Dad and Dave’s

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27-29 Birmingham Street, Yarraville, 9314 3038

My score: 3.5/5

Of all the ways to gain a good impression of a cafe, I rank spying the chef making tomorrow’s vanilla slice very highly. Even more so when today’s vanilla slice is standing proud in the cake cabinet, its flaky sugar-dusted pastry encasing smooth, sturdy custard that’s a happy shade of yellow. You’re just as likely to see the crew here making croissants, sausage rolls, spinach pies or gooey caramel slice with coconut biscuit base, because they make pretty much everything here, apart from laying the eggs. The kitchen is tiny – indeed the whole cafe is small and homespun – so I love the fact that they make it hard for themselves and manage to look so happy about it.

You wouldn’t know it from the vanilla slice situation but there’s a strong vegan strand to the menu, including desserts and drinks. The vegan corn fritters are a particularly good advertisement for animal-free eating. The words ‘fluffy’ and ‘vegan’ don’t often go together but these fritters have a certain levity to them. They’re full-flavoured with a background hint of chilli, tangy beetroot relish and a generous pile of avocado salsa. Avocado also stars in a smashing green smoothie with banana, apple, flaxseed and spinach. It comes in small, medium and large because you don’t always want to drown in goodness. The peppery beef sausage roll is studded with peas and corn; the spinach pie is layered with fresh silverbeet, crumbly feta and herby sprinkles: both are totally satisfying.

Dad and Dave’s is opposite Yarraville’s bus depot and close to the citybound train platform so it’s easy to understand why they do swift trade in SMS morning coffee and toastie orders (and the coffee is great). It’s just one more example of an enthusiastic approach that builds loyalty, love and a thriving neighbourhood business.

See their Facebook page.

More ‘Eat with David’ restaurants:

David’s Restaurant, 4 Cecil Place, Prahran, 9529 5199.
Homestyle Shanghainese food is the angle here, in culinary reminiscence to owner David Zhou’s heritage, but the setting and presentation is contemporary and calm.

David and Camy Noodle Restaurant, Whitehorse Plaza, 605 Station Street, Box Hill, 9898 8398.
Don’t expect creature comforts; do expect quick, cheap, tasty dumplings, noodles and rice.

Round Bird Can’t Fly, 170 Main Street, Lilydale, 9735 9724.
There’s no David in the name, but this cafe is one of a number of top-line operations using milk from Fitzroy’s boutique St David Dairy.

First published in The Age, June 21, 2015.