doctor who?

Doctor Java - Check it out on Urbanspoon

• 87a Smith Street, Fitzroy

Doctor Java is pretty much on the corner of Smith and Gertrude Streets.  The sign caught my eye when I first moved to Melbourne as it serves organic coffee.  There are three things that I love about this cosy little cafe:

1. The coffee is great - and organic.
2. The iced coffee is arguably the best I have ever had.
3. The savoury scone is to die for.

I do not need to say too much about the coffee as my coffee palate is relatively simple: I don't like it tasting burnt and I like the milk a tad on the "too hot "side.  My usual order is simple - a latte.  No skinny/trim milk, no sugar - just coffee and full fat milk.  The coffee here is consistently great, has a great flavour and is a great temperature. I have not once been disappointed with my simple latte from Doctor Java.

However, as the Melbourne summer is upon us and last weekend in particular was exceptionally hot for this Wellingtonian, it was difficult for me to get my caffeine fix from a "tad on the hot side" latte.  I immediately thought of good old Doctor Java to provide me the caffeine I needed (and the calories I didn't) with their oh so amazing iced coffee.

There are three types of iced coffee on offer:

1. DJ Iced Coffee $5.50 - espresso, ice, ice cream, milk, simple!
2. Da Bomb Sugar IC $5.50 - 2 scoops house espresso sorbet, 1 scoop ice cream and milk
3. The Godfather $6 - 3 scoops ice cream, 3 shots coffee, the affogato you can't resist!

On this particular day, I opted for number 1, the simple iced coffee.  I have also tried da bomb sugar iced coffee - the name only attracts me!  Both these iced coffees have a delicious coffee flavour (a result from the great organic coffee beans no doubt) and it has the perfect amount of ice cream to milk to coffee ratio.  How many times have you ordered an iced coffee and it is literally ice + coffee and you come away disappointed and unsatisfied?  It has happened to me plenty of times, therefore the prerequisite for ordering an iced coffee is that it must have ice cream to rightfully give it the sweetness and creaminess.

One thing I struggle to find in Melbourne is savoury scones or muffins.  I mentioned savoury scones to a colleague once, and he looked at me as if I had said something in a foreign language, like he had never heard of it before.  I just love savoury scones or muffins (as opposed to sweet scones or muffins) and together with a latte, it is a match made in heaven.

Needless to say, when I discovered the savoury scone at Doctor Java, I knew where to go to satisfy my savoury-scone-craving.  It is $5.50 and described as "tomato, vintage cheddar and basil scone with red wine and onion jam".  The price may be a bit steep, but it is worth every cent.  For one, it is huge and therefore perfect for sharing, but every bite of this scone is scrumptious.  It is a great consistency, in other words, not dry or stodgy.  It is not only flavoursome but filling and hits the spot every time.

So if you are looking for a great cup of coffee to wake up, a much needed iced coffee to cool down, or a snack to fill that growling gap, then Doctor Java is a great place to tick all or some of the above boxes.  Whether you are in the neighbourhood or if you wish to especially go there, with it only being a stone's throw away from the city, the trip will be well worth it fulfilling your expectations.  Well, it hasn't disappointed me yet!