A Minor Place is the sort of cafe you see as you go by and think "I must try that"; partly because there always seems to be loads of customers outside, on the tables in the street or at the deck round the side, partly because it's essentially an old house turned into a cafe, and partly because it's clearly named after the Bonnie Prince Billy song, which may speak of a certain aesthetic (not quite what's now contemptuously termed "hipster"). Its location in Albion Street, between Sydney Road and Lygon Street, pretty much guarantees it's always busy; inside and out, it's full of nice little touches such as the fresh flowers, potted plants and mini-pictures. The staff were friendly and thankfully not at all cooler-than-though, which I confess I'd expected; when the smallest member of our party ran around boisterously, they offered him a fine selection of jungle animals to settle him down, including a warthog and hippo (hiding in plain sight in one of the pictures below). After perching inside for a little bit, the sun began to show and we went out to the side where there's an unexpected amount of space, long tables, green crates and wooden planters. The coffee was excellent - so good we ordered twice - and my breakfast of pancakes with strawberry yogurt can only be described as sensational. The pancakes were moist and airy and the yogurt had been whipped with strawberries into a mousse-like texture which perfectly complemented the juicy, tender berries strewn across the plate. D's bubble and squeak, served with a potato rosti and egg on top, was also pretty tasty although (unusually for him) he felt there was too much chorizo. The littlest one ate heartily of my pancakes and then devoured a delicious, fresh chocolate muffin. Minor may be the name, but the food was anything but minor and it's now top of the list for a return visit.
