The First of Many - Brew Coffee Bar
July 19th 2007 04:10
Brew Coffee Bar
103 Poath Road
Hughesdale, Melbourne.
Attendants: The Hatter (Writer) The Dormouse (Photo)
Overview:
Brew is tucked away just a block away from Hughesdale train station, and for those of you who are saying "Were in funk is that", it is just ten minuets down poath rd from Chadstone Shopping Center. Being that it's in a rather small neighborhood strip mall you don’t expect much from them, this is what I thought going in for the first time with a friend on a very rainy Friday desperate for caffeinated sustenance, I sure got proved wrong! It was the most welcoming sight on a cold rainy day I could of asked for. Warm earthy decor, well heated, smells from the kitchen just begging you to come closer. I tell you, it was almost a sanctuary from the rest of the very grey and wet world outside. I noticed on entering it was obviously once a Victorian house, remodeled into a tasteful and comfortable coffee bar. So today Dormouse and I decided to go for the first review, I had to see if it was the same on a very plain day of weather.
Service
As soon as you walk in the ones behind the counter give you a greeting right away, other than that they are not the most social to customers if your not entering or ordering, but really do we expect anything else? The staff are friendly and very accommodating. Our orders were brought to our table quickly and without mess or fuss. After I had finished my focaccia, and we had finished our coffee. Without even prompting a bottle of chilled filtered (maybe spring) was given to us, I thought that was a nice touch rather than give it to us at the same time as our order and leave it to go warm. I could seriously not find one real fault in the way the staff acted, behaved, or did their work. This is a rare thing and I applaud them for it!
Food and Beverage
Now a lot of people think of food from a café or the like and say "ugh, sitting all day in the display case, I think not" and I must agree, a lot of the time the food is dried out or soggy or congealed and is overall not exactly fine dining. Let this place make you re-think that stigma. With a full kitchen Brew has an assortment of focaccia, muffins, pasta, soups and all the ingredients of a full restaurant quality meal. Today I felt like something light, so I ordered a meatball focaccia. "Light" is not what I would call that focaccia. For starters it came toasted and just so happened to be the size of a small Frisbee, and had a mound of fresh salad to go with it, but I was not going to complain. After grabbing the knife and fork and digging in, I was surprised not to find the usual "bread, meat, cheese and more tomato sauce that is healthy" formula. Instead I found a myriad of other things that made the whole thing worth every bite, even if I did feel the need to suddenly loosen my belt afterwards.
As drinks, there was just as much selection as the food! A fridge full of cold drinks (including my favorite "Nutrient Water" which I have been unable to find anywhere) your usual large range of coffee's, and being fully licensed, a range of house wines and beers. Not having my daily fix yet I went for a strong vanilla cappuccino (come on I’m not called caffeine mad for nothing, what did you think I'd get?) The Dormouse, a mocha with a sugar or two and boy, the coffee itself will be worth a repeat visit or two. The milk foam was perfect, not a bubble to be seen and the chocolate power did not sink one bit. There was just enough vanilla/chocolate so you could taste it, and to counteract the natural bitterness of coffee, they didn’t put so much in that you could gag from the sweetness. Also, which I thought was just the most unique and cute touch, on my spoon sat a tiny teddy biscuit. It’s the little things like that, which really makes a place stand out!
Pricing and Overall
Meatball focaccia - $8.50
Vanilla Cappuccino and Mocha - $3.50ea
Overall, Brew was welcoming, comfortable, affordable, and serious value for your money. On leaving and taking a card with me I found they also do private/corporate functions, and catering for all occasions. Talk about multi talented. I left Brew with a full stomach and happily caffeinated grin. In walking distance from both the train and my house, I plan to make a number of return trips. This place is defiantly worth a look if you’re in the neighborhood! You will not regret it I assure you, if you do happen by it feel free to post a comment here and tell me what you thought.
103 Poath Road
Hughesdale, Melbourne.
Attendants: The Hatter (Writer) The Dormouse (Photo)
Overview:
Brew is tucked away just a block away from Hughesdale train station, and for those of you who are saying "Were in funk is that", it is just ten minuets down poath rd from Chadstone Shopping Center. Being that it's in a rather small neighborhood strip mall you don’t expect much from them, this is what I thought going in for the first time with a friend on a very rainy Friday desperate for caffeinated sustenance, I sure got proved wrong! It was the most welcoming sight on a cold rainy day I could of asked for. Warm earthy decor, well heated, smells from the kitchen just begging you to come closer. I tell you, it was almost a sanctuary from the rest of the very grey and wet world outside. I noticed on entering it was obviously once a Victorian house, remodeled into a tasteful and comfortable coffee bar. So today Dormouse and I decided to go for the first review, I had to see if it was the same on a very plain day of weather.
Service
As soon as you walk in the ones behind the counter give you a greeting right away, other than that they are not the most social to customers if your not entering or ordering, but really do we expect anything else? The staff are friendly and very accommodating. Our orders were brought to our table quickly and without mess or fuss. After I had finished my focaccia, and we had finished our coffee. Without even prompting a bottle of chilled filtered (maybe spring) was given to us, I thought that was a nice touch rather than give it to us at the same time as our order and leave it to go warm. I could seriously not find one real fault in the way the staff acted, behaved, or did their work. This is a rare thing and I applaud them for it!
Food and Beverage
Now a lot of people think of food from a café or the like and say "ugh, sitting all day in the display case, I think not" and I must agree, a lot of the time the food is dried out or soggy or congealed and is overall not exactly fine dining. Let this place make you re-think that stigma. With a full kitchen Brew has an assortment of focaccia, muffins, pasta, soups and all the ingredients of a full restaurant quality meal. Today I felt like something light, so I ordered a meatball focaccia. "Light" is not what I would call that focaccia. For starters it came toasted and just so happened to be the size of a small Frisbee, and had a mound of fresh salad to go with it, but I was not going to complain. After grabbing the knife and fork and digging in, I was surprised not to find the usual "bread, meat, cheese and more tomato sauce that is healthy" formula. Instead I found a myriad of other things that made the whole thing worth every bite, even if I did feel the need to suddenly loosen my belt afterwards.
As drinks, there was just as much selection as the food! A fridge full of cold drinks (including my favorite "Nutrient Water" which I have been unable to find anywhere) your usual large range of coffee's, and being fully licensed, a range of house wines and beers. Not having my daily fix yet I went for a strong vanilla cappuccino (come on I’m not called caffeine mad for nothing, what did you think I'd get?) The Dormouse, a mocha with a sugar or two and boy, the coffee itself will be worth a repeat visit or two. The milk foam was perfect, not a bubble to be seen and the chocolate power did not sink one bit. There was just enough vanilla/chocolate so you could taste it, and to counteract the natural bitterness of coffee, they didn’t put so much in that you could gag from the sweetness. Also, which I thought was just the most unique and cute touch, on my spoon sat a tiny teddy biscuit. It’s the little things like that, which really makes a place stand out!
Pricing and Overall
Meatball focaccia - $8.50
Vanilla Cappuccino and Mocha - $3.50ea
Overall, Brew was welcoming, comfortable, affordable, and serious value for your money. On leaving and taking a card with me I found they also do private/corporate functions, and catering for all occasions. Talk about multi talented. I left Brew with a full stomach and happily caffeinated grin. In walking distance from both the train and my house, I plan to make a number of return trips. This place is defiantly worth a look if you’re in the neighborhood! You will not regret it I assure you, if you do happen by it feel free to post a comment here and tell me what you thought.
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I am SICK and TIRED of finding a good cafe, and working out who the "good" barista is, only to find that they're not there again when you go back and then you get p*ss with milk in it from some other half arsed wannabe barista.
It's OK, I feel better now.
Cool idea for a blog and good luck!!!
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