On one of my rare lunch outings on a week day, I went with my colleagues Sarojini and Kate to St Malo’s Bakery in Crows Nest, just up the street from where we work. Though it’s really the only gourmet bakery in popular Crows Nest, it’s interesting that it’s not as popular as the more generic cafes in the area. There’s definitely some potential here to increase their profile with the local workers!
The inside is done up in wood tables and ironwork furniture. With fresh flowers on the table, fresh artisan bread loaves behind the counter, and a small sunlit courtyard out the back (only large enough for a table of eight), everything about the decor screams quaint, rustic and homely.
As it was a beautiful sunny day outside, we went in and deliberated over our order for a good ten minutes (high five to the wait staff for their patience!) before making our way outside to a table where we could watch the world go by and people-watch to our hearts content.
Sarojini ordered a mango smoothie, and reported it as being smooth, creamy and fruity, without the icy particles that can sometimes be in lesser smoothies. There were lots of other fruity smoothies on the menu as well, which I saw other diners enjoying on the hot day.
I ordered a pineapple and mint frappe rather than a smoothie, as I’m trying to reduce my dairy intake due to general bodily discomfort after having lactose. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I’m lactose-intolerant (a world without ice-cream? Nooooooo!), but I would probably do well to reduce dairy consumption where possible. Having fresh and delicious options like this frappe definitely makes this choice a lot easier!
As a vegetarian, Saroijini can find it difficult to find tasty options on a menu, without being reduced to order plain salads. This vegetable frittata hit the spot though, with vibrant colours, good flavours, and a good mix of vegetables including artistically layered spinach at the base.
Kate ordered a shredded chicken salad sandwich on one of the healthiest multi-grain loaves I’ve ever seen. Luckily, it was also apparently one of the tastiest loaves ever as well!
I splurged and got a quiche lorraine with a side salad. The quiche was deliciously cheesy with a great amount of bacon in a deliciously flaky and buttery pastry. Very decadent for a lunch, so I’m glad that I ordered the side salad as well which was very simply dressed with a vinaigrette, but it definitely made me feel virtuous.
Overall, I rate St Malo’s Bakery a 7 out of 10 – while their range is small, the baked goods they do are excellent and it’s certainly good to have a good quality cafe in the Crows Nest region.
Yummm! That fritatta looks great! I love how they put so many vegetables in there :)
The frittata looks amazing! We have a few vegetarians at work and I do feel for them when we go out and there’s only one sad option on the menu!
ooh colourful frittata looks great!
That frittata has my name on it.
Those flowers are beautiful…. and the mango smoothie… mmmmm