Lucchini Cakes & Coffee

When I want a really nice Coffee and Cake, I don't need Myrtle to show me the way -  I head straight to Lucchini in either High Street Preston or to their stall at the Preston Market.

I don't know anywhere else where I can get a Passion fruit Cream Éclair.
They are so fresh that the choux pastry shatters and is then held together by the generous amount of fresh passion-fruit flavoured cream. (No fake cream used here!)

My coffee wasn't half bad either.

The Shop in High Street, is a cosy affair with plenty of 'tables for two' along the walls that are hung with artwork.  And - if you lift your eyes to the space above the front window you will be intrigued by the assortment of ......um....stuff!
The Staff are always friendly and who could resist coming in when their sense of humour is planted firmly on the front door!

As for their stall at the Preston Market -Situated in the Deli Hall, it has an entirely different atmosphere.
And is a good idea to grab a seat inside early in your visit to the Market as space is limited, but the cakes are not!!



Update - They are now open Sundays!




www.lucchinicakes.com.au

A Touch of Dutch -

This little Cafe, situated in an intriguing Arcade in Berwick promised me so much.....

Who could resist the first slice of that awesome looking Apple Pie? - Well I did - at $7:00 a slice (including cream on the side) it was a bit out of my price range seeing I had no one to share it with, and still had to put a Coffee with it.  So I settled for the equally impressive looking, yet smaller Strawberry and Passion Fruit Tart and my usual Half Strength Latte.

Oh dear...... I know that asking for a Half Strength (or Weak) Latte is sacrilege to the majority of Coffee connoisseurs around the world BUT it is the way I drink my Coffee.  - I leave the Short Blacks, Ristrettos  and Macchiatos to other members of my family.  

My Latte arrived -eventually- with at least 2 inches of 'soap suds' foam on top of an insipid lukewarm drink that was vaguely coffee flavoured.  Perhaps the Barresta was new and was learning 'on the job'? - Perhaps... but that was no excuse for the barely cooked pastry that was holding my tart, which fell apart when I tried to cut it.

And the absence on the menu of those beautiful spiced Speculaas biscuits that are so Dutch!  

Oh well, the little shop, accessible through the Cafe sells, amongst other Dutch related items, the carved moulds, should I decide to make my own.

off the boat - pizzeria

...... with a view through the floor to ceiling glass windows of rolling parkland - where do you think this may be?

For years the small corner milk-bar opposite the train at Edwards Lake Park in Reservoir has been sitting idle just waiting for someone to see the potential and turn it into something worth stopping for.

off the boat - pizzeria has done just that!  The small store has been renovated and turned into a cosy Pizzeria. With rain threatening outside, and the wood-fired Pizza oven warming the store - it was a temptation to linger longer and maybe order one of the many items on offer from their menu.  But, unfortunately, as is so often the case I was in transit and could only sample the coffee (and a little taste of the home made Gelato).

The staff advised me that everything on the menu from the Pizzas and Pasta to creamy Gelato is made on premises (with the exception of the coffee beans - which they have delivered).

I can see it is going to take me a few visits to work through the menu.  And if I do over-indulge then a brisk walk around the Lake will certainly shake that down, and get me ready for another coffee!

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I can honestly say that this Cafe has become very popular and some days it is wise to ring ahead if you want to be assured of getting a table.

I have had the opportunity to stop and enjoy another coffee and this time teamed it up with a Cannoli from the dessert cabinet.
Freshly made and filled with creamy ricotta that was flavoured with just a hint of cardamom made the perfect accompaniment to my Latte.










off the boat - pizzeria
203 Edwardes St. Reservoir
Closed Mondays

Alour Cafe - Broadway, Reservoir

With 3 grown children who are now quite capable of getting themselves up and breakfasted in the morning, DH an I have decided that we can go out for Breakfast and / or Coffee & Cake on a Saturday.
Cafe Alour is situated in Broadway - Reservoir just at the pedestrian crossing.  We have been to this Cafe a couple of times and find that the staff are always pleasant, to the point of being pleased and excited to be serving you, and the food is consistently nice.

Just check out these Poached Eggs!

Poached Eggs are for me, the benchmark of a Cafe offering a breakfast menu.  If they don't get the Poached part right then .... you don't go back.  It reminds me of a Cafe we visited, whilst on holidays a long time ago, (before I knew about blogging) when the waitress informed us that if we wanted runny yolks we had to ask for them that way when we ordered!  Um - what?

Perfectly cooked eggs, and the Hollandaise Foam that accompanied them had an early hit of salt which I thought may have spoilt the dressing, but quickly faded to give up the wonderful unique taste of Dill.  DH - who is not a fan of Hollandaise happily shared some of mine (easy to do seeing it was served 'on the side') in exchange for some of his grilled mushrooms. These were nice and firm and had a wonderful smoked BBQ flavour.

If I had any criticism to make it was, that I would have liked just one more slice of the beautifully toasted Turkish roll to mop up the remaining golden yolks from the very large free-range eggs. And perhaps just a tiny sprig of dill to garnish the dressing.

Degani's at Northcote Plaza

Anyone would think by the lack of posts that I haven't been out much... But the reality of it is that life sometimes is so busy, the 'pop down the road for a coffee' is just that - A coffee on the run while to get your head around what you have to do next.

Yesterday was one of those days - Myrtle and I were out shopping for a birthday gift and found ourselves down at Northcote Plaza (cnr Separation Street & High Street Northcote).  This place hasn't changed much since it was built, but there are renovations in progress and it was pleasant to find a shiny new Degani's Restaurant around the back at the new entrance, with a view of the adjoining Park.

The venue was warm and welcoming and the staff were pleasant - with perhaps the exception of the waiter, who covered the fact he served my coffee to the wrong table by implying that I had moved!

My coffee was warm and creamy, and comforting for a cold day.  Was it made correctly? With a wee bit too much foam for a Latte and no Crema - I'd say not.  The croissant which was full of almonds would have been nicer had it been warmed for a few seconds in their Pizza oven and not 'nuked' in the microwave.

Would I return?  If I was in the area... and wanting an upmarket warm place to have a meal.  (The chairs were very comfortable.) As for the coffee?  There are other cafe's in the complex that have been around a lot longer.  Maybe I'll check them out next time!

A very pleasant Venue - Beasley's Nursery

Saturday, Myrtle directed My DH and I to Beasley's Nursery [at 195 Warrandyte Road East Doncaster] where they have quite a lovely Cafe on site.

Internet Friends

It was the ideal place to meet friends that you have never met - you know the kind that you have been 'talking to' on-line for ever, and finally have the opportunity to talk face to face.  We found each other, with the help of the waiting staff - and a rather distinctive quilt I was carrying - and then down to business of stories, photos and of course COFFEE!

My coffee was very nice (could have been a wee bit hotter) but DH must have liked his as he ordered another round, this time accompanied by one of each of the muffins on display.  These were served warm to the table with ample butter and were light and flavoursome.  The Fruit Toast that our companion ordered looked so good with its generous bowl of Raspberry Jam on the side and what looked like a disc of Orange infused Butter, that I thought maybe next time......
Yes, it is somewhere I will return to, and check out the rest of their menu.

Hidden Gem #2 - Bunnings

... Yep that's right, I said Bunnings.
Myrtle and Me were out on the road this week - ALL this week trundling back and forth to Monash University Clayton Campus for their Annual Computer Games Boot Camp, where my DS#2 is a Senior Volunteer for the week.
So when you have just done the run from where I am to where he needed to be to just turn around and go home again you start looking for somewhere to stop - a VERY wise idea it is too!!!

Friday I pulled off the back road (Gardiner Street) into Bunnings @ Notting Hill. For those that come through the front door, it is in Ferntree Gully Road.
Turn to the left as you pass the 'Meet & Greet' staff and head towards the Garden Department, you will notice the Familiar Play area, but what sets this Bunnings apart from others I have visited is the care that they have taken to 'build' a coffee shop inside the store. The Cafe, open between 9:00am and 5:00pm is a comfortable place for both staff and customers.

Friendly staff greeted me as I stepped into the little Cafe and invited me to stand (ok - thaw out) under one of the 4 ceiling mounted heaters. The display cabinet showing off Soup, Pies, Wraps and other goodies ready to heat up on request, as well as Sandwiches and real Cafe cakes. My Coffee and steaming Chocolate Pudding arrived quickly and at the same time, followed up by a serviette.
The coffee, although a little 'ordinary' was hot and welcome, and in it's defence - The Barresta was on L plates!

A trip to the Ladies room didn't disappoint either - 4 stars for this one!