I’ve driven past Red Lenny’s on many occasions and I knew the place was going to open soon. I just happened to be in the area today when I noticed they were open for lunch. Without giving it a second thought, I had parked my car in their private parking area at the rear of the property.

With a name like Red Lenny’s, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Only open during the week, they have a very basic breakfast menu which includes bacon and egg muffins, ham and cheese croissants, ham and cheese toasted rolls and fruit salad. For lunch, they have bread rolls, sausage rolls and a few more substantial Italian inspired dishes. As it was only their second day of opening, they wanted to see what the local traffic was like before they extended their menu.

The decor is a breathe of fresh air to what it used to be. While you could still smell the freshly painted surfaces, the black ceiling and white walls work well for this large open space. I particularly like the old fireplace with the exposed brick wall, as well as the low hanging light fitting that hang over their counter. During the day, there is plenty of natural light that flows through which gives this place a warm casual feel. Seating is not too close together and you could easily fit 50 people in here.

For lunch, I ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs. The dish was ready after a 15 minute wait and was nicely presented. I could tell it was piping hot just by the amount of steam coming from the meal.

The dish came with 6 smallish sized meatballs, just a bit larger than a 50 cent piece. The meat was lean, tender, lightly browned and cooked well throughout. The meatballs were well refined and the flavours from the sauce were well infused into the meat.

The spaghetti was al dente and a generous serving was provided. Each strand of spaghetti was nicely coated in the naturally sweet and tangy sauce.

The staff were friendly and the service was very good. Parmesan cheese and cutlery were brought to my table soon after ordering, and my plate was cleared as soon as I finished. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was reasonable.

The cost of my dish was $9.90 which is actually better value than the cafe franchises. They actually didn’t have too many mains on offer at the time of ordering, but I was assured that it would increase over time.

My meal was actually quite good. It was very rustic, used quality ingredients and reasonably priced. I look forward to tasting some of their other dishes as they extend their menu.

WHERE: 194 Grange Rd, Flinders Park