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Green Cafe (Refectory) – Brunswick

https://www.zomato.com/melbourne/green-refectory-Brunswick

This little place has a tiny little shopfront on Sydney road, just a short walk across the tracks from Jewel Station, on the Upfield line, just 20 odd minutes out of the CDB, or flinders street Station.

https://ptv.vic.gov.au/stop/view/19969

Despite being skinny and narrow, and only a handful of tables to choose from behind the almost obstructive counter and coffee service area, this establishment does not lack depth, physically, and substance in terms of a fine proffering of very scrummy food.

At the window are teeny bar counters for the lone coffee sipper to perch, and loiter comfortably, watching the world go by, and contemplate the afternoon. Spreading out, and dumping bags, helmets and other bike related paraphernalia you may have with you can guarantee a bit of space and precious claimed real estate on what could become a rather intimate sharing experience with random interlopers seeking a rare table, who may wish to disturb your xen enjoyment of the serene individual quiet with chatter among their friends right beside you.

Round the back, for the sun lovers, are tables in a alley courtyard, which, though painted black, the uniquely rough haphazardly shapes of the wooden tables and random chair combinations scream individuality even more than the varied clientele of this café.

The counter area displays many tasty treats, with delicious and rather original looking house baked cakes and pastries at very reasonable prices- around $6.

Above on the wall, is the brunchy slanted menu- with burgers, Burritos and a multitude of other deliciously guaranteed stomach rumble arresting meals that averaged a teeny $11 or so for a decent plate.

damn cheap, especially since the quality turned out to be excellent!

Ordered was a piece of a unique offering- pecan pie pumpkin pie tart- Strange, but awesome! Pretty much, it consisted of a very thin Green Refectory Cafe brunswick cakepecan pie base, with a firm and lightly spicy pumpkin custard filling on top. it was as delicious as it looked pretty!

An epic sized chicken burrito with salad and all the trimmings came out next, served by a smiling and friendly waitress. (why are café girls always soo syrupy, yet genuinely cute and likable?)

The beautiful burrito, piping hot and spilling its delicious interior onto the plate slightly to reveal a very substantial spicy meat, and gooey cheese content came with all the extra trimmings on the side, from a Green Refectory Cafe Brunswick cheap burritogenerous helping of smashed avocado, to a nice sized dollop of what looked like house made chutney.

Again, looks were not deceiving- and for $11… it represented exceptional value- especially at a place that literally screamed trendy hipster hangout from every orifice at 300 paces!

Normally these kind of establishments ooze a noxiously arrogant and odious vibe, particularly from the generic smirking raggot in a steam punk hat who hands you a obscenely inflated bill, with an extra surcharge tacked on the for privilege of knowing what particular organic vegan German revival farm in a godforsaken valley in the country your beans, brussell sprouts, and the hairy and woody baby carrots came from.

That is on top of the look he gave you when you ordered a plain, bog standard flat white latte,  because he really does act like he is gods gift to the people, as he is, after all, a barista- a noble profession that is known to be closest to the heart of whatever god you happen to worship.

REWIND TO REALITY HERE!!!

But no, here at Green, there is NOTHING like that. Just normal, honest, humble, probable struggling student people, with fresh faces and tousselled locks, and a bill that makes you smile, and never feel you have been exploited.

 

Mr Wednesday Cafe – Fairfield – Alphington

http://www.mrwednesday.com.au/

mr wednesday cafe alphington motorbike indian 2This place opened up quite recently, in the last couple months, but every time I ride past it, its always packed!

oh, that, and I have to stop myself from crashing because I really am in love with the green vintage Indian Motorcycle that the café owner rides and parks outside the shop. I feel so much want for that thing.

Apparently its worth over 45K though. All I can say is this blog better go viral and make me some serious ad money so I can at least buy an authentic Speedometer or maybe a couple nuts and bolts with the proceeds. 😛

Upon venturing into the place, too pressed for time, the fitout is really quite something to behold- the painstaking work that I slowly saw progressing over the months with the onwers and their mates/tradies going in and out like busy industrious ants really produced some great results.

Pressed metal, funky light bulbs, succulents in quirky containers, and lots of rich woody, earthy tones and exposed brick walls give the place a really cozy feeling… though that could be equally attributed to how small the space is. hanging on the wall is another vintage indian motorcycle, though this one in rather sadder condition. Apparently it carked it only days before the opening of the café, in front of the café, and wouldn’t start.. so they just hung it on the wall rather than call a van to tow it away.

https://www.broadsheet.com.au/melbourne/food-and-drink/article/mr-wednesday-arrives-fairfield

And, damn, the food smells and looks good, and the aroma of the coffee is pungently pleasant.

Their menu is on their website, which is handy:

http://www.mrwednesday.com.au/#!menu/c10a2

They use ‘industry beans” which, if you are a hipster coffee snob, are supposed to be pretty good.

Ok, I do like my coffee too.

mr wednesday cafe alphington motorbike indianOn the wall is some sort of limited edition single source coffee menu that lasts for a suitably limited time. Hmm. I’m not sold on this single source idea, personally. if I fork out and try it, I’ll update the post on how awesome it is, or not. I suspect its just your bog standard, very good coffee, better marketed.

Either way, this is a damn nice coffee shop, certainly suitable for taking esteemed friends to as the atmosphere really is charming and warm. There are tables outside under the awnings for sunny days.. and we have plenty of them coming up this summer.

http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/food-news/just-open-mr-wednesday-fairfield-20150828-gj87of.html

 

RACV energy Breakthough – Maryborough

http://www.racvenergybreakthrough.net/

Once a year, for over 25 years in a row, the sleepy little town of Maryborough in the Victorian Goldfields gets invaded by thousands of racing enthusiasts for a 24 hour endurance race around the streets of the town centre, mostly around the footy oval, where the race participants camp for the duration of the event.

RACV energy breakthough bridge overtakingHere you are imagining the pungent smell of petrol, burning rubber and the roar of engines… right?

Instead, there’s the thrumming whine of thin light wheels on the tarmac, the rhythmic laboured squeak of chains and sprockets in the need of an urgent pit stop, laboured breathing, and urgent slurping of the fatigued and tired driver, straining away to finish their leg of the race, and maybe, just maybe the powerful buzz of an electric engine hurtling the little streamlined, bullet like vehicle around the last corner to accelerate violently down the main straight.

Yep, its not a normal race- its a human powered / electric race, and the vehicles are effectively like billycarts on steroids.

RACV energy breakthough straightSecondary Schoolgroups from all around the state of Victoria converge to compete with their home baked, unique concept vehicles, switching drivers regularly to cover an epic distance of close to 1000 kilometres along the 1.4km loop track.

This is racing at its purest, and the speeds some of these contraptions achieve is pretty impressive.. and just like any other racing, its not without its perils- the action at the corners, and down the straight can be brilliant as the drivers battle it out viciously.

Tumbling rollovers, brutal collisions and the drama of the track all exist. This race is like le mans, crossed with tour de france, and the great Australian solar challenge.

All I can say, is it was definitely worth being a spectator for a bit. Just fascinating. All I could do was stop myself from throwing one of the kids out of the drivers seat,  commandeering one of the machines, and having a raz at driving one myself!

 

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