A little bit French, and slightly further away than I thought it was going to be, but Sally's Kitchen is cosy, welcoming and worth the Wintery Melbourne walk.

The chalkboard lunch menu changes a few items a couple of times a week so you might just find your favourite dish from last time, or the opportunity to experience something new this time. Your liquids are served in lovely containers - thimble sized water glasses and stemless balloons for your wine make a person feel special. Really helpful when that 'person' is me. Cloth napkins and well-loved cutlery: I could (and well may) spend an entire afternoon reading, eating and caffenating there one day.

Sally's Kitchen smells of warm flavours with 'top notes' of fresh lilies vased not far from my lunching table. I ordered the rabbit pappardelle which arrived in all it's home-made yolk'y yellow'y pasta'ry glory. Perfectly sized for lunch and served on a wonderfully wide, deep white platter, this 'tuna of the field' didn't stand a chance. It may oma rapiti out there in the country but it om nom nommed it's way into the city and became my midday meal.

They get the music right there too. It evokes Paris - (again with the Continent, Michelle, and you've never even been!) without being "French" (do you even know?) or loud (Nana) - being the perfect volume to make me happy.

Prices are such that eating here every day is above my pay grade - lunch mains are between $14-$24 each - which probably says more about my career choices than it does about the value for money Sally's Kitchen offers.

But maybe that's why it stays so special at Sally's Kitchen - it's not an everyday kind of thing.

It's a quiet treat. A quaint corner. A step out of time. A rest. A respose. A recommendation.

Sally's Kitchen, 295 Exhibition Street, Melbourne.