Bawa Cafe: Review
248 Burwood Road, Hawthorn
www.bawacafe.com

Named after Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, the new Bawa cafe in Hawthorn should be next on your to-visit list. With design inspiration from Bawa’s signature style of tropical Modernism, the cafe is all floor-to-ceiling windows with prominent hanging greenery, giving it a bright airiness that is successful in making diners feel at least partially outdoors. With those of Barry, Square and Compass, Pillar of Salt and Three Bags Full behind the scenes, it wasn’t surprising that teething hiccups were conspicuously absent – it felt like a cafe that had run for months, rather than just days. The wait for a table was just as telling – to wait for seats on a Tuesday is unusual anywhere, let alone somewhere that has so new a social media presence.

The menu was one of the beBst I had seen in a while, with subtle twists on classic dishes at reasonable prices. The porridge is black quinoa and paired with cherry, cacao & sesame snaps ($14.5), the avocado smash has creamed corn, feta, hazelnuts and lime ($15), and the chilli scrambled eggs are served with pickled mushrooms, kaiserfleish & reggiano ($17.5). The potato roesti was very popular, and by the looks of those near us, for good reason – a large, crispy edged potato roesti is a bed for slow braised pork, poached eggs and a striking green herb hollandaise ($18). Lunch offerings are just as good, and include a superfood salad reminiscent of that of Pillar of Salt (with quinoa, shredded kale, wild rice, coriander, charred corn, salted ricotta, black turtle beans, heirloom tomatoes, jalapeno, gojis and a spicy lime vinaigrette – $16), a seared blackberry and lime cured ocean trout, with radicchio, basil, tomato, samphire and buttermilk ($20) and free range panko crusted chicken schnitzel dish with celeriac slaw & pickled apples ($18).

The Middle-Eastern inspired pressed lamb shoulder ($20) was one we couldn’t bypass: a thick slab of tender, flaking lamb is served on a bright purple cabbage puree with dollops of spiced harissa and topped with a cauliflower tabouli packed with herbs, pinenuts, barberries and finely cubed tomato. The flavours were just as bold as the colour, and we were both left wishing we didn’t have to share.

The next dish was almost as good: ricotta fritters ($18), light and not too sweet, are paired with a few different types of strawberry – fresh, freeze-dried, pureed – as well as a lightly scented thick lavender custard and a nutty candied pecan praline. Sweet but not sickly, this is one of the few sweet dishes around that I could easily eat twice over, and the strength of the strawberry flavour, perfect for spring, was the defining feature.

We finished on the fresh, fruity flavours of the current omni-present cafe chia pudding ($16). Rich with coconut, the chia pudding is topped with fresh mango, a tart passionfruit-mango puree, fresh berries, dehydrated blood-orange and bright green pistachios. Another winner in my books – the passionfruit puree cut through the sweetness and occasional heaviness of the chia, and it successfully walked the line between healthiness and tasting good.

Our only qualm was the iced black tonic: being a hot day in Melbourne, the combination of espresso, lime and tonic sounded ideal, but for us at least (and the table next door), that did not seem to transfer to flavour. The lime was strong, but the bitter nature of espresso on top of bitter tonic wasn’t our favourite. I would go for a regular coffee, or try one of the blended drinks – the spinach, kale, green apple, chia, flax and coconut water smoothie was particularly tempting.

Honesty – I can’t wait to go back. Everything about Bawa, from the top service, the tropical modernism design and bustling atmosphere to some of the most colourful cafe fare I have laid eyes on, is up with the best in Melbourne.

Rating: 8.5/10
Don’t miss: the pressed lamb shoulder or strawberry ricotta fritters
Do: try an off-peak time to avoid waits
Vibe: outdoorsy, bright and modern

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