Review - EARL Canteen - $$ - V

There has been so much hype about EARL since it opened I wasn't sure what to expect. It is located at the top end of Melbourne's CBD, tucked into the corner of a courtyard surrounded by big buildings and frequented at lunchtime by (as dubbed by those of us who don't wear them) 'suits'.

Skyscraper gazing

The staff at this futuristic looking sandwich bar are very friendly and advised me on arrival that if I wanted to eat in that full table service would be provided. I did. I sat out in the courtyard where mercifully Melbourne's sun was shining and listened in on very important phone calls being conducted all around me by very important people. Well so I assumed: loud = important yes?

In a controversial move I opted not for the pork belly sandwich that everyone has been raving about but instead ordered the Truffled Mushroom Wrap. It comes in a tortilla with wilted spinach, 'autumnal mushrooms', truffle paste and a soft cooked egg.


The wrap was a little floury for me and even though the egg was cooked well it was a little cold. I'm not sure how you would go trying to eat this as a takeaway? The filling is pretty squishy and the odds on the bottom of the tortilla holding in all the juicy goodness are perhaps not the best. Lucky for me I had a knife and fork and opened it up and tucked right in. It was like eating a forest, which is exactly what I want when I order something autumnal and truffle-y. The flavours were earthy and layered and demanded that I took my time and savoured every mouthful.

A forest masquerading as a sandwich

Once I polished off my lunch I was offered a coffee which I gladly accepted and even though they forgot it to begin with, when it did finally arrive it had been expertly made.
After watching Adriano Zumbo on you-know-what last night I was in the mood for a much raved about macaron to go with my latte but alas there were none! Sold out! Gutted!

These are not your average sandwiches and you don't pay average prices either; city-workers next time the boss says lunch is on them I'd be pitching this place.
The hype piqued my interest originally - the pork belly, the macarons, the handmade crumpets - all of which I am yet to try. So I will return, I need to in order to really make up mind.



Enjoy!