Friday, June 27, 2014

Sunshine Devonshire House Tea Rooms

Now, I love a good burger.  But back when I first started eating burgers, "brioche" was a mythical food that only existed in French class - like Orangina.  Jal-a-peenos?  What the bloody hell is that?  Pass me the tinned beetroot and pineapple.  Pickles?  Those things only existed at Macca's, and for the sole purpose of throwing them against the wall.

And don't get me started on the prices.  We found one in Carlton the other day that had hit fifteen bucks, made all the more insulting to this dinky-diehard by being on a damper roll.  (I haven't had this burger.  I'm sure it's lovely.  But $15?!)

What if I told you I could time-travel you back to 1989?  What's the first thing you would do?

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Meet Sunshine's Devonshire House tea rooms, your friendly local teleportal back in time.  It's a charitable venture of the Uniting Church in which it is housed.  According to the pseudo-gothic wording on the wall:  "Devonshire House is a venture of social concern instituted by the Sunshine Methodist Church.  It is in the main staffed and maintained by volunteers.  If any profit is gained it will be directed to youth and welfare services in the area".

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All good, although how ANY profit could be gained from these prices beggars belief.  CHECK.  THEM.  OUT.  Sausages, egg n' chips for $5.50?  Soup, five bucks?  A "tomato and bacon special", which is certainly worth taking a punt on for a mere seven dineros?

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Here's your lovely hamburger & salad ($7!) with a small side of chips ($1.20!)  The salad!  The cheese triangles, tinned beetroot, hardboiled egg and iceberg!  The tinned pineapple chunks!  Bless their cotton socks.

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And here's mine - a "baconburger" and chips ($8.50!  Yes, every price hereafter mentioned includes an exclamation mark).  Behold its wobbly-yolked glory!  It was bloody delicious.  I had to have a little sniffle halfway through, it brought back so many childhood memories.

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There's a big outdoor area that you can sit in on a nice day.  Another friend had told me about this place ages ago, having reported that she brought a group of mates and their kids here for her birthday.  She shouted them all lunch, player that she is, which ended up coming to about $35 - FOR EVERYONE.  (!)

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I am dying to try the "Devon Latte".  I may be a born-and-bred Aussie, but even I don't know what that is.  I bet it involves whipped cream, a saucer with a doily and a glass with a handle.  (Google doesn't help - top result is a Mr Devon Latte from Quebec.)

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Or maybe next time the "Spin Q" will be on offer.  It took me a good while to work out what the heck this is.  I think I've got it - spinach quiche!  For $2.20!!!  (Yes, that deserves three excy marks.)

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I would like to quickly say that if I catch anyone bashing this joint on Urbanspoon for things like using caterer's margarine, Home Brand teabags or not having posh salt, I will give you a Chinese burn.  It is obviously not that sort of place.  Ditto any service quibbles.  The Queen doesn't like mean people, OK?

Devonshire House Tea Rooms on Urbanspoon

Sunshine Devonshire Tea Rooms
34 Devonshire Road, Sunshine (between the kindy and the church)
Open 10.30am-2pm Monday-Friday (last orders at 1.30pm)


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16 comments:

  1. I am DYING of joy. I have to go have some scones with jam and cream. Or jam and butter?? WHY NOT HAVE BOTH!

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    1. Bahaha! And at these prices, you can also have seconds and thirds!

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  2. I always meant to go there, every time I'd drive past with my mum we would have just missed closing time. And now I'm vegan, so I can't have their scones but I'll still take my mum :) Also, their op shop has given me some brilliant finds over the years!

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    1. Ooh, I'll have to remember to check out their oppy. I always forget about it! Hope your mum enjoys it. :-)

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  3. Love your blog Lauren. I've driven past this place a number of times and I'd love to check it out, but I'm always working when it's open. Maybe I'll need a sick day?

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    1. Thank you! This place is as true blue as it gets, and hence I recommended you take part in a great Australian tradition and chuck a sickie just to visit it. ;-)

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  4. Totally love this! Really does remind you of a simpler time. The good old days before the most simplest and honest of foods, like a burger, become overly wacky and complicated. My kinda place to eat.

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  5. So lovely to see Devonshire House included on your blog! This is an old school fave for those of us long time Sunshine residents. My last trip was an after Kinder visit with my then four year old niece who enjoyed a bowl of chips, milkshake and cupcake. Simple joy!

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    1. Excellent to hear! I must take my kids there. They will be rapturous!

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  6. This certainly is a very retro cafe!

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  7. FANTASTIC JOB MS BAKLOVER! Only stumbled across your blog the other day when searching for reviews on Dong Que. Cant have enough of your thought. Keep up the good work. Any suggestion for late night snack around the West? We tried Charlie’s Pizza in Footscray and Spot On Kebab Station in Braybrook already. Both are great places for peckish owls especially Charlie. Many thanks!

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    1. Hi Tuyen! Thanks so much for your comment and apologies for the delay in replying. Your positive feedback really means a lot! I'm afraid I'm not so up with late-night spots, though. There's always the Embassy Taxi Cafe in West Melbourne - I think it's 24 hours! And there's a kebab joint in Brooklyn called Lipo's Kebabs that I've been meaning to try for ages and which has some great reviews.

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  8. Devonshire Tea Rooms sound like a wonderful trip back in time...and all done by volunteers...definitely a must try! Thanks for the heads up.

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    1. It really is delightful in every way. Hope you enjoy it!

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