By Wendy Johnson
IT’S hard to beat a good “roast of the day” and at Café in the House this dish is fit for a queen. So, too, is the setting of this multiple-award-winning café, located at Old Parliament House, in the fine surroundings that are part of Australian history.
There are white, linen cloths on all tables, which smacks of fine dining and may confuse some customers, but there is no doubt this is a café and it must be judged accordingly. And for the time being Café in the House has a winter menu that warms the soul.
My lamb “roast of the day” was tender, and served with vegetables with a nice bit of crunch left in them. What I really marvelled over was the house-made mint jelly. It was not too thick or thin and made with the freshest, finest mint. Lovely.
Every day, you can get a roast lunch at Café in the House, or a chef’s soup, a fresh market fish or savoury baked quiche. These menu fixtures are complemented by other rotating blackboard specials.
The hickory-smoked steak was tender and served with smooth mashed potato, roasted garlic chive butter and a heap of rocket piled on top. However, the onion rings were soggy and detracted from the dish.
We drooled over the dessert menu and enjoyed sharing the lime mascarpone cheesecake with chilli syrup and delightful twists of candied fruit on top. It was light and the chilli, while it made its presence known, was not overpowering. All desserts are made on site through the Ginger Bread operation that opened around a year ago.
The service is efficient and friendly and Chef Peter Hayes, who has been at the café almost five years, is enthusiastic about all things food. He’s pushing some boundaries at the café, including a new a range of butters made on site, such as lemon and dill; apple, rosemary and garlic; and chilli, lime and avocado. The kitchen also makes a spicy salt which we sampled. It had an earthy depth to it and would be great with hot chips, although some might find it a bit too heavy on the garlic.
The prices are right at Café in the House. Most mains are comfortably under $20 and the desserts are a sweet deal at $7.90. The wine list is attractive and not expensive. No doubt Janet Jeffs, who won best wine list for the Ginger Room last year (Restaurant and Catering Association), has influenced the selection.
In addition to lunch, there are morning and afternoon teas and the wildly popular Double Happiness on Fridays from 5pm to 8pm, which has been known to serve up to 2000 happy customers on a hot, summer night. For coffee lovers, the café will host a Viennese Coffee House appreciation course on August 19 for $15 (bookings essential).

Café in the House, Old Parliament House; breakfast from 7.30am and lunch from 11.30am. Call 6273 4366.