A week long thread about falafel on Mess and Noise had me craving a trip to Half Moon Cafe to resample their outstanding wraps. Cindy and I rustled up Toby to accompany us and hit the bike path. Things haven't changed much since we visited more than three years ago - lots of different falafel wrap options, a range of other delicious treats, insanely friendly staff and cheap, cheap prices.
Cindy kicked things off with a fresh fruit cocktail, a carrot and mixed fruit juice that rejuvenated her from the bike ride.
Cindy kicked things off with a fresh fruit cocktail, a carrot and mixed fruit juice that rejuvenated her from the bike ride.
This time around she decided to have a full serve of the foul medames (we'd had a tantalising free sample on our last visit). At $6 for a good size bowl of creamy, beany flavour this is a good value lunch. And it's so, so, tasty - Cindy had to be constantly vigilant to ensure that Toby and I were restricted to sneaking only a couple of spoonfuls each.
I had to get my falafel fix, and settled on one of the wraps from the specials board: lettuce, rocket, eggplant, cauliflower, babaganoush and yoghurt dips ($6).
They really deserve their falafel reputation - the little balls of fried goodness are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and filled with delicious herby flavours. The accompaniments were pretty great as well - smoky babaganoush, soft roasted cauliflower and plenty of greens. I could have used a few more pickles, but I think that was basically my ordering at fault.
Half Moon remains one of Melbourne's best lunch places - incredibly cheap, vaguely healthy and completely delicious food, served up by super-friendly staff. Now that Mankoushe is offering a similar set of attractions a little closer to us it may be harder to lure us all the way to Coburg, but if you're in the neighbourhood I can't recommend it enough.
Read about our first visit of Half Moon here.
Half Moon remains one of Melbourne's best lunch places - incredibly cheap, vaguely healthy and completely delicious food, served up by super-friendly staff. Now that Mankoushe is offering a similar set of attractions a little closer to us it may be harder to lure us all the way to Coburg, but if you're in the neighbourhood I can't recommend it enough.
Read about our first visit of Half Moon here.
Let the record show that Half Moon Cafe also fry a rather good chip!
ReplyDeleteChips as well! I was tossing up whether to go to Half Moon or Mankoushe for lunch, having heard about the former yesterday. Came to your site for Mankoushe's details, and whaddya know, you're reviewing Half Moon. Good signs for some good felafel :)
ReplyDeleteHalf Moon love!
ReplyDeleteOooh, that foul medames looks scrumptious! I also wanted to say thank you for the Veg Guide - happily received, particularly when I discovered that there *is* a section on Canberra. WOOT!
ReplyDeletehalf moon cafe is conveniently on the way back from sylvia's swimming so it is a great spot for lunch on the way home on Saturdays. I have had the falafel special that you had - it is an interesting change but I prefer the more traditional ones which seem lighter. You are inspiring me to try a few other dishes than falafels - those foul mesdames look great
ReplyDeleteThat mall has everything you could want - Egyptian, Indian and (limited) Italian food, good coffee, a cheap takeaway, an excellent butcher, a Middle Eastern grocery, a tobacconist, an old-fashioned barber, two shoe shops, a library, a post office, public seating, shade trees and pigeons.
ReplyDeleteAll that and dixieland jazz players on a Saturday. It's doesn't get any mall-ier than that.