interior was built by Fido Projects. One of the stand outs are the cutlery and menu caddies that hang individually from the tables (so that you can help yourself if you need more cutlery or happen to drop your cutlery) as well as the leather and timber chairs – both of which are made my locals LifeSpaceJourney. The coffee machine is Synesso and is the centre piece of the bench which also houses quick take away options such as smorrebrod (Scandinavian open sandwiches). To the right of the main counter is a window which allows you insight to the kitchen and is where all the food comes from. The running theme of the venue is wood with copper pots, terraniums, dark bottles with colourful flowers and funky black light fittings with filament lightbulbs dotted along the way together with the light coming in from the large windows which surround the venue.

There is usually a line to get a table and this morning was no different – but our wait was quite short – about 10 minutes to get a table for four. We started off by ordering coffees whilst we pondered over the menu. My latte was delicious and had a combination of a fruity and nutty taste – a taste that you kept going back more for.

The menu is broken up into Breakfast, Brunch which you can order all day, Lunch as well as options for the kids called “For the littles”. There are also options for Vegetarian and Gluten Free. Drinks compromise of Coffee, Tea, Fresh Juices, Smoothies, Cold Drinks and Milkshakes. The smoothie combinations are intriguing – combinations such as Kale, Parsley, Lemon Zest, Mango, Banana and Coconut Water as well as a Mixed Berry, Coconut water and Honey combination. Fresh juices consist of pre made mixes or you can create your own. There is also an option of having a peanut butter hot chocolate as well as a chocolate brownie milkshake.

Breakfast dishes are what you would usually expect – but with a Common Galaxia twist – adding interesting ingredients to the basics. There are scones, crossiants, toast, fruit toast and Bircher muesli – as well an interesting concept called the Breakkie Board (more on this later). The all day brunch menu consists of scrambled eggs, their version of Egg’s Benedict, Common Galaxia Big Breakfast as well as smoked salmon dish.

It was food decision time and I was tossing up between the French toast and the avocado dish, but J decided to get the French toast so I went with ordering the Avocado with Blood Orange, Marinated Goat’s Cheese, Basil, Almonds and Radish on Toast with a Poached Egg. The dish was plated up well with the toast being at the base of the dish and the avocado mix placed on top and finished with parsley and a poached egg and a wedge of lemon on the side. The avocado combined with the blood orange and goat’s cheese together with the crunchiness of the almonds was tasty. The serving was generous and the poached egg was cooked perfectly. All in all it was a great dish.

G ordered the Smoked Salmon on Sourdough with Spicy Avocado Puree, 2 Poached Eggs with Tomato and Herb Salad. This dish was quite the colourful dish, especially against the black backdrop of the plate. The spicy avocado puree was buttered on the toast with the smoked salmon and tomato and herb salad on top, and the two poached eggs as the final layer. G did enjoy the dish but thought the spicy avocado was an acquired taste, but overall the combination was interesting and worked well together.

B ordered the Breakkie Board – Museli, Poached Egg with Avocado on Whole Wheat and Honey Toast, Small Fresh Orange Juice. I really do like the concepts of Breakkie boards as it comes with a small selection of things that you would want for breakfast such as toast, eggs and muesli. The bonus of freshly squeezed orange juice completes the dish.

As mentioned before J ordered the Salted Caramel French Toast with Blood Orange Curd, Oreo Crumble and Blueberry Compote. When this dish came out it was really impressive – the berry compote was drizzled at the bottom and acted like a soup, with the French Toast on top drizzled with Salted Caramel and finished with the Oreo Crumble. The dish was overly sweet, but the berry compote was a great addition to cut some of this sweetness and add tanginess to it. There was a generous amount of blueberries and salted caramel on the side as well. For anyone that loves French toast this is a dish to try.

Common Galaxia is a fresh, lively and vibrant addition to this area of Seddon that serves great coffee and good food! The interior with its wooden and black tones and accents of plants and flowers is fantastic. The staff are friendly and look like they are enjoying themselves at work which always a great attitude to have. I would highly recommend the trek down to this suburb and whilst you are at it visit nearby Cobb Lane.

Rating : 3.5 Pandas
Price: $$
Menu – Refer to http://commongalaxia.com.au/menu/
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual, Chilled out, Modern and Inviting. Such a great place to be on a sunny day especially with the sunlight streaming in through the windows.
Standout Dish: Salted Caramel French Toast with Blood Orange Curd, Oreo Crumble and Blueberry Compote
Service: Friendly and Inviting. The staff look like they really enjoy what they do and are always chirpy and happy.
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
commongalaxia.com.au
Shop 3, 130 Victoria Street, Seddon
Tel No: 9691 3888

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Mixed Business – Relaxed & Delicious

Mixed Business

Gorgeous Centrepiece at Mixed Business

Coffee at Mixed Business

Latte at Mixed Business

Inside Mixed Business

Inside Mixed Business

Free Ranged Poached Eggs on Sourdough with Potato and Rosemary Rosti, Avacado and House Relish

Free Ranged Poached Eggs on Sourdough with Sweet and Sour Cabbage and House Mustard

Applie Pie Waffles – Buttermilk Waffles with Maple Baked Apples, Pecan Crumb and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Garden at Mixed Business

Menu:

N and I were heading out to breakkie on a Saturday morning and decided to try out Mixed Business. This cute café is located in Clifton Hill (neighbouring Northcote) and comes to you by Lauren Bieber and Tom Crowe. The look and feel of the place is casual and relaxed thanks to the light and airiness nature of the venue, complete with an outside sitting area amongst the back garden. There is a combination of vintage and retro touches throughout the venue which includes old tea towels used as curtains over cupboards, wooden tables with mismatched colourful chairs as well as the feature piece which is huge workbench which doubles as the coffee counter, cake serving area and payment station. There are also old school vintage signs which are attached to the walls. It really does pay homage to the venue’s former life of a second hand furniture store.

It was a typical Melbourne day – rain one minute, sunshine the next. When we walked in the place was quite busy so we were offered a table in the back garden and the friendly waitress told us that it was under cover if that Melbournian rain happened to come back. Sitting in the back amongst the pot plants, trees and herbs was really pleasant and I feel like this is one of the best tables at the venue. You get to enjoy the brightness and be surrounded like you are in your very own back garden – even on a rainy day! The centrepiece of the table would automatically brighten anyone spirits – it was a colourful duck shaper pot holder which house a striking cactus. Really cute and chirpy – I want one for my place!

Once we were seated we ordered our coffees and proceeded to look at the menu. I already had decided that I wanted something sweet so reading the description of the waffles had me sold. I like how they have a selection of combinations that can come with the free range poached eggs such as pork belly and sausage, potato and rosemary rosti or smoked salmon, pickled beetroot, dill and creme fraiche. Most places just pick one or two selections that come with poached eggs. The coffee by Seven Seeds was delicious and was a welcome necessity for this morning.

When my waffles came out they looked delicious and I could barely spend enough time photographing them as I wanted to devour them straight away. They looked fresh and the aroma was enticing. There were three pieces of waffles arranged at the bottom and topped with the apple, blueberries and pecan crumb with the ice cream off to the side. The pecan crumb was absolutely delicious and the coating literally melted in your mouth. The combination of the warm waffles coupled with the spiced apple and cold ice cream was fantastic. Definitely a dish I would recommend.

From the other dishes that were ordered I got to try out the potato and rosemary rosti and the picked cabbage. The potato and rosemary rosti tasted even better than it looked – when it came out it looked glossy, crispy and accented with the perfect amount of rosemary – it was delicious, crispy on the outside and soft and aromatic on the inside. The house made relish had a smoky and spicy hit to it as well and was quite nice. The pickled cabbage was another win – don’t let the bright pink colour put you off – the flavour is amazing.

It’s not always simply about the great food and customer service, but the little additional touches – like the colourful duck pot holder – and the simplicity of the back garden seating that truly do make the experience at a place not only memorable, but recommendable. Mixed Business is definitely one of these places.

Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – Refer to the Menu above
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual, Relaxed and Welcoming – great chill out place!
Standout Dish: Applie Pie Waffles – Buttermilk Waffles with Maple Baked Apples, Pecan Crumb and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Free Ranged Poached Eggs on Sourdough with Potato and Rosemary Rosti, Avacado and House Relish
Service: Friendly and Helpful – although we never did get asked if we wanted another round of coffee after we had finished our first coffee’s.
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
486 Queens Parade, Clifton Hill
Tel No: 9468 1606

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: 7:30 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

De Clieu – Coffee at it’s best!

Fermented Lentil and Rice Pancake with Spicy Coconut, Potato and Pea filling with Green Mango Yoghurt

Poached Prawn, Saffron Mayonnaise, Mustard Cress, Chervil, Chive and Lemon Salad Baguette

Menu:

De Clieu is part of the Seven Seeds gang and is another classy café brought to you by Mark Dundon and Bridget Amor. The main emphasis of this team is the coffee and De Clieu is no exception – the coffee here is excellent – they source the finest beans and use the best equipment to process these beans. The café itself is very roomy and modern – it has polished wooden tables as well as wide wooden seats on the window edge.

De Clieu’s menu is small but has impressive and unique dishes – from the Let’s Get Going (which is a bowl of coco pops with red cordial) to Baguettes and Roti’s combined with a variety of ingredients. The Lentil and Rice Pancake that we ordered had an interesting combination and the Green Mango Yoghurt added an extra tangy-ness to enhance the potato and pea filling. The Poached Prawn Baguette tasty but I could have done with some extra Saffron Mayonnaise. The potato chips were a nice touch and added a crunch to the baguette.

Overall, De Clieu is a funky and cool place to hang out with a relaxed feel to it. Definitely head down and check it out. There is also coffee by Seven Seeds and other coffee making equipment for sale as well.

Rating : 3.5 Pandas
Price: $$
Menu –Refer to menu picture above
Fullness: 80%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Casual and relaxed.
Standout Dish: Coffee
Service: Friendly and outstanding
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
http://sevenseeds.com.au/seeds/
187 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
Tel No: 9416 4661

Opening Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 7am-5pm
Sunday: 8am-5pm