THE end of last year was a bit of blur for Jim Marinis and Mary-Jane Daffy.

Not only were they mid-renovation of their Middle Park home, they sold their Bentleigh cafe after getting an offer they couldn’t refuse and took over an abandoned former service station in Elsternwick for their next venture.

It meant that a little event — their planned November wedding — was put on the backburner.

“We keep opening businesses and postponing weddings,” Daffy jokes.

But fast forward to today, and everything’s in its place. Romantics will be happy to know the couple will tie the knot in November, and the Tudor-fronted servo they fell in love with — Glovers Station, built circa early 1900s — has been reborn as Glovers Station the mod cafe.

With their head chef at Bentleigh’s Little Tommy Tucker, Brett Hobbs, now in as a partner, the pair took over the site - most recently a mechanic’s garage that’d been abandoned for a decade - in October and, after exhaustive renos, opened the 90-seater early last month.

If weekend waits are anything to go by, it was a case of build it and they will come.

The food is organic, in season and free range where possible. Many of the leaves and herbs are from a vegie patch out the back.

Once a liquor licence lobs, Glovers Station will open for dinner Thursdays to Saturdays.

FOOD

Hobbs (The Woods of Windsor, The Millswyn and Maze) has formulated a menu that champions simplicity, dipping into retro territory without being pretentious.

The braised ox tongue on toast ($16) comes as two slices of tongue, almost spreadable, with a mild mustard butter on excellent Woodfrog Bakery bread. Two chilli-edged fried eggs and a burnt onion puree round out proceedings that sound rich on paper, but are totally in synch. If you think you hate offal, just lie back and think of brisket and you’ll be rewarded with one standout dish.

The pulled pork roll ($15) is fancy dude food. Otway piggie lands in a sesame-spotted toasted bun with leaves, apple and a fried egg. The best bit? The accompanying Nan’s crackle — a Cruskit-sized piece of happy likely to bring on acute cases of food envy.

A warming winter must is the mushrooms on toast ($17) — field and enoki when I dined, but probably in-season pine mushies by the time you read this. They’re given lots of TLC, braised and bursting with juicy flavour but with a subtle creaminess — and teamed with interesting-but-it-works puffed wild rice and grapes. The only slip was the bland and under-seasoned baked beans ($16).

There’s a solid little kid’s menu “for little Glovers”, which includes Dr Marty’s crumpets with honeyed yoghurt and berries ($6).

DRINKS

A real commitment to specialty coffee and tea here. Dukes provides the espresso ($3.80), its creamy mouthfeel always lush. See also a bottomless batch brew ($4), pour over ($6) and single origin ($3.80).

Events such as an upcoming coffee workshop with in-house baristas cement the love. (The venue has also hosted a book launch and a bar mitzvah so event bookings are available.)

Teas are from Impala & Peacock (from $4.50), weighed, timed and served with water at the perfect brew temperature for each blend. Like the tea, syrups for house-made soda and milkshakes are measured to ensure consistency.

SERVICE

On both my weekend visits, the room was busy, as were the team. We counted no less than 10 wait staff on the floor one Saturday. Most displayed grace under fire, especially hospitality lifer Marinis.

Whatever the busyness, diners are greeted warmly and any waits for seats are well managed.

Hobbs and his team are just as well-oiled behind the pass, swiftly dispatching dishes. Having one or two staffers solely dole out drinks works well, too.

X-FACTOR

In teaming with the Tudor facade, there’s tartan wool on the banquette and herringbone-laid tiles.

A mix of mums and littlies, matrons in twin sets and pearls, happening hipsters and solo diners occupy the split-level dining room or soak up the autumn sun (wasp plague pending) out front.

It has the look and feel of a more established space.

My only quibble is the uncomfortable bistro chairs. Oh, and perhaps avoid sitting below the mezzanine bar so you’re not at crotch level with the diners above.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Very competitively priced given the lack of cafes nearby, the standard of ingredients and thoughtfulness bestowed on each dish.

No real price gougers, though you could get stung with a build-your-own breakfast where a base of eggs on toast ($10) with three sides — say avocado, bacon and mushroom at $4-$5 each — soon lands in mid-$20s territory.

VERDICT

Great since day one, Glovers Station’s faultless food, warm service and good buzz make it a quality offering for Melbourne’s bagel belt and beyond. Cross-town worthy.

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