Cafe Bon Ton at Leura, Blue Mountains

I bet you barely knew that I was away for Christmas! I had left a whole lot of stories to publish while we were enjoying a combined family Christmas in the Blue Mountains with my family, my husband's family with a visit from my husband's aunt and her family. I adore the Blue Mountains,there are so many areas to see, lots of great food to eat and almost as importantly there are fabulous shops, just try and keep me out of the Leura shops.

But where oh where does one go after 5pm in Leura once the shopping is done and the arms and legs are weary? Apparently nowhere else but Cafe Bon Ton as everywhere else is shut! I was more than happy to revisit Cafe Bon Ton, having had a good meal here a few years ago and as fate would have it, its the only place open at 5.15pm. They're setting up for dinner but coffee and cake are fine. Its cold, particularly outside considering the season, so we're just happy to be inside.

I ask which cakes are made on the premises as I want to try something that can't have elsewhere, the waitress is not quite sure so I choose the cake that looks vaguely homemade that I haven't seen before, the Chocolate Cherry cake ($8.50) and a coffee ($3.30), and Blythe chooses a petite Manna from Heaven lemon polenta biscuit ($4.90) and a coffee ($3.30).

The service is a little abrupt as she is eager to get back to setting up but this means that our cakes, sliced in front of us and garnished with whipped cream and coffees come out in an instant.

_Chocolate and cherry cake $8.50

_The chocolate cake, not the most photogenic or alluring looking proves that substance triumphs over style. A rich gooey chocolate inner sits atop the hazelnut sponge base while a layer of sweet crunchy meringue like topping finishes it off. Its a huge slice and for $8.50 you'd really want it to be. I am not certain where the cherries come into play as I can't taste any at all, perhaps they're there just to provide moistness as I can vaguely see some cherry colour in the chocolate but nevertheless its good and big and rich enough to feed two.

The Manna from Heaven lemon polenta cake is always a favourite for me. I buy these from DJ's where I think they're $3.50 each. It's for the lemon curd lovers who love their cakes moist, lemoney and petite which includes me. Blythe finds it too lemoney for her taste, she's not a lemon curd lover after all. Strength returned we return to the lodge!

Cafe Bon Ton

192 The Mall, Leura, The Blue Mountains

Tel +61 (02) 4782-4377

http://www.bonton.com.au/

Breakfast and Lunch

7 Days a Week

8.30am - 4.00pm

Dinner 7 Nights

From 6.00pm