Review: Ora Cafe

Willsmere Village is home to a dog grooming studio, a little supermarket, two newsagencies, and one of the busiest cafe's in all of Kew, although you probably wouldn't know about it unless someone gave you the heads up (or unless you needed your dog groomed).

Ora (Latin for "hour") has been welcomed with open arms by locals since it opened in 2010, and is a sought after place for great coffee and great food alike. Evident from the amount of cars parked in the area on a weekend, it's sparked interest from non-locals as well.

Mum's dish (she was craving poached eggs but I reminded her of why we were there and she decided to order this): summer crab fritters, with sweet corn, smoked paprika aioli and mint. She took one bite and groaned in delight. I was lucky enough to be offered a taste, and yes, these were to die for - creamy and melt in your mouth. I was slightly envious. However, mum reckoned that three was too much (even though she did eat them all) 

Mum and I had been to Ora once before (mum twice, once also with her vegan friend, so for all veggie lovers like me, this cafe has also been vouched for by a vegan), but when we went the first time, it was too early in the morning, and we were both overwhelmed by the unique menu. This caused us to cave and order the standard, safe breakfast: bacon, eggs, and toast. This time we were back on a mission: to step out of our comfort zones and try something new - and thank god we did.

My dish (how cool does this look I've never had eggs like this before): spiced tiffin egg, which is like a scotch egg that uses spiced carrot in the place of meat, with bombay hash, kasundi (an Indian tomato chutney), and cashew crumbs. This was really delicious, the balance of spices was fantastic. 

The menu changes along with the seasons. The autumn menu that we were given was exceptional, carefully designed and filled with the freshest seasonal ingredients - dishes are tried and tested by patrons as specials prior to going on the menu (I realised this after reading some other reviews, who said that they had eaten mum's dish as a special months before). There is also a tempting sweets display at the register to entice people to grab something for the road as their paying (mum and I had to look away).

If you're not that hungry, the coffee is good enough to warrant a visit. Ora offers a wide range of coffee: filter, siphon, pour over, cold drip, split shot, aeropress, and French press, with an interesting variety of blends also available. Tea lovers aren't forgotten at Ora either, with a list of teas also available.

The autumn menu

The place is small and generally always brimming with people, so make sure you time it right when you visit (I'd suggest around 2pm on a weekend, during the week you'd probably have more luck if you wanted to go earlier). If you don't mind the wait, the staff are friendly and will make sure they accommodate you as soon as possible.

Ora Reloaded, Winter, Tuesday 8th of July:

Despite the fact that it's the middle of winter, today was such a beautiful day. But that's Melbourne for you. Mum and I decided to take advantage of the sun, and walk Jack the puppy down to Ora for some lunch. It has become a favourite of ours and this visit on strengthened our love for this local cafe.

Mum's lunch: The Peri-Peri Pork Roll with Pickled Peppers and Lemon Mayo. She was tossing up whether to get this, but I convinced her, reminding that you can never be disappointed with the combination of peri-peri and pork. She was thrilled by her choice. Apparently this was fresh on the menu today - not even the waiters had tried it!

I was in a breakfast mood and, being sick and all, feeling kind of nostalgic. I decided to order Quinoa Flake Porridge with Chia, Steamed Winter Fruit, and Milk Crumb. I learnt today that quinoa isn't actually a grain but a seed and gluten free. The sourness of the steamed rhubarb worked perfectly with the porridge and the milk crumb (which I've never tried before, but dug) created a nice texture. 

Here's what you can look forward to on the new winter menu!

Ora Cafe
156 Pakington Street, Kew
9855 2002

Hours:
Mon - Fri: 7am to 4pm
Sat - Sun: 8am to 4pm

Website:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ora-Specialty-Coffee/177745305624651