When Dreams Come True
Published in City News, Lifestyle - Dining on 19 June, 2008
MY Rainbow-Dreams is a small café, juice bar and gelaterie, specialising in home-made, quality dishes designed for the health conscious and those with special dietary needs.
Only open about six weeks, the café – located at the Dickson shops across from the post office – is managed by Kate Volkhardt, who helped open a successful vegetarian café in Adelaide, and Karina Ward, who has worked mainly in the health food industry, including at Mountain Creek at Griffith Shops. The two are in the small kitchen every day whipping up fresh dishes.
Kate says the café concentrates on a healthy range of gluten-free meals, as well as dishes for vegans, those who can’t take dairy or who have other types of special dietary needs. Even if you don’t fall into any of these categories, give My Rainbow-Dreams a go. The food is excellent, high on taste and the portions generous.
I was delighted with my piping-hot lentil shepherd’s pie, made with chunks of veggies, topped with smooth, sweet potato mash and served with a spoonful of pasta salad and a fresh beetroot salad. My only regret was that it was too big for me to finish.
My Rainbow Dreams has a set menu for breakfast and lunch, but they also have a delicious daily menu board which, when I was there, included potato and green bean kettle stew with fresh cornbread and avocado, fetta and tomato tart with pinenuts.
And for those with a sweet tooth, the fig and berry brownie (gluten free) looked stunning as did the sticky date pudding and the banana and pecan bread, made with organic wholemeal flour. There are also fresh juices and sensational smoothies.
Kate says My Rainbow-Dreams uses as many organic products as they can and will, over time, introduce more into the cooking. They will also be extending the current small range of gourmet products for sale, including teas, gluten-free muesli and Pin (Blue Mountains), a range of organic Vivani chocolate bars and Phoenix all-natural drinks.
My Rainbow-Dreams has a few chairs outside and a small counter space and a table inside, which all delight in the sun during the day. The coffee is good and the take-away trade a good option for those in a hurry.