NORTH.

North Cafe, 717 Rathdowne Street North Carlton.

It’s a horrible, rainy day today, but the heater in my house doesn’t work and it is freeeezing so I have been forced to venture out (yes outside is actually warmer than inside the house) to find warmth.

Arriving at North Cafeteria, I was surprised to find a room teeming with hungry North Carlton-ites who had braved the rain.  

I love this part of Rathdowne.  North Cafeteria is next to Frisk; a lovely little boutique which stocks all Australian labels; and opposite Gerald’s Bar,  winner of the 2010 Gourmet Traveler bar of the year.  I love a good frock and a glass of shiraz, but I’m a student and I’m poor.  I’ve started to think with my stomach so much that food has surpassed alcohol and pretty clothes as my main expenditure.   And the cheapest bottle of red at Gerald’s is about $60, so I’ll stick to my soft fruity red goon thankyou very much.  

North Cafeteria is refreshingly affordable, with $3 coffee and nothing on the menu over $16, most items sitting at around $12.  The cafe itself is quite small but the room is used well, with the coffee machine and counter in an open layout.  The communal counter at the window makes good use of the space too.  The artwork that decks the walls is well, artsy – a whole lot of scribbly black sharpie creatures – but very cute.  Most importantly, it was warm inside and there were several copies of the paper on hand.  

My coffee order was taken before I could even find a seat – a major plus given that my regular morning caffeine pickmeup was well overdue.  I ordered a seeded bagel with a poached egg, goats cheese, roast capsicum, rocket and asparagus.  Perhaps a bit lunchier than typical breakfast fare, but an egg spells breakfast all the same.

My companion chose what I thought would be an unimaginative smoked chicken wrap with roast potato and baby spinach.  (It was on their lunch menu, but don’t tell anyone).  

The coffee was good-ish, slightly cold but the waiter was quite hot so I guess it evened out.  Props for the latte art; I’ve worked in cafes for 5 years and still struggle to heat the milk let alone create pretty little hearts.

a wee bit luke warm, but not complaining that much given my house is approx -7deg.

My bagel arrived promptly after the first few mouthfuls of my latte.  It was tasty, perhaps not baked this morning but tasty all the same.  The egg was poached to perfection and the rocket added a nice bit of crunch. And the cheese, ahh the cheese.  I am completely obsessed with goat’s cheese.  If a menu offers something with goat’s cheese, I order it.  I went without toothpaste last week because my budget only afforded one more item.  Who wants fresh breath when you’ve got the salty, creamy taste of Meredith goat fetta in your mouth?  (I guess probably most people.)  

the asparagus addition was a real winner. i'm not usually a fan but this stuff was really fresh and crunchy.

The smoked chicken wrap surprised me.  Although it was aesthetically uninspiring, it had a spicy harissa paste spread over the chicken, which was soft and tender.  The potato worked well, and a squeeze of lemon over the top served as a lovely tangy dressing.

the chicken wrap - in the same way as Julia Gillard - not the prettiest to look at but lots of tasty substance

I asked the (rather attractive) waiter for a diet coke, but was met with a raised eyebrow and an “ummm, we only stock an organic cola, it’s made in Daylesford, would you like one of those?”

I did not order an organic cola from Daylesford.   Call me uncultured, but that to me is just plain pretentious.  

cute and unthreatening just like Zooey Deschanel (despite the gun)

Overall, I really like North Cafe.  It’s very indie, but cutesy, Zooey Deschenel indie not threatening, Pixie Geldof indie.  The food is cheap and filling; perfect for students.  

FOOD: 8/20

COFFEE: 7/10

ATMOSPHERE: 9/10