Lb. (Pound)
| Where | Shop 5, 566 Chapel Street, South Yarra, 3141—View map |
Contact | 03 9826 1114 |
Website | — |
Open | Breakfast Monday to Saturday 7:00 am to 3:00 pm, Sunday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm |
Payment | EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, Diners, AMEX, Cash |
Diet | Soy |
Seating | Inside and outside |
Kids | Welcome |
Pets | Welcome |
Babe watch
Ellie Parker 25 March 2009
My husband comes here for the coffee and the women. I personally like the smashed avocado on toast. Pound has something for everyone, I figure.
Mid-morning peak hour sees a strange congregation of breakfasters and coffee breakers. There are the weary shoppers who re-energise like buffalos at a watering hole. There are the Channel 10 execs who arrive with Channel 10 gravitas and devour Pound's famous steak sangas. Then there are the shop-girl babes who steadily traipse in and out for take-away skinny lattes, giving the pastries a fleeting glance as they pass by. Finally there are the locals who sit solo, reading the papers and downplaying their enviable lifestyle choice, which involves doing nothing mid-week.
Pound's menu is probably one of the most underrated in Melbourne. Although known for its brilliant steak sanga, the breakfast offerings are equally popular. They are also incredibly good value.
I've often thought that great toast and spreads, combined with a beaut coffee, makes for a perfect brekkie. And this is the Pound Principle- keep it simple stupid. In Pound's case, the breads come from Amici bakery and the jams are homemade. Enough said. There is also eggy hot stuff produced in the tiny kitchen. The brekkie pide consisting of a fluffy omelette with sweet chili sauce. Now, some people overdosed on sweet chili sauce in the 90s and have never since recovered. This dish might just tempt you back to the dark side. My favourite dish of smashed avocado on multigrain toast comes with a touch of chili and lemon juice- perfect zing and zang. The berry bomba with yoghurt and toasted almonds is popular with girly girls who like berries and all things sweet and pink. The dish that really stands out is the L.b eggs (Russian eggs, smoked salmon on pide). I haven't yet had it, but most other patrons have one sitting in front of them so it's gotta be good.
Hidden at the end of a cul-de-sac, Pound is a dark, subdued little cube. It has a touch of the Italian café-bar about it, with San Pellegrino mineral waters lining the shelves and short blacks being the order of the day. Pound is an understated little locale with the best coffee on offer in a 5 km radius. It is also a superb place for people watching, if that tickles your fancy.
Most definitely worth its weight.