Woden Westfield Mall is not blessed with the same number of nice lunch spots as the city so Chong Co Thai restaurant in the Woden Canberra Southern Cross Club is a great find.

At lunchtime it is quiet and relaxed. Service is graceful and stylish, matching the more upmarket setting, but still efficient and timely.

The serve sizes and quality reflect that of Chong Co’s sister restaurant on the Kingston foreshore and newly opened Woden Westfield location.

Ordering one dish and one serve of rice from the dinner menu can be enough for two modest appetites at lunchtime. The food is so rich in flavour and texture, savouring it slowly is a treat.

Two dishes with two rice is plenty for four people.

Three dishes with three rice is a good amount for six people.

This pattern of ordering works out at around $11.50 per person which is excellent value for delicious food and a lovely seeting.

Alternatively, if you would prefer not to share, but don’t want the dinner menu serve sizes,  there is also a lunch menu with a smaller range of dishes that is  priced lower ($13-$16 including rice).

If the number in the group is uneven, it can work to order one main and rice per two people and the smaller serve of the Chicken Cashew Stir fry with rice from the lunch menu.

Wine is available by the glass, and starts from $5-6 if bought at the bar downstairs.

Access is open to the public not just for members and their guests.

Open daily for lunch 11am-2:30pm and dinner 5-10pm.

Both indoor and outdoor seating

Beef Massaman $20.90 (the best I’ve ever had)          Chicken Laab $18.90 (Excellent)

Red duck curry $20.90 (very delicious)                        Rice is $3 for a generous serve

Vegetarian Massaman Curry (not as good as the beef) $16.90

Green chicken curry – excellent $18.90

Chicken and cashew nut stir fry $18.90                        Chicken Penang Curry $18.90 (very good)

Chicken Pad Thai $16.90 (good)          Saffron rice $4.50 per serve (a little sweet which is very nice for variety)

New menu starting November 2015 will see the Beef Massaman Curry served with roti. The roti is excellent making the Beef Massaman Curry even better as the top pick here.