fter saying goodbye to their tiny Elsternwick cafe, Milky Joes, Adrian Van Lieshout and his business partner Dorian Padgham have opened a new venture on Chapel Street.

The new space is notably larger than the petite surrounds of their original café and the boys have had a great time fitting it out. “We basically just played it by ear and it all came together,” says Van Lieshout, who built most of the furniture by hand. The result is a laidback space with an American diner feel.

The menu again is all about an American feel, with burgers, buttermilk fried chicken, flattop dogs, curly fries and mascarpone mac ‘n’ cheese on offer.

For lunch, the generous Asian pork sliders with sesame slaw and chipotle are a winner. And if you’re looking for a breakfast to get you through the day, try the steak and eggs (8oz rib eye, poached eggs and béarnaise), a breakfast of champions.

While there’s no doubt this is boys’ cafe, feminine touches like fine china from Van Lieshout’s aunt and freshly baked jam doughnuts hint at Parlour’s softer side.

All this place needs is a jukebox and our Happy Days dreams will be satisfied.

Parlour Diner
64 Chapel Street, Windsor
(03) 9533 2006

Hours
Mon to Fri 7am–11pm
Sat & Sun 8am–11pm