Lakehouse Restaurant, 55 Cumberland Drive, Maribyrnong. Phone: 9317 3649

Consider The Sauce has not been back Lakehouse since its visit in the Edgewater establishment’s very early days.

We have noted, though, the mixed bag of comments that have accompanied its opening, both here at CTS and elsewhere.

We note them, but figure also they are very much par for the course for such a place in such a place.

We certainly don’t let the less glowing remarks deter us from a Saturday visit for lunch.

In fact, exactly opposite is the case, so delighted are we to grab a spot on the balcony on a beautiful, sunny and virtually wind-free autumn day.

It’s a wonderful thing – and even the pelicans gracefully soaring past as we get comfortable seem to agree.

From the lunch menu (see below), we go for a couple of the sandwiches and split them 50/50.

The open steak sandwich ($17.90) is fine, though as with all such arrangements we might quibble with the description “sandwich”.

Steak on toast or beef bruschetta might be more appropriate, as it’s impossible to eat ours in anything like the manner usually used for anything sandwich.

But the steak is nice, of just the right heft and goes well with the beetroot salsa, greenery and aoili.

The chips, served in a cute wire basket, are good and hot, though we find those near the bottom overly salted.

We are surprised and delighted to find the same chip deal arrives with the Mediterranean vegetable sandwich ($13.90), as they are unannounced on the menu.

Surprisingly, Bennie likes this even better than the steak, um, sanger.

I would have preferred vegetables such as zucchini to have more bite – these all seem rather squishy.

But the whole is good – the Turkish loaf is very fresh and warm, and the vegetables are themselves sandwiched by pesto and mozzarella.

Neither of our lunch selections are likely ever to win ecstatic “oohs” and/or “aahhs”.

But the prices have been right, the setting is simply unbeatable and the service has been just fine.

Next time, we’ll make a point of checking out some pizza or pasta – or maybe the $12 parma Thursday nights.

We’re happy to enjoy what Lakehouse has to offer without indulging in wishful thinking that it was, well, less “generic”.

In Melbourne, spectacular views and/or beach and river settings and REALLY good food just don’t seem to go together.

Or not in places we can regularly afford, anyway.