Sketches Cafe Bar - Burwood

Address: 273 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria
Phone Number: (03) 9889 8925
website: http://www.sketchescafebar.com.au/

Price Range: $7 - $13 for a meal, another $4 - $7 for dessert

Reviewer: BEVIS
Date: 26th February, 2006

Review:

Riss took me out to lunch the other week, and we went to Sketches because it was close by (and something new neither of us had visited before).

Being the kind of guy I am, I ordered the beef burger. (So sue me.) Riss ordered the tomato and spinach quiche with salad. Here are Riss' own thoughts on her meal:

"The quiche was a complete mini-quiche, not a slice of a large one, and the pastry was beautifully moist. Completely melt-in-the-mouth delicious. Fresh salad, lovely. (Didn't need the sliced olive garnish though.) We were seated promptly and our meals, pre-ordered, arrived instantly. The elderly gentleman behind BEVIS moved seats at his table so that he could stare more openly at me (I think, but I could just be paranoid). (Or you could just have tickets on yourself - Ed.) The service was unobtrusive and efficient; very civilised. The noise level was fine for conversation - not so loud that we had to shout but not so quiet that we would feel like the only people talking in the place and that everyone could eavesdrop. There was a happy buzz in the place. If there had been more people dining or a particularly raucous table then the acoustics afforded by the wooden floor would have amplified the sound in which case I probably would have asked to move to an outdoor table rather than shout. The Texas chocolate muffin I took away with me was also entirely scrumptious - moist and very chocolate-y.

"Overall rating, four and a half french fries (out of five). Great meal, excellent service, I'd definitely recommend the cafe to others and go back myself. Have also eaten breakfast there on another occasion and they dealt well with a large table mostly all having different sorts of eggs on toast. Big thumbs up."

Wow, what a fantastic guest review! Thank you Riss, you've made my job a lot easier!

As for me, the burger was unlike any other I'd ever tasted. The meat was a special homemade mince pattie which was cooked to perfection (not too chargrilled; not too rare), and complimented the fresh bun and salad items (tomato, cos lettuce, carrot and Spanish onion) brilliantly. It was extremely tasty and delicious, and I was pleased to note that the fries were also hot, cooked just right, and oil-free. Crisp and golden, they were. Delightful.

All told, it was a lovely meal - not to mention charming company.

(Especially for Riss.)

As the full menu (which can be viewed online) will testify, there are vegetarian meals available, and they serve their breakfast items all day. So if you're in the mood for bacon & eggs after work, that's no problem.

The prices were more than reasonable, and with friendly staff serving and preparing the food behind the counter, it really was a wonderful dining experience.

Rating: I give Sketches Cafe Bar in Burwood five out of a possible five stars. There really is nothing they could have done better; I couldn't fault them on a thing.

Stars: *****