Cafe profile: CRUX
Originally written for Clique Mag
“When it was final that we were opening the cafe, we knew it had to be vegan,” says Aleesha Lindsaar, co-owner of Semaphore’s newest plant-based offering, CRUX. “Ethically and morally it wouldn’t make sense to do it any other way”.
CRUX is a collaborative venture of Aleesha and her partner, George Thomson, and the couple’s debut hospitality establishment. Offering a strictly vegan menu, the café is an extension of the couple’s shared passion for health and food, and a devout desire to own their own business.
As if by fate, “George was looking to set up a food business around the Semaphore area [and] as soon as he went vegan, this little corner spot on Military Road popped up,” explains Aleesha.
“I had a vision immediately after being in the space for the first time,” she says. “Modern spaces with wooden details and features always catch my eye, so I wanted to implement these things into the vibe at CRUX”.
The resulting cafe exudes a sense of lived-in homeliness. White walls and subway tiles, a navy feature and timber furnishings lean into modern Scandinavian design, softened by caramel floorboards and pockets of greenery throughout. A bespoke mural by Nicky Create sets the tone, injecting a fresh feel into the café’s rear corner.
On the service counter, the Synesso MVP Hydra whirs, with custom wood and gleaming white accents. Behind it, the pokey, hole-in-the-wall kitchen is hard at work. “We make everything ourselves in house, including sweets, our rice paper bakon and tofu scramble,” says Aleesha.
On the plate, the approach is pared back, comprising of a handful of juice, smoothie, breakfast and bowl options. “All the food on our menu is what we personally enjoy eating”.
“I was having smoothie bowls for breakfast consistently for about a year, so I perfected this chocolatey peanut butter taste,” she explains. “I knew people would love to try it, so I had to add it to the menu”.
Pushing the boundaries further, Aleesha applies this finessed consistency to the Mermaid Blend. An electric blue base comprises of frozen banana, vanilla extract, coconut sugar, cinnamon, blue spirulina and coconut milk. On top, house made granola, crisp buckinis, strawberries, coconut chips and house made caramel sauce round out the bowl’s textural element.
“I wanted create something bold and bright, which obviously has to taste good too,” says Aleesha.
For the brunch purists, The Basic is a must. Leave behind any preconceived notions of the clichéd smashed avocado as CRUX elevates the breakfast staple with smeared garlic, sesame and beetroot hummus and house cashew cheese.
In the cup, Five Seeds espresso lays the groundwork for every coffee. “We use their blend, Crompton Road, as it’s honestly the smoothest and most delicious coffee we’ve ever dad,” says Aleesha, “to top it off, [their] purpose is to impact people positively with coffee and they’re incredibly transparent about the process from bean to cup”.
As expected, the café has ditched cow’s milk in favour of plant-based alternatives. Going beyond the standard soy, almond, coconut, macadamia and oat mylks are also on hand.
“We have to tell people throughout the day that we don’t serve cow’s milk,” says Aleesha. “99.9% of people have been willing and open to try our suggested swap, which is Minor Figures Oat Mylk”.
“From the moment we opened, we’ve had nothing but love and support from all the locals and the community,” she continues.
With such fast-tracked success comes fast need for expansion. Despite the café’s relatively new status, Aleesha concedes, “we’re already thinking of ways to expand our space”. Talks to get tables spilling onto the surrounding pavement are already underway, with the promise of an expanded menu to come.
In the meantime, Semaphore’s newest residents are engrossed solely in satisfying the needs of their rapidly growing customer base.
“We’re just completely focused on creating good energy and experiences for customers, delicious food and amazing coffee, and building a team of staff who will be ready to take on the summer”.