Belluci’s Woden – a group lunch from the a la carte menu

Belluci’s in Woden, like Belluci’s in Manka, has a great lunch special than includes a range of Italian dishes and a drink (house wine/beer/soft drink).

But it can also be more interesting, varied and allow you to vary your portion size more easily, if you share dishes from the main menu.

This can be especially handy if you have already treied many of the dishes on the lunch specials menu and are looking for something new.

Ordering 4 dishes for a group of 6, or 6 dishes for a group of 9 gives a good range of different dishes to share while leaving you feeling comfortable at the end of the meal.

Choose 1-2 pizzas, 1-2 pastas, 2 side salads and perhaps a risotto, to share. This works out at around $16 per person.

The Bombay pizza $23 is excellent (as is the Verdura and Bellucis Special also on the lunch specials menu).

The Gnocchi Di Agnello (gnocchi with lamb shank ragu, citrus gremolata and aged parmesan $27) is especially good. The gnocchi is light and the ragu rich and flavoursome.

The Linguine Affumicato $25 (with smoked chicken, tiger prawns, pumpkin and avocado $25) is a good dish, but very rich creamy and best shared.

The Insalata Di Verdura (roquette, Israeli couscous, roasted vegetables,feta and sultanas $21) is a better choice than the Insala Di Bietola (roasted beetroot, lentils, fresh basil, goats cheese & blasmic glaze $21) however, both have a lot of roquette and are only side salad sized. A better choice may be two of the Insala Di Rucola (roquette, gorgonzola dolce, roasted walnuts and balsamic reduction $12) or the chicken cesar salad (also on the lunch specials menu) $22.

The Risotto Di Zucca (caramelised pumpkin, baby spinach, gorgonzola dolce and toasted walnuts $23) is larger than that on the lunch specials menu, but perhaps not as tasty.

Belluci’s also offers Entertainment Book holders a 25% discount.

The Claypot Taverna – a useful spot near UNSW Sydney

This is a lovely small Greek eatery on Anzac Parade with a warm and homely feel. It’s BYO and corkage is low.

Service is quick. Arni Kleftico (slow baked lamb) $24.50 in the clay pot is good as is the fish with olives, psari plaki $24.50 also cooked in the claypot.

However, the very best choice is the mixed greek delicacies mezeklikia $15.50 (includes the dips and bread). It’s worth ordering more than one to share.
It includes delicious dips, clamari, mousaka, keftethes (meat balls) and spanakopita.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am-2:30pm and 5-10 pm. Phone 02 96970721, 180 Anzac Parade, Kensington.

Tilba Valley Wines Restaurant, Tilba Tilba, South Coast NSW

Tilba Valley Wines restaurant, Tilba Tilba, has much going for it. Friendly service, a great view and a very relaxed atmosphere. It gets busy and it pays not to be in a hurry, as ordering can take a while, but there are gorgeous wines to taste while you’re waiting. In fact it was very difficult to pick a glass to go with lunch with such excellent choice.

The smoked salmon pate is very good as is the Tilba trilogy cheese on the plough mans lunch.

Artichoke and Haloumi Tart special

For more information.

Trev’s, Dickson, Canberra

Trevs has lots going for it. Staff are knowledgeable and very professional.

Entree sharing platter for 3 (3x$11.50 (3 items))

Sharing entree platters offer a selection to taste and the desserts are beautiful. Corkage is $9. The menu offers a good range of dishes and the specials of the day are interesting.

Silver Dory Lemon risotto cake, whilted spinach, garlic herb lemon butter $27

Duck confit Blood orange glaze, vanilla bean potato puree, green beans $29

Chicken Scallopini prosciutto, cherry tomatoes, xv olive oil, pesto potato puree $27

Pork Neck Confit, braised red cabbage, apple glaze, apple relish $28

Hello Cafe, Campbell – a quick look at brunch

Hello Cafe at the Campbell shops is another suburban gem. Staff are always warm and friendly, coffee is good and the menu range is good and well priced. A very pleasant spot. Open early for breakfast and lunch. Closed Sundays.

The Belmore Restaurant at the Brassey Hotel, Barton – a quick look at dinner

Like Boffins at University House, the Belmore Restaurant is charming and takes you back to another era in Canberra.

It has far more atmosphere than it seems from first impressions on the Brassey’s website, but perhaps not quite as much as other similarly priced Canberra restaurants. However, if you use the Canberra Entertainment Book, the Belmore offers a complimentary main meal, which makes it good for value.

No BYO, but wine starts at $6.50 a glass ($24 a botttle).

The menu is fairly traditional, with steaks a specialty ( and they are). It includes the:

Mezze Plate for Two with turkish panini, hummus, rocket & macadamia dip & beetroot tapenade $14.00

Eye Fillet Mignon, wrapped with bacon 250gm $39.00 with sauce (served separately) bearnaise, peppercorn, mushroom sauce, and cafe de paris butter

and your choice of fries or potato wedges as well a salad selection from our buffet.

Crisp Skinned Snapper Fillet Puttanesca
roasted aioli, herb oil, eggplant caviar $36.00

Opening Hours:

Breakfast
6.30am-9am Monday – Friday
7.30am-10.00am Weekends & Public Holidays

Dinner
Monday to Saturday 6.00pm – 9.00pm

Restaurant and Bar are not open on public holidays

Paapa Rich , Canberra City

Pappa Rich, ground floor in the Canberra Centre under Dendy, is a good spot for a very quick meal before the movies.

And for a sit down meal, it doesn’t get much quicker than this. Even with a short wait for a table (no bookings accepted) you can easily be in and out in under half an hour.
Plenty of well known Malaysian dishes are on offer, well-priced and well sized.

Nasi Lemak with Curry Chicken & Prawn Sambal $15.90 Biryani Rice with Red Chicken and Prawn Sambal $14.90

It’s good to know though, that the chicken dishes tend to be ‘on the bone’ rather than boneless.
And without a glass of wine to slow you down (no licence or BYO option), and being a little too noisy for conversation, the main focus is on the quick meal. (Service seems instant!)
Pappa Rich also offers a complimentary main meal for holders of the Canberra Entertainment book.

Mango Mania $6.90

Little Siam Thai, Gunghalin – a quick look

Cheery, friendly and very well-priced, Little Siam has an extensive menu including blackboard specials offering a range of interesting dishes that you don’t always find in Thai restaurants.

A 25% discount is offered to Canberra Entertainment Book users and corkage is around $5 a bottle.
It’s an ideal spot for a casual catch up in this part of town. (It’s close to the Gungahlin Community Health Centre and Aldi).