Sunday 5 June 2011

Sunday Brunch @ Cafe Pinocchio (298 Rathdowne Street, Nth Carlton. Tel. 9349 2777

This morning I enjoyed a reunion with some long lost friends from high school days.
 We met at a cute cosy cafe in Carlton - Cafe Pinocchio.

I arrived early (10 minutes early in true Japanese style)
and was greeted by a most friendly and welcoming staff member 
together with the barista. The coffee was excellent, the waitress remembered
our coffee orders without writing them down, and the barista added my equal
sugar in for me on my second order of coffee - most impressive. The cafe was
empty when I arrived, and full when we left. True to its name, the cafe had little
reminders of Pinocchio throughout and miniature
Pinocchios in the cake display, very cute.

The interior was welcoming with groovy chairs covered in old hessian
coffee bean bag fabric, as well as a cosy little fireplace. Lovely little
touches throughout the cafe such as a little maple tree in the window
and this vase of greenery, all made for a lovely ambiance.

     

The menu was simple in a good way, with a nice selection of dishes
to choose from, without being overwhelming. I opted for the seasonal
special of pancakes with poached pear and ricotta cheese. The pancakes
complimented the coffee beautifully and were an indulgent way to start
the morning. The only negative note being that I did wonder at the freshness
of the poached pears, which were meant to have been the highlight of the dish.
Aside from that, presentation was lovely and the pancakes were cooked
to perfection.


Once the cafe started filling up, another waitress apparently started
 her shift, but failed to be as smiling and caring as our first waitress,
who saw that we were looked after to the end of our stay. All in all, this was a
lovely spot to drop into for coffee and brunch and there was plenty of parking around,
which was a definite bonus. Definitely worth a visit away from the crowds of Lygon Street.