Friday 4 March 2011

Eating Place Review 10 - T Ann Cake, Dundee.


On one of my posts, From Beyond My Kitchen Window gave me a link to a blog she thought I would like.  It was this one - T Ann Cake.  

T Ann Cake is a cafe which only opened in December in Dundee.  We live in Aberdeenshire, about 2 hours from Dundee but my in-laws live in Dundee so we are down there quite a lot.  On Wednesday, we finally got the chance to go and give it a try as we were travelling home from a holiday at Crieff Hydro.  We phoned the in-laws and agreed to meet at the cafe for lunch.


Well, this is my idea of the perfect cafe if ever I were to live the dream of opening my own place.  It's never going to happen as I don't think I could cope with the stress of running my own business and all the worries that go along with keeping a cafe open.  Eeeek.

But this place is perfect.  Big open kitchen, mismatched vintage (and comfy) furniture, very friendly staff, big selection of cakes, menu written on the blackboard.  Just feels exactly the kid of place you want to come and relax in.

Oh, and very child-friendly.  That is probably our number 1 requirement these days!  High chairs, baby changing facilities and very appropriate menu choices which were also amazingly cheap.  My boys often don't eat very much when we are out and it is very galling to be paying £6-7 X 2 for a course which largely gets ignored.  Here there were various simple choices which were around the £1.50 mark if I remember correctly - Adam had a toasted cheese panini and Rufie had beans on a toasted ciabatta.

Steve and I both had a really lovely chipotle chilli black eyed beans on toasted sourdough (the sourdough is apparently from an Italian baker in Forfar!), Steve's Mum had a panini and his Dad had one of the lovely sounding soups.


And then, of course, we moved on to the beautiful looking cakes.  I had an absolutely gorgeous slice of orange drizzle cake.  The boys shared a Mars mallow crispy thing - I had a bit of that too and loved it.  Steve had a chocolate brownie.  And there were several other choices including some very sophisticated looking cupcakes.

My tea came in a pot with a tea cosy - how cute.  Steve's Mum has now said she is going to knit us all tea cosies for our Christmas next year.  And everything was served in vintage china. 

Can't wait to try a relaxing Sunday brunch here next time we stay over at the weekend in Dundee.

Well done, Ann, I think your cafe is perfect.  Part of me wishes I had the gumption to start my own one and the other part of me thinks it best to leave all the hard work to people like you so I can just visit and enjoy!


T Ann Cake, 27 Exchange Street, Dundee, DD1 3DJ.

6 comments:

  1. Oh I am so excited. After following the construction and opening of the cafe through T Ann cake blog and living across the pond and probably never visiting I am so glad you were able to. I just knew it would be wonderful. So glad you enjoyed it (lucky duck)!!!

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  2. I know - we are VERY lucky. She must have worked so hard - I am in awe!

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  3. Wish I had found someplace like this when my kids were small!!

    I'm lovin that tea cosy too!!

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  4. It looks fab. I have knitted my own tea cosies in my time, but I love the pattern of my teapot too much to use them. Those are a cool looking panda and tiger you have there.

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  5. I am so so happy after reading your review - it means a lot and makes everything so worthwhile. I remember your visit (and those lovely painted faces!).

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  6. Ha ha Ann - I think you have inspired a new tea cosy fashion!

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