Health buffs rejoice! Trei Café serves up the goods
Trei Café is situated in Glen Waverley in one of Blackburn road’s local shopping strips. Trei has awakened a somewhat sleepy suburb with its fresh vibe and contemporary menu that will have health fanatics drooling.
Walking into Trei late on a Saturday morning the café is bustling and bright. Exuding a sense of calm, the white and light brown wooden furnishings allow the space to be flooded with light, while greenery behind the counter adds a natural touch.
Owner Maliq Deane opened Trei back in 2015, with the aim of creating a welcoming second home for its customers, with delicious food as the main drawcard. Head chef Thivanka Jayatilake is certainly working his magic because this café is worth a detour, and has built up a reputation with students at nearby Monash university .
Trei’s signature drink is a matcha smoothie, which turns out to be extremely refreshing – just a whole jar of green goodness – the potent nature of the matcha has been well-balanced, and goji berries, white chia and shaved coconut garnish the drink. My companion’s golden latte was a little milky, but some requested honey complemented it nicely. The waiters were perhaps not as attentive as they normally would be, yet it was prime weekend time.
The menu spoils us for choice, catering for both health buffs and the more laissez-faire diners, and you can even add protein to many of the dishes for a small added cost. Vegetarians, vegans, gluten free, dairy free and nut allergies are all catered for here. We opt for the waitress’s recommendation of the pea and ricotta fritters served with avocado salad and a poached egg. I’m officially a converted fritter fan. These were not dry or too oily, they were beautifully light yet substantial, and just the right amount of crunch around the edges. Corn fritters are out, pea and ricotta fritters are the go. A rocket and avocado salad towered above the fritters, with a perfectly runny poached egg. Fresh herbs were crucial here, mint in particular, and completely elevated the dish as a whole. This is a super green dish that will fill you up but not make you feel heavy afterwards; I would definitely order it again.
We’re big fans of smoothie bowls and were lucky to spot a raspberry option further down the menu, which was a restorative alternative to the popular açai bowl. It was elegantly presented and the lemon balm included in the garnish provided a tangy softness to the dish. The raspberry bowl was refreshing and zingy, one hundred per cent summer in a bowl, yet my companion and I struggled to finish the generous serving.
Trei Café’s Korean fried chicken tacos are said to be their signature dish and on the lunch menu, which meant we were not able to try them on this occasion – providing good motivation to return and try even more of Trei’s delectable delights.
Trei Café
232 Blackburn Rd, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
(03) 9802 0960
Monday – Friday 7:30am – 4pm
Saturday – Sunday 8am – 4pm
Trei Café