In Short: Stunning coffee, adventurous and delicious take on brunch, friendly service. Tip: Take a weekday off and chill here.
In 2 days in Melbourne, we saw the sun for about at an hour at sunset. For the rest of the time it mostly rained and blew a gale, but we expected it when visiting Melbourne. You know what though? We still fell a little more in love with the city. Cafes like Mammoth increased our amorous feelings for the 2nd largest city in the country. Located in Armadale, Mammoth is spacious and is filled with light. White washed walls are broken up with splashes of blue and the warm tones of the cabinetry. Even on a Friday morning every table is occupied. It never gets too loud in this triangular structure, with a nice atmosphere to refuge us from the four seasons of weather sweeping over the city.
An impressive Synesso sits on the counter which fills with me excitement. I quickly proceed to order a flat white. I had already sampled a damn good flat white just two hours before this one, yet the Five Senses Beans was treated expertly, producing a cup of coffee that was aromatic, robust and warming. I love the hints of vanilla and caramel that came through. Quite simply, perfection in a cup.
While lots of folk come here for the lobster doughnut burger, I go against the grain and try out the green chilli eggs, thick cut bacon and sourdough. Before I go on, let me say this dish was an absolute standout. It’s basically 3 primary ingredients that deliver a thoroughly satisfying meal! First off, there’s the folded egg which has the distinct flavours of Thailand. I loved the basil infusion, and the spice. It’s taken off the fire just before it’s fully cooked and the residual heat ensures as it arrives at the table, perfectly soft, yet cooked through. There’s the bacon, and not just a token couple of strands. This is thick cut with Asian flavours. The flavours of soy and the char of the maltose are reminiscent of the very best char siu from Chinatown. The sourdough is a charred variety. There’s a a very mild smoky flavour and if you close your eyes, you wouldn’t know it was charred. Against the eggs, the blackened colour contrasts with the bright yellow. Sitting atop the bread and bacon are a crisped chillis which add a ton of heat! It had my eyes watering and cleared up my sinuses, and I loved it!
A second dish on the menu that took our fancy was the apple strudel French toast, white balsamic apple and rum and raisin ice cream. The most intriguing aspect was of course the “French toast” which didn’t look anything like the huge hunks of bread we’re used to. Rather at Mammoth, its presented as crumbed soldiers. The French toast has a crisper outer with a soft centre. I enjoyed dipping it in the vanilla custard and the combination of the eggy flavours of the French toast and custard were divine. The white balsamic apple cuts through the richer flavours. I have to talk about the rum and raisin ice cream. If asked what would be at my last meal, I think for dessert it would have to be Rum n Raisin ice cream. Now, I might need to be more specific and mention it has to be the rum and raisin from Mammoth. I loved the peach hues of the ice cream along with the desiccated coconut shards. The boozy rum soaked raisins were so good. Just heavenly!
To round off our brunch, I finished with green tea latte. I loved the creaminess of the latte, with that characteristic grassy, smoky flavour coming through. There’s a nice balance between the astringency and sweetness. It’s a very warming drink that prepares me to brace the Melbourne weather.
We left with a Mammoth smile. Another Melbourne cafe that left us with a lasting impression. Its proximity to the city means there’s simply no excuse to not drop into Mammoth.
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