Garnish, Garema Place, Canberra City

Garnish of India, has a great location for a warming winter dinner out. Parking is close by at the Dendy end of the Canberra Centre and it’s a short skip across Bunda Street into the arcade and up the stairs to Garnish.

Comfortable bench seats overlook Garema place. Perfect for families.

The host of Garnish is extremely welcoming and informative about the best dishes to order.

Dishes are excellent and well sized for sharing.

An entree, one dish with rice and naan is perfect for two people.

The Murgh Tikka Tandoori – marinated boneless chicken roasted in a tandoor is very good $9.50.

The Paneer Hara Masala – cubes of fresh cottage cheese cooked with tomatoes, spinach based gravy and finished with fenugreek leaves $14.50 is delicious…

…as is the naan $3…

…and perfectly cooked rice $3 for a generous serve.

Corkage is $8 per bottle and pappadams are $2 per serve of 4.

A 25% discount is offered to Canberra Entertainment Book holders.

A range of lunch specials are also available.

Box Diner, Fyshwick

The Box Diner may seem out of the way in Tennant Street Fyshwick, but it’s rural outlook and open spaces feel is very appealing.

Serves breakfast and lunch weekdays, it looks very popular and busy.

Eclectic indoor and warmed outdoor seating is fun and works well.

Staff are friendly and welcoming. keen to please.
The menu is varied and offers a good range of burgers, salads, pastas and specials as well.

The Blue lamb burger with blue cheese, grilled vegetables, a lamb patty, fried egg, beetroot and aioli is delicious $18.

The Chicken Schnitzel Burger and wedges special $15, also very good.

Canberra Entertainment Book holders are offered two meals for the price of one.

Plenty of ready to go options and it’s easy to take with you what you will enjoy more later.

Definitely worth stopping by if you are heading to Fyshwick.

Malaysian Chapter, Belconnen

Malaysian Chapter recently reviewed very well in the Canberra Times Food and Wine.

And justly so. This family based restaurant has great food and very friendly, welcoming service.

It is also very good value offering $3 per person corkage and a 25% discount for holders of the Canberra Entertainment Book.
Serve sizes are good for sharing in a group to taste a number of dishes.
Particularly excellent is the Nyonya Prawn & Pineapple Curry ($21.50) (includes a generous serve of 9 prawns, great for sharing).

…And the Roti Canai ($4.50) with Dahl (consider asking for the dahl to be warmed)

…also very good is the Nasi lemak with Lamb Rendang ($22.50) with beef rendang, half boiled egg, roasted peanuts, anchovy sambal. However, this can’t be shared between more than three people as serves sizes of the dish components are relatively small.

…and the coconut rice( $3.50 per serve)

(Two serves coconut rice)

The Assam Curry Fresh Ling Fillet/ Prawns or Soy Fish in a spicy tamarind sauce with tomatoes, pineapple and okra.
Fish, Prawn or Soy Fish ($20.50) is also good, but may be too spicy for some.

Chicken 65 (15 bite sized pieces of nicely spiced chicken) ($13.50) needs to be pre-ordered.

Also worth considering trying green bean and vegetable “belachan fry” ($14.50) but this needs to be pre-ordered as it’s not currently on the menu.

A great sharing menu for 6 is:
3 serves Roti Canai with Dahl (halve the roti)
2 Nyonya Prawn & Pineapple Curry (2x $21.50)
2 Nasi Lemak with Chicken Rendang (2 x $19.50)
2 Coconut Rice (2 x $3.50)

OR
6 serves Roti Canai with Dahl (halve the roti)
1 Nyonya Prawn & Pineapple Curry (1x $21.50)
2 Nasi Lemak with Chicken Rendang (2 x $19.50)
1 Coconut Rice (1x $3.50)

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Me and Mrs Jones, Kingston, another look at lunch

Me and Mrs Jones, in Kingston is still immensely popular and bookings are recommended.

Helpfully open both Saturday and Sunday, it serves both
breakfast and light lunch from 8:00am until 2:30pm.

It is also one of the few restaurants of it’s type that allows BYO with a reasonable corkage ($5.50 per person) and it also offers cakeage for $2.50 per person. Also offering one complimentary main meal (when two are ordered) for Canberra Entertainment Book holders, it is excellent value for couples or small groups on a budget.

On weekdays breakfast is offered from 7:00am until 11:30 then lunch runs from 11:30 until 2:30pm.

It’s also open for dinner from 6pm until late everyday except Sunday when it closes at 4pm. Sundays there is also a 10% surcharge (and 15% on public holidays).

From 2:30-6pm coffee, cakes and lights snacks are available.

There’s also the option of take away.

Takeaway all burgers $15
Egg and bacon roll $7.50

Specials such as Pork and pistachio terrine with toasted brioche and balsamic reduction & onion jam $17, are listed on the blackboard.

Delicious terrine (and better without the onion jam) but best shared between two perhaps along with another small option. Also a good idea to ask for extra plates as it’s tricky to eat from the serving board.

Open steak sandwich $22 – Grilled garlic sourdough, beef eye fillet, smoked onion and chilli marmalade, gorgonzola and wild roquette (great for plainer eaters).

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Pork Barrel Cafe, Old Parliament House, Friday after work specials

At the end of the week, it’s great to enjoy drinks and some tasty nibbles after work on a Friday.

Set in the gardens in front of Old Parliament House, the Pork Barrel Cafe is a good place to try for it’s Happy Hour drinks (daily 5-6pm) and two for one pizzas on Fridays (also on Mondays and Tuesdays).

Glasses of Secret Garden Cab Sav or Sav Blanc/Sem are $4 and generous during happy hour (usually $6).

The pizzas are delicious and about $15-$16 for a small size ($23-25 for medium, $28-32 for large).

Fungi – button mushrooms and (plenty of) blue cheese

Pommodoro – pancetta, provolone and semi dried tomatoes

Straight cut fries with three condiments (lovely hot and crisp) $8.50

Take home what you don’t finish for $1 a pizza box.

Holders of the Canberra Entertainment Book are offered a 25% discount (but not on specials).

Little Brooklyn, Kingston – a first try

Little Brooklyn is a recent arrival to Green Square in Kingston and a newcomer to the Canberra Entertainment Book for 2015-16, offering a complimentary main meal, when two are ordered.

It’s specialties are the American styled gourmet burgers, but it also has some attractive looking salads.

The 1⁄2pound american style cheeseburger with house pickles, mustard and relish is tasty and popular ($20 served with fries and aioli…

Other popular burgers include the Grilled chicken burger $20 with bacon, cheese and ranch dressing and the Reuben sandwich on rye with corned beef, cheese, chipotle and sauerkraut $19…

… but the Southern smoked pork shoulder burger with, slaw, capers and mayo ($20 with fries) is also good and worth a try.

Outside seating is attractive for warm weather, and indoors it’s cozy when it’s cold.

Happy hour drinks weekdays 4-6pm

Caphs, Manuka

While Caphs in Manuka has a long history and is well known by locals it has recently become part of the 2015-16 Canberra Entertainment Book program, offering a complimentary main meal if two are ordered, or 50% off if you’re dining alone.This provides a good opportunity to try Caphs, if you haven’t already, and to also enjoy excellent value.

Another reason to try Caphs is that it’s open 7 days, from 8am until late, and very helpfully even serves breakfast all day (even for dinner if a particular dish takes your fancy).

It also offers BYO at $3.50 per person corkage.

Both indoor and outdoor seating is avaiable.

Breakfast dishes include:
Caphs Haloumi Special – $19
Two poached eggs on a bed of rocket and mixed olives, served with smashed avocado, grilled tomato and grilled haloumi on artisan toast

Mains include:
Sirloin Steak (400gm) $33
Char grilled and served with fresh lemon and Diane sauce (Pepper sauce, Mignon and Mushroom Sauce are other options)

Veal Saltimbocca -$32 with bacon, sage and shallots in garlic and white wine sauce

There is also an interesting range of Paninis on offer ($15.50 served with fries),as well as Burgers for about $16 (all served with lettuce, tomato and fries)like the Steak Burger – $16 Eye fillet marinated in dijon mustard with caramelised onion.

It might also be good to choose one of the salads:

Caphs Smashed Avocado Salad – $15.50 on Italian toast with grilled haloumi, grilled tomato, mixed olives, rocket and lemon dressing (Add Grilled chicken $5, Poached eggs $3, Crispy free range bacon $3.50) (sounds not unlike the Caphs Haloumi Special breakfast dish?)

Greek salad – $15.50 With kalamata olives and Kytherian fetta
Calamari Salad -$25 Grilled calamari, chorizo and chick peas
Avocado Seafood $20 Fresh cold seafood with mixed iceberg, tomato, cucumber and French dressing

Warm Thai chicken salad -$23 Stir-fried chicken with fresh salad and chilli sauce

Warm Lamb Salad $24 Marinated lamb fillet served with honey mustard dressing

…And combine the salad with another dish to share such as the Peking Duck Risotto – $22 Peking duck with mushrooms and steamed bok choy.

Wine by the glass starts at $6.50

Flavour of India, Woden, $10.90 Lunch Special

Flavours of India on the corner of the Westfield Mall is a convenient lunch location for Woden workers.

It is carpeted and quite, usually not crowded and has a pleasant setting and atmosphere.

Currently it offers some good lunch specials starting at $10.90 for two curries (chef’s choice, one veg one non-veg) and either rice or naan.

$10.90 lunch special with vegetable korma and chicken chettinad.

If two or more people are dining it can be good to get one with rice and one with naan and share the naan and rice.

BYO is $8 per bottle of wine and house wine is available at $6.50 per glass.

Wheat & Oats – going from strength to strength

Wheat & Oats, in Colbee Court, Phillip is quickly developing it’s menu and specials, making it a very welcome new addition to Woden lunch spots.

It’s excellent value, especially for holder of the Canbera Entertainment Book who are offered a 25% discount.

The regular menu includes a very excellent goat curry $13

..as well as a range of sandwiches, a chilli and chicken wrap.. $10…

…a burger, Raman noodle soup, bruschetta and vegan salad and all day breakfast options.

But perhaps it’s the changing daily specials that are the most interesting and tasty…

…including a Lamb Wrap $10…

…Chicken Schnitzel Burger $8.50..

…Quiche $4.50…

..Quiche with salad $10..

…Salad alone $7.50..

Wheat and Oats, Phillip – first look at a new Woden lunch spot

Wheat and Oats has fairly recently taken over the spot in Colbee Court Phillip that used to be the home of the very popular Chocolate Olive.

It’s an easy 10 min walk from the Woden CBD and has well priced dishes, warm and friendly service and an attractive decor that makes it a good option for a work day lunch.

It is also very helpful that breakfast dishes are available all day.

Chilli Chicken Wrap $10

Chicken, salad, cheese and spicy relish hot pressed sandwich $10

There are also a number of salads and options ready to take with you..

…some specials

…and sweet treats.

Wheat and Oats also generously offers a 25% discount to Canberra Entertainment Book holders, and at the moment there is a 10% discount until June 30 for everyone.

Unlike many Phillip lunch spots, Wheat and Oats is also open on weekends.

Monday to Friday, 7:30am till 3pm

Saturday, 8am till 2pm

Sunday, 9am till 1pm

Fine Eating

Hints Hacks and Highlights

Canberra Entertainment Book

Garnish, Garema Place, Canberra City

Box Diner, Fyshwick

Malaysian Chapter, Belconnen

Me and Mrs Jones, Kingston, another look at lunch

Pork Barrel Cafe, Old Parliament House, Friday after work specials

Little Brooklyn, Kingston – a first try

Caphs, Manuka

Flavour of India, Woden, $10.90 Lunch Special

Wheat & Oats – going from strength to strength

Wheat and Oats, Phillip – first look at a new Woden lunch spot

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