Juxtaposition of classic themes with modern Australiana is how Brett, the front of house at Lil Boy Blue, describes the food, service and interior design at his cafe in Kew. Think of the rigour and standards of fine French cuisine but with a healthy dose of laid back Australian sensibilities. If you want a quality experience but without the stuffy starched shirt and snootiness, Lil Boy Blue is the place to be.
Our hearty five course brunch started off with a gorgeous almond and coconut chia pudding w fresh fruits. Beautiful to behold and just as lovely to savour. If you haven't had chia before its one of them wonder grains, full of protein and very good for you. When you add liquid to it, the individual chia seeds swell up and become all gooey - kinda like sago.
The chia pudding was a delight to eat with the delicate flavour of the almond and coconut milk. We also loved the bright, colourful mango, pear and strawberry salad.
Pots of English breakfast and ginger and lemongrass tea.
Next up was a duo of tacos. The duck taco had generous amounts of shredded duck, grilled corn, mango, capsicum and chili salsa. My favourite was the chili and lime prawn tacos, avo, coleslaw and smoked paprika. I loved the nicely zingy chili and lime on the plump pan-seared prawns.
The next dish was Mother Hen's favourite as it contained two of her favourite things - scallops and watercress. Perfectly seared scallops topped with crispy pancetta is a classic dish, and the pureed watercress added a twist. The garlic chips were a nice idea, however, I felt the garlic flavour overpowered the scallop.
Despite it being brunch, we also go to try a dish on their dinner menu. On offer includes 'duck - two ways', which is duck confit with a duck cigar. A nice dish of ducky goodness - the confit was tender and falling off the bone; while the cigar, though a tad burnished, was crispy and was yummy with the garlicky sauce. I especially loved the gorgeously waxy potatoes and the bed of wilted spinach.
The front of the cafe where many locals drop by for their caffeine fix and a tipple.
By this point we need a bit of a breather before dessert, and Brett took us on a tour of Lil Boy Blue...
...towards the back of the cafe, you'll find Lil Boy Blue and also his friend, Lil Girl Red.
Upstairs is a beautiful, apartment-style loft, which is used for functions. It's spacious, light and airy, and has a delightful nook by the window where you can sip on your drink and watch the world pass by.
Dessert was a rather decadent and fun affair. A whole wooden board with a quartet of sinfulness. My absolute favourite was the oh-my-god-yum chocolate milkshake - the best milkshake I've ever had! Chocolatey but not sickly sweet, creamy but not that icky milky taste (I find some milkshakes taste more milk than chocolate), and it had a lovely mouth-feel to it.
The vanilla cheesecake was beautifully smooth and I loved the blackberry compote that came with it. The profiteroles were filled with a honey-tinged cream, while the brownies were incredibly chocolatey and had a lovely softness to them.
Verdict: we loved it
Overall
A great cafe that hits the mark in creating something that is smart and relaxed. Service is super friendly, not just to us, but also to everyone that came through. It's a great place to grab a coffee in your trackies, have a champagne brunch with the girls, after work drinks with the mates or a classy dinner with your partner.
Also have a gander at Big Fil's review back in March 2013.
2 comments:
I have there for the breakfast it was great!
Yup, Big Fil also enjoyed the breakfasts there!
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