Splendid Cafe in Sydney Road's closed down. Just like that. I had lunch there last Saturday and didn't suspect a thing. I'll miss their rice paper rolls, the signed Stephen Cummings poster on the wall, the teatowels they gave you with your meal (instead of crappy paper napkins), the lonely little table out the back where I sat all alone in the sun the first time I ate there. I'll miss their cakes that I never did get around to trying because, well, that's how I've managed to lose weight, I guess - just a little bit of occasional denial isn't a bad thing.

So what's left in the area? I ate at Kaleidoscope today, 'cause I hadn't for ages (unfortunately their corn fritters were more salad than corn fritters, but never mind). The Big House is just up the road past where Splendid was, and there's some new place also nearby that says they do Dutch Pancakes (and Curry Laksa, but not together I hope). The Comfortable Chair's a short walk away on Lygon St, and there's also a tiny little newish place just off Sydney Rd on Edward St whose name escapes me. So things aren't too bad yet.