tl:dr: you better believe it, everything that has been said about this place. from the moment you walk in, to the moment you leave with a contented stomach, they are fully on the ball delivering an eating experience that will have you simultaneously relaxed to enjoy the shop space, and then being amazed with what they can do in such a dynamic menu. it is far better to go to that place to see what they fuss is all about rather than read about it - let's just put it that way.
in the middle of the bustling boundary street in west end, among all the competition of so many cheap bites to eat on the run, many choices allure diners to come on in. some of them are fairly rough, and get business going with little delay, while a few others have their own atmosphere that can beckon you to stay there some time. jacaranda coffee lane is certainly the latter, and is more reminiscent of something on hardgrave road. from initially reading the menu and what they have on offer, i knew it could be something good. just how good it was going to be, i would have never expected it.
this was one of these places which in getting there was a long time coming. notably, it had come about the resurgence west end seems to have every few years with a number of new eateries popping up, and a couple of them my house mate and i had visited in the past, and the batting average is still pretty good as far as suburbs go. among them was jacaranda lane, in which i had pointed it out so many times and for some good reasons: it is something a bit different, particularly around breakfast time. that is something the house mate takes kindly to, and this would be right up his alley.
nevertheless, this was going to be one to keep going back to for suggestions. in getting here, it was a case of being visited by lady luck. whatever bargain website it has, my house mate had found this pre-paid deal for breakfast at jacaranda lane and that was that getting there. it was for the choice of a small coffee, and a meal under a particular amount. it was funny enough taking something a bit different, as it was a shake up to the usual routine. instead of this being a sunday morning this, it was on a tuesday (just had my work go down to part time). so with a surprise wake up before normal hours, sooner or later it was onto west end.
so many places that aim to be at the level this is have such flashy aesthetics on the outside that they can't be ignored. that can't be said here, since one could easily walk past - hungry or not - and have no idea that it is right here. during the closed period, it is a mere roller door along with the sign above. forgive the plain packaging there, since once you are inside the whole decor and atmosphere is comforting, has a chilled temperature, and a calming tone all-round. touches here and there give it that true, earnest nature including some papers to read during the coffee, and a water bowl out the front for dogs walking past. any place that has that last aspect, in passing or focused, will always get a special point from me.
with the whole place being understated in appearance, the service has a similarly relaxed approach itself that is not overt or in your face. outside of going up to pay for it at the end, the service is entirely at the table. the couple that owns and runs this place are very lovely, know how to make clientele feel welcome and relaxed, plus know how to time each stage well within the dining experience. that skeleton there sets up for an adequate level of service; what follows is all the little touches that truly has it stand out. these include all those aspects such as bringing out the water, setting the table straight at the start, and managing to go through the menu and deal - it was hard to fault the service at this place.
one last bit of service came towards the end of the meal. not sure about you, the reader, but after most great meals a bit of something sweet does often sound good. in saying that, it can't be all the time that it is a big sundae or slice of pie or anything like that - but at least a little something. this is possibly unique to here, coming as a complete surprise which really put the cherry on top of the whole experience. just at the tail end of when you are finishing up your meal, they bring out a small bowl of chopped fruit to you, which is garnished with a small spoonful of cream, and a sprinkle of what i reckon was popping candy. this is just a slight touch with the service, yet it is one that is characteristic and unique to this place, and even if it weren't in that regard, it just goes to show that it is the small touches that can make up a place.
with their menu - that is the way that you wheel in a good amount of interested clientele. this is the one aspect about it all that understated does not suit. it has a definite asian influence throughout a lot of the menu, plus quite a bit of experimentation has gone on behind the scenes to bring forth the expansive and enticing menu they have. they offer something different from the competitors at both lunch and dinner, along with a sufficient range of beverages to wet your whistle.
staring with the breakfast that they have, it is divided into two sections - one in which aims for the light and healthy, and the other is the regular sort of breakfast. this is a good way to get a wider audience, understanding those wanting something a bit quick and simple in one regard, but in the other it understands that there is a decent audience that goes out to have more substantial meals than they have at home. the latter one is more of a brunch, taking influences from around the world. this is where they start to go from good cooks to showcasing an inventive mindset. any kind of diner possible is kept in mind, with examples including those liking it exotic, the sweet tooth, and some of the basics for good measure. seafood is fairly common on the menu here as well, a rarity for sure. getting to lunch time, and it becomes a little more in the vein of standard cafe fare. a lot of burgers, different types of sandwiches, salads, and the usual finger food to go around. the same mentality as before keeps afloat, with an international presence.
when it comes to the drinks, they have you covered sufficiently. coffee and tea are both served here, good quality and with both the usual varieties and some house specialties that are enticing. they also have the iced varieties of all those, house-made iced tea, milkshakes and smoothies. on top of those, they got the sodas, juices and everything else. it is well set here to go.
starting off business as per usual, it came to the drinks. and coffee took the precedent yet again, with the good old doppio being ordered. whatever bean they use here, i cannot quite recall. it must have been a decent one, since the coffee wasniceand strong, leaving a decent taste in the mouth. the crema finished it off nicely, with the temperature being right on point. on the side was a small chocolate cookie, that comes with each order.
for me, without the restriction put forth it would get a bit on the difficult side knowing what to have. with it in place, there was still quite the choice. ultimately though, the one that really took the fancy sounded just too good. it was a variation on the classic chinese dish "mapo tofu": the meal has a couple of deep fried eggs, several small pork dumpling, and a bunch of fried tofu, in a spicy mapo-style sauce that was on a bed of egg noodles before being finished off with pork floss.
always a winner at the chinese restaurants, the mapo tofu stands by itself as one of the great dishes. right here, each component was fully realised and very bold in both flavour and texture. throughout the meal, the taste palate had a complex, spicy aroma to it that was unique. it got absorbed effectively by the tofu, which was in small cubes and went down a treat. however they prepared the eggs, they were quite good and very interesting - the yolk was still pretty runny and the whites were soft as silk. several pork dumplings adorned the plate, with a solid mixture in each of them. the bed of egg noodles were the centerpiece of it all, being al dente and mixing well with the pork mince, pork floss, and the rest of the garnishes. this was a symphony of each taste bud being exercised, and is the stand out in an already impressive menu. lastly, it was such a generous serving size that i don't remember eating until dinner time. that might be the biggest compliment a breakfast place can get.
from my house mates plate - he got a big breakfast - i tried some of his hash, the bacon, chorizo, and mushroom, and each component was plump, tasty, and good quality. this surely was a filling meal to be had. the chorizo sausage had its spicy brilliance, the mushrooms were cooked to just the right point, thick-cut bacon that had a good crisp on it was here, and the hash also was nice.
going back to the aforementioned sweet at the end, each piece of fruit was juicy and delicious. the bits of fruit from memory were three kinds of melon: watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. there might have also been a small bit of apple. nevertheless, the fruit here was fresh and had a crunchy texture, plus the sweetness of it really ended the meal off on a good note. to give it one last observation, the popping candy was a good touch since it was unexpected - pardon the pun, but it perhaps was to end the meal off with a bang.
there have been a number of memorable meals over the years, but when it comes to jacaranda lane it is well and truly something else entirely. it is not just because of the quality of the food that was served. the service was fairly nice, not quite in your face though managed to make itself known. heck, the ambiance might be one of the stronger points around this part of the suburb and that could be closer to the mark here. but it is not any of those. what really set this place apart was how intrinsic the menu was, and the way that the meals were crafted from a range of distinct ingredients. it is hard to find a place which understands how to stand out from the crowd.
rating: 4.5 (getting very close to perfection)