- Fast, good gluten free food
- Friendly staff
- Comfortable and relaxed environment
After reading a positive trip adviser review, I was keen to try the food at Kindle and expand my options for eating in Civic. While there are a few places I can eat, the number of cafes is surprisingly small. I had been to Kindle occasionally for coffee in the past but never for food and it had been well over twelve months since I last visited.
I was meeting a friend for lunch who is gluten intolerant and she was there when I arrived.
Kindle is hidden in the back of an office building. There were two or three tables set up outside in the pedestrianised city walk. It was a beautiful warm winter day, so we sat outside.
Inside, the décor is eclectic. It feels like a cross between a nanna’s dining room and the mad hatter’s tea party. It’s a small space packed with furniture, there are cosy nooks and booths which provide a sense of privacy, as well as some small tables set up in the middle of the room. Although the view isn’t great there are tall chairs against the windows so that you can look out into the car park behind the building. The till is next to glass cabinet which contained cakes, and opposite the door the menu is on a black board which surrounds the kitchen service window.
After a short wait, a staff member came out to let us know what lunch options were available. She was very friendly throughout our lunch. She had memorised the menu and when I told her I was coeliac and asked about the zucchini fritters, she was able to provide information confidently. She stated they were gluten free, made with corn flour and confirmed they were cooked separately from any food containing gluten. She also said she would notify the chef of my requirements. Although I didn’t ask about all the options, it sounded like they would be gluten free or easily modified to be suitable for a gluten free diet. As with any food though you should check with the staff.
We both ordered the zucchini fritters. They came with cumin yoghurt, fetta, and a pomegranate and cucumber salad. The food came out promptly and was bought out by chef who confirmed as he put the plates down that it was all gluten free. It’s been well over two years since I last ate zucchini fritters because of cross contamination issues in the kitchen. At other restaurants, I have been told the fritters were cooked in oil used to cook other foods that contain gluten. The fritters were hot and a bit chewy but satisfying. The cumin yoghurt and fetta was good to cut through the slightly oily fritters, although there wasn’t quite enough of the yoghurt. I prefer mild fetta, so I found the fetta in this dish to be a bit pungent although that wasn’t a problem. The little bursts of pomegranate in the cucumber salad were refreshing but there was not quite enough of it. After lunch, we ordered a coffee each. I had a decaf skim flat white which was quite nice.
I was happy with Kindle however there is a little room for improvement with their parenting facilities. There aren’t any change tables in Kindle and I ended up changing Milly in the hall outside the café on a table. This wasn’t terrible as it was indoors, protected from the elements, however a few people went past us and you never know how people are going to react. It’s also worth noting that there’s not much room for manoeuvre in the café itself, especially with a pram, because the space is so small and cluttered. Having said this though, Kindle’s main market is going to be public servants, not mums with buggies!
The food was good and reasonably priced. The staff were knowledgeable about my dietary requirements and were friendly. It’s a nice place to drop in for a casual, relaxed lunch and I’ll definitely be returning to try more of their gluten free options.
10/240 City Walk, Canberra ACT 2601
02 6169 6169
https://www.facebook.com/pg/Kindle-cafe-catering-210745308955544/photos/
Get Behind Me Gluten 