Purple Patch is a relatively new vegetarian cafe in the bayside suburb of Sandringham. It has been on my radar to visit since where's the beef recently reviewed it. There aren't many vegan friendly cafes on my side of town and although this one isn't really that close to home, it's in an area that we pop into frequently to purchase coffee beans.
The staff at Purple Patch were very friendly and extremely thorough in explaining all of the menu items and how they could be made vegan. I had my heart set on a breakfast styled meal as we rarely go out to a cafe for brunch and was a bit disappointed that there wasn't a big brekky fry-up, tofu scramble or some home-made baked beans on offer.
After much indecision I settled on the flatbread with lentil hummus, avocado, tomato and olives (without feta). Whilst the bread was lovely, fresh and warm and the hummus had a nice flavour, everything else on the plate was very simple and underwhelming which made the whole meal feel lacking. My soy latte was filled with a lot more foam than milk yet I didn't mind as it meant that the coffee was nice and strong.
The man ordered the chilli bean and cheese quesadillas which were made with vegan cheese on request. He enjoyed the quesadillas and kindly gave me a few bites to sample. The beans were delicious, mildly spiced for chilli lovers like us and the tortillas were lovely and crispy. The man's long soy macchiato was strong and well made which kept him happy.
It wasn't until paying the bill that I looked over the options again and regretted not trying something on the lunch menu. Perhaps a Thai curry or Ethiopian stew would have suited my taste better!
Purple Patch hasn't had a lot of attention in the blogosphere and only seems to have been reviewed by where's the beef so far.
Purple Patch
19 Bay Road, Sandringham
9598 2378
the man's quesadillas look good but yours does look a little lacking. I always do the look at something after I order mine and wish I had done otherwise - but it sounds good to have a vegan friendly cafe over your side of town - if only we could send a few excellent recipes to cafes we love :-)
ReplyDeleteI should have looked at lunch options first but I was in such a breakfast mindset and looking forward to something like that. I'll have to give them another try for lunch one day!
DeleteI love the name of this place - that alone would draw me in. Your dish looks nice as a simple lunch but I do like it when places manage to make vegan dishes with punch! Your husband's quesadillas look impressive though. Maybe their other lunch options will deliver next time?
ReplyDeleteIt is a great name and the location is nice too. There are views of the bay from the outside tables and we braved the chilly day just for the scene. I do like a lot of punch from meals and am disappointed when they are a tad boring.
DeleteI'm so glad you visited Purple Patch. Embarrassingly enough i live about a 10 minute walk from the place yet have never been. I've looked at the menu for breakfast and was underwhelmed plus it seems to be open at odd hours. Perhaps lunch is the best bet! It's unfortunate because i feel that i should be supporting a veg*n cafe because there are so few down this way!!!
ReplyDeleteI was under the impression that it was a rotating menu so it's interesting that the breakfast menu was underwhelming when you looked at it as well. I love to support veg*n eateries which there aren't a lot of in the south and south-eastern suburbs so I'll have to give them another go one day.
DeleteI'm glad you checked this place out! It looks like they're changing the menu up a lot - hopefully they'll work out the perfect set of dishes one day. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was good to be able to eat at a veg*n place on our side of town. We will have to revisit one day to try out some of the other dishes on offer!
DeleteIve been into this place a few times and have always enjoyed it. I love Monk Bohdi Dharma coffee and to not only get great coffee there, the Barista turns it into a work of art!! Im usually a little indecisive when i have to order food, so the staff were helpful enough to set me and my friend in the right direction with Chunkey Corn Fritters with Tzatziki dip and the Mango Curry. Mmmmm...The Corn fritters were crisp and actually REAL corn fritters (not like most places and they're made into a pancake mixture!) the dip was a lovely compliment and the Mango Curry was perfectly spiced!
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear feedback from a happy customer! My coffee wasn't quite a work of art although I did enjoy the flavour of the beans. The staff were very helpful, I think I'll ask their advice if I'm feeling indecisive next time.
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