• Coffee and brunch at Cream

Cream Cafe & Bar
Bunda St
Canberra 2601
02 6162 1448
www.creamcafebar.com.au


It had been a while since I had been to the quiet capital.  Arriving early in the morning, it all seemed familiar, but not familiar enough for me to know my way around.  The cafe on the corner that I am sure I had been to in the past, the city circle where I remember having an overly sweet hot white chocolate with macadamia, the arcade where we once went clubbing (an experience in Canberra).

Arriving at the hotel, which looked scummy for the high price I had paid with Floriade and the long weekend that had blessed everywhere except Victoria, I asked the lady at the desk for a good cafe recommendation.  She suggested Cream in the city centre.

I followed her directions but found myself having to ask Google (only to find I was just across the road from the cafe, with its sign hidden behind its plastic awning).

The first thing that struck me was how open and stylish it was, with modern light decorations lying flat against the high ceiling and interesting tiles and wall paper spotted at the entrance and the centre bar.

The coffee was better than expected and much needed after an early morning flight.


The menu had several vegetarian options, and other dishes that could be made vegetarian upon request.  There were several enticements and it took me a while to choose.  In the end I ordered the rosti.

I learnt how to make potato rosties when I was living in France.  Perhaps I should start incorporating these into my usual home-cooked breakies on weekends.  The one at Cream was thick but well cooked and crisp on the edges.  It was topped with mini chunks of avocado, tomato, caramelised onion conserve, sour cream and rocket.  The flavours were divine with the freshness of the salad, sweetness of the onions and saltiness of the fried potato.


All was going well, until I ordered Chai and found it was made from a tea bag with the milk already added before it had fully brewed.  Perhaps it was a bit optimistic for me to expect any cafe to make tea to my liking – this is why I always prefer to make it myself with proper tea leaves at home.

Cream on Urbanspoon