This morning as I was out for my morning walk I was contemplating the little gems that life often throws your way in unexpected places. I was walking down Prospect Road, not the most beautiful of stately avenues with its collection of Stoby Poles and hodge podge of run down architecture thrown together for no apparent reason when I turned into Muratti for my Saturday morning ham and cheese croissant.

Immediately I was transported into another reality entirely. Before me was a tastefully lit counter with a delectable array of treats arrayed in all their variety from the little biscuits to the mouth watering cake. Behind the counter were people dressed in smart professional baking uniforms not the least dirty or grease stained but pristine and crisp. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air and to my left and right were patrons taking a morning tea or brunch at one of the tables set in the sunshine. Behind the counter against the wall there was a huge Eiffel tower constructed from a vast number of small round biscuits.

I walk up to the counter and ask for a ham and cheese croissant, the one with the red gum ham and the norweigan cheese. One of the uniformed staff is directed to take the croissant back into the kitchen to warm it up properly by the French head chef who serves me, no microwaves here. Will I be having it here? "No" I say can I have it to take away? "Certainly" he says, "Please take a seat while you wait". I sit down at one of the tables and watch as he serves another customer who has come in to pick up a large cake for some celebration. The cake looks huge and delicious in its open topped white box but I can't read the writing. The head chef checks that the spelling is correct with the customer before covering the top of the box with paper.

My croissant arrives packaged into a paper bag with a serviette and carefully taped shut and I sadly have to leave the little world of Muratti to wander back down dirty dusty Prospect road only accompanied by the drone of passing traffic and a double row of Stoby poles. Luckily I have my delicious ham and cheese croissant to remind me of one of the little hidden gems that sit so incongruously in the suburb in which I live.


posted by Peter at 2:59 PM

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