LIghts in the Attic

Goodness, it's been quiet around here! Just had one of those weeks where I've been out just about every night, which leaves me no time to write…which makes me a bit of a sad Ashley really! 

I mean, between Germany and Vietnam, I've hardly even had a spare moment to spend with Brad, and when we went out for brunch last weekend, it was almost a relief to do something comfortable, easy and familiar. As much as I love being independent, and am quite happy to charge around on my own schedule (I'm lucky to have a very patient and lenient boyfriend), I definitely need my quiet down time with my man. 

(I mean really, what a cutie!)

And after a couple of weeks of not really having brunch together, for a change, I knew exactly where I wanted to go.

Having driven by a couple times, since it's on the way to the gym, Lights in the Attic had caught my eye with it's bright and airy feel…and a very good rating on Urbanspoon, I was very keen to check it out!

Lights in the Attic is located at the base of an apartment block, and turn what could be a very small space into a rather spacious cafe. With simple decor, and a bias towards scientific beakers instead of bottles, I pondered out loud to Brad whether the name alluded to a space that one might create in secret to be a little experimental. 

He thought I was looking into it too much…

But I still think my theory can't be too far off, as the menu veered off from the usual, offering a full DIY breakfast experience, with a couple of recommended combinations/specials listed on some perspex on a wall in the store. 

A latte for Brad on cheery blue crockery and a soy chai for me.

I loved how the honey was served, in a straw shaped piece of plastic that made squeezing the honey into the chai so easy. Deelish. I tried to make Brad squeeze it into my chai for me so I could get a picture, but he kind of failed. Boys. Useless!

Brad and I were feeling a bit lazy, so opted for the breakfast combinations on the perspex (although gluten free bread with homemade fig jam was very tempting…that and 'fetacado'). 

I went for the chilli eggs, with gluten free toast, a generous serve of bacon and wilted spinach, and a homemade chilli concasse and hollandaise sauce. Woah.

Although not the most elegantly plated dish, this guy packed a punch. With perfectly cooked poached eggs, the chilli tomato flavour of the concasse was perfect with the hollandaise, bringing a bit of relief to the richness with a healthy chilli kick. Moreish, moreish, moreish!

Brad went for the 'Wild Forest' with chilli scrambled eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, bacon, pork crackling and fennel. Another brilliant dish, with an array of textures and different layers of flavour. A nip of chilli here, a crunch of crispy crispy pork crackling there. This was another filling and very comforting dish….

…although I then saw someone get the Attic Pizza (which I didn't order as I assumed it had a pizza base…wrong…!) with fried eggs, bacon, blue cheese, garlic aioli and sweet potato chips and had immediate food envy. Swoon! I wish I had asked for a picture as it was just gorgeous. Maybe next time. 

The clean and bright space is crisp and refreshing, having friendly smiles abound and deliciously executed food certainly only adds to the place. I think it's great that they're offering a DIY breakfast, at surprisingly reasonable prices and think it'll only be a matter of time before I have to start waiting for a table…so you all stay out of the Hawthorn/Camberwell border for a now won't you?

Lights in the Attic

38 Camberwell Road

Hawthorn East