Octane Kitchen Flemington
The concept store for the namesake Octane Espresso, Octane Kitchen was launched by caffeine fiends who'd grown tired of the usual generic coffee house food. It features international cuisine with a bit of a Mediterranean bent; think mezze platters, or a breakfast with a twist such as the scrambled tofu and roasted mushrooms with haloumi cheese. Naturally, Octane's emphasis is on great coffee, but other beverages range from all-Victorian house wines to Phoenix organic chai and the famous Koko Deluxe hot chocolate: an Octane blend of rich dark chocolate which is not only sinfully delicious but organic and gluten-free.
A delightfully cheery ambience abounds with upbeat jazz music and leafy plants sprouting beside a potbelly stove. Modern landscape paintings and shelves of antique teapots and miscellaneous knick-knacks line the walls, while a lush courtyard provides a little outdoor oasis.
The menu has a strong vegetarian focus with the majority of mains being vegetarian, vegan or at least easily modified. The caffeine emphasis makes this the obvious choice for breakfast, while the list of intriguing brekkie dishes is a further draw. Opt for a sweet start to the day with a banana pancake stack with passionfruit syrup; or try the mixed dhal hot brekkie with wilted spinach and poached free-range eggs on roti bread.
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