Cafe Mamé is a suburban gem in Melba. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The city centre and Braddon have long claimed to hold the capital’s gastronomic heart, but the siren song of the suburbs has been steadily attracting some of Canberra’s best hospitality talent. One such example is the delightful Cafe Mamé, nestled in the leafy, meandering suburb of Melba.
Co-owners Jiwoo and Amy Kim traded in their fine-dining jobs to build something of their own, and they have been breathing life and vitality into the neighbourhood shops since they opened Cafe Mamé in the middle of pandemic restrictions. Despite the less-than-auspicious timing, the cafe has grown into a popular neighbourhood hub thanks to the support of the local community.
I visit Cafe Mamé on a rainy day when the place is humming with conversation. A steady stream of takeaway coffees heads out the door, and a parents’ group is catching up at the outdoor tables under the awning as their young kids explore the puddles in the courtyard. Inside, there’s a comfortable mix of people working on laptops and groups chatting. It’s clear that this is a well-loved space that attracts a loyal following.
The menu at Cafe Mamé is concise, to accommodate the small kitchen, but covers an impressive diversity of options. I am tempted by the zucchini waffle with herbed ricotta or the fried egg with caramelised onions and beef patty on colcannon (a traditional potato mash that I don’t think I’ve ever seen on a menu outside of Ireland). But on my server’s recommendation, I opt for the luxurious-sounding prawn omelette.
Jiwoo Kim’s fine dining training is on display with the prawn omelette, which is as pretty as it is delicious. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Chef Jiwoo is manning the kitchen and his fine-dining background is apparent when my prawn omelette arrives. The picture-perfect dish is scattered with fennel ribbons and fronds, spring onion, and chilli. It’s almost too pretty to eat, but I’m hungry, so I dive right in.
Omelettes can be risky as they require a lot of attention and are easily overcooked in a busy kitchen setting. But this one is perfectly set and the thin slices of pickled fennel add astringency to the rich, pillowy folds of the omelette, generously studded with plump pieces of prawn.
The woks are flaming at Drunken Tiger takeaway in Melba. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
If I were here for brunch with friends I would definitely be lingering for a second coffee and a cake from the cabinet, or perhaps we’d share the tasty-sounding caramelised banana waffle with coconut ice cream. But alas the office beckons, so I’ll have to get my waffle fix another day.
Having won the hearts and stomachs of locals, Jiwoo and Amy have backed up their success at Cafe Mamé with Drunken Tiger Takeaway on the other side of the courtyard. Flipping the notion of the local chippy on its head, the team serves up a multicultural mix of takeaway dishes with a regularly rotating menu. The residents of Melba are lucky to have excellent options no matter the time of day, and the success of these venues is a gold-star example of how the suburbs of Canberra were initially envisioned – as hubs for the local community to gather, close to where they live.
éCafe Mame is located at Shop 2/4 Melba Court, Melba. They are open seven days a week from 7 am to 2.30 pm on weekdays and from 7.30 am to 1.30 pm on weekends. Follow Cafe Mamé on Instagram.
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