Axil Coffee Roasters

Axil Coffee Roasters

322 Burwood Road

Hawthorn, 3122

Ph: (03) 9819-0093

Website

After last week's intense wintry cold, I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to a nice sunny day!  I spent this morning making oatmeal waffles (blogpost to come!), then headed to a day spa and treated myself to a nice relaxing massage.  Aaah...

But no relaxing weekend is complete without a visit to a cafe.  And this weekend's cafe of choice was the brand new Axil Coffee Roasters, in Hawthorn.  And when I say newly opened, I mean newly opened - they only opened on Wednesday!  I'd read about them in Broadsheet, (which, incidentally, is now my main source for hearing about new eateries), and thought it sounded great!  Axil is on Burwood Road, near the corner of Glenferrie, and was once a bowling alley.  I love the light-filled space and soaring ceilings.

We started with a round of coffees: a weak latte for Sandra...

Weak cafe latte - $3.50

...and a filter coffee for me.  (The menu calls it "filter coffee", which is the same as pourover style - i.e. ground coffee placed in a paper-lined ceramic filter with hot water poured over it).

Filter coffee - $5

It was a Bolivian bean, and it was wonderfully strong without any excess bitterness.  The staff were really friendly, but not particularly knowledgeable. (Understandable though, it's still a brand new cafe!)  The coffee section of the menu states "please ask your server" for the single origin and filter coffee offering of the day - but when I asked our waitress what these were, she had to go and ask the baristas.  Also, she told me I couldn't get the single origin bean done in the filter/pourover style, but she couldn't tell me why.  Perhaps they only do the single-origin as espresso?  I generally prefer single origin beans in a gentler style than espresso, so I can taste the different flavours.  It wasn't a huge issue, I was just a little confused... I'll just find out next time I visit!

Axil offers all-day breakfast, a lunch menu, sandwiches and desserts, as well as some house made sweets and biscuits.  We weren't starving, so just had one item each, no desserts.

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder wrap with mint, yoghurt and tabouli - $14

The slow-roasted lamb shoulder wrap is such a "Sarah" dish.  I loved the soft lamb against the sharply dressed tabouli.  The wrap was super-soft, and had a delicious splodge of hummus - fabulous!

But Sandra's eggs Benedict bagel didn't look too shabby either!

Eggs Benedict bagel with house made loin ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce - $14

Two perfectly poached eggs sat atop thin slices of ham and a toasted poppyseed bagel, all swathed in creamy hollandaise sauce.  I liked my lamb wrap, but I was suffering serious dish envy here!  I think both dishes were a great size as well - just right for one portion.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I think breakfast portions at some cafes are out of control!

Mmm... runny egg yolk.

Axil Coffee Roasters was a great find, and despite a few little teething problems, I think it's a wonderful cafe and can't wait to come back and try some different dishes!

Axil Coffee Roasters

322 Burwood Road

Hawthorn, 3122

Ph: (03) 9819-0093

Website

After last week's intense wintry cold, I was pleasantly surprised to wake up to a nice sunny day!  I spent this morning making oatmeal waffles (blogpost to come!), then headed to a day spa and treated myself to a nice relaxing massage.  Aaah...

But no relaxing weekend is complete without a visit to a cafe.  And this weekend's cafe of choice was the brand new Axil Coffee Roasters, in Hawthorn.  And when I say newly opened, I mean newly opened - they only opened on Wednesday!  I'd read about them in Broadsheet, (which, incidentally, is now my main source for hearing about new eateries), and thought it sounded great!  Axil is on Burwood Road, near the corner of Glenferrie, and was once a bowling alley.  I love the light-filled space and soaring ceilings.

We started with a round of coffees: a weak latte for Sandra...

Weak cafe latte - $3.50

...and a filter coffee for me.  (The menu calls it "filter coffee", which is the same as pourover style - i.e. ground coffee placed in a paper-lined ceramic filter with hot water poured over it).

Filter coffee - $5

It was a Bolivian bean, and it was wonderfully strong without any excess bitterness.  The staff were really friendly, but not particularly knowledgeable. (Understandable though, it's still a brand new cafe!)  The coffee section of the menu states "please ask your server" for the single origin and filter coffee offering of the day - but when I asked our waitress what these were, she had to go and ask the baristas.  Also, she told me I couldn't get the single origin bean done in the filter/pourover style, but she couldn't tell me why.  Perhaps they only do the single-origin as espresso?  I generally prefer single origin beans in a gentler style than espresso, so I can taste the different flavours.  It wasn't a huge issue, I was just a little confused... I'll just find out next time I visit!

Axil offers all-day breakfast, a lunch menu, sandwiches and desserts, as well as some house made sweets and biscuits.  We weren't starving, so just had one item each, no desserts.

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder wrap with mint, yoghurt and tabouli - $14

The slow-roasted lamb shoulder wrap is such a "Sarah" dish.  I loved the soft lamb against the sharply dressed tabouli.  The wrap was super-soft, and had a delicious splodge of hummus - fabulous!

But Sandra's eggs Benedict bagel didn't look too shabby either!

Eggs Benedict bagel with house made loin ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce - $14

Two perfectly poached eggs sat atop thin slices of ham and a toasted poppyseed bagel, all swathed in creamy hollandaise sauce.  I liked my lamb wrap, but I was suffering serious dish envy here!  I think both dishes were a great size as well - just right for one portion.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I think breakfast portions at some cafes are out of control!

Mmm... runny egg yolk.

Axil Coffee Roasters was a great find, and despite a few little teething problems, I think it's a wonderful cafe and can't wait to come back and try some different dishes!