Chi Chi House– The Overview…
Food: Cheeseburger spring rolls, Forest Mushrooms, Bao
The details…
Just by Hughesdale Station, popular Chi Chi House Cafe is deceiving from the outside – appearing small and quiet. But as soon as you enter you find yourself in a lively and very popular brunch spot. It’s pleasantly noisy, with chatter from customers above the backdrop hum of the coffee machine.
While it is fairly small inside, it’s not squishy and even with a very large party visiting when we were, we didn’t feel crowded or overwhelmed. There’s a thoughtfulness to the design of the space which really helps. There’s also ample standing space for people waiting for coffees and tables are nicely grouped to allow space in between. Combined with the speedy greeting of customers you feel instantly welcomed here.
The menu is fairly creative – coming here to order eggs on toast would be a waste of the chef’s talents. Drawing influences from a wide range of cuisines, there’s so many excellent fusion dishes for a brunch menu. Taking recommendations from the friendly staff, we ordered the cheeseburger spring rolls, forest mushrooms and Bao.
First to arrive is the Bao. The individual Bao are large, and this 3 serve is amazing value at only $16. The Bao are well loaded with the sweet pork and the crackling on top is a lovely treat. The flavours are pretty traditional here and you’ll love this filling lunch option. It’s a perfect share plate too if you fancied trying a few dishes.
For a somewhat more typical (and vegetarian) brunch dish we tried the forest mushrooms. If you order this epic mushroom stack, don’t neglect that beautiful hazelnut and parsley crumb around the outside – it’s not just for decoration. The edamame hummus is another great little creative addition, generously spread across the sourdough. There’s a good range of mushrooms, and we particularly liked the idea to fry the enoki – it just brought a fabulous texture to the mushroom tower.
Finally we had to get their somewhat signature cheeseburger spring rolls. Biting into the spring roll, you don’t get the cheeseburger hit straight away – you’re distracted by the crispy skin. Then once the flavours settle on your tongue it’s cheeseburger all the way: meaty, cheesy, and just a little bit sour from the pickle. It’s one of those dishes you just have to try. The mashed crispy bacon tots are the perfect accompaniment to this unusual dish too. While giving a brunch element to the dish, they’re also reminiscent enough of loaded tater tots seen in many burger bars that they just help to carry a sense of duality throughout this whole dish!
Everything else…
Website: https://chichicafebrunch.com/
Address: 13 Willesden Rd, Hughesdale
Opening Times:
Mon 6:30am to 3pm
Tue 6:30am to 3pm
Wed 6:30am to 3pm
Thu 6:30am to 3pm
Fri 6:30am to 3pm
Sat 7:30am to 3pm
Sun Closed
Parking: There’s plenty of parking nearby. We manages to park almost directly outside, and throughout our visit there were always several empty spaces somewhere on Willesden Road
Getting here on PT: It’s literally a minutes walk from Hughesdale train station on the Frankston/Cranbourne/Pakenham lines.
Disclaimer: We dined as guests of Chi Chi House, Hughesdale. Reviews are honest and based on our own personal experiences. We cannot guarantee things at a cafe won’t change including, but not limited to, menu items and opening hours, so please confirm any details with the venue before visiting.