Green Goose

7 station st
Malvern, VIC 3144
Ph: 9576 0044

When breakfast king Adrian contacted me about trying out a new cafe, how could I resist. With his extensive research on cafes, he would be able to tell me whether the food was good or not. It was excellent to catch up with Adrian and Chris over a very relaxed brunch.

I was surprised to find Green Goose near the Princes Highway end just off Glenferrie Road. I didn't really think there was a cafe culture there, but it was quite full so I guess if you build it, they will come. Adrian, Chris, Ling and I were seated at a very comfortable booth table towards the back of the restaurant. We weren't sure if it would rain so didn't sit outside in the outdoor area but on a sunnier day, I'd definitely eat outside as I find the inside space a bit dark for my liking. The cafe is a long narrow space and had a slightly crowded feel, which I don't particularly like during lunch as I like it light and breezy. However, the same long and narrow space used at Izakaya Den used for dinner is very much to my liking. Go figure.


From the fairly diverse menu, Adrian picked the Poached Pear with Cinnamon Brioche. It sounded really good and definitely had the wow factor in terms of appearance, but Adrian thought it only tasted ok. Ling go the Eggs Benedict with extra Chorizo. It looked very good and she said the eggs were good, although the Chorizo was a bit burnt. Chris and I both go the French Toast, which neither of us really liked. I found it neither here or there. The toast component had a bit of egg on it but I would have preferred more. The bacon could also have been crisper for me if they are going to pair it with maple syrup. The syrup was just tasteable so the dish felt like a savoury dish with a weird sweetness. The balance just wasn't right.



Luckily, dessert was really good and brought everyone's mood back up. The Hazelnut Cake was very moist and beautifully creamy with the buttercream. I absolutely loved it. The Pannacott with Wine Jelly was also a great mix of the two flavours. And surprisingly for me, I absolutely adored the Flourless Organe Cake. Flourless cakes tend to be a bit dry, but this one wasn't, and was even better combined with the cream. This was when Chris told us about his food phobia and how he would not eat any type of sauce. So he would eat a burger without tomato sauce and not have cream with his cake. It's strange what people will refuse to eat after bad experiences. Ling doesn't eat Roast Duck because she got really sick from it once. I don't eat mussels ever since I got sick from the two times I tried it, and that was over 10 years ago. Yet I will eat more equally pungent seafood such as raw oysters that I adore, sea urchin, blood clams, pippies etc. Do you stay away from eating any particular foods due to bad previous experiences?



The service was serviceable, with a guy who looked like the owner and one of the waitresses being warm and friendly. Another waitress was like an ice queen and quite direct and sour faced. I didn't feel it in the ambiance stake, with the back end being too dark for my liking. Food wise, the savoury breakfast items were not that good, but the lunch menu looked far more promising on paper and I would go back to try as I know I can reward myself with ultra delicious desserts afterward if the savoury dishes aren't too good.