De Alleyway Espresso

Shop 1a 318-322 Little Collins St, Melbourne, VIC
Date visited: 28th November 2012

It's nice when MerlinFan and I are both jobless on holiday together.  Our pathetic culinary skills combined with a lack of motivation led us to our pact to eat out everyday this week, perhaps try a bunch of new spots we hadn't yet had a chance to explore.



Our spot for the day was De Alleyway Espresso.  After having such a heavy lunch at Maha yesterday, we decided to go for something small and sweet today.  We like mixing things up - gives monotonous life a bit of variety.  Besides, who doesn't like dessert in place of lunch?

The small cafe is actually really easy to find in the Royal Arcarde if you know where Chokolait is, because De Alleyway is right next door.  If you don't, it's down a very discreet small passageway beside that eternally intriguing magick shop, Spellbox.  Alternatively, you could come in through the alley from Little Collins like us and you'll see it on your right.  

Service was friendly and attentive.  You put in your orders at the counter and they bring it out to you - you can pay for it later.  Bring cash though, because they do not have an Eftpos machine.

MerlinFan and I both had lattes for our coffee fix.  They use Maling room coffee.  It was a standard good latte; it had a hint of acidity and we both detected a subtle fruity fragrance.

Latte $3.50

I was contemplating either a sMuffin or a brownie.  Their sMuffin was peach and muesli today, but I felt like something more unhealthy so I went with the brownie.

I was hoping for a salted caramel brownie, but Ferrero Rocher was the flavour of the day.  They offered to do mine with a small cup of salted caramel on the side.  =D

Ferrero Rocher brownie with salted caramel 

I wonder if actual Ferrero Rochers were sacrified in the making of this brownie, for it such tasted exactly like one!  It was chewy and chocolatey with chunks of nuts.  Loved the salted caramel and was guilty of scraping the bottom of the cup with my latte spoon.

MerlinFan had the housebaked Honey and Walnut Cheesecake.  It was velvety smooth and creamy, texturally faultless and not too sweet, with a desirable hint of cheesy tartness.  

A nice little spot for lunch - they not only serve coffees and cakes; they do offer quite a few pages of food as well.  They have really tempting looking sMuffins on their Facebook page, might pop back one day to try them.




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