The Dask Culture fuses the cuisine of three tropical regions in Malvern’s new café
When your eyes tire of the white brick and hanging succulents that adorn the interior of myriad Melbourne cafés, do yourself a favor—take a stroll over to The Dask Culture in Malvern.
Immediately differentiating itself from the row of storefronts on Glenferrie Road, The Dask Culture pops with a bright yellow and aquamarine exterior. If not already sufficiently enticed, walking inside the café creates the illusion of strolling down a back alley of a Caribbean country. Posters of Bob Marley and a large mural displaying his words love the life you live, live the life you love cover one wall, while the others are decorated with random trinkets from tropical cultures—woven baskets, instruments, and a vintage record player, to name a few.
The real charm of The Dask Culture becomes evident as you peruse the options on their breakfast and lunch menus— the cuisine here is a distinctive fusion of Sri Lankan, Caribbean and Latin American. The three visionaries of The Dask Culture are all natives of Sri Lanka, but share a passion for the vibrancy, color and vivacious spirit of these regions. They recognized an opportunity to create a menu merging the areas’ characteristic spices, fresh ingredients, and tangy seasonings. And so The Dask Culture was born.
Because I’m an enthusiastic devotee to breakfast (and can’t help but love the name), I opt for the Samba Bamba—two poached eggs served over flatbread, corn chips, guacamole, sour cream and an array of spices. The colorful and energetic pizzazz of the café’s atmosphere translates directly into the dishes as well. My meal arrives with a rich pop of color; the paprika dusted eggs lying beautifully next to the generous mound of crushed avocado, orange chips, and edible flowers. The flavors don’t fail to come alive either. The dish is complex and hearty, serving as a refreshingly new take on the avocado atop toast.
My friend orders the Rastafari, a beautifully crafted bowl of pumpkin, roasted cauliflower and beetroot, kale, bell pepper, seeds and coconut. On top of being densely nutritious and fiber packed, this meal is both vegan and gluten free without additional modifications.
Without denying ourselves the opportunity for post-brunch dessert, we order the sticky date cake and salted caramel ball. The cake arrives warm and gooey alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of powdered sugar. We counterbalance its rich indulgence with the nourishing blend of nuts, seeds, buckwheat, dates, and coconut nectar in the snack sized ball.
The Dask Culture has plans to open up their back courtyard as a venue for live music and drinks. The owners have visions of reggae and soul music being performed on bongo drums and guitars—the perfect equation for a little post-work dancing and tropical holiday therapy. But for now, the distinctive food and upbeat vibes of this spot are enough to draw you in from the streets.
The Dask Culture
63 Glenferrie Road, Malvern
Mon- Fri 7am-3pm
Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
www.thedaskculture.com