Brunch is such a touchy subject with me: Cafe cruises are one of my favourite pastimes despite the sheer number of average cafes that overwhelmingly outweigh the must-go-back brunch spots. I can't count the times I've had eggs over poached and roasted tomatoes that just tasted like, well, tomatoes and nothing else!
Cafe Essen is nestled within Canberra's cafe hub - Garema Place in the city. There are four or five cafes in a row here, making it incredibly difficult to decide which one to go for. In my opinion, none of them are "stand out," as they all have similar menus and outdoor seating; and by outdoor seating I mean tables set within a commercial shopping mall strip.
The server was really kind and very accommodating for my vegetarian requests. I ordered a big breakfast and swapped out the bacon for spinach, and a cappuccino to match. It was.. just... food. There was nothing spectacular or noteworthy in the flavours of the items and for around $18 a plate, I can't say the portions were particularly generous either. And the coffee was.. just .. coffee. Not delicious, but not undrinkable either.
Standard brunch fare for too big a fare strikes again! read more