Dustin Martin’s unusual link to Abbotsford florist cafe La Fantaisie

A new florist cafe has opened near the city selling bouquets and French cakes, and boasting this unusual link to the Tigers superstar.

Not every Melbourne cafe owner can brag that Dustin Martin is their landlord.

Our city’s love of AFL and coffee collided when Jia and Valerie Wang (no relation) decided to open their next cafe, La Fantaisie, inside a heritage Abbotsford building owned by the Richmond premiership superstar.

“We thought – wow, this is pretty cool,” Mr Wang said. “We didn’t even realise (the link) until we saw Ralph Carr was involved.”

Martin, his manager Carr and a third partner are the landlords of the two-storey Victoria St building.

Jia and Valerie Wang have opened floral patisserie, La Fantaisie, in Abbotsford. Picture: Rob Leeson

Admittedly the Wangs weren’t big footy fans before the partnership, but that’s since changed.

“Dusty came in a few times when we opened to buy some coffee and coffee beans – he’s even had one of our cakes,” Mr Wang said.

“We’re hoping once people start coming back out, he’ll bring the rest of the boys along.”

La Fantaisie is the Wangs’ second venue, after opening Carlton florist cafe Flovie in 2019.

They officially launched the 45-seater in December (after brief opening before lockdown last July), selling breakfast, lunch and French-style cakes by head pastry chef Johnny Ping.

“We don’t have a bakery or make pastries, so there’s no croissants or bread. We make more French mousse-style cakes,” Mr Wang said.

Mr Wang said Flovie was a “cute” venue, selling flesh florals and colourful-looking brunches, but La Fantaisie (which is French for fantasy) was a more of an elevated dining experience, selling dried floral arrangements.

La Fantaisie is open daily for breakfast and lunch, 297 Victoria Street, Abbotsford.

Business partners Mike Horomidis, Valencia Apolakiatis, Pamela and George Spiropoulos are behind Greca St, Oakleigh’s newest Greek restaurant. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

GREEK EATERY TALK OF OAKLEIGH

When it comes to Greek food, Mike Horomidis is your man.

The hospo veteran has been in the industry for almost 40 years, working on yachts in the motherland and Santorini, where he owns a restaurant and beach bar.

Now he can add Greca Street, Oakleigh’s newest Greek eatery, to his list.

Horomidis took over the old Richmond Oysters site with life and business partner Vallecia Apolakiatis, and George and Pamela Spiropoulos in February 2020 – but opened the restaurant last November after a pandemic pause.

As soon as they launched, Horomidis said Greca Street fast became the talk of the town.

“It was amazing once we opened. We were booked out every day of December – even now the nights are booked out,” he said.

Horomidis owned Oakleigh souvlaki bar Meat Me for seven years but Greca Street is his biggest project to date.

Not only is head chef Arthur Katiforis food offering extensive – with 30 small bites on the snack menu – the 180-seater is a spectacle in itself, with more tables being added to a new alfresco area out the front.

“The decor in our venue is just ‘wow’. When you’re here you don’t feel like you’re in Oakleigh,” he said.

Kapiforis’ flame-powered eats includes moussaka, kleftiko (lamb cooked in parchment paper with potatoes), as well as skewers of lamb, chicken and pork fillets.

Some of the meat is supplied locally by Oakleigh’s Paragon Meats and seafood by Lefkas and Tim and Terry Seafood.

There’s also Greek and Aussie wine, a selection of contemporary cocktails and beer.

Greca Street, 66 Portman St, Oakleigh, grecastreet.com.au

Meatsmith chicken sanga.

ODE TO THE SANGA

Never underestimate the power of the humble sandwich.

Melbourne’s big-name chefs are backing our favourite lunchtime meal – opening new venues, dedicating entire menus or launching special at-home kits to the best thing since sliced bread.

Andrew McConnell’s gourmet butcher Meatsmith is the latest to join the sanga craze, adding the Meatsmith Fried Chicken sandwich kit to its delivery range.

The pack includes brined Bannockburn chicken thighs, potato rolls, Meatsmith ranch dressing and fennel glaze and pickles for $45, feeding four people.

Meanwhile, CBD newcomer Robata has added the katsu sando ($30) to its lunch line-up. Think panko crumbed chicken thigh, shredded cabbage and Japanese curry mayo jammed between two fluffy Shokupan slices. You’ll also get a cold beer and edamame to snack on while you wait.

Katsu Sando from Robata.

Earlier this month Hugo’s Deli set up shop on bustling Swan St, Richmond.

Sandwich-loving lads Jim Mavrogiannis, Ash Davies and Jonathan Leondakis’ grab-and-go space pays homage to American delis and Japanese sando bars, slinging seven different flavours from the mortadella loaded ‘bella’, cheesy tuna melt or pastrami packed reuben.

Here’s one for your diary. Carnegie favourite Saul’s is planning to expand its sandwich empire by opening a pop-up, drive-through New York sandwich store on Kings Way.

Saul’s will hang around on the busy road for six months, selling its famous hoagies and chicken parm sandwiches.

Robata, robata.com.au

Hugo’s Deli, hugosdeli.com.au

Meatsmith, meatsmith.com.au

Saul’s Sandwiches’, 264 Kings Way, South Melbourne, sauls.com.au