If the name Junie Moon’s is familiar, there was a film made in 1970 called Tell me that you love me, Junie Moon, starring Liza Minnelli.
Now Junie Moon’s, the cafe on Spencer Street — named after the owner’s baby girl June rather than the film — is starring on its own patch of West Melbourne with deliciously fresh food including standout housemade dim sims. That’s right, dim sims!
What took our attention about this small 35-seater cafe was the word that was spreading about the small parcels of spicy meat that chef and co-owner Sophie West was steaming and selling at just $5 for four.
Sophie says she was unhappy with the quality of dim sims on offer in the area so made some of her own. Now they’re so popular she can’t take them off the menu.
They’re a meaty mix of pork, with garlic, ginger, a touch of chilli and lemongrass, served with chopped spring onion and coriander and finished with a dressing of soy and black sesame seeds.
But Junie Moon’s isn’t just about Asian-style food. There are great sandwiches available — what’s on offer is written on the chalkboard by the counter where you order, and may include pastrami, pickles, sauerkraut, cheddar, tomato and rocket ($9) or the chicken sandwich ($9). The chicken sandwich arrives as two large pieces of very fresh rye bread filled with a seasoned mix of poached chicken, celery, basil, parsley, rocket and aioli. It’s filled with textural, crunchy fresh celery, lots of leafy parsley and creamy garlicky mayonnaise with the well-cooked chicken.
There are classic toasties, like ham and cheese or bacon, and Sophie bakes all the biscuits and muffins — the peanut butter biscuits are lovely sweet treats.
Designed by West’s partner Scott Jansen, the room is striking, painted in bright, happy colours inspired by the retro Bakelite palette with a turquoise ceiling and decorated with playful vintage objects. It’s very relaxed here, and the homey, community feeling resonates throughout the cafe to the tiny courtyard out the back.
So, if it’s to grab a decent coffee, a generous-sized sandwich or some popular dim sims, Junie Moon’s is certainly worth a visit. I imagine it will continue to star in West Melbourne for quite some time to come.
