Hutch & Co., Lilydale

November 01, 2015

Hutch & Co., Lilydale

Lilydale is suddenly becoming the foodie capital of the outer east. Inner city cafés are opening up all over the place where you can get your single origin coffee and your Instagram drool-worthy eats. First you had The Lilydale General tucked away in the industrial area and then Round Bird Can’t Fly appeared on Main Street. Now they have some serious competition... Hutch & Co has a very enticing menu that should please your inner hipster. Compared to the other two cafés, their menu has more interesting options and causes less damage on the hip pocket. The space is a lot bigger than Round Bird and if you want somewhere more private the back room is a great option. Mesh partitions the interior into cosier rooms whilst pale timber, low hanging lighting and greenery soften the industrial look.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

· Rice Chia Pudding – Warm coconut rice pudding with vanilla poached strawberries, gluten free pistachio crumb and puffed rice ($15.00)

· Old Time Rocky Road - Rocky road French toast, cherry gel, chocolate, rose water marshmallow and mint ($15.00)

· Pigs and Figs – Fig and prosciutto bruschetta, herbed goats feta, honey and watercress ($15.00)

· Captain Crunch Sanga – Cornflake and coconut crumbed chicken schnitzel sandwich with paprika aioli, lettuce, tomato and avocado served with beer battered chips ($16.00)

WHAT WE ATE...

I seem to be choosing vegetarian dishes all the time these days... I was tossing up between the Chia Pudding and the Gnocchi but the savoury dish ultimately won. Plus, anything that is based on music lyrics is my kryptonite... The ‘Gnocchi on Heaven’s Door – Pan fried ricotta gnocchi with asparagus, broad beans, peas, and pine nuts with salsa verde ($16.00)’. The only problem with this dish was that I wanted to order another one straight away because I loved it so much! The seared gnocchi contained pillow-like hearts and the salsa verde was so invigorating and fresh. A copious amount of pine nuts added crunch whilst the verdant vegetables created a burst of Spring on my palate. I need to come back very soon and try the rest of their menu...

Gnocchi

My dining companion picked one of the specials. ‘A Little Bit Fishy ($17.00)’ consisted of tempura salmon tacos, with tomato, avocado, salsa, black beans and lime aioli. Inside the crispy tempura batter was a succulent salmon fillet that was perfectly cooked. The lime aioli added zing whilst the other ingredients added a lively Mexican flair.

A Little Bit Fishy

WHAT WE DRANK...

You can try a White Bounty ($4.00) or a Lemongrass and Rosehip Tea ($3.50)... Hutch & Co roast their own coffee using specialty beans. My latte ($3.50) was gorgeous but if you like your coffee strong then I would suggest an extra shot ($1.00).