The Laneway on Ebenezer is an inviting café located in quiet, secluded Ebenezer Place. Upon first glance, the café immediately stands out with black and white outdoor seating that compliments the cafe's colour theme of black, white and gold as well as attracting customers. The aesthetic logo is first viewed as printed on the front window, eye catching due to the different fonts. Inside the café, this theme of black, white and gold is further enhanced with the addition of light wood chairs and tables and pops of colour such as red armchairs, saturated blue cushions and green from the several pot plants placed around the café. There was a large variety of seating options indoors including stools, chairs, armchairs and a sofa (baby highchairs were also available) that gave customers multiple choices in such a small space (although, the stools weren't the most comfortable type of seat!). Taking into account the variety of seating options, it was surprising to note that there was still a sense of openness to the café due to the front window that provided customers with a view of Ebenezer Place. The pot plants added an element of greenery to the café, an aspect that was lacking throughout the rest of Ebenezer Place due to the fact that it was winter at the time of visiting. Given that it was winter, the lighting and temperature inside The Laneway was warm, inviting and cosy in contrast to the dull and cold day outside. If anyone was keen to sit outside still, blankets were available for outdoor seating to make the experience more enjoyable. Pop music was played at an appropriate volume, in that conversations could still be held without speaking louder than necessary and fit the vibe of the café well (although there were some explicit lyrics). As opposed to Community, there were many menus visibly available at the counter, as well as a specials board and an interesting board outlining the types of coffee beans used at The Laneway. Alcohol, teas, glasses, baked goods and their own coffee bean brand were on display around the front counter of the café, as well as each takeaway coffee cup size to visually inform customers. The Laneway would be best for a casual catch-up with friends, although slightly overpriced. The equipment utilized at the café included an espresso machine, three coffee bean grinders to keep up with demand, a refrigerator for milk, a knock box for the grinds, and overall a good stock of ingredients (milk, coffee beans, etc, from what could be seen). I was also pleased to note that QR code COVID check-ins and manual check-ins were clearly displayed for ease of use. In addition to this, contactless payment was available to implement good hygiene practices in regards to COVID-19. Now, to the food and drinks! I ordered an almond chai latte, which came within the average wait time of 5-10 minutes. The chai was bitter, with less sweetness than I would usually be used to. Unfortunately, this allowed for the bitterness to become dominant in comparison to the chai flavours. There was also less micro foam than the chai at Community, with the foam that was present having an airier consistency, less like a micro foam. It was also disappointing to note that complimentary cookies were not a custom at this café. Despite this, the beverage was at a good temperature when I received it, and the customer service was mostly good. There were three people working at the café at the time of our arrival (all wearing masks), however, when my colleague ordered a dessert from their display case it took 20 minutes before they had no choice but to ask someone when it was coming since they forgot about the order! Although this was disappointing, once the cookie was finally received, the server apologized sincerely multiple times for the mistake and the cookie was pleasantly tasty. Overall, an average café experience. read more
