Sunday, April 18, 2010

Review - Grigons & Orr Corner Store - $-$$$ - V

Remember the old days when you could get 50 cents worth of mixed lollies and it was a bag so big you'd be the envy of all the kids in the street? Well Grigons & Orr Corner Store in North Melbourne is bringing those days back. This milk bar and cafe serves breakfast and lunch all day, as well as stocking old-school pantry goods. And lollies - real, proper lollies like mint leaves and strawberries and cream!

Inside, the shelves are stacked with bits and bobs, and lots of nostalgic packaging (a dusting nightmare). There are cakes on the counter where you order, tea cosies inside it and everywhere you look there seems to be something to make you want to say 'oh remember those?'
Outside there's crochet blankets to pop over cold knees and it's nice not to be in the hustle and bustle of Errol Street for a change.

On my first visit the menu proved challenging - what to have? Ricotta pancakes with brandied blueberries and Barbados cream? The special pancakes of the day with sauteed pears and strawberries? In the end the apple fritters with hazelnuts, caramel sauce and marscapone won out.

Three fritters arrived with a piece of hot granny smith in between each one. Not too much caramel sauce was a relief and the crunch of the nuts against the soft texture of the fritters was just right.
Thankfully one of my dining companions let me try the savoury French toast, which was salty from the bacon and had a lovely astringent tang from the balsamic glaze (although it was agreed the glaze was a little light-on serve wise).

A second coffee ordered is a thumbs up in my world, and I think I just found my new favourite place to sit on chilly mornings - with the paper and a blanket - and drink two lattes in a row.

Grigons & Orr on Urbanspoon

Enjoy!

8 comments:

Sleekit said...

Aw man I'm pissed I missed this, sounds fab

Sleekit x

Anonymous said...

a buddy of mine used to work here. it's wonderful.

Libby said...

Nice one! I'd come here just for the lollies. Will pay a visit in the coming weeks :)

What's For Tea? said...

Definitely go and check it out, it really is a joy to step back in time.

Peeps with a sweet tooth head to the cafe website and you can print yourself a voucher for a lollie bag :)

Jetsetting Joyce (MEL: HOT OR NOT) said...

Crochet blankets! What a cute idea. In fact, the whole place is cute - I've only ever had a milkshake there but aiming for breakfast/lunch soon. Thanks for the tip re voucher - love lolly bags :)

Jetsetting Joyce

Food Floozy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Food Floozy said...

Yum, these sound fab. I had the worst experience here with pancakes - they were so dry and hard you could hurt someone with them... That said, I recon I might go back this morning and give them another try. :)

What's For Tea? said...

Hello FF! Good on you for giving this place a chance to redeem itself. I hope you had a better experience the second time around, do let us know how it was...

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