Wilbur’s Cafe Bar Hackett – trying the new menu

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Wilbur’s is a great local!

Offering relaxed, friendly hospitality it has a range of good value specials, like happy hour drinks 4-6pm ($5.50)…

..$10 pizzas or two for one burgers $22.50 on Sundays from 4pm (definitely a great time to go as there’s live music as well 3-6pm)…and two meals for the price of one for Canberra Entertainment Book holders.

There’s a regular menu offering dishes like the Veal Marsala with mushroom, bacon and marsala sauce on sweet potato mash for $26.90….

…as well as weekly blackboard specials like the pan-fried salmon with sweet potato chips, confit tomato, bocconcini and baby spinach salad with lime  coriander aioli $28.90.

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Like always, it’s good to order a lighter salad with a heavier meal and share.

There’s also some delicious looking deserts on offer at reasonable prices.


            
Wilbur's Cafe Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Me & Mrs Jones, Kingston – trying a couple lunch salads

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Me & Mrs Jones is a one of the best places in Kingston for lunch.

It’s open everyday, has a broad ranging menu and offers two meals for the price of one if you have a Canberra Entertainment Card.



The salads make a good lunch choice, especially sharing a couple between two, or sharing one with another dish.


The SMOKED CHICKEN $18 with Treacle smoked chicken, crispy speck lardons, garden peas, mint, marinated feta, shredded baby cos, white balsamic reduction w/ brioche crisps is full of flavour but quite rich.


The SPRING LAMB $21 with Rare spring lamb, mixed seeds & nuts, currants,kale, pomegranate, mint & a fresh yoghurt dressing is perhaps the better choice, being a little lighter, with good textures and garnishes and full of colour.


If you want an even broader choice for lunch, get there before noon on weekday to be able to order from the breakfast menu too. (Lunch menu starts at noon).
Do book as it gets busy and if you’d like to BYO wine it’s $5.50 corkage per person.

Me & Mrs Jones Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Manuka’s Public – some excellent lunch salads!

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The Public Bar and Dining Rooms in Manuka has secured a great spot on the corner of Franklin and Flinders.


  
 It’s menu offers something to suit everyone. At lunch on a weekday, that might well be one of the main meal salads that are well sized and perfect for sharing.


Two of the best include the Poached Chicken and roast root vegetables $22…


…and the Slow cooked lamb shoulder with quinoa $23.


Both are delicious. The lamb salad is richer and the chicken salad more subtly flavoured so it’s great to share both for balance.

If you have a Canberra Entertainment Card then you only pay for the more expensive salad making it great value as well.

Not BYO but wine by the glass his reasonable.

Monday is two for one pizzas.


 Another very handy spot to have on your list of ‘go to’ eateries in the inner south of Canberra.

Public Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Maple & Clove – another look at lunch

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Maple and Clove is tucked away in the Realm precinct overlooking a lovely grassed space between the Burbury and Realm Hotels.


 Very helpfully it is open 7 days for breakfast and lunch although it does pay to book as it’s popular.


The menu on-line does differ to the one available in house, but similar dishes are offered.

It’s a perfect place for sharing dishes and the dishes are designed to be a little lighter, yet tasty so they leave you feeling satisfied but comfortable.


A good combination is a small Maple Raw Green Salad $12 – Baby kale, avocado, baby spinach, broccoli, asparagus, activated almonds + lemon, sesame dressing.


A meal size is also available for $18 and you can add a slow cooked egg for $4 extra.

It has a nice crunch from the nuts and a good balance to the Turkey and Zucchini  Burger $19 -Lean turkey mince and zucchini patty, served with sumac yogurt dressing on a polenta roll with sweet potato wedges. This is a very good choice with good flavours and textures. The polenta bread is particularly good.

Maple and Clove is an excellent spot for a week day lunch in the Barton area and offers an interesting menu suited to sharing, good value, good service and a very lovely setting and atmosphere.
Maple & Clove Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Bookplate, National Library, Barton

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Bookplate is a popular spot for lunch (served 12-2pm) that’s close to major Canberra tourist attractions.

While it gets busy on the weekends, weekdays it’s quieter (although parking can be tight).

Choose between a shaded table outside with a great view of the lake or an indoor table where you can admire the Leonard French stained glass windows.

The full menu has a range of interesting choices.

These include the BBQ Beef Bao’s  $19.80 – chinese soft buns filled with texan style pulled beef with housemade BBQ sauce and coleslaw…good flavoured beef, but the coleslaw is fairly plain and the bun a little tough.

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The specials board includes a nice looking Chargrilled Atlantic Salmon $24.50 with Asian style red rice, mango and peanut salad …

…and a Cold Zucchini Soup $12.50 with mustard seed and mint (but also a bit too much cream).

Wine by the glasses starts at a reasonable $7.

There are still some very tempting, made in house, cakes and slices on offer….

…but just before Christmas you could also combine a dessert with the Salmon in a very good Christmas Lunch Special for $29 (good for sharing between two with an extra glass of wine).

And don’t forget to check out options on the breakfast menu that are served until 2pm.

Opening Hours

Mon – Thurs 7:30am – 5pm

Fri 7:30am – 4pm

Sat – Sun 9am – 4pm

Public Holidays 10am – 3pm

Bookplate Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Bicicletta, New Acton – always open!

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Because Bicicletta is the restaurant for the Peppers Gallery Hotel in Acton it is very helpfully open for three meals a day, seven days a week.

It has a good Italian menu and a specials board… (the salmon fillet and the marinated sirloin both looked excellent!).

If you are a group ordering together, it can be good to share the Pan Di Pizza to start followed by a mix of salad, pasta and pizza.

For a group of five or six good choices are……

ANTIPASTI

Pan di pizza                                                                       Rosemary & extra virgin olive oil or garlic & chilli $13

PASTA

Tortellini di yucca – Homemade tortellini stuffed with roasted pumpkin in a creamy gorgonzola sauce finished with toasted pine nuts & parmesan scales $26….

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….but it may have been better to order the very good Fusilli alla bolognese – Traditional pasta with Nonna’s 3 meat bolognaise sauce $23
Pappardelle al rage d’agnello – House made pasta with braised lamb in balsamic, thyme & grated pecorino cheese $27 (delicious)

INSALATE + CONTORNI

Arugula e parmigiana – Baby rocket leaves, corella pears, beetroot chips, shaved parmesan in a mustard & balsamic dressing – $16…..


……But maybe next time it would be good to try the

Insalata al salmone – Smoked king salmon with crispy mesclun, potato rosti, Spanish onion, cherry tomato in a seeded mustard dressing $18….

PIZZA

Campanula – Buffalo mozzarella, Italian pork sausage, potato, wild mushrooms & basil $24

There’s pleasant seating both inside and out as well as a very cozy and stylish bar area.

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Service is efficient and helpful.
Prices are reasonable and Canberra Entertainment Book holders are offered a 25% discount.

There’s not a BYO wine option but wine by the glass is around. $8.50 and you can order a bottle for around $38.
There’s a regular 10% service charge added to the bill.
Open public holidays there is also a 10% surcharge.

OPENING HOURS

​Dine in or take away

​Breakfast

Mon – Sun: 7am – 11am

Lunch

Mon – Sun: 12noon – 3pm

Pizza Window

Mon – Fri: 12noon – 3pm

Dinner

Mon – Sun: 5pm – 10pm

1/15 Edinburgh Avenue

Canberra ACT 2601

02 6262 8683
Bicicletta Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Fine Eating’s Top Canberra Restaurant for 2015, Space, Woden – an illustrated menu!

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When Space opened on 8 October 2015, it was Fine Eating’s most popular post for the year.

Woden CBD had been longing for a new eatery – stylish, creative, exciting!


  
  

Space is all that and so much more. Each dish is both a work of art, and full of surprising but wonderful flavours and textures – both beautiful and delicious!

The all day breakfast dishes and the gourmet salads are still the highlights of the menu with great coffee and good wine by the glass to back it up. (And yes wine goes very well with these breakfast dishes).




And then the very famous desserts arrived….

 
An illustrated menu…. ( with many thanks to all the friends who shared the meals, lovely 2015 memories!)

All day breakfast


Full service $21.90

Minor service $ 16.90

Space Benedict $18.90


  

Hot Cakes $17.90

Smoked Salmon Breakfast $18.90



Polenta Waffles $18.90


  
Breakfast Fritters $18.90


  

Muesli $15.90


Egg& Bacon Roll $11.90

Space Jam $6.90

Salad Bar & Gourmet Sandwiches

Roast Chicken Sandwich $14.90

  

Pulled Pork Roll $14.90

Mushroom Sandwich $14.90


Chicken Peach Salad $18.90

Pulled Pork Salad $18.90

  

Smoked Trout Salad $18.90

  
Roast Vegetable Salad $18.90



Lunch

Chicken Burger $16.90


Pulled Pork Sliders $16.90

Wagyu Cheese Burger $16.90


Fish and Chips $19.90


Calamari $19.90

  
Space Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Me & Mrs Jones, Kingston – a look at dinner

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Me & Mrs Jones on the corner of Giles and Kennedy Streets in Kingston is a very versatile eatery – open often and late.

Monday 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Wednesday 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Thursday 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

It’s especially good for breakfast or  lunch but also serves dinner. dinner. (The sister eatery, Urban Pantry in Manuka is probably a better choice for dinner, but it’s not open Mondays.)

The inside decor is described as ‘industrial chic’ and it is indeed inviting and relaxed.

  

However, in summer it’s lovely to sit outside and enjoy the warm evening.

Offering BYO wine at $5.50 per person and two for one mains for Canberra Entertainment Book holders, it’s also good value.

The Confit Duck Legs are delicious for dinner, but very rich, so best shared. There’s plenty of meat on the legs so up to four people could use this as a share dish.

CONFIT DUCK LEGS – Twice cooked w/sesame coated sticky rice, apricot tamarind relish, chinese broccoli & chili soy caramel $34

The Linguini with Squid is popular and the pasts is lovely. Another good dish to share in a group.

LINGUINI – Shaved squid, black mussels, young leeks, asparagus, white wine, heirloom tomatoes & fresh herbs $28

The Banofee Bowl is pleasant, but lacks the special touch of some of the other peanut butter desserts around town.

BANOFEE BOWL – Butterscotch mousse, caramelised banana, banana custard, waffle crunch & dehydrated peanut butter $14


  
  
  
  

 Me & Mrs Jones Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Space, Woden – trying a few more dishes

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Space has only been open two months, but it’s the best thing that’s happened for Woden CBD dining for years.

Every dish is a winner. You just can’t go wrong.

This however, makes choosing very difficult.

Whether to go for one of the all day breakfast dishes, like the Polenta Waffles with lemon thyme sautéed mushrooms, goat’s cheese poached eggs, corn purée, salsa verde and the truffle oil that is added at the table with great flair and fun! $18.90…

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…the Smoked Salmon Breakfast $18.90 delicious flavours with hot smoked salmon, poached eggs, smashed avocado, coconut roesti, puffed grains, dukkah and lime dressing…

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….or the still truly top breakfast pick Space Benedict – pulled pork croquette with poached eggs, beetroot hollandaise, pork cracking brioche crumb and pea purée $18.90…

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…or one of the lovely salads like the top pick Pulled Pork Salad $18.90 with pulled pork, pearl couscous, almonds, peas, mint, feta, pomegranate and Harissa yogurt…..

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….or the Roast Vegetable Salad $18.90 with roasted baby carrots, pumpkin, beetroot, green olive and almond tapenade, pickled grapes, walnuts, goats cheese, quinoa and lemon poppy seed dressing …

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….( very nice, but not as good as the second top pick Chicken Peach Salad or the third top pick Smoked Trout Salad)….

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….or one of the very generous Gourmet Sandwiches like the deliciously flavoured Roast Chicken sandwich $14.90 with roast lemon and thyme chicken, smashed avocado and peas, fresh tomato, Swiss cheese and lime aioli.

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This would be a good choice if you’re not so hungry and want to take some with you for later, or if two people are wanting to share a light savoury snack with a drink and you weren’t wanting….

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…the Pulled Pork Roll $14.90 has a good flavour with the lemongrass pulled pork, coriander, carrot, chicken pate, lime aioli and chilli , but it gets a little soggy underneath….

…or the smaller Mushroom Sandwich $14.90 that comes on a brioche roll and includes a goats cheese stuffed portobello mushroom with green olive and almond tapenade and crème fraiche…

….one of the beautiful work of art patisserie choices like the Blueberry Blueberry $9.90 Cheesecake, good for sharing as serves are generous and the cake quite rich.

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However, you may like to try one of the gourmet burgers like the Pulled Pork Sliders $16.90 for three on a charcoal coloured brioche bun –  pulled pork, salsa verde, cabbage slaw with chipotle aioli….

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…or the Chicken Burger $16.90 a crispy Moroccan spiced chicken breast with purple slaw, bacon and aioli…

…..or the Calamari – sumac spiced crispy calamari with red pepper hummus, smoked almonds, quinoa and watercress salad with citrus aioli $19.90.

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Perhaps the very best choices are the salads and the more savoury breakfast dishes.

However, every dish is presented beautifully and thoughtfully…the flavours always delight.

Every visit to Space is a treat.

But the secret is out, so do head there early to make sure you get a table.

Some bookings are taken, but there’s always Space left for walk-ins.

It can get noisy so ask for the table in the corner between the Furzer Street window and the bar if you have a group and want to chat.

The only way to solve the problem of what to order is to visit regularly and work though the whole menu!

A mission to look forward to.
    
Space Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

A.Baker, New Acton – a first look at dinner

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A. Baker has an enviable setting in the historic old Acton Hotel buildings, and opening onto established garden courtyards at both front and back.

 

Supporting local producers and even growing some produce themselves…

… A. Baker strives for excellence in it’s food and wine menus

….and this is reflected in the pride, confidence and welcome if the service staff.

 

Especially delicious are the pork belly, prune and tarragon canapés….

….but the south coast oysters with cucumber and citrus…

 

And the charred cauliflower with sesame and ponzu are also good.

 

It’s a good idea to order as a group and share a range of share plates and dishes.

This gives great variety in styles, flavours and textures.

Good choices include….

Starters…

…shared cured meats with A. Baker bread and olive oil ($25 for three)….

…..Shaw River buffalo mozzarella, black garlic, smoked walnuts and quinoa…

…….Braised Octopus, skordalia, baked panchetta, blood orange and almond…

Mains

Baked local mushrooms, Dutch cream gnocchi, kale, local primo sale…

Charred lamb neck, Harissa, bean, radish and sumac salad, smoked whipped ricotta…

And a lovely dessert is the Black sesame bavarois, strawberries, pink peppercorn meringue and sorrel.

 

A good choice for a special dinner, brunch or a coffee.

A. Baker Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato