EAT: CHEEKY CHEWIES CAFE, LAVERTON

It seems Melbourne's hip cafe culture has expanded a little further yet out here on the westside, with this vibrant gem of a cafe popping up in one of the most unexpected of places.

Home to only a handful of restaurants, a grocery store, newsagent, post office and now Cheeky Chewies Cafe, the short stretch of road leading from Aircraft station and onto the freeway is a relatively quiet one. But foot traffic seems to be building gradually with the addition of new eateries over time. Serving up some decent coffees alongside dishes from an east meets west-styled menu, Cheeky Chewies already appears to be quite a favourite with locals.

Unable to ignore chilli wontons on a menu (one of my favourite dumpling dishes), we decided to order a plate. The wonton wrappers were silky and light, and the ratio of minced pork filling to dumpling wrapper spot on. The vinegar chilli sauce was quite sweet and could have done with a bit more heat but it was otherwise a nice way to kick off our meal. The hubby's What-A-Burger lemongrass pork steak burger packed plenty of fragrant flavouring thanks to the lemongrass presence and soft char on the pork. Bonus points for the fat, fluffy chunks of potato chips. My Lost in Bangkok dish featured a Thai style omelette filled with stir fried minced pork, basil, onions, long bean, carrot, garlic and chilli. Well cooked, there was a gorgeous crispiness that accompanied each bite of the omelette. The overall omelette filling was quite heavy on the flavour front and relied on the freshness of the salad, particularly the bite from the red onions and herbaceous coriander, to really round out the dish.

What a cheerful time we had at Cheeky Chewies Cafe. With very little else in the area, Cheeky Chewies is most definitely a welcome addition to the area. With our brunch experience winning my taste buds over and a whole dinner menu to explore, it's a safe bet that we'll be returning to Cheeky Chewies.