L'Espresso
| Where | 417 Sturt Street, Ballarat, 3350—View map |
Contact | 03 5333 1789 lespresso@netconnect.com.au |
Website | www.ballarat.com/lespresso.htm |
Open | Sunday to Thursday 07.00 am to 06.00 pm |
Payment | EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, Diners, AMEX, Cash |
Diet | Check with venue |
Seating | Inside and outside |
Kids | Welcome |
Pets | Welcome |
Jazzing it up in Ballarat
Claire Wiltshire 4 May 2008
Don't be fooled into thinking sophisticated breakfast spots are only found in the inner city! Ballarat's Sturt Street is home to some funky cafés serving top-notch coffee rivalling anything Melbourne has to offer. The pick of them has to be L'Espresso, a cosy enoteca-style restaurant that welcomes you in from the cold, old streets. Just looking around the wooden shelves stacked with pasta, tomatoes and beautiful bottles of wine, helps you forget about the chilly Ballarat air, getting the juices flowing for some home-style cooking with an edge.
In spite of the competition in the street, the coffee is brilliant and perfectly complemented by the jazz-inspired surrounds. Miles Davis posters set against dark walls make for an intimate interior, and once in the mood for music, you can browse through the extensive collection of hand-picked blues and alternative gems in the range of CDs for sale.
When you're looking for a breakfast to warm you to the belly, tasty treats like creamed rice with sweet apple and pear with flaked almonds are hard to pass up. For something a bit meatier, try the Tuki lamb's fry with bacon and caramelised onion.
There are plenty of brekkie standards on the solid menu, and they come served with that extra bit of class. The hollandaise achieves the perfect balance of butter and lemony bite, working especially well on the Eggs Florentine with a side of smoked salmon. Grilled bacon is served in a sandwich of melty zucchini and corn fritters that get the zing they need from rocket pesto and splashes of dressing.
Confirming you are indeed in the country, the menu highlights produce from the local region. The muesli with poached fruit comes with nearby Meredith sheep's milk and yoghurt. And it's not just local food they support - a pile of Ballarat writer Peter Temple's novels bulk up the counter if you're in need of some serious crime reading over coffee.
Making an omelette to order for my dietary-challenged companion was no trouble for the kitchen. As we poured over the menu early on a Sunday morning, obliging staff offered suggestions and solutions to gluten and dairy intolerance.