Hotcakes

Oasis Bakery

Archie’s Avocado

(smashed avocado with feta, Oasis Bakery’s Archie’s Blend #2, charred corn, quinoa, salmon, poached eggs topped with duqqa and zaatar dressing)

I can appreciate this place trying to deviate from the conventional smashed avo dish but the Archie’s Blend just didn’t do it for me and neither did the smashed avocado, which was intensely sour.

★★☆☆☆

Carnival Hotcakes

(two buttermilk hotcakes, salted caramel sauce, honey popcorn, toasted marshmallow and fairy floss)

These were some pretty good hotcakes! And although I have a big sweet tooth, I recommend sharing this dish otherwise it can be a bit overwhelming.

★★★★☆

Roast Pumpkin Parcel

(roast pumpkin, caramelised onions, basil, pine nuts, spinach, halloumi)

Somewhat bland and ordinary.

★★☆☆☆

Chips

These had great crunch and were nicely salted.

★★★☆☆

Triple Cheese Pie

(halloumi, feta, shanklish and a red pepper pesto)

Perfect for cheese lovers like myself.

★★★★☆

Big Chicken Cheeser

(a quarter pound of chicken, halloumi cheese, chips, BBQ sauce)

This huge wrap was very filling and contained lots of delicious tender chicken.

★★★☆☆

Ayran Yogurt Drink

A little too tart for me but I liked how it cut through the heaviness of the food we had.

★★☆☆☆

Overall:

This popular bakery/cafe/grocery store is always buzzing with people and it’s easy to understand why. There is a huge assortment of delicious food available, the service is hassle free (you order at the counter and collect your food once your buzzer rings), and the atmosphere very laid-back. A unique place that is worth visiting if you are after Middle Eastern inspired food and/or groceries.

Oasis Bakery

9/993 North Rd, Murrumbeena, VIC

(03) 9570 1122

http://oasisbakery.com.au/

5 Lire

Ricotta Hotcakes

(buttermilk hotcakes topped with Nutella inspired semifreddo, Pariya Persian chocolate fairy floss and scattered with chocolate cacao and orange crumble)

The fairy floss reminded me of a bad toupee but I really liked it as it wasn’t overly sweet. The hotcakes themselves were average but the Nutella, the crumble and the fairy floss brought this dish up to the next level, making it overall enjoyable.

★★★☆☆

Riso con Latte

(warm creamy arborio rice topped with amaretto baked peaches and an amaretto biscuit crumble)

Warm and hearty.

★★★☆☆

Italian Style Croque Monsieur

(brioche loaf toastie spread with ‘Nduja, stracchino cheese, peppered fig jam, Lyonnaise onions and a fried egg)

Perhaps it was the combination of the ingredients or perhaps it was the ‘nduja (spreadable salami) itself, but there was a peculiar alcohol-like taste to this croque monsieur that no one was fond of.

★☆☆☆☆

Deconstructed Tiramisu Waffles

(waffle jolie topped with a whipped vanilla mascarpone, coffee jelly, crushed cookies, chocolate balls and coffee gel)

Every part of this was delicious!

★★★★☆

Overall:

Tasty food (mostly), friendly staff, and a long wait for our food to arrive (likely due to the small kitchen that they have).

5 Lire

116 Errol St, North Melbourne, VIC

(03) 9329 2249

http://www.5lire.com.au/

Trei Cafe

Coconut Hotcakes

(vanilla ice cream, coconut nectar, toasted pistachios, blueberries)

One of the most popular items here at Trei Cafe. We were told that they were out of the vanilla and nutmeg co yo ice cream (coconut milk vegan ice cream) so we happily settled for plain old vanilla ice cream instead. Now I really liked the colourful presentation and the generous serving size, however these hotcakes were not as fluffy as they could have been and were also markedly salty.

★★☆☆☆

Mango Smoothie Bowl

(mango, coconut water, coyo, coconut milk, vanilla Proper protein, granola, macadamias, passionfruit)

Healthy, refreshing and very colourful.

★★★☆☆

Overall:

Simple bright decor, average service, ordinary food. The east side is desperately in need of good brunch places, and after my visit to Trei Cafe I still believe that this is the case.

Trei Cafe

232 Blackburn Rd, Glen Waverley, VIC

(03) 9802 0960

Legacy

Hokey Pokey hotcakes with honeycomb, orange, ricotta, vanilla bean crème fraîche, pomegranates and strawberries

These hotcakes had a nice crispy outer ring but had to be eaten with the crème fraîche as they were a bit dry. The pomegranates provided good texture and the sticky honeycomb added a great element of sweetness.

★★★☆☆

Sweet potato, kale and amaranth fritters served with goat’s cheese, Kaiser bacon, cherry vine tomato chutney and a poached egg

Delicious fritters, fantastic bacon, terrific chutney, perfectly poached egg.

★★★★☆

Overall:

Outstanding menu, tasty food, simple decor with a strong brick theme. We were originally seated at some bar stools along the large communal table that took up most of the place, but asked to move as soon as one of the smaller tables became free. I usually don’t mind bar stools but when there isn’t a hook for your bag or anywhere to put your coat, it can get tricky balancing everything on your lap.

Legacy

347 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell, VIC

(03) 9041 1796

Ricotta Hotcakes with Banana and Honey

Original recipe from Taste.com.au, however I tweaked it slightly.

Ingredients:

1 cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarb of soda
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar
130g fresh ricotta
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
25g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 a lemon rind, grated
Olive oil
Sliced bananas and honey, to serve

Method:

1. Sift the flour, bicarb and salt into a bowl and stir in sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta, milk, egg, melted butter, and lemon rind, beating well until smooth. Gradually whisk this into the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan and pour in batter to form hotcakes. Cook over medium heat until bubbles appear over the surface and then flip over and cook until both sides are golden brown.

3. Serve hot with banana slices and a drizzle of honey.

Overall:

These hotcakes were so good that the banana and honey were not really needed. Each hotcake was soft and fluffy with slightly crispy edges. The fresh ricotta gave some subtle creaminess and the lemon rind added some zesty freshness. Another quick and easy recipe.