The Fat Penguin Café in East Kew will host a super cool Pop-Up Self-Serve Ice-Cream Bar in its newly renovated courtyard these school holidays – and they will donate $2 to the Royal Children Hospital Good Friday Appeal for every ice-cream sold.
Each day between 2pm and 4pm throughout the school holidays (until Thursday April 17) the Pop-Up Self-Serve Ice-Cream Bar in the new undercover courtyard will serve popular ice-cream flavours and toppings, such as caramel, hot fudge, peanut butter crunch, mango, banana, honey, Oreos, whipped cream, chocolate chips, sprinkles, Gummi bears and M&Ms.
A Fat Penguin Pop-Up Self-Serve Ice-Cream Bar half cup will cost $4.50, with a Fat Penguin full cup a steal at $6.50.
The Kew East cafe, behind the renowned “blue door” on High Street, recently underwent a makeover, and now boasts a new chef, a new courtyard, a revamped kitchen and updated menu.
Key to The Fat Penguin’s growing success is its strong family base – the café is headed by hospitality veterans Frank and Jenny Facciolo, while son David is head barista, another son, Michael, works front of house as a waiter, and daughter Marina shares barista duties across the weekday and weekend rush.
“The school holidays are a perfect time for families to be together and the Facciolo family is no different. We’ll work hard to ensure that everyone who drops into Fat Penguin’s Pop-Up Self-Serve Ice-Cream Bar has a very cool time donating to the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal,” Frank says.
Melbourne Storm Captain Cameron Smith and his kids
Frank and Jenny’s love affair with hospitality began in the late 1980s when they set The Mitey Bite, a sandwich shop at Melbourne University. Soon they opened Frank’s Cafe, next door, an institution among students who dined out on its famed $1 pizza slices.
The Facciolo’s bought The Fat Penguin, then known as Grazing Plates and Platters, in early 2011. They renamed it 12 months ago and the transformation has continued ever since.
Open seven days a week, the affordable, licensed cafe has become a local hotspot, with sporting legends John Aloisi, Barry Hall, Stirling Mortlock and Travis Cloke among the regulars.
Highlights on the new menu, which features all-day breakfast, include a popular avocado, tomato, chili, coriander, lime and a poached egg on sourdough ($16.50) dish; a poached eggs, smoked haloumi, asparagus, prosciutto on sourdough with fresh herbs ($18) dish, and the Penguin Emperor – eggs, bacon, chorizo, mushroom, thyme roasted tomato and spinach ($17.50).
Popular dishes on the all-day lunch menu include roast chicken, torn figs, quinoa, shaved fennel, cucumber and pickled radish ($19.50, and Wagyu beef sliders, truffle aioli, bacon, pickles, cheese, brioche bun with beer battered chips ($19).
The Fat Penguin is at 713 High St, Kew East and is open Mon-Fri 7am-4pm; and Sat-Sun 8am-3pm. For information call (03) 9859 3252 or www.fatpenguincafe.com.au, or www.facebook.com/fatpenguincafe
