IF you have a variable rate mortgage, you are no doubt feeling the financial strain with some monthly payments doubling since the successive hikes in interest rates began this year.

With this in mind, the Voice is keeping it simple and low-cost this week with a food review of The Oxford 225.

A small, cute cafe in Leederville, it doesn’t claim to be anything it’s not and has a display cabinet with sandwiches, croissants, cakes, cookies and other treats.

With the weather warming up, I felt like a cold pressed juice. Unfortunately some listed on the menu weren’t available, but the lady behind the till was able to make me a carrot, apple and orange, which had a colourful hue and arrived in a heavy-set tumbler.

It had a nice froth on the top and a thick consistency (I’ve had loads that are too watery) and was very enjoyable. A good start.

It wasn’t long before the lady was back with my toasted sandwich with chicken and avocado ($20 total for large sandwich and drink).

The Turkish-style bread was really nice – light with a crunchy crust and plenty of flavour.

The chicken was good quality and tasted like it had been sliced off a fresh chook and not been sitting in the fridge for a while. 

There was plenty of avocado on there too (with the rising cost of fruit and veg I’ve seen plenty of cafes skimp on avo these days, but Oxford 225 didn’t).

There was a small alfresco and seating inside, but I elected to sit at a table in the passageway off to the side; a cute little arbor that was festooned with lights and shady and cool.

I can imagine it would be a lovely atmospheric spot when the lights were on.

I noticed there were loads of photos of dogs on the wall in the passageway, and inside there was a display of doggie accessories you could buy like bow ties, snuffle mats and jackets.

It was a cute and unusual touch, and the lady behind the till said they belonged to a local business Heads down Tails up, which specialised in items that provided mental and physical stimulation for dogs.

I washed down my lunch with a lovely peppermint tea ($4.30 medium) and a choc chip cookie ($3).

Both hit the spot and were a nice coda to an enjoyable light lunch.

I couldn’t resist taking home two cute gingerbread men ($4.50 each) for my kids, who wolfed them down and said they were delicious with a nice spicy, gingery hit.

The Oxford 225 isn’t doing anything remarkable or outside the box, but it’s a safe pair of hands if you’re after a casual bite to eat in Leederville, or if you love dogs, or both.

Oxford 225 Cafe
3/225 Oxford Street, Leederville
facebook.com/oxford225cafe

by STEPHEN POLLOCK