Lazy May’s Cafe (Tuggeranong)

I first heard about Lazy May’s Cafe in Tuggeranong thanks to Mouthless Mutters’ blog. I was keen to try it out after looking through the menu and picked out a couple of items to try. Dishes include dessert sliders for breakfast, salads, toasted paninis, tapas, beef short ribs, various burgers including a 16 hour pulled pork neck damper roll…mmm. When I asked owner Rob, who also owns Muddle Bar, the reason behind the name Lazy May’s, he told me he had an epiphany one night. He wanted a laid back cafe that could also be turned into a bar and thought of the idea to associate his wife’s middle name, May, with it. He even got up in the middle of the night to write it down. Lazy May’s was born.

Inside the cafe, one wall is cheerfully decorated with wall art with things like ‘It doesn’t matter if the glass is half full or half empty, there’s always more room for wine.’ Lazy May’s will have its liquor license in about a month’s time turning the place into a bar for Tuggeranong locals with beers on tap. With Rob’s expertise in running Muddle Bar, I’m sure it will be neatly run. There are plans to open for dinner shortly as well.

Seating wise, there’s a mix of high tables and stools, and regular tables and chairs both inside and outside. Not outdoor heaters as yet. I like that the ceiling is covered with some timber panels that match the front counter creating additional depth to the eatery. Staff are very friendly and I was greeted with a smile and menus upon entering.

There’s a couch section with the day’s paper where diners can sit and read while sipping on coffee or wait for take away coffee orders. There are also a couple of television screens to entertain you.

It wouldn’t be a new cafe without a vertical garden along the wall with flowers and various herbs.

Tap water filled with fresh slices of lemon is available in a glass dispenser at the front counter.

I started off with a mocha (complimentary thanks to Lazy May’s). As Tuggeranong used to be the stomping grounds for bushrangers, Lazy May’s decided on its own bushranger, Colonial Boy (pictured on the wall), as the name for its own blend of coffee which is packaged in Sydney.

For breakfast, I couldn’t go past the sweet French mini brioche sliders with salted caramelised banana and strawberry filling with vanilla bean ice cream ($11.50). I haven’t seen sliders done as a dessert in Canberra so this was really exciting. Three mini sliders arrived with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Happy to report that everything worked well together. The chunks of banana and strawberries had been coated and cooked in a luscious warm  caramelised sauce (that wasn’t too salty) until they were slightly soft. The scoop of vanilla ice cream is a great neutral flavour to balance out the heavier caramel. The sweet brioche buns are perfect for a dessert dish. These small morsels won’t fill you completely but are a good portion when you consider the sugar high you’ll be on.

I headed back for lunch with a friend to try out more of the menu. I was eager to try the cookies and cream milkshake (all milkshakes are $6). Being a soy drinker, I could immediately taste soy though I couldn’t see the soy mentioned on the menu. Rob states they want to provide healthier alternatives to the Tuggeranong area especially for those with non dairy and vegetarian requirements. If you look at the menu, you’ll notice there are a few dishes that cater for vegans and vegetarians. All milkshakes at Lazy May’s use Bonsoy and soy ice cream. I’m not certain about the whipped cream so best to double check (you can always ask for no cream). The cookies and cream milkshake had been blitzed with a few little chunks that I enjoyed spooning out. It wasn’t too sweet and I was grateful for that.

My friend ordered the peanut butter and chocolate milkshake which really did taste like peanut butter and chocolate. He would have preferred a bit more chocolate sauce rather than have it lightly drizzled around the glass, but still enjoyed it.

We started with the antipasto charcuterie board ($23.50) to share. The board was a lot bigger than I expected and filled with tasty treats such as prosciutto, salami and mortadella, goats cheese and a soft brie, grilled capsicum and artichoke, sun dried tomatoes, olives, parmesan grissini and bread.

This was beautifully presented and a feast for the eyes. Where to start first? I got stuck into the prosciutto (my favourite) and other cured meats. The grilled vegetables were light and not too tangy in flavour, just right for me. I loved the sundried tomatoes which weren’t acidic, but slightly sweet. I loved the parmesan grissini which I could snack on all day. There was much more food than we expected and we both wanted to try the mains, so we left some of this uneaten. This would make a good light lunch or snack for two.

For my main, I ordered the braised BBQ beef ribs ($23.90) that had been slow cooked for 16 hours, accompanied by herb roasted Chat smashed potatoes with seasoned sauteed beans and a red wine jus. Two medium sized ribs were brought out smothered in jus. The menu states the beef ribs will fall off the bone, and they did with the gentlest pull of my fork. The beef was absolutely tender and melted in my mouth. The light beefy red wine jus was wonderfully balanced and I was mopping this up with all the meat. Portion size is suitable for one person. The smashed potatoes were seasoned and I loved that the beans were still crunchy, juicy and fresh.

My friend couldn’t resist the buttermilk Southern fried chicken ($18.50) with beer battered chips, house salad and buttermilk ranch sauce. He really liked the Cajun spices on the chicken but the skin had softened by the time it reached us. All the flavour was there, if only the skin was crispy.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Lazy May’s. There should be something on the menu to satisfy most including a kids menu (I’m looking at the 3 cheese waffled pizza and wondering if I can order the grown up version). Prices are affordable. $23.90 for amazing 16 hour slow cooked short ribs is a rarity. Service is always provided with a smile and it didn’t take long for the food to come out. There weren’t too many people dining in on the weekend but they are just starting out. Spread the word!

Lazy May’s is open Monday to Saturday for breakfast and lunch. Plans are in place to open for dinner and open up the bar after a liquor license is provided. Check out their Facebook page (for the menu and updates) and website for more information.

Foodgasm 7.5/10
Value for money 9/10
Service 9/10

FPJ score 25.5/30

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