Baan Latsamy, Manuka a menu for 10

Baan Latsamy in Manuka is a good spot for a group dinner.

For ten people it works well to order:

5x Crunchy Eggplant with Chicken and Prawn for entree $12.90

2 x Duck Hotpot $24.90

2x a curry such as Beef or Chicken Mussaman Curry $19.90

2x Prawn stir fry with ginger and vegetables $22.90

and 4x coconut rice $3.50

With corkage for three bottles of wine $6 per botttle and the 25% discount with the Canberra Entertainment Book (up to three cards can be used for groups of six or more) it works out at around $17 per person. Great value and good flavours and servcie!

Tongue and Groove

Tongue and Groove is a good spot in the city for a drink with a stylish open atmosphere and friendly staff.

Organise a party there and you may also get a free drink for everyone!

If your looking for something to eat as well then sharing a pizza and a salad could work well.

A great Christmas Party idea – $20 for three courses with drinks at Taste of Bangladesh, Manuka

If you’re hosting a large party, but want to eat out, it can be hard to find a budget friendly venue that’s flexible and happy to work with you to create a great lunch or night out for your friends, family or work colleagues.

So Taste of Bangladesh upstairs in the Style Arcade in Manuka is a real gem.

Not only do they serve delicious, well priced dishes in generous serves for sharing but they charge no corkage and have plenty of room for a large group to relax.

For $20-$25 per person (depending on what you spend on the wine) you can enjoy three courses along with drinks.
And if you want to give people the opportunity to mingle and chat over a drink when they arrive, just ask for the private area and some entree fingers foods like onion bhaji with mint and tamarind chutneys ($7 for 4) and chicken tikka pizza $12 per pizza ( slice into 8-9 pieces) to be served as canapés.

Pappadoms are complimentary and another snack that’s good with a drink.

By ordering three dishes ($14 – $16.50), a raita ($3.50) two rice ($3 each) and two naan ($2.50 each) per 4-5 people, there’s a good range of flavours that’s perfect for sharing.

Fish Bengali…

Chicken Dum Murgh…

and Palak Paneer….

are always winners and the cheese and spinach naan is delicious!).

The Yellow dal is great too, especially if more people like vegetarian dishes.

Either share some gulab jaman and mango kulfi (both $4.50 each)…

….or bring along your own cake and cream ( or other dessert) to share for dessert.

Cakeage is $1 per person but it also means you can bring your own soft drinks, juice and decorations (it’s a ‘party charge’ actually).

Whatever you need just have a chat to Shafique and Fahana who just want to do whatever they can to make your lunch or dinner a success!

Lotus Bay Restaurant, Yarralumla

The very popular Lotus Bay Restaurant at the Canberra Southern Cross Club offers fine dining seafood dishes at mid range prices.

Chef Jojy prepares beautifully presented flavours. Joined by manager Simon, the team serves Snapper and the cruise boat as well as Lotus Bay.

Entrees include…

Pan seared scallops with black pudding and cauliflower espuma and salmon caviar (very good) $16

Freshly opened South Australian Black Mussels in Tomato and Basil soup $12

Baked Coffin bay oysters wrapped in proscuitto and BBQ sauce $16

Prawn and Crab Salad marinated in lemon with fresh herbs and citrus mayonnaise $19

Pesto Marinated cherry tomatoes and Bococcino Skewers with salad and grissini sticks $16

The Traditional sour dough roll with butter $2 is very good and well worth the low price.

Mains include…
Roasted Pumpkin and Goat’s Cheese Ravioli $24 – Alfredo sauce and wilted baby spinach

Pan- seared Tasmanian Ocean Trout $30 – Kumera fondant, crispy fennel and dill salad served with lemon jam

Five Spiced 16 Hours Cooked Barbeque Glazed Pork Belly $28
with Potato champ and Vichy carrots

Surf and Turf $34 – Grain fed beef tenderloin llet, herb & garlic marinated prawn, Parisian mash and tarragon avoured Béarnaise sauce

And then there is Chef Jojy’s signature dish, freshly cooked Atlantic Lobster served with lobster cream sauce, sprinkled with grated cheese and béarnaise sauce….

…. it comes with an entrée of Lobster bisque and bread roll for $42.90.

Only available on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

The desserts are well priced at $12.50 but not as good as the other courses.
The best is the black sesame seed icecream that comes with the mango mousse layered vanilla sponge and coconut espuma…

…The lemon and lime cheesecake is not quite sweet enough…

…The pistachio chocolate terrine is very, very rich.

..and there’s an Adffogato – Vanilla ice cream, shot of co ee, Tuaca liquor.

Perhaps the best choice for dessert would be the trio of house made ice-cream.

Wine by the glass starts at around $9..

…and there’s a bar menu.

The views of the lake are lovely in the day time…however generally the decor has a club feel as you would expect.

High Tea at home – a great idea for a large group

If you have a cupboard of inherited, mixed not matched, china and perhaps some interesting table cloths, ( or even if you don’t) then hosting a high tea can be a great way to bring people together.

It’s relatively easy, because everything can be made ahead (much even frozen) and set out on tables before guests arrive. You can choose to serve savoury options as canapés first with a glass of bubbles, before everyone sits down for tea and sweets delicacies.

By creating a high tea at home you have lots of flexibility with the food, drinks and seating arrangements. You can cater easily for dietary preferences and plan the event so that everyone can chat and get to know more people. Also more people can afford to join in than when you book a $50 per person set menu, and where you only get to talk to those directly next to you.

Good ideas for savoury canapés in include cheese chorizo and corn muffins…..

….smoked salmon on cucumber or 1/2 scones…

Asian style frittata….

pinwheel sandwiches with smoked oyster, cumin, lemon juice and cream cheese dip ( ask the bakery to slice the bread length wise)

Pikelets with blue cheese/cream cheese dip and caramelised pear with date and walnuts.

It’s also easy to make these options gluten free is required.

Sweet options that can be made ahead include chocolate dipped strawberries….

….scones with jam and cream ( less preparation if served halved with whipped cream and jam separately)..

…mini cup cakes decorated (e.g. Lemon curd centred muffins, with lemon icing and candied lemon…

…pancake swirls with cinnamon and brown sugar and cream cheese and walnuts..

…chocolate rum balls..

…meringues with chocolate…

…chocolate caramel slice…

Mini trifles in shot glasses ( available from Home Base, Woden Westfield).

You can also accept offers of help with food preparation if you choose as things are easy to add to the table as they arrive.

Cups and saucers can be matching or miss matching. It works well with mugs and small plates too. Look out for inexpensive three tier stands at Aldi or use cardboard versions available from Home Base or Reject shops.

Trestle tables are about $34 and folding chairs about $8 each from Bunnings.

Dinner for 100 at Pride of Siam

It can be difficult to find a restaurant that has a pleasant setting, is willing to close it’s doors to take a private booking for 100 people and still offer BYO wine ($4 per bottle) and a three course meal (suitable for special dietary requirements) for $20 per person.

Pride of Siam, co-located with the Croatian Soccer Club behind the Deakin shops is a gem.

Food is good, service is efficient and Addie is happy to accommodate special dietary requirements and other special needs.

$20 menu for a large group

Entree

Vegetable fresh spring roll (Gluten free, vegetarian, peanut free, dairy free, non-spicy) (omit peanut sauce for peanut free).

Main course

Green curry with chicken chicken (Gluten free, vegetarian (if required), peanut free, dairy free)

Stir fried bean curd with chilli basil (Gluten free, vegetarian, peanut free, dairy free)

Pad cee iew chicken (Gluten free, non-spicy, peanut free, dairy free)

Rice (Gluten free, vegetarian, peanut free, dairy free, non-spicy)

Thai Dessert

Black bean with coconut milk (Gluten free, vegetarian, peanut free, dairy free, non-spicy)

The main dishes are especially tasty.

Parking is easy.

Contact Addie though the restaurant for more details about a large booking.

The only issue can be the noise as the is no carpet making it a bit difficult for conversation.

Taj Agra Indian Restaurant, Belconnen

Taj Agra Indian Restaurant in Belconnen is a great spot for a group meal when you want easy parking and a pleasant, quiet place to chat over a good shared meal.

Soft frunishings and thick carpet, make talking very easy.

Service is friendly and efficient and mid-week the restaurant is quiet and provides a lovely private feel.

The Taj Agra Banquet is $32.50 and includes:

Pappadoms and raita

Entrees

Aloo Tikka – potato patties with mint sauce

Chicken Malai Kebab (very good) boneless chiciken matrinated in cream cheese, fresh chilli and mint and cooked in a clay oven with tamarind sauce

Mains:

Butter Chicken (really very good)

Lamb Rogan Josh

Vegetable Korma

Naan and Rice

Dessert

Gulab Jaman and Icecream

Corkage is $5 per bottle and the restaurant offers a 25% discount for Entertainment Card holders making the Taj Agra banquet aroudn $24 per person.

It can also work well to design your own banquet and order fewer serves of your preferred dishes to share. This can be a more comfortable amount of food and more budget friendly. It also ensures you get the dishes that you like best.

The mains with an extra dish not usually included in this banquet Alu Palak – potato and spinach curry with spices

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A $20 banquet idea for a large group Christmas Party

If 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).

Fine Eating

Hints Hacks and Highlights

Ideas for larger groups

Baan Latsamy, Manuka a menu for 10

Tongue and Groove

Lotus Bay Restaurant, Yarralumla

Dinner for 100 at Pride of Siam

Taj Agra Indian Restaurant, Belconnen

A $20 banquet idea for a large group Christmas Party

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