Nikos Quality Cakes

Bringing the vibe and atmosphere of Lonsdale Street to the south eastern region, Nikos is a bustling café to which to locals seem to flock. Stylish, modern, chic fittings with lights that could burn your retinas give that “I could rock in here with my oversized sunnies, wife beater, boardies and havaianas” feel in the middle of winter. Like a swarm of pigeons fighting over a discarded French Fry in Times Square, people of all ages hustle in for a seat.

At $9ish, I recommend eating a major meal elsewhere. It looks appetising in the windows (the sandwiches/baguettes untried), though the chicken and mushroom quiche and moussaka seemed to be a reheated mass manufactured affair garnished with a fresh Greek salad.

Desserts and sweets are the magnets that draw people here. Another display cabinet where these are housed on the split level below will give you sensory overload and have the potential to cause uncontrollable mouth spasms. Drool pans should be installed soon. Spoilt for choice, it’s difficult to choose from the wide selection of pastries and cakes. Armed with flat whites, we settled on a few of traditional items with a small twist. Honey dumplings would put a smile on Pooh Bear’s chubby dial, deep fried balls of batter smothered in sweet golden sweet nectar with a sprinkling of walnuts. Be even better if they were warm. Layers of filo and chopped nuts evilly sweetened by sugar syrup and honey decorated by a line of chocolate icing forms the chocolate baklava. Melomakarona, a Christmas tradition in Greece are soft crumbly cake finger cookies flavoured with honey and walnuts, perfect to accompany a cuppa.

Bringing Greek delights closer to home, go on, spoil yourself. Slip slop slap and head on over to Nikos.

3 / 5 yums!

------

Where? 25 Portman Street, Oakleigh, VIC

What? Coffees $3, Cakes $3, Lunches around $8

Left to Right : Chicken and Mushroom Quiche, Moussaka, Honey Dumplings, Chocolate Baklava, Melomakarona