It's not often you come across a notable (see what I did there?) cafe along Great South Road, particularly in the in-between Newmarket/Epsom locale. Sitting pretty in front of the specialist piano and guitar store Lewis Eady is Note - a light and airy, peaceful cafe that's only about six weeks old but is already building a solid client base. Nikki and Andry, Note's operators and food gurus, are experts on all things wholesome and healthy, which is apparent in their virtuous offerings. They must believe in the ‘everything in moderation’ sentiment though, because there are some truly naughty treats on offer too - such as the gnarly homemade muffins and tiny melting moments bagged up and ready to take away with you. Speaking of the takeaway treats, be prepared to want to buy everything on their product shelf - you'll find Note’s own bottled sauces, preserves, loafs and crostini amongst other goodies, all made from scratch on site. The coffee Note serves is Eighthirty, and as expected my flat white was nothing short of excellent. We love that you can bring in a KeepCup and get 50c off your coffee, every time. Always keen to try a new smoothie, I ordered the Chocolate Sustain ($7.50) – one of three smoothies on offer that are made all with the Matakana SuperFoods powders and the recipes have been developed in a way that, even though they're full of goodness, taste amazing and all come with the option of being dairy-free. My blend had the Matakana Superchoc powder, mixed up with yoghurt, frozen banana and frozen mango. You'll be pleased everything comes in takeaway cups if you get one of these - this baby lasted me well into the morning. In terms of the food, there's no a la carte menu, but there is a cabinet that's chocka with everything from chia pots to sandwiches, salads and muffins. We tried the ham frittata, caesar salad and chia pot. The chia pot ($9.50) was a major stand out - it came layered with fresh fruit and nuts for essential crunch, and the chia itself was gorgeously thick and creamy. The caesar salad ($9 for a generously-sized regular) didn't lack flavour, and came topped with parmesan crisps which were a tasty touch. I’m regretting not buying any of their take away frozen meals (the silverbeet, leek and ricotta cannelloni has me written all over it), but that gives the perfect excuse to pop in again this Saturday. I’m looking forward to my lazy Sunday dinner already.
