While it’s always fun to bring people together over good food, it’s also good to know places to head if you need a quick meal on our own where you can order a meal but still leave feeling comfortable.
Meccabah in Manuka, offering Middle Eastern & North African cuisine, is such a spot.
Staff are very helpful and accommodating. They are quick to offer a container to take with you what you would enjoy more later, so it’s easy to order what you’d love to try.
The Harira Soup with lamb, chickpeas and vegetables $16 is steaming, comfort food full of flavour and comes quickly to your table. It is also huge!!! and could easily be enough for two people if you ask for some small bowls for sharing.
It’s a good idea to accept the take-away container so that you can also enjoy a scoop of the delicious ice-cream, especially the Halva, Date and Vanilla or Turkish Delight ($4 a scoop).
Staff happily offer a 25% discount for holders of the Canbera Entertainment Book.
No BYO but wine by the glass starts at $8.
If you do head there with a group try a shared tasting menu for each 4 people with modest appetites of:
A $20 banquet idea for a large group Christmas Party
StandardIf you are planning a Christmas Party for a large group (like a work team or Branch) but need to stick to a budget so that everyone can afford to come, then a $20 three course Bangladeshi Banquet including corkage, may be your answer.
Taste of Bangladesh offers food that is a hit with everyone who visits. It’s great value with large sharable serves, there’s no corkage charge on beer or wine and Shafique, your host is very keen to be flexible to meet your needs.
Special dietary requirements can be met easily. Most options are gluten free, some also dairy free and the spiciness of dishes can be easily varied.
A $20 per person plan could include:
Complimentary pappadoms to start
Entree:
1 onion Bhaji per person $1.75 (4 pieces for $7 and $1.75 each for extras) with tamarind chutney and mint chutney
Mains:
1/2 Cheese and spinach naan per person ($1.75)
4 Dishes per 5 people $12.30 per person
Good choices are:
Dum Murgh (chicken)
Fish Bengali
Palak Paneer (vegetarian)
Chicken Biriyani
2 serves plain rice per 6 people (this enough if also getting a Biriyani) $1 each
1 Raita per 7 people $0.50 each
Dessert
1 serve Gulab Jaman (halved pieces) and 1 serve Mango Kulfi per four people ($2.25 per person)
Free corkage on wine and beer
And for those who would prefer something different, there’s also a range of good pizza for $12 like the Tikka Pizza (may also be an alternate entree).
Taste of Bangladesh and India, Manuka – perfect for a large group
StandardTaste of Bangladesh, in the Style Arcade Manuka is a good spot for a larger group lunch or dinner, such as a work Christmas breakup.
The food is excellent, value is outstanding and the hosts Shafique and Fahana happily accommodating, as they just want you to enjoy their food and hospitality.
There are tables in a more private area, that is quiet, well carpeted and great for chatting. The lighting and music can be adjusted to suit you.
Suggested shared menu for a group of 20 ($20 per person including free corkage)
(Order medium spice level to cater for most people).
To start:
Pappadoms
Mains:
5 x Dum Murgh – boneless chicken marinated in special herbs and spices and cooked on a slow fire
5 x Fish Bengali – Snapper fillet cooked with eggplant in Bangladeshi spices
5 x Palak Paneer – Cubes of cottage cheese with spinach in a mildly-spiced curry
10 x Plain Naan
10 x Rice
Dessert:
Tasting plate of Mango Kulfi x 5 & Gulab Jaman x 10
If you liked this post, then please do follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Pho Phu Quoc Vietnamese Restaurant, Dickson – one of Canberra’s best
Standard
Flavours of India, Woden
StandardFlavours of India at the corner of the Westfield Mall, is one of Woden’s best central lunch spots for groups sharing dishes.
Three dishes, three serves rice and three breads is a good amount to order for six modest appetites.
Good choices are the Butter Chicken $17.90
Aloo Palak (or Paneer Palak would be very good too) $15.50
Lamb Biriyani $20 (excellent)
Kukcha Paneer (Naan stuffed with cheese and onion) $4.50
2 serves rice ($3 per serve)
Carpeted and quiet, it’s a good spot for easy conversation.
Flavours also offer Canberra Entertainment Book holders a 25% discount.
Best of the Best – Favourite eating spots in Canberra
StandardFavourites for Curries
*Taste of Bangladesh (for Onion Bhaji, Cheese and Spinach Naan, Fish Bengali, Dum Murgh, Chicken Biriyani, Palak Paneer, Gulab Jaman, Mango Kulfi and BYO no corkage, complimentary poppadoms)
*Copper Chimney (BYO Corkage $6 per bottle of wine)
*Malaysian Chapter – for Nonya Prawn and Pineapple Curry, Nasi Lemak, Roti Canai for an entree – BYO $3 per person
Chomolungma (for momos, Dal Bhat – BYO $2 per person)
*Taj Agra Dickson (BYO $4 per bottle)
Favourite for Nepalese
Chomolungma (for momos, Dal Bhat – BYO $2 per person)
Favourite for Vietnamese
*Pho Quoc – (BYO $1.10 per person)
Favourites for Thai
Kinn Thai – for Kinn’s Dishes, BYO $3 per person
Thirst – (BYO about $10 per bottle but not on Mondays and Tuesdays)
*Baan Latsamy – for crispy eggplant with chicken and seafood for entree , BYO $5.50 per bottle
Chong Co – for Beef Massaman, Green Chicken Curry, Chicken and Cashews with Chilli Jam Stir-fry, Pork Prik Khing – BYO $3 per person
Favourite for Ethiopian
Global Café, BYO no corkage
Favourites for Sri Lankan
Ceylon café, Farrer
*Camellia (currently moving) (BYO $10 per bottle)
Favourites for a very special occasion
Courgette (BYO $15 per bottle)
*Sage (BYO $15 per bottle)
Yet to try but have heard good things:
Italian and Sons
Favourites for a rather special occasion
*Pistachios – for the tasting entrée trio $20 and tasting dessert plate $20 (good to share) – $7 per bottle corkage
*Chairman and Yip – (BYO $10 per bottle)
Akiba (for soft shelled crab/ pork belly buns, dumplings and mango and coconut sticky rice with macadamia and palm sugar ice-cream) No BYO
Eight Six (expensive drinks though)
Yet to try but have heard good things:
Elk & Pea
*Ox Eatery
CIT Restaurant (No BYO but wine $5 by the glass)
Favourites for a bit more upmarket
*Urban Pantry (BYO $5.50 per person)
*Copper Chimney (BYO $6 per bottle)
Kinn Thai (BYO $3 per person)
Favourites for lunch in Woden CBD
*Belluci’s (for the $19.90 lunch special including a wine/beer)
Favourites for lunch close to Woden CBD
Favourites for lunch under $10 close to Woden CBD
*Wheat & Oats (for the daily specials on display and the goat curry)
Whisk Bakery & Patisserie (for the pies, toasted focaccia and gourmet sandwiches and soup and roll)
Favourites with young children
The Mandalay Bus (summer only) (BYO no corkage)
Snapper – best in Summer (BYO no corkage)
Brodburger – best in Summer (BYO $2.50 per person)
Taste of Bangladesh (for Onion Bhaji, Cheese and Spinach Naan, Fish Bengali, Dum Murgh, Chicken Biriyani, Palak Paneer, Gulab Jaman, Mango Kulfi and BYO no corkage, complimentary poppadoms)
Broddogs at the Hamlet (BYO no corkage)
Global Cafe (BYO no corkage)
Favourite deals
Thirst ( for the Street Stall Banquet $14.90 on Monday and Tuesdays when all entrees and mains are two for the price of one ($10 BYO but not on Mondays and Tuesdays)
Treehouse Bar (for the Wednesday $10 gourmet hot dog and house wine/beer/cider, Thursday two for one gourmet burger and house wine/beer/cider, Friday two for one starters and tapas and happy hour $5 drinks)
Debacle two for one pizzas on Mondays and Tuesdays (no BYO)
The Parlour Wine Room – $16 Lunch special including wine Tuesdays to Sundays (no BYO)
Yet to try but have heard good things:
Edgars Ainslie, $15 Monday to Wednesday meal and drink
Favourite dinners $15 and under
Taste of Bangladesh (for 2 people order- 1 Samosas (2 pieces $7 , 1 Cheese and Spinach Naan ($3.50), 1x Fish Bengali ($16.50) /Dum Murgh ($15.50)/ Palak Paneer ($14) and 1 x rice ($3) – BYO no corkage, complimentary poppadoms)
The Mandalay Bus (summer only) (BYO no corkage)- under $10, get a range and share
Snapper – best in Summer (BYO no corkage) for fish and chips under $10
Brodburger – best in Summer (BYO $2.50 per person) (for Baby Brodburgers around $9 – (try Baby Brodsalmon with blue cheese)
Global Cafe – for the meat combo on injera read with rice to share between two $18.90 (BYO no corkage)
Broddogs at The Hamlet (BYO no corkage)
Chomolungma (for momos, $15 Chicken Dal Bhat – BYO $2 per person)
Pizza Gusto – Pizza $20 to share between two BYO no corkage
*Café Arirang – for Pork/Chicken Kathu Set and Seafood pancake (BYO $4 per bottle)
Ceylon Café, Farrer
Favourite for Yum Cha
Favourites for ice-cream
Frugii Dessert Laboratory – two flavours house-made ice-cream in cone or cup $5
Thirst – house-made ice- cream and sorbet $2.90 per scoop
Favourites for dessert
Akiba for mango and coconut sticky rice with macadamia and palm sugar ice-cream
Frugii Dessert Laboratory – two flavours house-made ice-cream in cone or cup $5
Yet to try but sounds good:
*Hungry Buddha for Gulab Jaman ice-cream, pistachio ice-cream (made by Frugii) and nepali rice pudding ice-cream $7.50 each
Favourites for breakfast/brunch
Favourites for coffee
Koko Black – for cappuccino with chocolate flakes on the side
The Merchant – for the house-made almond crossiant $8.50
Tilley’s Lyneham
Yet to try but have heard good things:
Two Before Ten
Favourites for groups (should have carpet)
*Taste of Bangladesh (BYO no corkage)
*Copper Chimney (BYO $6 per bottle)
*Baan Latsamy (BYO $5.50 per bottle)
Favourites for Sunday lunch
The Merchant – for the baguettes, sharing chattuecuterie plate – no corkage if purchased from the Prohibition Shop
Bookplate at the National Library
The Parlour Wine Room – $16 Lunch special including wine Tuesdays to Sundays
*Cork Street Café, Gundaroo –especially for wood-fired pizza (BYO $2 per person)
Autolyse, Braddon
*Favourites in the Canberra Entertainment Book
Pistachios (BYO $7 per bottle)
Chairman and Yip (BYO $10 per bottle)
Urban Pantry (BYO $5.50 per person)
Me & Mrs Jones (BYO $5.50 per person)
Pho Quoc (BYO $1.10 per person)
Copper Chimney (BYO $6 per bottle)
Sage (BYO $15 per bottle)
Baan Latsamy (BYO $5.50 per bottle)
Café Arirang (BYO $4 per bottle)
Malaysian Chapter (BYO $3 per person)
Cork Street Café (BYO $2 per person)
*In the Canberra Entertainment Book ($60 per book) offering 25% discounts or two for one offers
Taste of Bangladesh, Manuka – an excellent Chicken Biryani!
StandardJust when you thought you’d had the very best at Taste of Bangladesh, something new makes it to the favourites list!!
Once you have the Chicken Biryani $15.50 it’s impossible to order just plain rice again.
And the Bhoona Beef $15 is tender and has a tasty sauce, good for a change but just misses the ‘favourites’.
Still on the favourites list though, is the Cheese and Spinach Naan $3.50. This is a must have, always.
Palak Panner $14 is popular with many and a good choice for variety.
2 mains dishes, a Biriyani and two naan are plenty for four people.
With complimentary pappadoms and no corkage, the value is very hard to beat.
Add a warm and cozy setting, home style hospitality, close and free at night parking in the Medical Centre on Furneaux Street and there is no better spot for a winter night out.
Favourites to date:
Entree
Onion Bhaji
Mains
Fish Bengali
Dum Murgh
Chicken Biriyani
Palak Paneer
Sides
Eggplant Bhorta
A close second:
Bhoona Beef
Goat Curry
Malaysian Chapter, Belconnen – a perfect meal for two!
StandardMalaysian Chapter in Weedon Close Belconnen offers delicious food, great value, a cozy warm atmosphere and easy parking close to the door (great for Canberra winters).
It is open Monday to Saturday for dinner (Tuesday to Friday for lunch) and also offers Canbera Entertainment Book holders a 25% discount.
BYO wine is $3 per person.
There are many great choices (in fact I think you can’t go wrong). (The Malaysian Curry Fish is on my wishlist for next time too.)
However a perfect meal for two that includes two of the top picks but still leaves you feeling comfortable at the end of the meal is 1 serve Nonya Prawn and Pineapple Curry ($21.50) (generous with 9 prawns)…
…. 1 serve jasmine rice ($3)….
….1 serve Roti Canai with dahl (4.00) (ask for it to be warmed)
This is great value at $28.50 for two people ($21.75 with the 25% discount).
But perhaps best of all, is you leave feeling just right, having enjoyed a fabulous meal, in just the right amount, in a warm, cozy and welcoming spot. Something you could easily do often!
If you liked this post, then please do follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Taste of Bangladesh – a perfect menu for 12
StandardAfter much trialling of different dishes the very best combination at Taste of Bangladesh for a group of 12 just has to be:
Pappadoms to start (complimentary)
Entree:
3 serves Onion Bhaji (12 pieces) with tamarind chutney and mint yogurt ($7 each serve)
Mains:
3 serves Fish Bengali, medium spice level ($16.50 per serve)
3 serves Dum Murgh Chicken , medium spice level ($15.50 per serve)
3 serves Palak Paneer, medium spice level ($14 per serve)
4 serves rice ($3 per serve) (5 or 6 serves for larger appetites)
6 Cheese and Spinach Naan ($3.50 per serve)
3 serves Eggplant Bhorta ($5 per serve)
Dessert:
3 serves Gulab Jarman ($4.50 per serve)
3 serves Mango Kulfi ($4.50 per serve)
Total cost per person: $17.75
Free corkage for BYO wine
If you liked this post, then please do follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Chomolungma Nepalese Restaurant, Manuka – trying some more dishes
StandardChomolungma Nepalese restaurant opened in March and is well worth checking out.
Tucked away down the lane near the lawns in Manuka, it’s just across the road from the easy parking after hours in the Medical Centre car park on Furneaux Street, making it a great spot to head in cold or wet weather.
It’s cosy and friendly and the decor is welcoming. Service is attentive and very efficient.
Start with a drink and some complimentary pappadoms while you ponder the menu.
BYO wine or beer corkage is $2 per person.
A plate of momos as a starter is essential as these are excellent and accompanied by a tasty broth and delicious tomato and sesame chutney.
The steamed pork momos are possibly the top pick ($12 for 10).
If you are with a group, consider sharing one of the other entrees too. The Kima Bara – marinated mince with sunshine egg, Sichuan pepper and tomato chutney $8, is also tasty (and a good option for those needing a gluten free alternative to momos as these have a similar flavour in the marinated mince).
For main course choose one of the thali styled meals for $15 -$20 (depending on what type of meat you choose).
Flavoursome curries are accompanied by rice, a tasty dahl, a smokey spinach side and very pleasant crisp vegetable side as well as a spicy mango pickle.
The Garlic chilli prawns $20 (8 prawns) are very hard to beat.
The next top pick may be the chicken $15..
…followed by the goat $18…
…then the lamb $17….
..then the pork ribs $18.
There is also a pan fried vegetable option $15, that is likely to be very good too.
Order some roti to perfectly complete the meal (about 1/2 per person).
All options except the momos and roti are gluten free (just double check the noodles in the the soup and chow mien).
The dishes can also be nut free.
There are also a chow mein (pork/chicken/vegetables) $13 stir fried noodles with garlic, ginger vegetables and herbs and a Thupa (noodle soup with pork/chicken/vegetables and herbs and vegetables) $13 options that can be prepared for those who prefer a low level of spiciness.
Open for dinner 6 days (closed Sundays.)
phone: 0450 317 346
If you liked this post, then please do follow Fine Eating on Facebook and Twitter.
Fine Eating 