La Rustica, Kingston Foreshore

La Rustica is a great spot for celebrating a special occasion with a group. The menu offers many Italian favourites, in generous sizes that are well suited for sharing.
Spacious and airy, it is nicely situated on the Kingston Foreshore having moved recently from it’s former Kennedy Street, Kingston location. A warm and friendly experienced family business, staff are flexible and helpful when ordering.
Four dishes for six people is about right for lunch, but if you order more than you need, staff are happy for any leftover to be taken home.
Prices are good value and BYO is offered at $4 per person.

The antipasto (for a starter), a salad, a pizza and a risotto (or pasta) makes a a nice combination of dishes.
The chicken risotto was definitely the stand out dish and a favourite for all.

Mediterranean Antipasto $24 – selection of cold meats, Italian cheese, marinated vegetables, served with crusty Italian bread.

Verdura salad $15.90 – marinated and grilled seasonal vegetables tossed in an avocado and lime dressing (I’d probably try the Caprese next time).

Rissotto Pollo $22.90 Penne Asparagus $22.90

Lasagna $18.90

Medium Vincenzo Pizza $23.90 Large Marina Pizza $28.90

Bella Vista, Belconnen

Bella Vista, on Emu Bank Road, overlooking the lake is open for lunch weekdays and dinner Monday to Saturday.

Service is attentive and efficient, BYO is offered at $4.50 per person.

For a group dining together, it’s worth considering one of the lunch banquets ($17.50 /$24.50) that may also be available at dinner, by prior arrangement (minimum 10 people).

Lunch Banquet Menu B $ 24.50

Entree

Calamari Fritti
Crumbed calamari rings fried and served with fresh lemon wedges, Tartar sauce and chips.

Frittata Toscana
Vegetarian omelette bites grilled with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. (This is very delicious).

Pizzettine – Thin pizza fingers with bacon and cheese on tomato base with herbs. (Needed a little more flavour).

Mains

Farfalle Medici – Toasted button mushrooms, bacon, onion and garlic in a creamy sparkling white wine sauce.

Tortellini panna – Sautéed beef pockets with bacon and fresh ground black pepper in a creamy parmesan flavoured
sauce.

Pasta Primavera -Seasonal vegetables simmered with olives, capers and sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy “Pomarola”
sauce.

Fusilli Arrabiata – Mildly spicy tomato, garlic and basil sauce studded with pitted “Kalamatta” olives. (A favourite)

Penne Casa – Pan-fried ham pieces with garlic and chilli then tossed through a tomato and cream sauce.

Serve sizes of the pastas are very generous, and it’s possible to take any extra left, with you.

Desserts are beautifully presented and very generously sized, ideal for sharing between two. (These are not included in the $24.50 banquet)

Jamie’s Italian, Canberra City

Jamie’s Italian is one of those places that needs to be tried, just to see what all the excitement is about.
But having said that, it’s hard not to feel the effects of the ‘scripted service ‘ and end up ordering (and eating) too much. So go armed with some strategies. Unless you have a big appetite, three full courses may well be too much.
Sampling across the whole menu may be better in a few visits, or try sharing some of the courses, or under ordering. For example, the planks are great (especially the meat plank) but one serve between two ($14 per serve) with a bread tin ($1.50), may be enough if you are having three courses.

Bread tin $1.50 Meat plank for four ($4x$14)

The planks are also much more interesting and better value than the small plates.

Fried Three Cheese Gnocchi $10 Baked Mushrooms $15.50

If you are planning to have a few courses then an entree sized pasta dish may also be enough.

Entree sized pasta dishes

Trifle $10 Epic brownie $10

Tiramisu $11

In the dessert space, everything looked beautiful, but I suspect the best tasting dessert was the trio of icecreams (serve size is small).

No BYO and though caraffs and bottles of wine are available, it’s a similar price to buying by the glass.

P.J. O’Reilly’s, Canberra City

PJ O’Reillys is conveniently centrally located, on the corner of West Row in Civic, Canberra City centre.

Meals are well priced ($18 – $27 approx) and serve sizes generous. Wine by the glass is also well priced starting at $6.
In addition to the menu, there are blackboard specials. The Lamb Shank special was delicious and a bargain at $23 for two shanks.

Weeknights also have regular specials (e.g. Monday is Atlantic Salmon with Sav Blanc night $20 (usually $24).

The Eye Fillet at $27 (not as good value or as nice as some other meals). Atlantic Salmon $18

PJ O’Reillys also offers two meals for the price of one, in the Canberra Entertainment book (but not on the weeknight specials).

However, it has to be said, that it’s noisy (footy on TV, trivia night, drinkers after work) and you never forget that you’re in a pub.

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.

Pride of Siam, Deakin

Pride of Siam, is a little known suburban gem in Deakin that is a stronger contender for one of Canberra’s top Thai restaurants!

Don’t be discouraged by the exterior or if it’s quiet when you enter. The decor is very pleasant, staff are gracious and attentive, the food is very delicious and the value is exceptional.

The Red Duck Curry may be Canberra’s best, the Massaman Lamb Curry (both $17.50) rivals that of Chong Co.

The Pad Thai ($16.50) is excellent and serve sizes are very generous and great for sharing between six.
Four dishes and rices (coconut rice $3, is lovely) between six people is a good ordering plan.
Corkage is a low $4 per bottle.
…and Entertainment Book holders are eligible for a 25% discount.

Crispy crab dumplings $9.50 per 4 Duck spring rolls $9.50 for 4

Chicken and Cashew nut stir fry $17.50 Two serves Roti bread $3.50 per serve

Boffins Restaurant, Acton, Canberra

Located in University House at ANU , this historic restaurant, offers white linen table cloths and heritage decor.

The Beef fillet is tender and a good choice. Vegetable stack

The menu is quite short but sufficient, and wine is reasonably priced. (No BYO).

The complimentary bread is delicious as is a complimentary d’oevre (this time cucumber, pumpkin and pine nuts). Try to book the tables rather than the booths for better ambiance.

Bentham Street Pizza Bar, Yarralumla

Bentham Street is so much more than a Pizza Bar…it’s a very local, Yarralumla, community caring, eatery that takes good care of it’s guests who are clearly well-loved regulars.

Equally welcoming to new comers, it’s easy to feel like you are eating in someone’s home, rather than an impersonal restaurant. And it’s lovely.

Great for a group wanting to share a meal, but keep to a budget, Bentham Street offers a large range of interesting pizzas for $21-22 and lovely salads for $10.50-$16.50.
Ordering three different pizzas (up to 4 different pizzas per 8 people for everyone to get a piece of each) and two different salads per six people is about right for a group.
BYO is $5 per bottle and cakeage is $2 per person (and very useful if your group needs to stick to a budget of about $20-25 per person (including wine and cake).

Favourite pizza was the No.5 Four cheese bocconcini, blue, fetta dna mozarella with red onion, baby spinach on a creme fraiche base
Followed by No. 14 Spanish Chorizo, capsicum, fetta, onion, tomato and mozarella

and then No. 11 Gourmet vegetarian and lastly the no. 12 Pumpkin, fetta, bacon, and spinach on a creme fraiche base.

Favourite salad was the feta salad with mesculin, feta, rocket, olives, tomato and roast capsicum with balsamic dressing, rather than the pear rocket, walnuts and shaved parmesan salad, both $12.50.

However, both the smoked salmon salad $16.50 and the chicken salad $15.50 are also excellent as is the caprese salad with tomato and fresh basil $15.50.

Spicy Ginger Cuisine – Canberra City

Spicy Ginger Cuisine is a popular spot for Sichuan cuisine, close to ANU on the corner of Childers Street.

The decor is and atmosphere are inviting and attractive and staff are friendly and efficient.
Dishes are delicious and serve sizes are generous, great for sharing between even six or seven people.
Four dishes with rice would be suitable for four to six people.
Prices range, but some of my favourites were the least expensive. Rice is only $2 per serve.
BYO is available at $8 corkage per bottle.
Parking can be tricky if it’s busy, but after hours, it’s worth trying near the Drill Gallery on Kingsley Street.

My favourites were

Cumin seeds spicy flavoured lamb $22.80 Gongbao chicken $18.80

Chilli beans (stir-fried fresh runner beans and pickled vegetables with Sichuan dried chillies) $ 15.80
Chicken sang choy bao (four serves) $14.80 – great for an entree

(This menu with rice is $80 -$84 for 4-6 people, $14 – $20 per person )

Others enjoyed the Braised eggplant in hot pot $14.80.

The Sizzling beef in black pepper sauce $18.80 and Scallop and prawn balls with ginger and shallots $ 24.80 (quite hot with lots of chilli) were also good.