Lot One, Hillarys
Away from the main resort area of Hillarys, along Whitfords Avenue at the corner of Angove Drive, sits Lot One Kitchen, a busy cafe with seating inside and out. We arrived on a blustery Sunday morning and it was full. We were glad that we had booked and secured a table inside.
The menu had the usual favourites – eggs benny, full brekkie, pancakes, french toast etc. and some brunch options too. There were also specials on the board, and some breakfast cocktails (it’s a licensed cafe). We ordered coffee, which unusually arrived after the food. The coffee was okay, but a little bitter (or maybe burnt) for my liking. I don’t usually add sugar to coffee, but I did sweeten this cup.
I chose the brisket hash with zucchini, capsicum, fried egg and chimichurri. It was nice, the brisket was fall-apart tender, and the egg nicely runny. It sat atop a hash brown which was soft mash potato with a crispy edge, which also had a hint of cheese about it.
My partner chose ‘The Lot’ breakfast with tasty sausage, maple bacon, poached eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, house made beans, hash brown and ciabatta. He really enjoyed it – a lovely breakfast. The beans really stood out, and could have formed a dish on their own with some chorizo and eggs.
The cafe is very noisy and we were seated quite close to the counter, so we had a constant flow of people and wait staff pushing past which did detract from our enjoyment quite a bit. We also felt a bit rushed – our dishes and cups were whisked away as soon as they were empty and the staff kept asking if we wanted anything else. As soon as we stood up, another couple were seated before we’d even paid our bill.
The array of savouries, cakes and muffins looked good.
This cafe is a good option if you want something away from the main Hillarys area, and the food was nice quality, but it’s not the best place for conversation due to the noise. I wonder if with a bit of thought the tables could be arranged in a better format to avoid that awkward claustrophobic feeling when people are standing too close. They serve dinner too – maybe we’ll try dinner one evening.
We paid another visit to Lot One for coffee and cake. This was a bit better than our previous visit, but there were a few things that I didn’t like.
My partner ordered a cup of tea which came up in a mug with a lid and a tea strainer inside, and the waitress had to explain how to use the cup. A regular pot and/or tea strainer would have been fine, or even a teabag and a pot of hot water because it was stewed to death and didn’t taste too great. The tea also dribbled everywhere out of the strainer and left a puddle on the table.
We both had the peanut butter and chocolate brownie which was very nice – quite a dense brownie rather than a gooey one, but nice flavours.
My main gripe was that the food sat on the counter for quite a while before it came to our table. There were flies and bugs around, and I think the delay is what caused the tea to be over-brewed. I think I might give Lot One a miss in the future – there are better cafes.
Last Visit Date – January 2020
Truly Scrumptious 
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