They’ve done it again. The team behind Barry, Touchwood and Pillar of Salt have opened yet another power house cafe to add to their collection. True to its name, Mammoth offers a food menu that is packed with a mammoth array of strong, slightly left-field dishes combined with some quality speciality coffee.
Perched on a triangular corner in dreamy Armadale, Mammoth boasts a sleek, clean interior with white painted brick walls and light timber furnishings. Touches of light pink and blue add to the relaxing but inviting atmosphere.
Unconventional shape aside, the bulk of the bulk of the cafe is a big, open and vibrant space with a slightly raised dining room and the kitchen up a couple of steps. Seating is a mixture of small tables, communal benches and some small tables outside.
The food menu. Lobster donut burger, green chilli chicken, lamb spare ribs, spanner crab crepes; this is a menu like no other. It can be largely divided in to some creative takes on the usual breakfast dishes, slightly bigger lunch dishes and a handful of super salads.
On this visit I had the lobster donut burger with green mango and papaya slaw, cucumber jam and sriracha kewpie mayo. There are a lot of components there wouldn’t usually go together in the same sentence, and it’s difficult to imagine how they would. But it works. The soft, tender lobster with a touch of spice from the sriracha mayo and balanced by the creamy mango and papaya slaw and the salt and pepper-dusted bun. Something to be tried at least once.
If that left you wanting more, there is a dessert option. Golden Gaytime panna cotta with honeycomb, sablé biscuit and chocolate coated popping candy. It’s exactly amazing as it sounds; creamy, sweet but slightly rich panna cotta with some texture from the crunchy honeycomb and biscuit and a welcomed surprise from the popping candy.
There is also a selection of pastries and slices available.
Coffee is from Five Sense with a range of espresso and filter options available. Soy and almond milk is on offer. There’s is also a selection of teas, juices and soft drinks.
Unlike many newly opened cafes, service is exceptional and that of an established venue. This is due to most of staff being well experienced, coming from the other cafes in the owners’ suite – Barry, Touchwood and Pillar of Salt.
If opening week was anything to go by, it is exciting to see how this mammoth of a cafe will evolve.
Mammoth
736 Malvern Road, Armadale
03 9824 5239