Reviews (Around Canbera)

Copper Chimney, West Row, Canberra City – more winning dishes

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While it’s good to know some good picks at Copper Chimney, you really can’t go wrong when you try something new.


The Butter Chicken, Kadai Paneer and Saag Lamb are just as good as the Fish Methi Marsala, Chettinad Chicken, Prawn Goanese and Kadhai Lamb.


Another good sharing menu for six to seven people is:

Entree:

The amazing Palak Papdi Chaat $13.90


and the equally good Chicken 65 $14.90 (one of each).


Mains:

One each of four dishes…a popular mix is:

Butter Chicken $18.90


Saag Lamb $19.90


Kadhai Paneer $18.00


Fish Methi Marsala


Add two serves rice ($3 each) and 3-4 Plain Naan ($4 each).

Corkage is $6 a bottle.

Pramod, Sunil and the other Copper Chimney staff deliver very fine and friendly service.


And it’s great value. Altogether it’s around $130 plus corkage for six to seven people.

If you have a Canberra Entertainment Card, it’s even less with a 25% discount up to $30.

Well worth having on you list of ‘go to’ restaurants!

Copper Chimney Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Urban Pantry – trying the wishlist!

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Urban Pantry may be the top spot in Manuka for lunch. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating….

….good service, an interesting and reasonably priced menu, BYO wine at $5.50 per person and two for one meals for Canberra Entertainment Book holders.

The salads are a great choice.

The Grilled Halloumi with smoked tomatoes, pickled zucchini, wild roquette, chickpea puree, labneh, za’atar $21 is excellent.

It has lovely flavours and textures.

The Seafood Lasagne with sand lobster, Crystal Bay prawns, barramundi, crustacea butter, saffron, concise tomato $32 is very beautiful and generous with its seafood, but very rich and best shared between about four people.

Urban Pantry 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

Mandalay Bus, Haig Park, Braddon – just as good as ever!

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The Mandalay Bus in Haig Parkin Braddon is still going strong.


Open Wednesday to Sunday from 6pm, the favourites on the regular menu are as good as ever….


Satay Chicken with Kimchi on Roti $9


Spicy Pork Tortilla $10


Burmese Chicken Coconut Noodles $10


Vegetarian Samosaa $9


However there are some great specials to try too…


Jalapeno Aioli Fries $9


…and  the Burmese Style Greeen Bean Salad with coriander, peanuts and tamarind dressing $11. It’s a large serve of crisp green beans with a tart yet sweet and light dressing and a yogurt garnish. It’s lighter than the other dishes and an excellent choice on a warm evening.

The Peach and Vanilla Pannacotta $8 is just beautiful and worth getting just because it looks so great. The fresh peach is accompanied by wonton crisps, cream, pannacotta and raspberries.


The Crispy Lamb Ribs with Asian cabbage $15 while tasty and a good sized serve, is very fatty.


It’s till a good option to take your own chairs, wine and glasses and set up under the trees.

The Mandalay Bus Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Courgette, Canberra City – very fine dining

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Chef James Massillon continues to creates magic with food and service at Courgette on Marcus Clarke Street in Canberra City.

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Indeed Courgette’s wait staff are the finest in Canberra –  familiar faces who develop an instant rapport while behind the scenes, seamlessly choreographing the meal to ensure a perfect evening.

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Each of the three ($66) or four ($88) courses offers a choice of beautifully presented dishes carefully matched to the serving ware.

The flavours and textures of each dish are clearly carefully chosen.

Courgette also very helpfully takes bookings and offers BYO wine at $18 corkage per bottle.

The current choice of dishes differs a little to the Four Course Dinner menu on-line.

First course is not as strong as the other courses and offers a choice of…

Meredith goats cheese cloud, heirloom tomato, basil pesto, green olive, toasted seeds, sundried tomato crisp which is beautifully presented on a very appealing natural piece of wood, but it misses out on creating a memorable flavour….

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…whereas the Prawn cannelloni, sweet bell pepper, baby cos, smoked paprika, radish, tarragon oil is very flavoursome and nicely textured (particularly the cannelloni) making this the better choice of these two dishes on offer.

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Second course offers a choice of four dishes.

The rare roasted Mandatory creek venison, baby capers, carrot gel, pickled cucumber, reggiano, bush pepper has great flavours and is a good choice.

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The seared scallops, smoked cauliflower purée, fennel crunch, fermented black garlic come on the most the amazing background dish but again, lacks a wow flavour.

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The chicken liver parfait, brioche, quince onion jam, sultanas, spring flowers and herbs gets much praise from Memoirs of a Foodie and would be well worth a try.

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Third course

The Cowra lamb cutlets, lamb shank, tomato chilli jam, baby fennel, celeriac, fresh mulberries are truly delicious and an excellent choice. The  pulled lamb shank meat is mixed with the other flavours and is wonderful.

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The black kingfish fillet with smoked salmon, avruga caviar, courgette blossom, charred leek and pea puree is very good as well.

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Fourth course

The Japanese citrus pannacotta, cinnamon crumb, mandarin gel, lemon and ginger consommé….

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…..and Baked chocolate mousse, banana fritter, honeycomb, salted nutty ice cream are both good choices and have a better flavour than the…

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Seasonal berries, shortbread, toasted Italian meringue, mango sorbet, coconut curd and slivered pistachio nuts.

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Overall, it’s a lovely experience and every care is taken to make you feel special. Dishes appear just when you’d like them, as if Courgette was already expecting you. Even your own BYO wine is decantered and served with care.

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It’s the perfect place for a very special occasion.

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