Tuesday, June 3, 2014

LIghts in the Attic

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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. 

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(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.

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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!

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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…

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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. 

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

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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'). 

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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.

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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!

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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. 

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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?

38 Camberwell Road
Hawthorn East

Lights in the Attic on Urbanspoon


1 comment:

  1. Such a pretty looking place w interesting dishes! And it feels so cosy too. I'd totally go for Brad's dish...!

    ReplyDelete