Carolina

Basic Info:

Name: Carolina
Address: 11 Nicholson St, Brunswick
Phone: NA
Website: NA

Opening Hours:
Tuesday to Friday - 7.30am - 11pm

Saturday & Sunday - 8.30am - 11pm

Little Eats ‘soundbite review’:

This little Brunwick café-slash-bar has done very well with a small space, the food is great and the courtyard complete with sandpit for the kidlets is well laid out. Unfortunately it seems that the child-friendly focus was an afterthought.

Highchair: Yes
Change table: No
Pram access: Yes
Separate kids menu: Yes
Normal menu suitable for kids: Some
Friendly staff: Yes
Play area for kids: Yes - sandpit
Activities provided for kids (eg: crayons): No
Vibe/atmosphere: Laid back, friendly and relaxed. The courtyard is peaceful, even when crowded. Inside the layout and vibe is comfortable and cosy.

Prices: Reasonable

Other: Cash only

Little Eats detailed review:

Carolina is an unassuming locale. It’s easy to miss unless you’ve been told about it, and even then you need your eyes peeled as you start to question whether or not you’ve been given the correct address. Housed in the old Invicta shop, still with the “Italian hand made shoes”

vintage window signage, you'll find Carolina.

Once inside, the hectic staff took a few moments to come and help me find somewhere to sit. I was directed past the kitchen and out the back. Somehow they’ve created a wide pathway where you imagine a rickety, narrow wooden door once may have been.

The brick-paved courtyard creates a great blend of sun and cover (weather dependent, of course), and the children were excited to see a sandpit at the very end of the courtyard, in the corner with some toys, buckets and spades. The back gate, which is next to the sandpit and backs onto a laneway was wide open, so I still needed to keep quite a watchful eye. However on the plus side this is also used as an alternative entrance to the cafe for pram-pushing parents.

“Great” I thought “the children are occupied, I can order a coffee and relax”. That was until my son started asking “what’s this?” and handed me a cigarette. No, I’m not a smoker my son had found a small pile of unsmoked cigarettes in the sandpit. A strange occurrence, slightly awkward but one I was willing to overlook.

My children took great delight in examining the small garden, complete with chilli plants and vegetables. They also found a few cigarette butts around the garden and in the sandpit, much to my dismay, and a (smoky?) cloud was starting to appear over my experience.

As my coffee arrived and I had the first few refreshing sips my eldest explained that he needed to use the facilities, and as every parent of two knows this can be an urgent event. The timing wasn’t great but I put my son’s needs ahead of my caffeine craving and rounded up the children to take care of ‘business’. The bathrooms are neat, clean and fresh – often a rare treat in cafes and very much appreciated. Once the mayhem was over and we went back to our seats I saw that my coffee had been taken away and another family setting up in the place where I was sitting. Grrr.

I had a distinct sense that the staff were new and still finding their feet, so I can forgive a bit of disorganisation. The earlier issues with cigarette butts etc is a bigger concern for a child-friendly café that moonlights as a relaxed dinner and drinking spot by night. It is fine to cater to both crowds but discontent will ensue when the two worlds collide.

The food on offer is a prepared to a high standard. The children’s menu is limited (2 items, one sweet and one savoury), and if you’re health conscious and ordering toast be sure to ask for it without butter – it’s lathered on quite generously. The home-style jam and marmalade however were delicious. All the adult dishes are also offered in half serves for the junior brigade, but the food is quite sophisticated and may not suit the young palates.

Considering Carolina has only been open for a few weeks they have done well to develop a healthy patronage. However, if they want to continue to attract the parental vote they might have to shave off a couple of rough edges... and clean up those ciggies!

This guest review was written by Mat, foodie father of two, writer, graphic designer, marketer and avid Melbournian. One day he hopes to teach his kids more than they're teaching him!