Arboretum Kitchen & Pantry, Caulfield South by Bureaucrat

A spot of early lunch was in order when I spied Arboretum Kitchen & Pantry.  A mix of diners were already enjoying their meal out on the sunny street pavement which is fenced off with a "hedge" of pot plants.  Clearly a favourite among locals, there were lots of young families, golden oldies and office workers taking in a meal and a coffee or two.

Inside, the plant motif continues, with creepers meandering their way across the rafters and pot plants hanging from the ceiling.  All the greenery added a nice touch to the cafe, although, truth be told, the plants seemed like they could've done with some water.

I perched myself on the communal high table and ordered myself a serve of blackened barramundi fish tacos.  These were pretty tasty - good chunks of barra on a bed of fresh coleslaw, avocado and dressing. The corn tortillas were nice and warm.  The only improvement could have been more seasoning on the fish.  With my birdlike appetite these days, I ate two of the tacos and already felt full, but I managed to squeeze the third one in (where there's a will, there's a way!).  

While chillies are not my thing, the jalapeno poppers were tastier than I had expected (I took these home in a takeaway bag as a little something-something for later).  I've never had jalapeno poppers before - I know some people just love them but they've never been something that I felt inclined to order.  But after one bite, I understand the appeal.  These chillies weren't crazy hot and had just a mild heat to them.  The tender chilli flesh was was wrapped around a warm gooey cream cheese centre.  These were surprisingly moreish with the smoky BBQ/chilli sauce.

Verdict

We really liked it.

Mid value.

Overall

A nice suburban cafe (although I couldn't spot the 'pantry' aspect of the establishment).  While I didn't have much time to explore the nearby area, it seems like Arboretum is one of the more appealing/enticing cafes - most of the other cafes look a bit run down and stuck in a time warp. Service is prompt but some of the staff could do with cracking a smile - it would do much to make the place a more welcoming space.

Find it at

Arboretum Kitchen & Pantry
756 Glen Huntly Road
Caulfield South VIC 3162
Phone: (03) 9532 4308