Ducks Nuts is a new kid on the block in Dickson and has had plenty of promotion through Her Canberra and Food & Wine.
It looks promising with happy hour 4-6pm, some weekly specials and some lovely duck themed dishes.
But it is very noisey and very pubby with sport on the overhead TV.
The dishes are sadly not quite as good as they sound.
But good to give a new spot a try.
Peking Ducks Nuts Burger $19
Naked Buttermilk Fried Chicken Burger $19
Roast Duck Salad $19
Wine by the glass from $7.50
Last night Pialligo hosted their Sunset Drinks, the third event in their ‘The Butcher, The Baker and the Merrymaker’ festive winter events series.
It was an exclusive opportunity to meet winemakers of the King Valley and Rutherglen regions and have a taste of the upcoming August Taste of Two Regions events in Canberra.
In a masterclass for readers of Her Canberra, Wendy Killeen and her daughter Natasha (the seventh generation of Stanton & Killeen wine makers) treated us to their wonderful range of Muscats one of the only true Australian style wines.
Starting with the Rutherglen Muscat aged 2-4 years, then the Classic, aged an average of 12 years, and finally the Grand and the Rare aged 20-25+ years, we moved to richer and more viscous and luscious wines. We learnt that only the exceptional vintage grapes are used for the Grand and Rare muscats.
We noticed the raisins and rose petals characteristics and the developing complexity and silkiness. And along the way we shared in a little family history – how Norm Killeen married into the Stanton family wines started by Jack Stanton. How Norm was frugal and bought second hand barrels that turned out to have been used for rum, creating a new rum flavoured wine still requested today.
Tanya from Brown Brothers Wines introduced us to their King Valley Prosecco (a region in northern Italy but also the name of the wine as the cuttings have been brought from Italy).
Brown Brothers are market leaders in Prosecco, a wine with a fruitness – apple and pear on the nose, soft and round on the palette and an ‘approachable wine’ that matches well to seafood, fish, sushi and a soft Brie. Available in both vintage and non-vintage varieties, a few of us prefered the sweeter non-vintage.
In Canberra, this Brown Brothers Prosecco is easily available at Palace Cinema.
A wonderful and fascinating insight into the delicous world of wines! If you missed Sunet Drinks you might like to catch the Taste of Two Regions next month!
Fine Eating was a guest of the generosity of Pialligo Estate.
The Chifley Bar & Grill at Hotel Kurrajong, my new favourite for a weekday lunch in Barton.
I love a great setting for enjoying a meal and Hotel Kurrajong does heritage so very well.
With all its great style and service you might expect a high price tag, but surprisingly the menu is similar to what you would pay in most eateries.
Being a hotel restaurant, it is open every day from breakfast to around 10pm and staff are very flexible to cater for a large range of appetites and preferences.
Sandwiches are around $15 and arrive with Chips and aioli….
The roast lamb with grilled vegetables, Harissa and Mayo is good, but I think any of the sandwich choices would be excellent.
For a light lunch there are also salads or dessert to choose from for $15 -$17.
Stone baked bread with Pepe Saya butter is $4, and sides like the amazing pear and pecorino salad with baby spinach and candied walnuts are $8.
For two modest appetites it’s perfect to share a sandwich and a pear and pecorino salad.
Wine starts at $8 a glass.
I will definitely be back for another pecorino salad and I’d love to try the stone baked bread!
Karen’s magnificent piece about the wonderful Sri Lankan food created by Chef Udaya and Chushani, is sending me straight back to Claypot Chef!
Thanks for the great pics too Karen!
Kaye…you are now an honoury Canberra Food Blogger!
Last Monday, Sid treated the Canberra Food Bloggers to an evening of his new Movenpick Kingston Foreshore winter desserts.
Movenpick is new to Canberra- one of the 400 stores worldwide in 40 countries. The icecream is shipped frozen from its home of creation in Switzerland where it has been made since the 1960’s from ingredients sourced from around the the world. The pistachios are from Iran, rum from Jamaica, mango from India, coffee from Colombia, macadamias from Australia, strawberries from Poland, blueberries from France and chocolate from Venezuela.
Flavours are many and varied but my favourites were strawberry (50% fruit), vanilla brownie, caramel and coconut chocolate.
Sid and his team have been working hard to showcase the best to Canberra.
The winter desserts include the apple strudel (my favourite) and chocolate fondant – $14.95….
….and waffles or pancakes for $16.95 which you customise to your own pick your type of pancakes (eg nut or berry), sauce, icecream and garnishes.
The chocolate fondue is also impressive at $29.95 for two or $39.95 for four people.
Drinks include milkshakes like a blueberry cheesecake milkshake or a lovely lime sorbet.
In the icecream range there’s also some beautiful options like Decadence at $9.95.
A good spot for great traditional cone or a dessert to share to finish a meal out along the Kingston Foreshore.
Newcomer to the Hamlet in Braddon, Soul Cartel specialises in Southern American Creole/Cajun food.
Regular items on the menu are the Chicken Po’Boy $12 (top pick if you like something especially tasty in bread)…
Beef Po’ Boy $12 – a good pick if you like lean meat in bread
Soul Fries $6 – a great choice for something to nibble with a drink
And some specials which might include…
Beef and Bacon Hash $14, the tastiest option, but also quite oily
Southern Brunch $12 – very tasty, but again, the bread is oiler than the chicken Po’ Boy (similar chicken though).
Especially fun for a summer evening and BYO (drinks and glasses) but like most food stalls, it’s not as comfortable or as good value as sharing a few Thai dishes or curries and rice.
Opening hours
12 Noon to 3 PM
Mon Closed
Tue Closed
Wed 12 Noon to 9 PM
Thu 12 Noon to 9 PM
Fri 12 Noon to 9 PM
Sat 12 Noon to 9 PM
Sun 12 Noon to 3 PM
Narelle Happ is a great fan of gardens that you can eat. As a horticulturalist and garden designer she loves teaching people to grow Australian natives that not only look good, but since pre-European history, have been adding unique flavours and textures to foods.
Narelle was the guest of Canberra’s Cooking Circles this week and she shared her impressive knowledge of easy to grow natives for Canberra gardens and treated us to a bush tucker afternoon tea, created in the excellent Foodish kitchen at the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets. (What an amazing resource Foodish is!)
And, as always, the event provided a lovely opportunity to meet up with others who share a passion for good food and great company.
Narelle’s Bush Tucker Macadamia Nut Dukkah with hazelnuts, bush tomato, groud lemon myrtle, ground mountain pepper leaf and ground aniseed myrtle was excellent…..
as was the…
…Bush Tucker Tomato Chutney with eggplant and onion.
Accompanied by an exquisite Lemon myrtle tea made from the dried leaves of the plant, I think everyone decided that they needed a tree of their own. (Lemon myrtle is also great as a flavour for cheesecake, icecream and as we tasted, yogurt)….
Narelle brought along a trailer load of plants to show and tell (and sell!).
These included…
Native mint a very pretty plant when growing, and hardy.
Native cranberries, Native ginger, Edible tubers, Climbers, Wombat berry, Native sarsaparilla good for tea, Pepper bush (this would grow well in Canberra and you can use the dried berries like peppercorns or use leaves for tea).
We also sampled popcorn with lemon myrtle and macadamia and some with bush tomato native basil.
We know know that dried, ground leaves of saltbush are good for dukkah, in dishes like also frittata or saltbush lamb and is favoured by Kylie Kwong. Along with Lemon Myrtle, this sounded like a very useful plant to grow.
The Warigal greens grow all year round can use for dishes like a wonderful pesto….
Very lovely also were the strawberry gum bliss balls…
…and it was fun to make and try the Orange and Wattleseed muffins.
Truly a gardening- food adventure that would be fascinating to explore!
Last week some of Canberra’s best chefs created an amazing truffle gala dinner at the Arboretum’s Conservatory Restaurant – a highlight of the 2016 Canberra Region Truffle Festival featuring truffle themed dishes and Canberra wines.
The evening commenced with canapes of truffled Belvedere shooters and truffled popcorn from Chef Janet Jeffs and the Ginger Catering Team. This was served with 2012 Mount Majura ‘The Silurian’ Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir and Kosciusko Pale Ale.
First Course was created by Chef David Revel from Rydges, Capital Hill – a beautiful looking 65 degrees egg with foie gras emulsion, pain d’epices, bronze fennel, red vein sorrel, target beetroot and shaved truffle. The accompanying wine was my favourite of the night – 2013 Lark Hill Byodinamic ‘Mr.V’ Marsanne/Rousanne/Voignier.
Second Course came from Chef Alex O’Brien who cooks at the Boathouse. Truffle Savoy cabbage, raclette, bone marrow and herb truffle brioche with shaved truffle. Unexpectedly, it was my favourite course. This was teamed with 2014 Lerida Estate ‘Cullerin Pinot Noir’.
The next course was Chef Sean McConnell and Daniel Flatt’s, from Monster at Hotel Hotel – Wagyu rump with truffle, lardo and turnips – teamed with 2012 Freeman Secco Rondinella Corvina.
Dessert was a creation of Chef Frankie J Bodel and the Ginger Team – choux truffles, truffle custard, green peppercorns and white chocolate – along with Surveyor’s Hill Sweet Touriga.
Amanda Whitley, of HerCanberra, convened a panel of local producers who entertained us with their inspiring stories and passion for their products….
….Jayson Mesman from the Truffle Farm Canberra, Chef David Revel of Rydges and Anne Caine from Lerida Estate.
A very lovely event and a very fun night out with tables of ten.
Well worth the $112.50pp, all inclusive cost.
Well done Canberra!
Public, Manuka has a lovely sunny corner and an interior that extends outdoors.
It also offer Canberra Entertainment Book holders two meals for the price of one.
So it’s a good spot for a weekday lunch with some tasty dishes on the menu.
Chicken schnitzel with chips, salad & choice of pepper or mushroom sauce $22
Hamburger with bacon, cheddar, pickles, tomato relish & chips $21 – excellent flavours and textures.
Fine Eating 