Tall Timber Cafe Comes Out on Top

Looking for somewhere a bit different to tuck into your poached eggs this weekend? Fancy a little jaunt away from your trusty local? Though the prospect of catching a train, then a tram and then another tram just for some poached eggs may seem a bit ludicrous to some - particularly in Winter when the wind is so cold you feel as though the flesh is melting off your face - there are always cafes that make the extra effort worth it. Prahran cafe, Tall Timber, is one such cafe that certainly proves it pays to stray from your usual stomping ground.

Residing off bustling Chapel Street and nestled in a corner spot on Commercial Road (don't worry, I didn't know where that was either), lies this unassuming little cafe from the boys behind Station Street Trading Co and Coin Laundry. Don't be fooled by the rustic, minimalist interior, because everything here, from the food to the coffee, is done boldly. The whitewashed brick interior paired with pale wooden tables offers an open, airy space that's flooded with light from the two large shop-front windows. Grab a stool up at the window and watch the macho-men fight it out at the Brazilian Boxing shop across the street, or pull up a chair at the (possibly less entertaining) communal table, garnished with native fauna. 

The food here is a highlight, with a menu so filled with sumptuous sounding things it's almost mean to make customers choose. Putting a fresh spin on the traditional (and now somewhat boringly monotonous) smashed avo, is the pumpkin loaf with pickled beetroot salad, smashed avocado, hummus and a poached egg. There's also pumpkin bruschetta; a soft mountain of smashed pumpkin and feta on quinoa toast, topped with perfectly poached eggs and littered with micro herbs and seeds. If all this sounds a little too healthy, don't worry, because Tall Timbers got a decadent house made banana and pistachio bread with espresso marscapone and an open breakfast sanga, for those who are more heart-attack inclined.

On my visit I couldn't go past the sautéed kale, green beans and asparagus with poached eggs, dukkah and goats curd. Let me just say, this was a dish worth crossing town for. Presented beautifully, the veggies were cooked perfectly, the eggs oozed impeccably and the soft goats curd added little bursts of creamy saltiness. Absolute deliciousness. My Tall Timber teammate opted for something more lunchy and had the bastilla filled with slow-cooked lamb shoulder and caramalised onions, accompanied by a fresh and zingy cucumber and radish salad. This dish also nailed it, with flaky pastry and flavoursome, fall-apart meat. 

Don't miss the coffee here either. The Niccolo beans are roasted on site and the toasty house blend with notes of caramel works wonderfully with milk. For those who like it black, there are rotating guest blends from boutique roasters, including Market Lane and Dukes. 

Tall Timber does its very best to please with fantastic food, great coffee and attentive staff. I'd say it's definitely worth the journey...in fact, it might even become my new home away from home.

Samson Girl in Sydney: The Grounds of Alexandria

Ok ok, one more post about Melbourne's rival city and then I promise I'll return to my normal Sydney-snubbing self. This Sydney cafe I feel hardly needs any introduction...in fact, I'm more inclined to call it more a Caffe 'Community' or 'Hub' of sorts, because to deem The Grounds of Alexandria a mere cafe hardly seems to do it justice.

I bravely attempted a weekend visit to my favourite Sydney hangout and, despite the huge lines and crowds of people, I was not disappointed. A friendly little farmers market greeted us, with cute stalls selling everything from delectable pastries and jewellery to caramel ice-cream sandwiches (oh yeah, you heard me right) and chocolate covered popcorn. Rather than a table in the cafe section, we wound our way through the outdoor crowds braving the cold to gorge themselves on burgers, chips and grilled meats from cheery stall vendors, and grabbed a table at the newly established Potting Shed. This section of the growing Grounds Community boasts breakfast, lunch and dinner and, though offering a different menu to its cafe-relation, the food can most definitely hold its own. With dishes of wagyu burgers, salt and pepper calamari, fresh and delicate salads and a cocktail menu that could kill, there is most definitely something to be enjoyed by everyone. And once you've eaten and drunk your fill, take a stroll through the ever-expanding space, purchase flowers from the Instagram-worthy florist, take a look at the amazing deli and do not, I repeat, do not simply walk past those ice-cream sandwiches. A trip to The Grounds of Alexandria really is my favourite way to say goodbye to Sydney.

Dukes Coffee Roasters on Flinders Lane

Sometimes...wait let me start again. All the time, I want a good coffee. So when I find a place in the city that can churn out a consistently great shot each and every time, it's a place I'm sure to return to.  Located down bustling Flinders Lane beneath a sign displaying a simple coffee cup, lies Dukes Coffee Roasters - a place where I have come to expect consistently great coffee.

The magic all began at the original cafe in Windsor before Dukes expanded to it's CBD sister store, where it has been fuelling the corporate crowds for over a year now. Like clock work each morning an ominously large queue of suits form, all itching for their morning fix of caffeine, before a merry barista sends them on their way with a short black under their belt and a take-away flat white in hand. Coffee is the main focus here (there's no menu, but food comes in the form of a great selection of cakes), with a sweet, fruity and creamy house blend taking center-stage and keeping the punters happy. You can also hit up filter coffees for only four dollars a pop, which is the cheapest Iv'e found in Melbourne thus far. Seating space is limited, but don't be fooled, the turnover here is quick so if you're patient you're bound to nab a table before you can say 'one strong flat white please'. And really, why wouldn't you want to sit back and soak up the atmosphere in a space like this? The fit out, created by Chris Connell, is light and spacious, featuring recycled tiles and reclaimed timber, which makes you feel like you're chilling out in a Nordic ski lodge.

 

So next time you're in the city and you want a darn good coffee, head to Dukes, where you can sit back and watch the hustle and bustle of the city pass you by as you sip on some sweet caffeinated deliciousness.