Some weeks ago, the front veranda of Saint Dominic’s College
became a street of stylish cafes. There was something to suit every taste, and
as the choice might prove overwhelming, we appointed a panel of three
discriminating food critics to visit the three restaurants and give us their
report.
seemed to greet the visitors as the cool whites and blues of the décor
surrounded them and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling blew in the breeze of
their entrance. A tiered tray of polar-bear cupcakes, besides contributing to
the winter-wonderland theme, tempted the appetite as the bears’ cute faces
seemed to be made of a soft creamy icing. But the proof is in the pudding, and
in fact the inside was as good as the outside—a light and feathery crumb, rich
in white chocolate and macadamia but not too sweet. With its atmosphere of
understated elegance and top-quality baking, the Snowflake is the gourmet’s
choice among the Saint Dominic’s Ave. cafes.
tasters next visited Beachy Bliss, which proclaimed its vibrant yet relaxing
atmosphere with Spanish-Celtic fusion background music, colourful beach towels
and surfboards decorating the walls, and a waitress also decorated with a beach
towel—worn on her head! The cupcakes here were served in ice-cream cones and
iced to look—and taste—like various flavours of ice cream. The sweetness was
overpowering, especially when combined with the very sweet chocolate milkshakes
served—one rather wanted something like unsweetened iced tea! But with its
colourful surroundings and light-hearted, outgoing staff, Beachy Bliss can be
highly recommended to lighten the heart of any guest, most especially one with
a sweet tooth.
Last but not least, our tasters came to the Swinging Singing
Duck. The swinging sign outside the door featured a duck with an umbrella, in
the style of an American cartoon or musical, but the music that met the ears
was Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. This
delightful mix of classic and quirky elements was in evidence throughout the
café; the cupcakes were chocolate with royal icing, but the latter was shaped
into jumping frogs or swimming ducks; the walls were hung with graceful
old-gold damask draperies and a landscape painting was centred on one wall, but
raindrops, dragonflies and umbrellas hung from the ceiling and a singing,
swinging duck was the centrepiece of the cupcake table. For an atmosphere that
is at once elegant and homelike and cupcakes like Mum used to make—with a
twist—our readers are advised to visit the Singing, Swinging Duck.
