Stokers Coffee Lounge Review

Location: 1033 Heidelberg Road,Ivanhoe
Phone: (03) 9497 4488
(note: it's really easy to almost miss it as this place is only open at night, i think from 6pm (weekdays and 8pm weekend ), park next door at the empty car-park.. btw it's gravel.. which means if you have a lowered sports car, it's not the best idea)

Time: I always go late at night, anywhere between 10pm-1am. I think they close at 2am, Ring to check.

Price: Reasonable if you're there for drinks as most places don't charge you an arm and a leg... the crepes/pancakes are like $7 bucks. Sorry, I've never ever checked the individual pricing. (i told you i make a terrible reviewer)

Payment type: Cash only (Note; I know, what a pain in the butt because lots of people don't carry cash, but look at it this way, to keep costs low, cash is better for a lot of small businesses as Eftpos facilities cost money, and this is factored into the cost of food... )

Cuisine Type: Dessert


What Got dished out:
Stokers isn't really a place for your main meal type thing, it's really just an awesome dessert house for pancakes. Although in my mind it's really a "crepe". Although on everyone else's food blog that has reviewed this little place they've referred to the stuff as "pancakes"
Of course they're not wrong, crepes are pancakes, just very THIN pancakes.. and this is exactly that. a very thin pancake laden with awesome goodness.

I swear if you are a dessert fan, you'd love this place. I am a dessert fan and I know I've fallen in love with it.

So far, everytime I have been I've ordered the strawberry pancake with extra cream and ice-cream. The strawberry on top is fresh, and the inside is laden with more strawberries. The strawberries inside are pretty sour-ish but it works so well with ice-cream and cream AND the pancake itself because the sour taste is then sweetened by the ice-cream, and the pancake acts like the neutralizer and the cream just makes it more fun.

They have OTHER stuff like cinnamon apple pancakes, blueberry pancakes.. but so far, I've only been game enough to try only one.. as shown above. You're probably wondering why I haven't tried the rest.. it's called complacency.. and having a love for strawberries. But next time I'm there, I'll try something different and let you know what I thought about it. But the strawberry one is the awesome of awesomeness

Seriously though, the serving is JUST right, it's not too big, it's not too small. and it always just hits the spot.
OTHER pancake places *cough* pancake parlour*cough* make their pancakes so thick, the portions are over sized and frankly everything taste oh-so -wrong and it just never hits the spot... it fills you up yes, but gives you that sickly feeling of regret. but the great thing is Stokers doesn't, well not for me anyway. It making my mouth water now, thinking about the pancakes there. OMG

My thoughts:
Of course there's not much else for me to say as I've just written most of in the last section above. However, a few things to be noted anyway..
1. It's the weirdest looking place I've ever been to. I know why they open only at night, because it's not the best lighted place in the world. There are a few wooden tables and chairs with a fireplace in the middle. If there was opened during the day, it would take some time for your eyes to adjust.
2. The toilet trip is somewhat creepy, I've been with other friends who have had the same experience, who all say it's creepy. You walk along hallways and you feel so alone, actually it feels like you're in one of those movies such as Hostel and someone's ready to come out with an axe to kill you hahahaha . Everybody gets the chill walking to the toilet. So I say, best not to go if you don't have to, but if you, take someone with you... just in case...
3. I've read other food blogs about this place and everybody's made a point to mention that this place does not serve "alcoholic beverages" which is fine by me. I like the fact that it doesn't. I mean how is it an issue? You're there to socialise, have a good time with your friends and eat awesome pancakes. Just have orange juice for a change.. plus the juice is pretty good too.
4. I've lived in Melbourne all of my life, and I've only discovered Stokers recently and I always feel that I've been robbed, had I known that such a place existed, I would have been there a LONG time ago, and probably frequented Pancake Parlour far less. Lets face it, Pancake Parlour is the equivalence of McDonald's when it comes to pancakes... Stokers is not, it's more refined, it's much better. and Yes, I probably could make the same at home, but that's not the point. Why would I try to copy something fantastic, when someone else does it oh-so-much better, and the plus side is.. I don't have to worry about dishes!

Seriously if you haven't had Stokers dessert, then really you haven't lived properly =] Just kidding.. you're just missing out on good dessert