Review: Albert & Co

Albert & Co:   Coffee – Food – Catering. 
201 The Esplanade, Lakes Entrance VIC 3909  Ph: 03 5155 1209
Hours: from 6:30am:  Check for closing time.  Serving Breakfast- Lunch and Dinner (advise to book)


Tag:  “A new beginning for an old favourite”

Location:  Albert and Co, it is said, “from little acorns do big oak trees grow” but to paraphrase, from small beginnings do larger businesses grow, and this is certainly the case with Albert & Co. Being a local, I have followed the progress of this business in all its forms, needing many coffees, enjoying many breakfasts, and probably too many lunches, including in that some external catering and a fair few evening meals. This new, light, bright, venue only goes to show what can be done when you get it right, and Matt and his team have done just that.

View to the Western Harbour

Service Counter and Main Entry

The new location being part of the Bellevue Complex the new Albert & Co has a main street location with both on street and in house parking. Access from the street is via four steps with hand rails but for those who prefer or need a flat entry, good access is via the hotel entry and through the bar area. Seating is plentiful and varies from comfortable chairs to slightly higher side benches with plush cushions. Either suited me both being well placed and comfortable.
The bar area is set with a combination of bench seating and really , yes really comfortable arm chairs in the club style where you could wait for a table, as many were when I visited, or relax after your meal for a drink or two. These will be popular in the evening I have no doubt, but I would probably be kicked out for snoring as they are conducive to sleep especially after a good feed.

Bar and Club style seating

Relax after your meal 

Full table and bar service is available here and there are high chairs available for the younger devotees of this establishment. Full washroom facilities are available just down the main corridor of the hotel.
The open style planning of Albert & Co lends itself to the clean cut crisp décor and with windows that fully open onto the street and harbour beyond you really do get a feel of being al fresco whether or not you are actually dining in or out. This theme is continued in to the bar area with a subtle change to a warmer more cosy feel, just what you want after a meal of for a quiet drink or two.

Menu: Let’s get down to business the food, I was there for lunch, and arrived early in order to be sure of a table. In previous blogs I said I would write this review after the peak season, but the opportunity presented itself so here we go, a real test, when the placed was abuzz with customers.  The lunch menu is in itself quite small but when added to the breakfast menu which is served until 3pm a very good range of items is available including vegan, GF items and a kids menu.  Quality locally produced/grown/sourced ingredients are used in preference to others supporting our local economy.

Main Seating Area

Atrium area ideal for groups

I have to admit to swaying onto the breakfast menu, and thoroughly enjoyed The Albert. Poached eggs perfectly cooked with thyme tomatoes, served with a thick cut juicy and very tasty (Kessler) bacon, which was the closest thing to a real ‘gammon’ I have tasted in over 30 years, mushrooms, a pork sausage, picked onions, which had been finely sliced onto a waffle and  a delicately spiced kasundi. The flavours mixed magnificently, the plate was clean! The breakfast menu provides for all tastes and includes basic toast with spreads, fruit toast, muesli, grains, beans and all what I call the “yuppie vege” stuff !

The Albert Breakfast until 3pm!

The Albert from a different perpective

The Lunch menu on the other hand provides for a sharing platter of smoked meats, cheeses dips and pickles, good old fashioned fish ‘n chips, a Gippsland burger, soft shell crab, duck pancakes, grain salad, and hummus with accompaniments to mention most but not all. The Gippsland Burger was served to the table, now Gippsland is a big place and so is the burger itself, local beef of course. Served on a toasted milk bun, home-made relish, bacon, greens, pickles and fries.  This was a challenge for a lunch for one who does not normally eat large lunches, but little of any substance (that means the meaty bits!), remained, The relish was really tasty but there could have been a little more to really enjoy with the burger, or perhaps we were a little heavy handed. The burger itself was large well-made, holding shape and tasty, a tad on the dry side, but there again not at all fatty. Really a matter of personal taste. With the relish it was a good combination.

The Gippsland Burger with fries relish & greens

A good sized burger 

Experience:  Since opening, Albert & Co has been a hive of activity, normally packed in the morning and until mid-afternoon; staff have been under extreme pressure, new venue, different menus, new staff members in some cases etc. . I have on numerous occasions not been able to get a table, and having said all that, have to say that service was very good; staff are well- dressed in a smart uniform, attentive and professional. Tables were cleared and cleaned quickly and without fuss. Food was enjoyable, high quality, well cooked with a good combination of flavours, served in good time even considering the busy lunchtime custom. The ambience of the venue provides for a relaxing comfortable and enjoyable lunch and I am sure will be the same for an evening meal, (Next time Matt).

Dining area combined chair and bench seating

Summary:  Suffice to say that our lunch commenced at about 11-30am and continued into the bar/lounge area until almost 3pm, that indeed says it all. Don’t forget that the coffee is also excellent here and with a good range of teas, shakes, chocolates, fruit juices and other blends you will never leave thirsty, and then of course there is the bar!
Try this new venue at the West End of Lakes Entrance, professionally operated by its owner, who still works the floor, and with a great team has come to the west end of town.  Well done Matt and your team.

relax before or after your meal, enjoy a drink

Just waiting for you