The Aft Cafe

After our walk around Lake Tuggeranong, we stopped off at the Aft Cafe, right on the water besides the lake, for a leisurely long weekend lunch.

Food

The Aft Cafe is one of those relaxing places, right by the water, and the menu reflects its setting. On Sunday, breakfast is served until 2pm, so that's how I found myself eating Potato Cake - with grilled tomato, braised leek, mushrooms, bacon & poached eggs ($14.90). The name is quite misleading as the potato cake definitely didn't play a central role in this dish. It's probably better named as breakfast assortment. The potato cakes, slightly bland, set in the middle of the plate. It was topped by 2 poached eggs. The yolks of them were overcooked so no runny yokes :(. The rest of the ingredients were divided into the 4 corners. The tomato was sweet and nicely grilled, the leeks were swimming in butter and soft and melting, the mushrooms met the same fate. However, all that oiliness meant the potato cakes became very soggy. Bacon is not normally one of my favourite things as it is often too salty and fatty, and the pork flavour is masked. These bacon, unfortunately, were very salty.

Slokky ordered the spiced chicken wrap - with with tomato, salad greens & mayonnaise, served with chips ($12.90). The chicken certainly wasn't very spicy at all, but the marinade had a pleasant sweet taste. Cucumber, lettuce and tomato made up the salad greens, and went very well with the lightly toasted tortilla wrap.

The consensus around the rest of the table was that the food was good but not great, the portions just right, but the lettuce leaves need to be washed.

Rating - 6

Atmosphere

This cafe is situated inside the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, a modern looking building befitting an art gallery/theatre. It is right by the water, with a wide wrap-around balcony. Inside is very bright, with floor to ceiling windows looking onto the lake outside.

The deco is casual cafe, with white tables and chairs. On the day we were there, there were locals on the balcony enjoying a late brekkie and reading the paper, but also groups celebrating special occasions. I can see myself spending a leisurely weekend here.

Rating - 2

Service

Maybe because it's the holidays, or she'd had a very bad year, but the girl who greeted us acted like she really didn't want to be here. We arrived at 12pm to an almost empty cafe, and she asked us if we had a booking. When we told her no, she acted like it was a huge inconvenience. The whole time we were there, only 3 other table came in, and the restaurant wasn't even half full, so I don't know what she was worrying about. She plonked down the menus, and asked if we wanted anything to drink. When I asked for water she seemed very displeased.

Luckily she didn't reflect the attitude of all the other staff. The waiter who delivered our food and greeted other people was friendly and courteous.

Rating - 2

C-factor

Well, this is Canberra, and we know that everything is more expensive here. For the price we paid, we could get a lot better in Sydney, possibly most other places in Australia, but in Canberra, it was a fair price I guess. I am glad I live in Sydney so I can eat out a lot.

Rating - 0

Brownie Points - 10

Info

137 Reed Street
Greenway
ACT 2900
Phone (02) 6293 9366
Website