The Overview…
Even with the huge sign, Platform One is a tiny, blink-and-you-miss-it cafe on North Road. My advice: don’t blink!
Meal:
Brunch/Lunch
Food: Japanese Soba Noodles, Nana Still Eats Chicken, Sweet life of pancakes
Ratings:
Food: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service:4.5/5
Value: 4.5/5
The details…
We rarely order off a lunch menu when at a cafe, but when Rashi told me the chicken curry was home made by her mum, I couldn’t resist. M.B. followed suit and went for the Japanese Soba Noodles. Ordering two dishes from two very different cuisines, with a brunch item for dessert, I though they couldn’t possibly all be done well – but they were.
The curry was the obvious hero, rich and creamy with a nice tomato undertone. It had that kind of spice blend that can only be achieved from a home made curry. The chicken fell apart, and even the rice was full of flavour. I’d never had salad on a curry before, but the tomato and cucumber helped to break up the spicy flavour and were very refreshing. The naan (I assume also home made) just melted in my mouth and was still soft and flaky even after sitting there while we took the photos!
While the other two dishes didn’t reach the exceptional standard of the curry they were still two great dishes. The noodles were fully of traditional Asian flavour, well tossed in sauce and kind of tending toward Chow Mein. I liked how the chicken in both dishes was very different. The pancakes looked fabulous, and were a really fun dish. The pancakes themselves were nice and simple, made interesting by the variety of toppings included. I enjoyed how they didn’t really have a “flavour” and sort of seemed like a well thought out version of a kid’s visit to a soft serve ice cream parlour toppings section. There was fruit, crunch and sweetness all mixed in there, and these would be equally enjoyable as your sole brunch dish or as a dessert.
The whole menu has a lot to offer, most dishes can be made gluten free and there’s a decent range of vegetarian options too. As well as your standard brunch items they draw influences from a range of cuisines. A couple of bigger breakfasts, the soulful breakfast, middle eastern big plate, etc. really caught my eye and the lovely eat today diet tomorrow kindly let me use her awesome photo. Service was excellent and this small cafe boasts a steady stream of regulars, which is testament to its quality as there are many options locally and its main road location isn’t ideal for walk ins. I like that it’s family owned and I like that they’ve worked hard to build their rep, yet still seem grateful and almost humbled by their success.
Everything else…
Website: https://www.instagram.com/platform1ormond/
Visual Menu: https://www.mryum.com/platform1
Address: 501 North Road, Ormond
Opening Times:
Mon 6:30am to 5pm
Tue 6:30am to 5pm
Wed 6:30am to 5pm
Thu 6:30am to 5pm
Fri 6:30am to 5pm
Sat 8am to 3pm
Sun 8am to 3pm
Parking: There’s several carparks directly behind Platform 1 just off North Road with parking up to 4 hours. You should easily be able to grab a spot here.
Getting here on PT: Take a Frankston Line train to Ormond Station, the cafe is a short walk up the road (maybe 5 mins max).
Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Platform One. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a restaurant won’t change (including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting)