The famous Dr Ron Swanson in the making...
The ultimate grilled cheese sandwich, oh yeahhh...
Our humble and inviting breakfast table...
Gorgeous Soy Piccolo...
Green Juice
Acai: Still trendin' - $17
Pistachio + Dried Berry Granola w/ poached pear, Acai sorbet, housemade coconut berry yoghurt + cacao nibs
(big and sweet option)
House Special: Brussel Sprout and Quinoa Salad
Honey Puffs - $14
House-made coconut yogustard with honey-coated organic puffed grains, fresh fruit + optional house-squeez'd almond milk. We out here, doin' it.
(little and sweet option)
GF* HM** for your GF*** GF**** - $17
We've made health out of not-health: gluten free almond + berry pancake bits with daire-free coconut ice cream + sugar-free date syrup & a bit of fresh fruit
*Guilt-free; **Hot mess; ***Gluten-free; ****Girlfriend
(big and sweet option)
Freekakes - $17 (add ocean trout gravlax - $6)
Freekeh, sweet potato + currant cakes with cashew cream, chilli jam, wilted kale and eggs
(big and salty option)
Dr Ron Swanson - $18
It's a triple-decker croque monsieur; a veritable bacon wallet of gruyere, bechemel + slow-roasted pork hock + egg
(big and salty option)
Photo taken from my Instagram: @winceeee
I like how they have a large mirror for selfies in the toilet. Btw, how hysterical is baby Joe's face in this photo?!
#selfiestation #lbsscafe
The first thing that came to mind when I rocked up at LBSS Cafe was, "How the heck have I not noticed this place until now?!". I have been going across the road to have my usual roast duck fix at Pacific House every 3 weeks for the past 6 years but never noticed them until now. Too funny.
The concept at LBSS Cafe is very simple. It basically stands for "Little Big Sugar Salt". There are only 8 main items on the menu (with maybe 2 or 3 more for daily specials and little items). The menu is designed to make it simpler for people to make their decisions. All you need to do is decide whether or not you feel like getting something sweet or savoury; big or small portion. Then, you'll be presented with 2 options for that category. It's pretty nifty and straight forward, I must say. I don't like menus that are too overbearing with choices.
We came here on a relaxed Sunday morning and though the cafe wasn't big, it was very warm and inviting. We had a nice big table to ourselves too -- lucky us. Overall, I thought the food was quite good. Sure, there were some (very) minor areas that could've been improved but I still thought it was leaps and bounds better than the awful Hammer & Tong brunch I had the day before.
I started off with a lovely soy piccolo. Robust and fragrant, it was just what I needed. Then, I ordered the Freekakes with the extra trout gravlax and it was DELICIOUS. It was a unique dish (as I find corn and zucchini fritters mega boring) with very distinct yet complementary flavours too. The cakes were crisp/crusty on the outside and tasted so, so good with that homemade chilli jam. I loved the addition of kale (which made it a healthy and tasty dish) and also the underlaying note of cashew from the cream. Not to mention, the gravlax was honestly the best I've had in Melbourne. It was so fresh, flavourful (without being overly salty) and still retained great bite and resistance in the texture. Outstanding. Now, that is one way to make a healthy dish (with lots of superfood) taste damn delicious. It was a tasty dish from start to finish and the green juice I had with it was definitely refreshing to drink.
I had a small nibble of everything else and thought they were done pretty well too. The acai bowl is one of their signature dishes and definitely recommended for people looking for a healthy start to the day. Plus, that mother of a grilled cheese sandwich (Dr Ron Swanson) was GREAT. Definitely not a light breakfast dish but hey, it tasted friggin' amazing. It was everything you wanted but know you shouldn't all in one. A plate worthy to be named after the man himself. Loved the smoky pork hock flavour too. Although, I must say that I am also a sucker for any Parks and Rec reference as it's one of my favourite shows to watch (anyone else a fan?!).
Although, the down side was I did find the honey puffs to taste too similar to what you'd get from the supermarket (even though a lot went into the dish). Also, let's just say the gluten free hotcakes tasted very gluten free. Ahem. Definitely a shock to people like me who's not used to this GF stuff. I did suggest that they maybe add ricotta or something to give the batter a little bit more flavour and moisture. But, the coconut ice cream that went with it was really good. Besides that, I did make a comment that the menu was a bit hard to read because some of the dishes were upside down so you had to turn the menu to read them. But, I've actually been told that they have since changed the layout since our visit so I'm glad they did that.
Overall, what I find most appealing about LBSS Cafe is the dishes that they offer that highlights healthy superfood ingredients (such as freekeh, kale, quinoa, acai etc) without compromising on flavour. Definitely something that sets themselves apart and sits well with me as I too am trying to lead a healthier lifestyle this 2014. That said, I also love the fact that they have something so tasty/crazy/indulgent like the triple decker grilled cheese sandwich (Dr Ron Swanson) too.
Very happy to have tried out LBSS Cafe. A nice, healthier alternative to your standard brunch places. Can't wait to come back. This time, I want to have a coffee with their homemade almond milk too. Again, so healthy! Love it.
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