carlton noms: crafternoon + the beaufort

Ms Hayley recently gave herself blog amnesty and I've been feeling all blocked vis food blogging (not vis media and social justice blogging at no award though) so I'm gonna do a similar thing. 

Crafternoon: Emma and I went to Crafternoon a few Sundays back as a way of getting out of the house when we'd both been having lazy Sundays. We took the Sooty Monster and meandered down to Crafternoon in the hopes that it was still open, and it was! Crafternoon is open seven days a week, and it's a small, lovely cafe that offers crafts with your coffee and cake and brekkie and lunch. Vegan items are clearly marked on the menu, as are GF options, so I was delighted to order the lemon and almond tart with berry compote and coconut icecream. I am not usually a huge fan of tarts (on the grounds that I am not a huge fan of tart flavours) but this one was beautiful, and combined with the compote and the icecream made a lovely flavour sensation that I was sad to finish. I enjoyed the presentation of the tart, and I appreciated the paper and crayons already on the table so I could start designing the Mecha Penguin Jaegar that Danni and I are gonna be piloting when the apocalypse comes.

Crafternoon is located at 531 Nicholson Street, North Carlton. There is street seating, and a step up into the venue (plus what seemed like a narrow door). Ordering happens at the table. Reasonable prices ($4 for my tart). $0.5 soy surcharge.

The Beaufort: Hayley's blog amnesty includes a review of her first visit to the Beaufort. My visit two Fridays past was also my first, I went with my Beijing Ren for our usual monthly catchup (we're trying to move beyond Chinese restaurants). I had thought it would be more Gaso/EBC in its vegan opportunities, which I was sadly incorrect about: there were only two vegan options, the Philly Cheese Fake and the vegan Bahn Mi. I went the Philly Cheese Fake with vegan cheese, which was delicious containing a million mushrooms and wrapped by some lovely bread. The Fake comes with some fries which were sadly the saltiest fries I've ever tasted, but I was also delighted by my Granny Smith with alcohol (freshly juiced in front of me and served with Gin). Music was hilariously nineties.

The Beaufort is located at 421 Rathdowne Street in Carlton. Its interior is way too dark, but they let your puppy inside and the service is prompt and friendly. It has also been reviewed by Cindy and Michael.

brunch at little creatures

Being both originally from WA, when Mez and I discovered that Little Creatures in Fitzroy had a breakfast menu we thought it'd be awesome to drop in.

The only item that could be veganised was the avocado + feta with dukka and spinach on toast, without the feta; I couldn't order the beans because they are cooked with butter.

This was plain and nothing special, and there was actually no dukka on my avocado, but the coffee was nice and the atmosphere in the mostly empty pub was pleasant and the company was, as always, delightful. If I'm in Fitzroy I'd rather dart across to Las Vegan, but it was a very nice morning nearby where I had to be for my next engagement.

Little Creatures Dining Hall
222 Brunswick Street
Fitzroy

Entry has a ramp, lots of lighting, tiny menus, ordering happens at the table. $14 for my meal. Get there on the 112 tram (not accessible).

gasometer, collingwood

So last week it was my birthday and I decided to use it as an opportunity to finally get down to Gasometer, having heard so much about it already from every vegan and vegetarian in Melbourne.

With a party of ten people on a Friday night, I booked a table. I only did this two days in advance, and there was no problem getting it.

I was overwhelmed by the choice! In the end I decided to go for a pot pie main, because it was cold and I had been thinking about pies. All the mains come with a choice of two sides, and because it was my birthday I picked the sides I wanted the most, carb-loaded as they were, rather than the sides I should have. I ended up going for the mac and cheeze and the potato mash.



The pie came with a chutney sauce, and was filled with lots of potatoes. It was delicious, and I loved my sides, but it was massive and I couldn't come anywhere near finishing it. I would eat a main with sides again, but maybe only if I was sharing it with someone. Certainly I would eat the mac and cheeze again.



I have no idea whose chicken burger this is, as three came to the table; I did sample someone's though, and it was amazing. I have been thinking about this burger ever since, and I would return to Gasometer just for this burger and the chips, advertised to me by Fi as the greatest chips in Melbourne.



I was way too full to think about dessert, but J had thought about it and ordered the cannoli in advance. In my position as birthday penguin, J thoughtfully and very kindly (and ONLY because it was my birthday) let me have one. These were chocolate on one side and cookies and cream on the other and MY WORD. MY WORD. I had thought that cannoli was a delight to which I could never return, now that I am vegan, but oh these were very excellent cannoli. I recommend so highly. They were delicious.

Nobody else who came has blogged! SADFACE. I know Erin had the tofu wings and they were pretty good, and J had the mac and cheeze as a meal but would not repeat the experience.

Others who have eaten there: Carla; Danni; K + Toby; Veg in the West (once + twice); and Cindy and Michael (one, two, three, four times).

Gasometer
484 Smith Street
Collingwood

Handily accessible on the 86 tram, cramped and too warm on a friday night, difficult to navigate if you have mobility issues and way too noisy. Cindy and Michael rated the tables as 'spaced wide apart' so maybe they're different on different nights?