#aprilscaravan

Located within The Hamlet, Miss Mae’s (run by April’s Caravan) is a quirky little milk bar.  Lit up with sparkling fairy lights, you enter Miss Mae’s through an arch covered with Madeline reminiscent vines, to the sounds of a vintage cassette deck softly playing The Beatles.  The atmosphere was a bit kitsch, but ultimately quite cute.  Sadly, the other stores in The Hamlet detracted from the experience.  The external music dominated Miss Mae’s, and the clash of visual style was a little jarring.  But in a space of its own, I think Miss Mae’s would thrive, and it brings the milk bar vibe to Canberra.

My friend S and I ordered the Peppermint Honey Iced Tea ($5) and the Coconut Ice Deluxe Milkshake ($8).  Miss Mae is known for its experimental flavoured shakes like Apple Pie, Lemon Meringue and Mocha Java Spice.  They also make other cold drinks such as old fashioned lemonade, iced teas and spiders.  Waffles are available for $8 if you’re looking for dessert.

The peppermint iced tea was instantly refreshing.  We agreed it would be an excellent way to cleanse the palate between sampling meals.  It had the slightest honey aftertaste, without being overly sweet.  The tea tasted full-bodied and authentic, and we had the impression that no powders or syrups were involved in its making.  The peppermint wasn’t overwhelming either, it had a subtle flavour that is often easily overdone.  S described it as one of the “best iced teas” she’d ever had.  Its price point is mid range, when compared to Lipton iced teas and other iced teas available at cafes.  

The coconut ice milkshake tasted strongly of sweet, nutty coconut, and had a surprise hint of strawberry to it.  I’m not a fan of strawberry milk usually, but this berry addition worked well in combination with the more dominant coconut.  The pink, shredded coconut garnish was super cute.  Though the milkshake was smaller than what you would receive at a standard cafe, I found that it was a better sized shake.  Often you’re struck by a brain freeze or a sugar overload by the end of a regular one.  It was a little too sweet by the end if you weren’t eating anything alongside it, but that comes with the classic shake taste.  A standard milkshake is usually priced between $6.00 and $7.50, so the $8 is a stretch, but it was worth the real coconut flavour and the whimsical setting.