MELBOURNE | La Fantaisie is a new Abbotsford cafe and florist from Jia Wang and Valerie Wang, who you might know from their other cafe and florist, Carlton’s Flovie. I was recently invited to check it out.
The Bergman & Co (Poodle, Chancery Lane) designed space matches its namesake, with the pink, peach, and apricot hues of the flowers at the florist section at the front, flowing through to the entire cafe. Upstairs is an event space, which follows the same aesthetic. It’s all very beautiful and charming.
As far as the actual food and drinks are concerned, ‘Instagramability’ can be somewhat of a red flag when it comes to cafes. Thankfully the presentation of the food and drinks at La Fantaisie is the ‘cherry on top’ of dishes that would work well even if they didn’t have the good looks.
The menu is slightly stripped down from that in Carlton, with the theatrics and complexity toned down a notch. Curry scrambled eggs are served with chilli tiger prawns are delicious and don’t hold back on the spice, while, a triple cheeseburger (triple refers to the cheese, not the number of beef patties) on black brioche, comes with wonderfully seasoned fries and a gooey melted cheese dipping sauce.
For dessert, it’s chocolate sable with filo pastry and cherry gel, and ‘eggs on toast with avocado’, that’s a cleverly disguised coconut and mango granita concoction. The signature rose tea latte from Flovie makes an appearance on the menu, as do other tasty tea, coffee, and soda based creations. If you want to keep things simple, there’s regular tea and coffee options.
To-go, there’s a pastry section at the front offering assorted cakes and treats. There’s creations for one, and full cakes available. You can order in advance if you need a cake for a function or event.
And if you’re interested in a completely useless piece of trivia, the landlord of the building, is Richmond footy star Dustin Martin. Maybe you’ll see Dusty enjoying a feed when you visit.
La Fantaisie
297 Victoria Street
Abbotsford
Victoria 3067
Australia
Telephone: (03) 8590 5010
E-mail: [email protected]
Website
Open
Mon – Fri: 8:00am to 4:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am to 5:00pm