I’m just wrapped with this new cosy New Town cafe

With its cheerful vibes, mellow soundtrack and a menu that comfortably covers brekkie, brunch and lunch, this is an ideal venue for either a solo meal or a get-together with friends

The Parcel Cafe which recently opened in New Town. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost three decades since Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes came up with the idea for a store that just sold muffin tops. “They’re crunchy, they’re explosive. It’s where the muffin breaks free from the pan and sort of does its own thing,” she enthuses to her former boss, who immediately steals the idea. However, the flaw in the plan is disposing of the “stumps”, Kramer gets involved and things inevitably go south.

There’s certainly no need for muffin stump disposal strategies for the housemade blueberry muffins at New Town’s Parcel Cafe. This blueberry-studded beauty is light and fluffy with a perfectly cracked top and a stump that’s just delicious. It’s a satisfyingly sweet finish (and just one of the many house-baked treats on offer) to an excellent lunch, but let me go back to the beginning.

Housed in the former New Town Post & Telegraph Office, Parcel Cafe is a joint venture between Minh Tran of the Lansdowne Cafe and Carl Nguyen of Ozus. With its cosy vibes, mellow soundtrack and a menu that comfortably covers breakfast, brunch and lunch, this is an ideal venue for either a solo meal or a get-together with friends. I take a seat at the large communal table – it’s busy at Monday lunchtime – and make some serious lunch decisions.

The new Parcel Cafe in New Town’s cosy, welcoming interior. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

My first dish is a brunch classic – corn fritters with poached eggs ($23). Corn fritters can occasionally be a little rubbery but these are wonderfully light and served on a generous bed of smashed avo. They’re drizzled with tonkatsu sauce, a thick, sweet, and tangy Japanese sauce that’s typically served with fried pork cutlets but complements the fritters well. While poached eggs aren’t my thing, these have been cooked perfectly and will delight any egg lover. The accompanying salad – dotted with slivers of pickled radish and chilli – is fresh and crisp. On any other day I’d add bacon to this for $5, but I still have a couple more dishes to get through.

The Parcel Cafe in New Town’s delicious waffles with fresh seasonal fruit. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Parcel Cafe’s tasty rosti is another delicious item on their menu. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

My fennel salad ($21) arrived and I obviously didn’t read the menu very well as it was not at all what I expected. In fact, it’s much better – a Middle Eastern take on this anise-scented vegetable, that I recently discovered is closely related to carrots. A tangle of sliced, roasted fennel is piled on a bed of freshly dressed rocket leaves. Underneath that is a generous scoop of rice pilaf studded with currants and then a creamy white bean puree base layer. And, of course, there are a few pieces of fennel’s BFF – orange – in the roasted fennel as well. Your best strategy with this dish is to get a bit of every layer in each mouthful to ensure the best blend of textures and flavours. Crisp blades of focaccia on the side are also handy for scooping. You can add chicken to this for $7 to make a more substantial lunch.

The Parcel Cafe’s crispy rice and chicken dish, which features grilled, turmeric-infused chicken arranged neatly on perfectly formed bricks of rice that have been fried to crunchy goodness. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Finally (well, not counting the muffin) I have the crispy rice and chicken ($25). Grilled, turmeric-infused chicken is arranged neatly on perfectly formed bricks of rice that have been fried to crunchy goodness. Cut into the rice and you’ll find a soft interior beneath that golden shell and I love the different textures at play here. A sweet and sour drizzle provides a little extra tang, but the chicken is beautifully moist and so full of South-East Asian flavour that it really doesn’t need much more.

Tran and Nguyen are well-versed in hospitality and it shows – service is calm, efficient and friendly and each dish that comes out is well-presented and absolutely delicious. In addition to the dine-in menu, there are several varieties of sandwiches ready to go, along with a selection of pickles, jams and preserves for sale. And if you fancy a spot of shopping after lunch, there are two antique stores very close by. I’ll be back in just a moment.

Housed in the former New Town Post & Telegraph Office, the Parcel Cafe is a joint venture between Minh Tran of Cafe Lansdowne and Carl Nguyen of Ozus. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

PARCEL CAFE

176 New Town Rd, New Town

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 7am-3pm; Sat-Sun, 7.30am-2pm

On the menu:

Corn fritters, $23; crispy rice & chicken, $25; fennel salad, $21; blueberry muffin, $6