Cafe Fidama

Mietta's Eating & Drinking in Melbourne 2000

Contributors' Choice
Page 91

Not long ago Yarraville Village was a pretty grim place for those wanting to eat out. Now, in keeping with the changing population there are around a dozen cafes and coffee shops, with more on the way. Cafe Fidama is probably the best of these 'newcomers'. At night it is a serious eating place, with a range of up-to-the minute dishes created by chef Ferdi Salvana (ex The Duck, Isis) and his team. The menu also caters to Yarraville's vegetarian population. The wine list has a good range by the glass.

On weekends the cafe metamorphoses into a very relaxed breakfast/brunch spot that often seems like a temporary home to a growing band of Yarraville locals. Good coffee, cakes, light meals, newspapers and magazines mixed with a good serving of local gossip is the menu of the day. Busy blonde hostess/owner, Fiona Marment, ties both the evening and daytime aspects of this delightful café together with cheerful and efficient service which brings people back often. In fact, one of the most engaging features of Café Fidama is the number of diners who know one another.

34 Ballarat Street
Yarraville
Melways reference 42:A9
Phone: 9687 0133
Opening hours: Dinner: 7 nights 6pm-10pm Breakfast & Brunch weekends and public holidays 9am-4pm
Licensed
Corkage: $3 per bottle
Accepts credit cards
Seats Inside: 40, Outside: 6
Features: Kids encouraged
Favourites: Blue eye fillet on eggplant puree $15.50, Pan fried lebanese eggplant with chick pea salad $9/12.50, Calamari twice marianted on greek salad $9.50/13.50

*An updated review can be found in Mietta's Eating & Drinking in Australia 2000 pg73, published by Black Inc., 2000, Vic