Like two peas in a pod. Still my fav's. Both these cafes know how to run a business! And although they would not like to be grouped together I have put them in the same review because although they are quite
different as cafes they both still have a lot in common. That's no coincidence! Ian and Claire who run The corner shop once used to be part owners of Le Chien! Eighteen months ago Ian and Claire struck out on their own once again and have made a huge success of it, whilst Andy remains at Le Chien continuing on the sucess story there.
My fav brekkie at the corner shop is the baked eggs. Just superb with Chorizo and fetta. Maybe a little bit more turkish bread needed to go with it but otherwise a faultless dish!
At Le Chien, my fav brekkie (as well as a lot SKY peoples) is the promite special (poached eggs, on promite ciabatta toast, avocado, tomato and parsley). Just Brilliant! Consistently excellent.
At both cafe's tea is served in lovely big pots. But here is where Le Chien still comes out on top! The tea here tastes, like English Breakfast, at the Corner Shop, it tastes flowery. (Jeepers Mon - I still can't tell the difference. They are some serious taste buds you've got there! Besides, some of us like our EBT flowery) It always has and so I have stopped ordering it. The Last two times when I was there I ordered a Chai latte. The first time was delicious the second time not so. It is the barista of course, on both days it was a different barista. So now when I go there I will check out who the Barista is and that will determine what I will order. Much Easier though at Le Chien, consistency is a key ingredient here.
The most common denominator in these two cafes is the atmosphere. In both cafes when you walk in there is an instant vibe. Content and relaxed people, enjoying their mornings. There have been many a friendship forged in these cafes, and isn't that what our local cafe is about, community spirit and meeting other locals. When we leave these cafes, we leave feeling fulfilled.
LOVE these two cafes - the best in SKY by a long shot!!
Showing posts with label le chien. Show all posts
Showing posts with label le chien. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Monday, August 24, 2009
Le Chien Snippett
The last time I blogged about Le Chien it was quite lengthy. Everything that I wrote still stands, all in all a very positive experience. A couple of things have changed since we were last there and one of them is that Le Chien has opened for dinner. Very exciting I say, expect to see a snippet about that in the near future. The other change is that the prices have risen. Since we started blogging, two cafes have risen in price. Not surprising really when you consider the cost of food these days.
As I had Bircher Muesli a couple of weeks ago at Haus Frau I thought I may as well stick with that choice as long as I could and Le Chien certainly do offer it. However, and there is a big however, it just wasn’t as good as I was hoping it to be. In fact it was just too sultanary (I think I just created a new word). A few sultanas is nice but when there are too many sultanas it just makes the dish too sickly sweet. Also the kind of oats used (pinhead oatmeal- Scottish) was not what I was expecting and not my first preference.
I must say though that after almost completing my first round of cafes in SKY that Le Chien still stands out as one of the fav’s. It was noted by a friend the other night that when he walked into Le Chien and Andy was there he always acknowledged him and said hello. That made him feel good! Andy certainly gets the vote for best café owner in SKY!
Monica
As I had Bircher Muesli a couple of weeks ago at Haus Frau I thought I may as well stick with that choice as long as I could and Le Chien certainly do offer it. However, and there is a big however, it just wasn’t as good as I was hoping it to be. In fact it was just too sultanary (I think I just created a new word). A few sultanas is nice but when there are too many sultanas it just makes the dish too sickly sweet. Also the kind of oats used (pinhead oatmeal- Scottish) was not what I was expecting and not my first preference.
I must say though that after almost completing my first round of cafes in SKY that Le Chien still stands out as one of the fav’s. It was noted by a friend the other night that when he walked into Le Chien and Andy was there he always acknowledged him and said hello. That made him feel good! Andy certainly gets the vote for best café owner in SKY!
Monica
Monday, May 4, 2009
Le Chien
5 Gamon St Seddon
And now the actual Breakfast. This was a really hard one for me because I have been here heaps for breakfast and I have to admit, I have a fave. I LOVE the promite special. What is that you ask? Well it is two runny poached eggs on promite ciabbata toast with avocado, tomato and parsley. It really is fantastic so for me not to be able to order that was so hard. So I ordered the norm! Runny poached eggs, tomato, spinach and mushrooms. And it was great! However I do think the tomatoes could have been a bit riper. A question I would like to send out to all our readers is - Does anybody else struggle with cutting ciabatta toast? I do love it but it is so awkward to cut sometimes I feel like I’m going to lose all the food onto the floor. Any suggestions! (we thought it might need a steak knife!!)
Earlier on I asked why is it not so easy to leave Le Chien. Above are all the reasons I think that keep you coming back and keep you from leaving but maybe the obvious reason is the door. How long does it take to get used to that door? As you sit there watching customers come and go it is quite amusing to watch people trying to work it out however it should be noted that is has probably been put there for our own comfort so persevere (push the big red button on the wall) because the rest is worth it.
Phone: (03) 9362 7333
What a great place to watch the day go by! And that’s what we almost did! Before we knew it the morning was turning into lunch. I was supposed to be on my way home not still drinking tea at 12pm. As it turned out I would not return home for another couple of hours as I was lured to another café by a girlfriend who hadn’t made it for breakfast but managed to get out by lunchtime(she has twins!) Fancy that! But that’s another story.
Why is it so easy to NOT leave Le Chien? Regularly we sit at the bar that looks onto Gamon St, and beyond to the half modern, half 80’s Sabrosso building. Not really a great view. So what keeps bringing us back to Le Chien?
Is it the owner, Andy, the other staff, the clientele, the Food, the Tea or the Coffee?
Let’s start with what is most talked about, THE COFFEE! I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that The Best Coffee in “S.K.Y.” comes from Le Chien. Over and over again I hear this! It is almost driving me to drink coffee, but alas I just don’t get the coffee thing! I know, shame on me! But Hey do you get the Tea thing? I know R does!
Why is it so easy to NOT leave Le Chien? Regularly we sit at the bar that looks onto Gamon St, and beyond to the half modern, half 80’s Sabrosso building. Not really a great view. So what keeps bringing us back to Le Chien?
Is it the owner, Andy, the other staff, the clientele, the Food, the Tea or the Coffee?
Let’s start with what is most talked about, THE COFFEE! I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that The Best Coffee in “S.K.Y.” comes from Le Chien. Over and over again I hear this! It is almost driving me to drink coffee, but alas I just don’t get the coffee thing! I know, shame on me! But Hey do you get the Tea thing? I know R does!
So there is no doubt that Andy makes a great coffee and, yes, his new Barista (whose name I am yet to discover) apparently does too. The coffee attracts people from far and wide. Just on the morning I was there Mick from Chalk and Mary from Lacquer stopped here to grab their morning coffee’s to take to work. They have about half a dozen cafes in Yarraville Village to choose from and yet they come out of their way to Seddon pick up their coffee. Nothing else needs to be said.
Not only does Andy make a great coffee, but he is such a likable chap. He always offers a warm welcome when you enter and immediately you feel at home. Perhaps that’s what attracts the clientele that he has. One morning the Western Bulldogs are taking up all seats and the next morning an actress or an actor from recent television are rushing in for their caffeine hit. Mum’s with prams line up outside while one delegated mum runs in orders and collects the coffees and muffins to take down to the park.
Not only does Andy make a great coffee, but he is such a likable chap. He always offers a warm welcome when you enter and immediately you feel at home. Perhaps that’s what attracts the clientele that he has. One morning the Western Bulldogs are taking up all seats and the next morning an actress or an actor from recent television are rushing in for their caffeine hit. Mum’s with prams line up outside while one delegated mum runs in orders and collects the coffees and muffins to take down to the park.
They play fantastic music here as well, always at just the right volume but enough to notice who it is. On one occasion I had to ask what album they were playing and I promptly went out and bought it I liked it so much. If anyone is interested it is the soundtrack to Garden State. Brilliant. Simply put, Le Chien has atmosphere plus!
We have talked a lot about the coffee but what about the tea? We love it! Probably the best cup of tea to be poured in S.K.Y. and the best value. Reason being, they give you the biggest pot of freshly brewed tea! They give you a lovely cup that does not have a rim as thick as a small novel,(one of R's pet peeves) and the tea seems to go on forever.
We have talked a lot about the coffee but what about the tea? We love it! Probably the best cup of tea to be poured in S.K.Y. and the best value. Reason being, they give you the biggest pot of freshly brewed tea! They give you a lovely cup that does not have a rim as thick as a small novel,(one of R's pet peeves) and the tea seems to go on forever.
And now the actual Breakfast. This was a really hard one for me because I have been here heaps for breakfast and I have to admit, I have a fave. I LOVE the promite special. What is that you ask? Well it is two runny poached eggs on promite ciabbata toast with avocado, tomato and parsley. It really is fantastic so for me not to be able to order that was so hard. So I ordered the norm! Runny poached eggs, tomato, spinach and mushrooms. And it was great! However I do think the tomatoes could have been a bit riper. A question I would like to send out to all our readers is - Does anybody else struggle with cutting ciabatta toast? I do love it but it is so awkward to cut sometimes I feel like I’m going to lose all the food onto the floor. Any suggestions! (we thought it might need a steak knife!!)
Earlier on I asked why is it not so easy to leave Le Chien. Above are all the reasons I think that keep you coming back and keep you from leaving but maybe the obvious reason is the door. How long does it take to get used to that door? As you sit there watching customers come and go it is quite amusing to watch people trying to work it out however it should be noted that is has probably been put there for our own comfort so persevere (push the big red button on the wall) because the rest is worth it.
OUR RATING
Atmosphere - 9/10
Atmosphere - 9/10
Service- 8/10
Food - 8.5/10
Tea/Coffee - 9.5/10
Price - 8/10
43/50
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