Author: Food and Travel Secrets

Mr Wei’s, Canberra City – a quick look

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Mr Wei’s on London Circuit is conveniently close to the Canberra Theatre complex, making it a good spot for a quick meal before an event. It’s open 6 days for lunch and dinner (closed Sundays).

Prices seem a little high and corkage is $10 per bottle, but if you have the Canberra Entertainment Book, it helpfully offers a 25% discount.

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The atmosphere is  very pleasant and more upmarket than you expect, looking in from outside. It’s also fun that you can actually see the famous Mr Wei working in the kitchen.

One serve dumplings and two main dishes with rice can be just right for four medium appetites.

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Pork dumplings boiled $13.50

 

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Yu xiang Pork $22.50                   Fangxiang Green Curry Banana  Prawn $26.50

Mr Wei's on Urbanspoon

Bao’s Kitchen, Dickson, Canberra

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Bao’s Kitchen is a small eatery in Dickson, with a very basic decor, offering traditional Chinese food.

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Weeknights are moderately busy with plenty of people who seemed to know the best dishes to order.

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The Pork with Ginger and Shallot,is generous and tasty, (but not spicy) and comes with 6 small pancakes. This dish is a bargain at $14 and could be a great starter for 3-6 people eating in a group.

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Buk Choy $12                                               Complimentary fruit to finish

Corkage is $4, rice $2 and Bao’s offers 25% discount for those with the Canberra Entertainment Book.

Very good value dining.

Bao's Kitchen on Urbanspoon

Tossolini’s, Canberra City – a quick look at lunch

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Tossolini’s on the corner of East Row and London Circuit is conveniently open 7 days for breakfast lunch and dinner (10% surcharge Sundays).

Prices seem a little high, for what you get and corkage is $12.50 per bottle, but if you have the Canberra Entertainment Book, it helpfully offers a complimentary main meal.

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Atmosphere is more ‘cafe’ than ‘restaurant’ and it lacks a bit of charm and style but can be useful for a casual lunch.

If you are eating ‘light’ then the Chicken Salad at $17.90 is useful with satisfying flavours.

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Insalata di Pollo (gf) 17.90

Marinated chicken, crisp kipfler potatoes, sun dried tomatoes, baby spinach leaves, rocket leaves and shaved parmesan tossed with balsamic vinaigrette

If you would like something more filling, but not a full main meal, then the open chicken or veal focaccia at $18.90 might appeal.

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Open Grilled Focaccia served with chips 18.90

Grilled veal steak, beetroot dip, fresh tomato, mixed leaves and grilled onions
Tosolini's on Urbanspoon

Blue Olive Catering, Canberra City

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Blue Olive Catering is always busy weekdays at lunch. It’s not hard to see why with tables on the sunny sidewalk outside and inside tables attractively opening to the outdoors.

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Staff are pleasant and helpful and service is quick.

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Banksy                                                                                   Reuben

There’s a good range of interesting breads to choose from and fillings are helpfully grouped in tasty suggestions.

Serve sizes are very generous and well priced at $10.90 eat-in. Sandwiches are better toasted and the turkish bread and baguettes are good options.

Blue Olive Cafe & Catering on Urbanspoon

Shorty’s, Canberra City – a quick look at dessert

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Deep fried Golden Gaytime with sticky caramel and honeycomb $11 (not a great pick as it melts quickly, and not suitable to share).

Other dessert options include:

Reeses sundae with nutella ice cream, peanut butter mousse and candied peanuts $13

Warm chocolate and hazelnut pudding with Sour cream ice cream and candied hazelnuts $13

Shorty’s

Shorty's on Urbanspoon

Box Diner- Fyshwick, Canberra – a quick look at lunch

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Box Diner Fyshwick is only open Monday to Friday for breakfast and lunch.

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It has a pleasant decor and a good range of options.

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The toasted pannini $10 have tasty interesting fillings, but perhaps a bit too tasty and oily ( e.g. Chicken, Camembert, Sundried tomatoes, pesto, salami, feta, mozzarella,olives ).

Splitting one pannini and having salad on the side would balance out the oiliness.

Box Diner on Urbanspoon

Thai Chiang Rai, Belconnen – Thai Cuisine, another Canberra Global Food Delight

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Like, it’s sister restaurant in Kingston, Thai Chiang Rai is a good spot for a group shared menu and another spot to try a Canberra Global Food Delight.

Two main dishes between three people is about right.

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The red duck curry and green chicken curry are especially good.

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The chicken with chilli and cashews stir fry is also a good choice.

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The beef massamun is not as good as the other dishes.

If you also order entrees then one entree and one main per two people would be a good choice.

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Thai Chiang Rai on Urbanspoon

Beach Burrito Company, Canberra City

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This place always looks like fun and offers half price tacos on Tuesdays.

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It gets busy and fills quickly which makes it pretty noisy too.

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The corn chips (with salsa) for a starter lack a bit of flavour…………..

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………… and the burritos (e.g. burrito with the lot and prawn burrito) tend to be filled with a lot of rice and not much else which makes them pretty expensive at $16/$17 each.
The tacos (e.g. pulled pork taco) however are nicely sized and filled with more tasty ingredients.
Nearby Grilled or Guzman Y Gomez may be better quick and casual spots to head.
Beach Burrito Company on Urbanspoon

Chairman and Yip, Canberra City – a quick look

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Chairman and Yip is one of my favourite restaurants that always feels very uniquely Canberra. The service is a always exceptional, the atmosphere is ‘special’ , food delicious and pricing reasonable (25% discount on the entertainment card and BYO $10 per bottle).

A good spot to celebrate a special event.

Entree

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$16.50    Steamed chicken wontons dressed with hot chilli infused oil

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$16.50    Calamari tossed with spicy salt & chilli           $16.50    Grilled field mushrooms with cashew and herb pesto (top pick)

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$33.50    Beef and scallop ground pepper hot pot  (top pick)      $31.50    Spicy lamb Shan-Tung style

The Chairman and Yip on Urbanspoon

Gryphons, Griffith, Canberra

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Located at Griffith shops, the parking is easy. Gryphons is also open at very useful times, e.g. lunch Sundays, breakfast.

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The pulled pork burger is delicious, $18. The pizza (e.g. Little Tokyo pizza, a special, $20 with prawns, pumpkin, karaage chicken and katsu sauce), also good.

The couches and lounge chairs are a cozy option. Not BYO, but the Forest Pinot Gris $8.50/glass is consistently good. Good to know if ordering steak, be aware that it seems to often be more rare than expected.

Gryphons Caffe Bar on Urbanspoon