PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA181 is a busy and very local cafe in the prized location near the Botanic Gardens on a foodie stretch that includes the glamour of the Botanical and the assurance of Bacash seafood restaurant. But those jogging around the tan sometimes want something simpler. For more casual meals, 181 makes life easy for South Yarra residents. The menu includes Asian and European snacks, small dishes, cakes and some more serious undertakings for dinner.
It’s a bit of a jumble, but that’s what cafes are like. Breakfast? Spring rolls? Noodles or gnocchi? Certainly. They are just as happy for you to have a (good) coffee or tea, or a simple glass of wine. It’s all pleasantly easy going, but what makes it so popular is that the quality of the ingredients is high and the cooking’s pretty good. In addition, the menu is kept interesting, ensuring that if you come here every day you can always eat something different. There’s a terrace area at the front (but no dogs, please) and lots of small, bare-topped tables running along one inside wall. A large bar displays various offerings such as muffins and focaccia if you’re unable to decide what you’re after.
Rita Erlich, September 2007
