Lunch at Albert & Co- just checking up !

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) “Pleasant, comfortable, can be a busy venue , but busy for very good reason”

Part of the Bellevue Complex

Location:   Being a local, I have followed the progress of this business in all its forms, many coffees, breakfasts, and some would say, too many lunches, some external catering, and evening meals. This is a light, bright, venue catering not only for coffee and meals, but also external catering and the bar scene, having a relaxing lounge type area adjacent to the bar.

Front windows open to create Al fresco feel

Part of the Bellevue Motel complex,  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. If you park in the road careful of the road camber when you open your car door. It is steep.

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. 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. 

With open style planning, Albert & Co is clean cut with crisp décor and windows that fully open onto the street and harbour beyond providing a feel of being “al fresco” whether or not you are actually dining in or out. 

Sit inside feels like outside

Menu:   I was there for lunch, the menu is in itself quite small but when added to the breakfast menu (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.

The Lunch menu provides for a sharing platter of smoked meats, cheeses dips and pickles, good old fashioned fish ‘n chips, but other items are added regularly  to suit the season and availability of locally soured produce.

Experience:   I am a coffee regular at Albert & Co, for good reason, it is a pleasant venue, comfortable with good access.  Staff are well- dressed in a smart uniform, attentive, professional and friendly. Tables are cleared and cleaned quickly and without fuss, water is provided almost immediately on your arrival.  Having previously enjoyed the breakfast menu, especially “The Albert , I was keen to try the lunchtime offerings on the new menu.

Pie with Mash and salad

I went for a home baked pie with parmesan pastry served on a bed of mash, made from local “spuds” and a side garden salad. A serve of tomato based relish topped off the presentation and added a slightly spicy twang to the meal.  Here, I have to say, that there was a slight mix up with the contents of the pie. I need not go into detail but let’s say what I was served differed from the announced menu item. This was dealt with admirably by the staff on the day, a simple mix up or omission, could happen anywhere, what impressed me was the manner in which it was dealt.  Never the less the pie (chicken, vegetable and curry, was tasty, well filled, the pasty light with that parmesan twist in the taste. It was browned well on top and was not too heavy at the base. The mash was beautiful , creamy and tasty, a generous serve and the garden salad certainly fresh and a good mix of salad items. This is the second lunch time pie I have enjoyed here and the quality was maintained. 

Fish of the Day - Flathead tails

 The “Boss” had the fish of the day which was flat-head tails served with flat cut chips (real chips), and a garden salad which again was generous and a good mix.  All served with a tartare sauce which added a good twist to the dish. I tried some of those chips they reminded me of many years ago, when all were hand cut and fried in a fry pan, tasty, crispy, light and with soft centres.

Light Bright Crisp and Clean

                 Summary:    The ambience of Albert & Co provides for a relaxing comfortable and enjoyable lunch and I am sure will be the same for an evening meal. 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, there is an ever growing range of house made cakes and slices, then, of course there is the bar! A busy venue especially at peak times, but busy for good reason.

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