Dawson

Disclosure: I was invited to dine as a guest of the restaurant. Opinions are all my own 

It’s always a little sad, but also interesting to watch local restaurants change hands, names, menus over the years. 

Dawson in Kew is located on the main shopping strip in my neighbourhood, and in previous iterations, it was an Italian restaurant, so I didn’t really know what to expect when I popped in with a girlfriend on a very, very, very wet Melbourne evening. 

Dawson surprised me in the most delightful way, the space was much bigger than I expected, which is perfect for big family and friend groups, with a menu that was filled with exciting, and unexpected flavours that were also incredibly approachable. 

From small plates, to share plates, to pizzas - it suited an adventurous eater like myself, but could easily see Dawson catering to more conservative palates as well. 

Rainy weather = voracious appetites. Izzy and I tucked in to salt and schezuan pepper calamari with chilli jam, mac and cheese croquettes with harissa mayo and sticky pork belly with crispy shallots and peanuts…and that’s just to start!

The mac and cheese croquettes were huge, hearty and decadent. The pork belly was luscious, tender and just the right amount of sweet. By the time we polished off the calamari - which were unexpectedly bold and punchy…we were pretty full!

But mains were on their way! 

A refreshing miso glazed salmon salad on soba noodles generously dressed with sesame, was a nice lighter dish to balance out the heavier entrees and fish and chips hit the spot. I’d like my fries a little crunchier, but the fish was well battered and lightly crunchy.  

One of my favourite dishes for the night though, had to be dessert, a matcha panna cotta with raspberry parfait, caramelised white chocolate and berry textures. I was quite surprised to see it on the menu as really, Kew is a pretty caucasian neighbourhood, and I didn’t think there’d be much appetite for something like this! 

I was impressed with the strength of the matcha flavour in the panna cotta - which sometimes can be a bit weak, and it went so well with the white chocolate and berry flavours. Will definitely be back for this again!

Overall, Dawson was exactly what I want out of a neighbourhood restaurant. A warm, cosy environment, with classic and comforting favourites, but unexpected and punchy flavours. 

Dawson
241 High St
Kew 3101

 

Mastic

Often when Brad and I get up in the morning on a weekend, he’ll ask me where I want to go for breakfast and I’ll freeze in a moment of panic as I try to recollect everything I had been reading the last week about new openings, or places I had yet to visit and what was still sitting on my wishlist after ages and go into a spinning frenzy of names and options and have a mini freak out until I had it nailed down to three options, before randomly picking one of the three.

So it was most refreshing just this past weekend to wake up in the morning, wash up and know exactly where we were going, since I had planned it earlier in the week.

It feels like Mastic has quietly opened, without too much hype…and right around the corner from me! Well, actually a 5 minute drive, but you know what I mean; it’s in my hood! 

My boss had given it great reviews, and once you have a good anecdotal review of a new place, it’s hard to resist. That and my bosses had stolen a menu into the office and once I saw there were some egg dishes on the menu, I knew I could bring Brad on a weekend. Phew!

Mastic is located right next to, or more technically, in Hellenic Republic at Kew Junction, with what was the private dining room (or so I’ve been told) being renovated into an all day, 7 day a week cafe with a focus on whole foods and healthy eating, without skimping on the flavour.

Mastic was bright, poppy and colourful, and a shiny silver sliding automatic door made me feel like I was in the future. I found the cafe itself once you stepped through the door quite dark and cavernous, despite the bright cheery pops of colour, so opted to sit out in the mezzanine area (I guess you could call it that), looking out over the street. 

I was smitten with their gorgeous dark blue coffee cups, with white lips, which exactly matched their takeaway coffee cups as well, which I thought was a gorgeous touch (and great brand consistency!). Obviously the coffee is provided by Will & Co.; both Brad and mum (who I brought a takeaway coffee for) approved. 

There was no chai latte here for me, so I opted for the green smoothie with apple, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, kale, kiwi, lemon and chia seeds. Delicious. Sweet, but incredibly zesty, with the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf and lemon really making a stand in flavour. I contemplated that this is what a green smoothie with an Asian twist would taste like! The price felt a little steep at $9, but in comparison, a pre-made smoothie at Pressed Juice costs the same, for a smaller bottle, so I could justify it when putting it in that perspective!

There’s a healthy selection on the menu for breakfast and lunch, with everything coming in under $15, from bowls of granola and porridge, to egg dishes, to ‘Greek Style’ sandwiches (which can be made with gluten free bread!) and salads. Believe me, it was tough to decide what I wanted to have!

I settled on the Hellenic grain salad (as I had been feeling a bit bloated and heavy as of late), which came with grilled yellowfin tuna. Fresh, textural, with nice vibrant hits of coriander and mint throughout and sweetness from raisins, George’s grain salad has always been a hit at his other joints, and at Mastic it was no different. I loved the addition of the tuna as well, cooked just the way I like it, still a little rare on the inside, so that the knife just melts through it, and it melts in the mouth. So clean, so easy, very delicious.

Brad got the other dish I probably would have got, which was the poached eggs with vegemite, heirloom tomato, avocado, and gluten free toast. The one bite I had was all levels of yum. Their gluten free pumpkin bread is lovely and nutty, with a nice little crunch on the crust. The vegemite layered underneath the fresh produce also added a nice amount of depth in flavour, a richness, and a nice hit of salt. 

Although I also had my eyes on the sweets, I figured I would save them for another time. Since Mastic is just at Kew junction, which is on my way to work, I think it’ll simply be too easy to pop in for a quick nibble. 

I really like Mastic’s approach to healthy eating, it feels holistic, not preachy, and quite approachable indeed, which is how it should be really! Will definitely be back, especially in the lead up to Christmas when I’m trying to make sure I’ve got some room for those big meals coming up…

Mastic

26 Cotham Street

Kew 3101

Adeney Milk Bar

Having recently returned from the States, I'm busy sorting through my photos and figuring out exactly how I'm going to tackle actually writing everything up! Do I do day by day? Individual posts for each restaurants? Or just a general guide? 

I'm also dreaming of the warmer weather, as I sit here curled up in my woollen cardigans and thick slippers, maybe not in NYC, as we were melting while we were there, but of the cool breezy and sunny weather in San Francisco…which reminded me of a brunch Brad and I had, when you could still get away without wearing a jacket in the mornings, that I forgot to blog about!

Adeney Milk Bar popped in Kew, right across from Victoria Park, which meant that late morning, on a weekend, the place was filled with families, mums, dads and kids who had just finished Saturday sport. 

Although busy, it was actually quite pleasant. I'm kind of getting to that age where I can actually tolerate having overly exuberant kids running around and find myself smiling stupidly at babies. No not ready for that yet (for a long while yet!), but there's something about the lively energy that I found so endearing. 

No I'm not getting old. Really. I think. Oh god. 

These guys had to delay their opening as their custom painted pearl Slayer coffee machine was stolen jus days before they were originally scheduled. It was tragic to hear about, but this hasn't stopped them from serving beautifully frothed lattes and chai's. The drinks were very hot, I normally throw my chai down my throat (almost literally), but I actually had to wait to let mine cool down before I could even touch the glass. I know some people like their coffees at ready to drink temperature, but I also know people (like my parents) like their coffee a bit hotter so that they can sit over it and chit chat rather than hurry to finish it. 

I love that there's a takeaway coffee window on the side…for those busy parents no doubt! 

The menu is incredibly concise and quite limited, without a single egg dish in sight! Bold, but fair, keep it simple, keep it good.

They did.

Brad's ham, cheese and tomato croissant was a delight, with a nice ratio of ingredients and a beautifully buttery and flaky croissant. There was a lot of 'mmmmm-ing' going on after I took a bite.

I went with the classic of avocado with fetta on toast. I thought it didn't look like a lot of avocado at first, but I found I had more than plenty to spread out on both slices of bread. It was so smooth, like butter and so fresh. Squeeze a bit of lemon on that, and you really can't go too wrong. 

Sure, the mummy crowd can be a bit daunting to infiltrate, and usually breakfast does require protein, eggs and sustenance. However, for a light and quick option, Adeney Milk Bar does pretty darned well in my books. 

Adeney Milk Bar

70 Adeney Avenue

Kew 3101

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Lil Boy Blue - Coffee and desserts

My mum and her friends are notorious for having lunches which last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. This weekend actually, my mum and her friends probably broke their record when she left to go have lunch at 12 and didn't come home until about 5! 

To be fair though, they usually go poke their nose around shops after lunching and what not, so I guess that can take up some time…

One morning I had a short photography job in the city and then, since I was a bit lazy and what not, instead of catching the bus and walking home, I got the tram to a bit past Kew junction, to meet mum and her friends at the Tassal salmon shop where they were having lunch. 

On my way walking from the tram to Tassal, I happened to notice Lil Boy Blue, looking shiny, clean and new. 

So after mum and her friends finished lunch, since they commented that the coffee at Tassal's isn't usually awesome, I suggested we try out Lil Boy Blue. 

The space is cute, bright and inviting, I loved the bright blue water glasses, adding a pop of colour. 

My mum's friends got a little bit creeped out by, what looked like, a carpet on the wall, as the individual strands kinda looked like eyes. I thought it was kinda funky. Fuzzy walls just make me want to rub up against them...

Whilst Lil Boy Blue has breakfast options, which all sounded quite delicious and looked reasonably priced, they don't really want to be known so much as a cafe. Instead, they are a place where you can pop by, at any time of the day, from the morning till the night, whether you want a glass of wine, or a savoury treat, there's something there for you. 

And on this occasion, we were there for coffee and sweets.

 

Coffee was well received all around by the ladies, who may have been out to confuse the poor waitress with all their different variations of lattes, skinny, decaf or maybe flat white? So picky! My mum commented on one of her friend's orders, a skinny decaf latte, calling it a 'Why Bother?!'

Aren't the cups just gorgeous though? I was personally smitten.

My chai latte I found a little bit bland at first, until I realised that I hadn't mixed my drink and the honey was all at the bottom of the cup. Oopsies! Once the honey had been mixed through, it was quite nice. 

And onto dessert!

Turkish delight doughnuts, with cinnamon ice-cream and Allpress espresso syrup. All levels of yum. All of them! Dusted in sugar crystals, the doughnuts were crisp on the outside, until you broke them open to enjoy the yeasty, doughy goodness on the inside. With a heart of pink…pink turkish delight, these were delightful. Deeeeee-lightful! 

I had to be quick with the photo here, as the ladies were all poised with forks, spoons, knives, whatever they could get their hands on, to dig into the chocolate & Beaurre Bosc pear tart with rum and raisin ice-cream. Dense, not overly sweet, with soft juicy pears, this was also quite the winner!

Although we only had a very short introduction to what Lil Boy Blue could offer, first impressions do stick and I think we were all quite impressed so far! With breakfast options like poached and crumbed eggs and mains such as seared scallops with jerusalem artichoke, I'm quite looking forward to pop by again…!

Lil Boy Blue

309 High Street 

Kew 3101

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Cru

So I just love living in Kew even more these days. Between Ora, Percy's Aeroplane, Axil, Le Flaneur…so on and so forth, I'm pretty spoilt for choice if I'm looking for a good chai latte and breakfast within 5-10 minutes drive from me. 

But then Cru with it's cool crew (hurr hurr, sorry), shows up just next to the corner of Glenferrie and Cotham Rd. 

I actually remember going to get a massage at a shop right next door and noticing that there were signs out front saying that a new cafe was coming soon…little did I know it would be so soon!

I was half hoping that since the place is pretty new, that it wouldn't be too busy, but…who am I kidding. I live in Melbourne. 

The place was bustling, even on a brisk and fresh Sunday morning, people were sitting outside and it looked like it was nearly full inside. Fortunately Brad and I managed to score a table straight away, although I observed that they seemed to have a pretty high turnover here. Whilst it was full when we first arrived, within 15 or 20 minutes, most of the tables next to us, and seats at the bar had cleared out….only to be filled again in another 15! 

Cru is cute. White, clean, bright, mirror on the back wall to make it seem bigger than it is, but still very cosy, with cute little trinkets sitting on the shelves between teapots and containers of teas. It makes me think of white picket fences, but with a cool little twist…like having palm trees in the garden instead of perfectly trimmed hedges. 

My 50mm lens is currently at the doctor's so I've had to shoot everything with my 24mm instead…just for a different point of view!

My chai latte was beautiful, really lovely, spicy and warming. Not so much on the sweet side, which I really liked. 

After my chai latte (which I demolished), I couldn't resist getting an English breakfast tea after seeing how cute the teapots were…

Choosing our dishes was surprisingly difficult, with a fun menu that carries breakfast favourites, but a lot of more unique and unusual Melbourne breakfast offerings, it pretty much came down to perving on whatever came out of the kitchen and what was on other people's tables...everything was just presented so enticingly!

Not one to miss out on a good dose of ham or bacon, Brad went with the En cocotte, 6 hour smoked ham hock, baked eggs with sauteed spinach. Oh how the serve is small…but mighty! Whilst fairly modest at first appearance, upon breaking into the egg white and egg yolk, you find it is actually just blanketing a very generous portion of smoked ham hock. Like, lots of it. This is a protein packed dish and it is damned delicious. Brad was quite nicely stuffed after this!

Oh runny egg yolk...why you so sexy?!

I went with the roesti, with avocado, smoked salmon, red onion, crispy capers and a poached egg. I think I had a happy little sigh as it was put down in front of me. Isn't it just pretty? I loved the colours and just how fresh it looked! 

This dish was such a fun mix of textures, the roesti was beautifully crunchy, the avocado smooth and creamy, gooey eggs and a firm but sweet salmon. Gosh the roesti was good, perfectly seasoned. Such a great mix of flavours! The portion sizing of this was lovely too, not too heavy, but it was still quite a filling meal!

I noticed quite a lot of people popping out after the meal with little brown bags filled with muffins and pastry goodness. As tempted as I was...my tummy said no!

For being the new kid on the block, Cru have made a modest but outstanding entrance. Fresh, delicious food, service with smiles and just the cutest little fitout. So what are you waiting for? I got this post up on Friday so you can all plan to pop by this weekend... ;)

WIth a menu that includes sliders with manchego, angus burgers and gallette's, Brad and I are quite keen to head back and have more breakfast with the Cru ourselves...

Cru

916 Glenferrie Road

Kew, 3101

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