Toorak. Tractor. Tudor. Trude. The word associations around Melbourne's best postcode roll off the tongue like rooftop honey.
Especially Tudor. Whenever I think of Toorak I picture that strip of pretendy olde England derided by a young Robin Boyd in 1941 as a''maudlin riot of half timbered,crenulated erections''. In that same strip of Toorak Road remains a remnant of the more austere Georgian-inflected Victorian architecture that Boyd preferred,and in one of those Victorian shopfronts is Townhouse,a newish cafe that has been applauded for finally bringing specialty coffee to Trak.
There's a playful nod to the Village's mock-Tudor styling in the geometric wallpaper and a subtle bit of timber fretwork on the bar in the otherwise white and pale timber space,but there's nothing on the menu that Henry VII or VIII would recognise as breakfast:least of all the breakfast salad with parmesan panna cotta.
It turns out to be a pretty plate of poached eggs with a slab of panna cotta surrounded by a salad of witlof,oak leaf lettuce and beet leaves with slices of pear and a salty dressing. The eggs are nicely runny-yolked,the panna cotta creamy,and its parmesan flavouring more gently umami than full-on cheesy.
Also prettily plated is the smoked salmon on dark rye bread:two neat squares of dense,pumpernickel-style rye draped with the salmon and topped with a poached egg,salmon roe and a slather of preserved-lemon hollandaise. The salmon and eggs play a smoky-eggy duet,the hollandaise adds a little lemony tang and is a creamy foil to the rye - rendering the quenelle of creamy whipped avocado on the plate superfluous.
The stars at lunch include the Townhouse burger,a house-made Angus beef patty with free-range bacon,cheese and pickles on a brioche bun,served on a board with fries;a fish pie;and market fish with Asian coleslaw and yuzu tartare.
A slow-cooked pork roll with kohlrabi kimchi and coriander mayo also came on a board with a toothpick spear to hold it together,which it didn't really need. The limp kimchi was more of a distraction than an enhancement:this sandwich could have used a bit more textural contrast,as in crunch. The Reuben at a neighbouring table looked a better sandwich bet and when I went back for a second visit the pork roll and kohlrabi kimchi had vanished from the menu.
The crowd? Well,there are Ray-Bans and puffer vests,Hermes scarves and elastic-sided boots,but not so much that a preschooler in granddaddy daycare couldn't turn the communal table into a Matchbox car park.
The house-blend Rosso beans are chocolatey and pleasant in a flat white. The specialty bit of the coffee offer is single origins from local roasters:a Colombian Las Margaritas from Maling Room that was rich and lush,or maybe a bright and sweetly fruity Burundi with a toasted finish from Reverence.
Toorak. Tractor. Tudor. Trude. Add another''T''for Townhouse.
Do…Leave the cliches at home:this isn't just for''ladies who lunch''
Don't… Miss the mock-Tudor architecture
Vibe…Relaxed cafe chi-chi
Dish…Smoked salmon on dark rye
TheAge Good Cafe Guide 2014 is available in selected bookshops and online attheageshop.com.au for $9.99.