Bay Street daytime restaurant Lilijana welcomes the Swedish “fika” custom of reducing for coffee and a bread, and for much less than $10.
Did you listen to the one regarding the Hong Kong- birthed ice hockey pro that offered his pizza vehicle to open up a Scandinavian coffee shop called after a Slovenian nonna in Melbourne? Well, you have currently.
Lilijana is a brand-new daytime restaurant from cook Chris Wong and his better halfChristine It’s a wonderful, pleasant location for solo snacking and coffee (there’s great set mixture and coffee) and cosy catch-ups, specifically in between 2pm and 4pm, when Lilijana supplies $9.50 “fika”, the Swedish custom of reducing for coffee and a bread. I’m having problem picking in between the cinnamon-and-cardamom bun and the “sun buns” loaded with custard.
How did this all become? Chris began playing ice hockey in Hong Kong, where the sporting activity is much more preferred than you could assume. When his household relocated to Australia, Chris proceeded with the sporting activity, and wound up costs summertimes in Finland and Sweden, where he played professional ice hockey, and fell for the brilliant flavours and fondness for marinading in Scandinavian food.
He likewise likes pizza, so when he obtained tired of his commercial layout work throughout the pandemic, he placed in some changes at 400 Gradi and wound up beginning Porcupine, a pizza event catering service. Mobile food is enjoyable yet bricks-and-mortar was the desire, and Lilijana is its fulfilment.
Just regarding whatever is made in residence by Chris and bread cook Blanca Capraro: sourdough loaves, breads, pickles and treated salmon are all provided with satisfaction.
Also baked right here are soft buns for the “deli snacks”, little rolls loaded with thrills such as dill-laced shellfish salad or pepper-crusted pastrami by brand-new regional brand name Zaidy’s.
The Wong household think about Lilijana as a “continental deli” to include its numerous frying pan-Euro ideas, and these budget-friendly $9 thrills are a nod to Nonna Lilijana, that operated at Preston Market and was constantly creeping her grandchildren nibbles such as this.
Larger attacks consist of a home-style Finnish blueberry rice gruel that’s a real snuggle in a dish and sandwiches both traditional (poached hen with baked broccoli) and wacky (sardines with dill pickle and potato crisps).
The real heart of the food selection is the variety of plates, which are incomparably shareable yet likewise make a luxurious delicatessens outing for one.
The morning meal plate leans a little eastern European with its kransky sausage, while the trademark “sea” plate is Scandi main, with treated salmon, herbed ricotta, vibrant pickles and salute.
Lilijana really feels brilliant, ordered and friendly. Christine is out the front with sis Steph Comelli, that made use of to deal with the eating flooring at Annie Smithers’ hatted Du Fermier in Trentham.
With its professionalism and reliability and grace and croissant expert Brulee quickly to open up a couple of doors down, this wonderful place is readied to become part of a Bay Street resurgence.
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