Breakfast place: Lentil As Anything

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Lentil As Anything has been on my Melbourne to-do list for months. Why have I not been until now? Because it's on the other side of town, and it's a bit of a hassle to get there with all the connecting transport system. There are several Lentil As Anything restaurants, but the one I really wanted to go to was the Abbotsford Convent one. If you don't have a bike, it's not that easy to get to, and I don't have a bike. To be honest, it all comes down to ...putting it off. Lentil As Anything was on my list but I was waiting for someone to come along. 
But you can't wait forever. I was on the verge of being exhausted of waiting, that I almost put Lentil As Anything aside. No! If no one will go with me, I will just take myself alone. I set a date and off I went. It was a happy day, as any day when you know you are finally getting to do something you've been wanting for so long. Don't you love the feeling you get as you tick that item off the list? 
Weekends are great because I get to spend the whole day outside. During the week when I'm working, I hardly even set foot outside the house, you see. I really need to change that. Unfortunately I had chosen one of the hottest days to go on this trip. I started out in the CBD, walked up North, across Carlton Garden, all the way through Gertrude and Langridge Streets until I hit Yarra River. Followed the stream North until I finally got to the Convent. It was a good hour's walk. Half way there!
On the gate there was a warning sign for snakes. I have never seen a snake outside of zoos before. My housemates warn (or scare me for fun, more like) of deadly insects and snakes, from time to time. Sometimes I wonder if I am better off in my safe old NZ/Aotearoa, where there are no deadly anything much. 
Lentil As Anything is run by volunteers. They have separate breakfast menu and lunch buffet. Inside, it's a gallery of local artworks. In one nook there are the books and games, and a corner for free swaps of unwanted clothes and equipment that will surely be of use to someone else. Huge communal tables take up the centre space for you to set yourself. Outside are cafe tables on the patio under the umbrellas, or the whole garden for you to get lost in. Beware of the garden snakes and please bring the plates back after your meal! 
I asked for a half portion of corn cakes with beans. 
Don't remember there being actual lentils on the menu... though maybe there were, and I wasn't paying close attention. I wasn't really hungry, which is a shame, but I did enjoy the experience, and got into a discussion about the community arts scene with a guy from South Africa who happened to be sitting next to me, enjoying a cappuccino. 
Once the meal is over your contribution to the running of the place is very welcome, however much you can afford or would like to give. It's a neat place to check out at least once during your stay in Melbourne. Tick off my list, yay.

1 St Heliers St
Abbotsford Convent
Abbotsford, VIC 3067
Lentil As Anything on Urbanspoon

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