Just Open: Bawa Coffee & Food, Hawthorn
Geoffrey Bawa was Sri Lanka's most prominent architect, a driver of the 20th century style known as "tropical modernism", known for bringing the outdoors in, mixing elements from different times and places, and making use of lots of greenery – a style so ubiquitous now as to be almost unremarkable.
Kael Sahely is a driving force, too, as one of the people behind some of Melbourne's hottest cafes, including Barry and Square & Compass.
Sahely has taken design inspiration from Bawa and borrowed his name for his Hawthorn cafe. With his father, and brother Matt, Sahely has partnered with Shrian Bhagwandas (Storey cafe in Docklands) and chef Chris Griffiths (APTE, Three Bags Full) in the venture, which Sahely says will have a big focus on takeaway baguettes and salads for local workers.
But they won't be ignoring cafe loungers. "There will be some pretty out-there food," he says. The short brunch-style menu features delights like ricotta fritters with lavender custard, a scotch fillet ciabatta with chimichurri and fermented cabbage, and an omelette of buffalo mozzarella, purple kale and roasted onion.
There are "blended drinks" – say, spinach, kale, green apple, chia, flax, coconut water – bottled cold-pressed juices from Ayomo, and espresso and batch brew coffee from Dukes.
Open Mon-Sat 7am-4pm; Sun 8am-4pm.
248 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, 03 9819 6701, bawacafe.com
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Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/just-open-bawa-coffee-and-food-hawthorn-20151014-gk70le.html