Mallalieu
113 Auburn Road, Hawthorn East
03 9813 1387
Breakfast, Cafe, Coffee, Coffee and Tea
$$
Food
- Latte
- Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie
- Croque Royal
- Slow Roasted Lamb & Pumpkin Salad
The Good
Mallalieu is a cute little boutique clothing clothing store with an equally beautiful restaurant nestled in the back. Straight off the bat the latte was very well made. It was full bodied and the milk was perfectly textured while the other drink was off the specials menu and was a Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie, which to me at least, did not seem like a likely combination, but it was surprising; it wasn’t too sweet and the two eponymous flavours really stood out fantastically.
We were definitely here and excited for Mallalieu’s selection of Croques so we ordered a beautifully made Croque Royal, which consisted of Comté cheese melted with Rustica sourdough, salmon gravlax, Dijon mustard, béchamel sauce and topped with a fried egg. Perfectly cooked and beautifully presented, by switching out the traditional ham for salmon gravlax, the savoury role of the ham is retained while also adding extra depth with hint of ocean brininess. The cheese, the béchamel and to an extent the runny yolk of the fried egg all make for wonderfully rich and decadent mouthfuls, punctuated by the crispness of the toasted sourdough, while the mustard just cuts through all the richness.
Our other main was no less delicious and was a Slow Roasted Lamb & Pumpkin Salad. The pull-apart tenderness of the lamb was the real highlight of the dish, really full of flavour without the overbearing gamey-ness that can plaque lamb dishes. The perfectly done rice and quinoa were no less delicious, cooked with an interesting blend of spices while an assortment of nuts and seeds provided a textural contrast to the salad. Rounding out the salad was a large dollop of yogurt, perfectly tying everything together and complementing the lamb perfectly.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Les Croques seem to be one of the all-time great sandwiches and Mallalieu’s variations on the classic are really something special. However, the other offerings on the menu are made with as much care and attention to detail as the Croques and crucially, are just as tasty.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Absolutely! Come in for the boutique, and stay for the food.
The Penguin Eats would like to thank Kathy and Ima for their incredibly accomodating hospitality and for inviting us.