Lowlands
923 high st, thornbury
ph: (03) 9480 1635
http://lowlandsespresso.blogspot.com.au/
Take the 86 line and you’ll find your choices for food are a plenty. If its not directly on Bourke, Gertrude, Smith or High streets, then it’s almost certainly off one of the connecting and unassuming streets. Head up north to Northcote/Thornbury and you find yourself in the Lowlands. Armed with a Synesso machine, hip baristas pump out Small batch ammo out to all the locals in a somewhat dilapidated environment. Indeed, the wood, old lantern lamps, stained floors and white brick walls make it feel like you’re in some sort of war zone trench/barracks.
My brother in arms was…my little sister. Unfortunately, she often doesn’t know what to order. Fortunately, she doesn’t eat much. So, we (realistically, I) request the usual cappuccino along with a serving of “two poached eggs with grilled corn off the cob, smoky chorizo and lime, paprika mayo” and “two baked eggs on creamy leek and fennel with apple cider chorizo”
For a place that won “two cups” out of three from The Age’s little coffee army, coffee was severely disappointing. Luke warm and overly milky. As if fate had planned, the waitress accidentally ordered two and gave me the second free of charge. This turned out much better than the first – a light-medium body with little acidity. Still not sure if it was two-cup worthy though.
Given the reviews Lowlands has received, I was expecting the food to be more impressive. Whilst it looked appealing, the corn cob eggs with snag faired poorly with most of its elements falling short of the mark. The corn lacked sweetness and the mayo could have done with more of the paprika. Similarly, the baked eggs were a mediocre affair. Eggs were overdone, the chorizo was bland (what happened to apple cider?) and the greens – dressingless & lifeless. I was looking forward to the creamy leek base but all I got was soggy, watery leek.
Needless to say, we left the place with a bitter taste in our mouths (not from the coffee, that is…just sayin’). Either both the kitchen and the floor were having a bad day or it was just not meant to be.
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Rating: 4/10
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