Dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON enjoys a charming lunch in deepest Deakin.

DEAKIN and Me is bright, cheerful and friendly… just as a charming café should be. 

It has a beautifully big outdoor deck, which enjoys plenty of sunshine, and a colourful interior with lush green hanging plants. The prices are right and the food super good.

A friend recommended Deakin and Me as a must-visit, so we toddled off together for lunch. 

The menu is intriguing. Some “standard café” dishes make an appearance, as expected, but there are plenty of dishes with a difference. 

My prawn scramble was outstanding ($22). Plenty of pan-fried prawns mixed in with creamy scrambled eggs. The texture was perfect, and the meal featured drizzles of dynamite kimchi mayo. The Asian herb salad with bean sprouts and coriander added a welcoming freshness. Loved the crispy eschalots and the tasty local sourdough.

This time my friend opted for the barramundi ($26). It looked inviting and was a taste sensation in its own right. The fish fillets were crispy and the aroma from the lemongrass and coconut curry sauce heavenly. Accompanying the barramundi was sautéed broccolini, crunchy beans and bok choy.

We sat for a bit after lunch and then decided on coffees and sweets. It was getting towards closing time, so many of the desserts had run out.

We didn’t miss entirely, however, and both loved the fig and date mini loaf loaded on top with crunchy nuts. It wasn’t overly sweet and hit the spot with what we agreed were great coffees. We also shared a berry friand, although I found that too sugary for my liking (personal taste, I know).

Other dishes that intrigued me were the masala braised lamb ($25) and Gravlax salmon poke bowl ($24). The “super bowl” is great value ($21), and my bet is that one wouldn’t go wrong choosing the falafel, with muhammara relish ($21). Kids are taken care of with smaller dishes. A big round of applause to head chef Nirajan and chef Apar for satisfying all tastes.

Deakin and Me isn’t at the shops, but conveniently located in the heart of Deakin on Geils Court. The compact wine list includes ACT wines and some labels from other well-known Australian wineries. Beer, cider and spirits are on offer, as well as a few chais, smoothies and cold-pressed juices. 

The café is open seven days until 2.30pm to 3.30pm (10 per cent weekend surcharge).