Satis, sometime in 2008

Cautionary tales abound when it comes to Satis: get there early, there’s only seating for six; there’s no phone so don’t think you can book ahead; it’s run by hippies! The consensus was, however, that if you managed to secure a seat and weren’t in a hurry for the arrival of your food then Satis is worth the effort.

My breakfasting companion and I took all these tales to heart and arrived at Watson shops (helpful directions included drive toward Sydney but be sure to turn right before you hit the Federal Highway) promptly at nine one Saturday morning. We were ready, in a manner reminiscent of Augustus Gloop or Veruca Salt, to edge out anyone who might prevent us being amongst the chosen few to gain a seat at Satis.

This was entirely unnecessary. There is ample seating sprawling from outside the entrance to the café with its contemporary tables and stools, inside there is a delightful jumble of colourful cushions adorning several seats and at the rear of the café is a courtyard with more benches and tables.

I can however confirm that there is no phone and no obvious way to make bookings, but to me that lends a certain Surry Hills charm to Satis.

As for the establishment being run by hippies, which I can neither confirm nor deny, I suggest that this assumption may be based on the vegetarian menu which includes fair-trade coffee and biodynamic milk (the latte I had was creamy, nutty and completely deserving of a second cup, which I obligingly ordered).

But then, seated and caffeinated, comes the eternal question: savoury or sweet? Unable to deny one flavour in favour of the other I opted for both: wild rice porridge with home made compote and coconut milk accompanied by a side of hash browns.

The porridge was unlike any I’d tasted before. The texture of the wild rice – a firmness utterly different to the usual oats and nothing like congee – is well complemented by the soft sweetness of the berry compote while the coconut milk (of which I only used a delicious dash) lends a silkiness to the overall taste. I was pleasantly surprised to find the hash browns are not typical McDonalds fare, instead expect a rustic stack of roughly chopped potatoes baked with herbs and onions.

With Nouvelle Vague filtering through to the courtyard outside whilst I skimmed the weekend paper the vibe at Satis is bourgeois bohemian. I’d expect nothing less of a café that takes its cue from Dickens’ greatest singleton, Miss Havisham, for whom Satis “meant more than it said” and meant one “could want nothing else”. I quite agree.

Food: 4 spoons
Service: 3.5 spoons
Atmosphere: 4 spoons
Overall: 4 spoons

Booking? No.

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 8.30am – 3.30pm, Saturday: 9am – 4pm, Sunday 9am – 1pm

Satis, Watson Shops, Windeyer Street, Watson, Canberra

PM