Claypot Chef, Farrer – a hidden Sri Lankan gem

Like the Burmese Curry Place and the Global Café (Ethiopian), the Claypot Chef in Farrer offers an exceptionally good, lesser known cuisine, at an unbelievably good price

The Claypot captures authentic South Asian flavours and is a great place to try many of the Sri Lankan classics like Chicken/lamb/prawn Curry $14/$15, Kottu Roti $10-$13 (a little like a fried rice made with diced roti breads served with curry), Biriyani $13.50, Watalappam $4 (like a baked coconut milk and cardamom custard) , String Hoppers $8 (great with curry), Coconut Sambol side dish $5…..and if pre-ordered, or usually on weekends, also Egg Hoppers $2.50 each, Pittu (rice flour and grated coconut cooked in a cylinder shape and served with coconut milk and sambol $4 (minimum of 5), Goat or Black Pork Curry $15 and Lamprais (a Dutch influenced dish) $18.

Serve sizes are generous and ideal for sharing a few dishes up to six people.

Kottu Lamb $13 Devilled Chicken (a favourite) $15

Prawn Curry $15 Large rice $3

Green Beans Curry $10 Delicious plain roti $2 each

Seeni Sambol $5 (quite spicy) Pappadoms 2 for $1.50

Four dishes with a large basmati rice $3 and roti $2 each (so delicious that you will want one each) is plenty for 6 people (especially because Claypot is so lovely and may offer complimentary extras like rice re-fills, pappadums (usually 2 for $1.50) and cooked milk, palm sugar, cardamom and ginger sweets.

Cardamon & ginger sweets Watalappam $4

At around $12 per person, this is a delicious feast,cooked by people who genuinely want to share their love of Sri Lankan food with Canberrans.

As the Claypot is primarily caters for takeaway customers, inside seating is limited. However groups of up to 10 can be comfortably accommodated indoors and up to 30 can eat al fresco, which is very pleasant on a warm summer evening.

It’s good to phone ahead and book, especially if you’d like to try the dishes that take much time to prepare.

So don’t let the casual nature of Claypot distract you from trying the great food, it’s well worth the visit to Farrer shops (next to IGA) and a worthy suburban dining opportunity to support.

Open Tuesday to Thursday 4-8pm and Friday to Sunday 10am-8pm.

Closed Mondays.

Phone 02 62868081

Burmese Curry Place

The Burmese Curry Place has always looked inviting and like incredible value for money ($7 for two curries and rice take away, $8 eat in).
But it is only open until 7pm-7:30pm Monday to Friday.
Serve sizes are generous, particularly for eat in, and service is warm, friendly and quick (instant).
There are just nine curries to pick from, which keeps the choice easy.

Sweet Pork and Chicken and Beans with rice $8 eat in.
I liked the Chicken and Beans (No.8) and Sweet Pork (no. 3) best, followed by the Chicken and Prawn (No.7) and then the Fish Curry (No.5) and last the Vegetarian Curry (mainly shredded potato) (No.9) which I wouldn’t get again.
Reading a few more reviews, I’d like to go back and try the egg curry, fish cake curry and beef and potato curry (and why not try the Chicken and Potato too).
Probably better suited to warmer weather when it’s nice sitting outside as the ‘eat -in’ option is a good one and the dishes are more enjoyable served on a plate. No licensed and no BYO.

Global Cafe Ethiopian – my favourite Canberra cheapie

Located centrally on Northbourne Ave, next to the corner chemist, the Global Cafe doesn’t look much from the outside.

But the food is wonderful and the hospitality generous and welcoming.

Meat & Veg Combination $18.90 Vegetarian Combination $15.90 (both includes rice and extra injera)
The combination injera meal serve sizes are large and made for sharing. There is no corkage cost for wine. This might just be the very best value in town.

Samosas $2.50 each

Open Monday to Friday only, for lunch and dinner, the cafe closes around 8:00-8:30pm. Bookings are taken.
The Global cafe website hosts some excellent background information on Ethiopian cuisine that adds great value to this global culinary experience.

Treehouse, Northbourne Ave, Canberra City – $10 Wednesday night hotdog and beer/cider/wine special

Beef dog with chilli beans (quite good) Haloumi dog with basil and Hummous (even better).

The Treehouse Bar has great lunch and mid week evening specials. Recently the Wednesday night special changed from a $10 roller and beer/cider special to a $10 gourmet hotdog and beer/cider (wine if you’re lucky) special.

Not quite as good as the rollers, but the hand cut chips and aioli are still there and the chilli bean, pork, chicken and haloumi options still feature.

Booking the booth upstairs overlooking the bar, is a great spot for a group.

A Canberra Street Food Tour – a great group summer idea

Exploring street food specialties is one of the most enjoyable foodie travel activities. So why not try the same idea back home?

This way of sharing food together offers variety, value, an opportunity to learn about foods from other cultures, a short stroll between courses and some interesting conversations with eatery staff. But more than that, the ‘progressive dinner’ nature of the meal mixes everyone up each time the group moves, so there’s a chance to chat with more people. It’s a great idea for groups wanting to get to know each better.

Tips for organising a successful street food tour include:
1. Choose warm evenings if sitting at tables outdoors.
2. Choose spots with a BYO licence and low corkage (as you will pay this more than once).
3. Avoid busy nights and stick with eateries where you don’t need to book. (It is hard to predict exactly what time you will arrive and it can be frustrating for staff who are expecting to cater for a whole meal if you only are wanting to order one course.)
4. Pick places where you can come and go easily.
5. Plan to share dishes so that everyone can eat a number of courses but still be comfortable.
6. But do also plan to order sufficient at each spot to justify the use of crockery. (Paying corkage is helpful to cover the use of wine glasses).
7. Estimate the cost per person and keep a kitty to pay from at each venue.
8. Include the cost of wine and corkage. It can be helpful to buy and bring the wine for the group.
9. Leave a tip.

Suggested Canberra City Street Food Itinerary

Entree:
iPho, Garema Place – Vietnamese fresh spring roll $2.50 each ($5 for two, must be bought in pairs). Corkage $3 per bottle wine.
(Allow $3.25 per person) (Open late)

Main:
Global Cafe, Northbourne Ave – Ethiopian Injera bread with Meat and vegetable combination Wat $18.90 per serve (share one between 3 people, includes extra Injera and rice). Corkage free.
(Allow $6.30 per person) (Open until 8-8:30pm).

(On a Wednesday, the Roller and tap beer/cider special at the Treehouse is hard to beat for $10).

Dessert:
Thirst, West Row – Modern Thai Street Food – homemade sorbet ($2.90 per scoop), coffee/tea $3.90, salted plain or peanut caramel $1 (or 80c with a hot drink).
(Allow $7. 60 per person) (open until 9:30pm)

Total $17.15 per person (not including cost of wine or tips)

Treehouse, Canberra City – a quick look at Wednesday evening ‘Rollers’ special

The Treehouse on Northbourne Ave, Canberra City offfers a range of great specials.

Particularly wonderful is the Rollers Wednesday night special available 4-10pm.

$10 includes a glass of beer or cider (5-7pm wine is $5 a glass if you would prefer) as well as a gourmet burger with hand cut chips and aioli.

Chilli beef meatball, caramelised onion and cheddar (especially good)

Pulled pork, apple and fennel slaw (also very nice)

Haloumi, hummus and tomato saffron salsa
Gourmet bread pockets served with a side of
hand cut chips and aioli (also very good)

Mexican chicken fajita and guacamole (probably not as good as the others)

It’s especially nice sitting upstairs with the view through the golden leaves to the main bar.

Treehouse Canberra City

After enjoying CBRfoodie.org‘s great post on the weekday lunch specials at the Treehouse Bar, I had to try them out. The Chilli Salt Squid Salad ($9) was especially good as was the wine ($3). Serve sizes are ideal for lunch. But once there, I was also keen on the great weekday dinner specials and went back to try the 2 for 1 ($18) Thursday gourmet burgers as well. The Rollers on Wednesday nights ($10 with a beer or cider) are still on my wish list.

The Spiced lamb burger with grilled eggplant, spinach and hummus and the Chicken burger with bacon, avocado, cheddar and ranch dressing were both delicious and I’d like to try the Double beef cheeseburger with caramelised onion, pickles, tomato and mustard and the Lentil burger with tomato, rocket, avocado salsa, alfalfa and peanut sauce. Burgers come with a side of hand cut chips and aioli that were a nice addition. (To be honest, one burger with chips could be enough for two.)

At night the Treehouse is very pretty especially if you sit upstairs and enjoy the lights. Happy Hour drinks at night (5-7pm Wednesday to Friday) are $5 for tap beer, house wine, basic spirits & house sparkling making dinner (as wells lunch) very reasonable.

Interestingly, although parking close can be impossible in the city weekdays, there seem to be plenty of parks in front of the Supreme Court, on London Circuit, around lunchtime as people move around.

Beef and Lager Pie (lunch special)

Treehouse by day

Chicken gourmet burger with chips

Spicy lamb burger

Treehouse by night (upstairs)

Brodburger, Kingston Foreshore, Canberra – Baby Brodburgers – Perfectly sized

Brodburger in the Glassworks Building Kingston is famous for it’s gourmet burgers.

Brodchicken
Succulent butterflied Chicken breast, flame grilled. Topped with bacon, avocado, fresh lettuce, tomatoes & Spanish onions. Includes homemade aioli & tomato relish. $ 14.50

Broddeluxe

2 x ½ pound beef patties flame grilled, two eggs, lots of crispy bacon. Topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes & Spanish onions. Includes homemade aioli & tomato relish, $19.50

Brodveg

Assorted flame grilled vegetables (mushroom, eggplant, zucchini, capsicum). Topped with fried halloumi cheese, homemade chillo aioli & tomato relish. Vegan friendly option (eggless aioli and no haloumi) $13.50

But they are HUGE! That’s OK if you’re happy to share one, but a less messy alternative is to order the perfectly sized Baby Brodburger.These are just the right size for around $8.

Baby Brodchicken $9 with a side of chips $2.50

My favourite is the Baby Brodsalmon $9 with blue cheese added. It is divine.

BYO wine. Corkage is $7.50 per bottle.

However Brodburger doesn’t take bookings and has long tables that are shared with other groups. Good to get there early.

You can also phone and pre-order and any burger can be made into a brod mama burger which are made with a well done beef pattie, egg free aioli, and your choice of Swiss or cheddar cheese.”

It’s best in the good weather when you can sit outside and enjoy a lovely Canberra summer evening. You can even take your burger and some wine and head to the lake. In winter it can be a bit chilly, even inside.

OPENING HOURS:

Lunch: 11.30am – 3pm (Tue-Sat)

Dinner: 5.30pm – Late (Tue-Sat)

Sun Lunch: 12.00pm – 4.00pm

Coffee / Cakes from 10am

Closed Mondays

LOCATION

Canberra Glassworks

11 Wentworth Avenue

Kingston ACT 2603

PH: 0261620793

Italian- Canberra World Food Delight, Debarcle Braddon, Canberra – Two for one pizza on Mondays and Tuesdays

I know this is not really Italian, so much as pizza, but it just sneaks in to the Canberra World Food Delights. And on Mondays and Tuesdays Debarcle offers two pizzas for the price of one. A bargain!

A cozy long table with a long couch along one side, is ideal for groups.

Not BYO, but reasonable wine prices.

Suggested menu:

Order the equivalent of one small pizza per person and share for variety.

Cost for food $7 per person on Mondays and Tuesdays.