Eat. @ Rubiki

204 Warrandyte Rd, Ringwood (03) 9879 0869

I live and work in the Eastern suburbs, and I've always been jealous of everyone working in the CBD or in the Fitzroy and Collingwood area, who have not just a few, but an abundance of great coffee and lunch places to visit.  That's why I'm extra thankful for Rubiki, which is a wonderful find in the leafy part of Ringwood and a stone's throw away from my work.

The mocha has looked different on different visits, but the quality has been consistent, even with their take-aways, which Hubby is appreciative of when I bring him a coffee to work!

I tried the Herb Encrusted seared tuna with a nicoise salad ($21) for a light (and low carb!) brunch, and really enjoyed it.  The tuna was perfectly seared, the salad was a nice change from the usual greens, and the trio of sauces were good fun!  The poached egg completed the dish nicely.

This week I tried the Rubiki Bacon and Egg Roll ($7.5) and was impressed that it was freshly made, served piping hot and with a good slab of bacon.

I have a feeling I will be a frequent visitor to Rubiki.  See you there!

Eat. @ Salotti Del Cafe

Eastland Shopping Centre, 171 - 175 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood 3134

I don't think Eastland Shopping Centre is famed for its food.  The Food Court has the usual suspects of fast food joints and Asian take-outs.  Salotti Del Cafe, sitting just outside of the Myer Entrance near the ABC shop, has surprisingly pleasant fare for those not wanting the fried food option.  They offer a good range of wraps, Turkish bread rolls, pies, cakes and desserts.

The wraps are very reasonably priced at $6.50.  The chicken with cos lettuce is like a Caesar Salad in a wrap, and really quite pleasant and a pretty good low carb option.

Their Turkish breads come with a variety of fillings.  We had the kid-friendly chicken version but have had the turkey breast and cranberry before and found them both quite pleasant.  Would have liked a little bit more filling, but not a bad bite over all.

Coffee and Tea are not outstanding but quite palatable.  (Mind you I think I've been totally spoiled by the awesome coffees I've had at other places like Seven Seeds and St Ali.  I DO love the design on their table tops though!

The kids adore the poffertjes.  These little dutch pancakes are very moreish and we liked ours with berry coulis and ice-cream.

Eat.Play.Shop. Recommends :  the poffertjes, good with a cup of tea!

Give it a Miss : I wouldn't travel across town to dine at Eastland.