Make no presumptions at Livingstone's Urban Jungle

While I was researching the Learn In Perth article for the City of Perth, I stumbled across a new café opposite the Perth Art Gallery. Anyone who remembers the little ice cream kiosk opposite the gallery will be surprised to find it’s been turned into a cool café called Livingstone’s Urban Jungle, which knocks into the park any ideas you had about innercity cafes.

Livingstone’s © The Ponder Room

The first presumption knocked on its head came when I looked at the menu. There was a great range of quick eats including some really interesting Toasties options:

Livingstone’s © The Ponder Room

The Fromage a Trois (Cheddar, Smoked Dutch cheese and Emmental);

The Slam n’ Cheese (ham, mustard, Gruyere and béchamel);

The Mac Daddy (homemade mac ‘n’ cheese with a crunchy parmesan top);

The Bada Bing (meatballs, tomato, chilli and garlic sauce, Emmental);

The Stanley (Nutella, banana, cinnamon sugar)

The Brick Lane Salt Beef Bagel (salt beef, hot English mustard, pickles in a bagel)

See, not your average Toastie at all.

The bagel range was equally interesting, as were the toppings including a Maple Bacon which defies belief. On the sweet side there were Jaffa Tarts, Top Dup donuts and Top Dup Butter Cream filled Cookie Pies. Plus you can still get an ice cream if you want, this time sourced from Margaret River, without the three hour drive.

I opted for a chai soy latte and was thrilled to find it was made with real tea leaves not powder or syrup. As a result it wasn’t just a warmed up sickly sweet liquid which can often be the case, you could really taste the individual spices. What’s more it was good quality soya milk, not a cup of hot water with some milk thrown in at the last minute, yes that does happen.

Livingstone’s © The Ponder Room

The next presumption destroyed was that a café situated in a ‘pod’ backing onto a multistorey carpark couldn’t possibly be stylish. Wrong again. From the moment you step into the sitting area off to the side of the ‘pod’ you feel like you’re in your own little secret bubble. With tables made from old suitcases and little antique hall tables, you could be mistaken for thinking you’d wandered into Little Red Riding Hoods grandma’s house (if her grandma was cool and had an aversion to mothballs). Such a serene space.

Livingstone’s © The Ponder Room

Even more impressive though was the service which extended to the owner Justin Blackford who, due for his mid-morning break, came and sat down for a chat.

Justin explained that the idea for the Toasties came after a recent trip overseas. They’d taken ownership of the pod just after Christmas under the proviso that they ‘had to start operating in January’ … no pressure. Flashes of The Block or Reno Rumble came to mind as he told me about the all out effort made to make the deadline. The hard work paid off though as it meant they were open just in time for the Fringe Festival. What new business wouldn’t mind being swamped with customers in its first month of operation, a nice little injection of funds for a new business.

As I sat in the little oasis for way too long just watching the passing parade go by I pondered …

What a great little retreat to pop into during your working day, and how perfect to name it an urban jungle.
It will be great when they add a herb garden into the planks of wood on the back wall.
I’ve no doubt Livingstone’s will be a success especially considering Justins other highly successful venture Food Loose Tours
Just as well I don’t work in town or I’d be down here every day until I’d tried all the new taste sensations.

Livingstone’s. Pod 2 Perth Cultural Centre. Opposite the Art Gallery. Open 6.30am to 4pm

For more information go to Livingstone’s Urban Jungle