Daana, Westside, true South Indian hospitality

In South India there is a tradition that ‘the guest is God’. At Daana, Westside Acton, Sunita and Sanjay are following that tradition, making their ‘guests’ feel welcome and special.

Sunita faithfully recreates dishes full of flavour from her home town Palakkad in Kerala, including Canberra’s rare (perhaps only) fresh idli and a range of vada.

Idli Sambar $10 – steamed rice and lentil cakes served with coconut and tomato chutneys and sambar – a spiced lentil and vegetable stew.

Dal Vada – a crunchy and mildly spiced Bengal lentil dumpling served with coconut chutney $10.

I’ve also heard the Peanut Chakna is very good.

But perhaps the star of the menu is the dosa! Choose from a marsala spiced potato filling or a very delicious spiced lamb mince.

A generous serving of two dosa with coconut and tomato chutneys and the very good sambar is $14.

If there’s two or more of you, it’s great fun to get the family sized dosa to share ($30 for the lamb $28 for the potato filling).

Other options are the Onion Pakora $8 – crispy onion fritters with tamarind chutney and mint yogurt

Be transported back to Bombay with a Vada Pao $12.

Travel and Beyond raves about the biriyani that’s served on Sundays. Sunita makes the Andhra Biriyani and Sanjay the Chicken and Goat Biriyanis. The style of biriyani will depend on which week you go, but why not try them all.

Daana is a great spot to head with a group. Grab some tables, take your own wine and glasses and order some dishes to share.

For a group of eight, two plates of Dal Vada with a drink, followed by two plates of idli and then two set of Dosa (or a family dosa), would be perfect.

And do finish with a Marsala Chai, made from scratch with a special home-made blend of spices.

There’s plenty of gluten free options on the menu like idli, dosa and onion pakora.

Sanita and Sanjay are generous with their food and extra plates and sambar and chutneys are no trouble, but most of all they are generous of themselves and will do what it takes to make sure you enjoy your visit.

Daana is cute by day and cosy by night. It’s a small spot in plain surroundings but Sunita and Sanjay have created a haven of warmth and friendliness, that you will remember as you leave, promising yourself to be back soon for more.

Roti House Malaysian Restaurant, Canberra City

The Roti House at the bottom of the Ernst and Young building on Marcus Clarke Street in the City, has really great flaky roti. Once you try it, you will just have to go back for more.

Roti is available with some dahl and chicken curry for $12 per plate….

…but it may be better to order the single roti for $6.50 and team it up with the very delicious Beef Rendang $16.80 – beef curry slowly stewed in coconut milk and secret spices.

….and some tasty Belacan Kangkung $14.80 for variety.

Another popular option is the Murtabak Chicken Roti for $12.50 – roti stuffed with minced chicken, eggs and onion filling $12.50.

The Chicken Satay is tempting at $13.00 for six or $19.50 for nine, but the chicken thigh pieces are fairly fatty.

It’s also worth budgeting some room to share a Roti dessert. Warm sweet Roti goes well with ice-cream and condensed milk, like the Roti Kaya with Ice-cream $8.50 (Roti filled with sweet pandas coconut jam).

Or an alternative to a Roti dessert would be the Sago Gula Melaka – tapioca pearls in palm sugar syrup and coconut milk $7.50 …

…or one of the famous Malaysian shaved ice desserts like Chendol $7.50 or Ice Kacang $8.

Desserts are large and easily shared.

A good menu for four people would be…

1 Beef Rendang $16.80
1 Belcan Kangkung $14.80
2 Roti Canai ($6.50 per serve)
2 rice ($2.80 per serve)

1 Roti Kaya with Ice-cream $8.50
or 1 Roti Pisang (bananas) with ice-cream and coconut jam $11

Approx $15 per person.

BYO wine corkage is $6 and one Canberra Entertainment Book 25% voucher is allowed per table.

Open Monday-Saturday 11:30am-2:30pm; 5pm-10pm.

The decor is plain, service efficient, and it can be chilly in winter when the door opens, but the Roti is amazing!

The menu is on the restaurant website but there are also blackboard specials and some banquet options.

Chong Co, Westfield Woden

The Chong Co Restaurants in Canberra have been constantly offering reasonable priced and generous series of very good Thai food.

But with Chong Co only staying short time in the City and at the Woden Southern Cross Club, the Woden Westfield Mall location is still hanging in there.

This is good news for Woden workers as the dishes are still a great size for sharing and always delicious.

Order one dish and one rice per two modest appetites.

The Beef Massaman Curry $18.90 is still a great choice…

…as is the Pork Prik Khing $17.90.

Rice is $3 per serve.

In the warm weather it’s good to sit outside.

Wheat and Oats, Phillip

Wheat and Oats is thriving, and it’s easy to see why.

It’s close to the Woden CBD, has easy parking, offered an all day breakfast menu….

….as well as a good lunch menu…

…daily ready made specials…..

…blackboard specials….

….a good range of sweet treats…

…a casual and inviting atmosphere…

…true hospitality, quick service and a readiness to be flexible with orders..

…great prices and an extra 25% discount for Canberra Entertainment Book holders.

The blackboard specials are always good…and the current Chicken Korma with rice $12 is light, flavoursome and full of chicken – delicious!

It pairs well with a side salad if you are sharing between two.

A garden salad is $5, but for $7 the tandoori chicken salad is well worth the extra.

Open 7 days for breakfast and lunch, it’s good for a quick weekday lunch or a leisurely weekend brunch.

A Bite to Eat, Chifley

A Bite to Eat, at the Chifley shops, is just a short walk from the Woden CBD.

It has always offered an eclectic, casual and friendly atmosphere that’s very popular with locals.

The lunch menu offers a range of differently sized and priced salad and bread-based meals.

The larger meals can be shared and this is a good idea as they can be quite heavy with dressing… like the Cos and Effect for about $17.90 with Tumut smoked trout, baby cos, crisp beans, cherry tomatoes, dill dressing and boiled egg.

The Ava-Bit-A-Cado, also about $17.90, an avocado bruschetta with herbed ricotta and semi-dried tomatoes is a good choice.

PHONE

(02) 6260 3703

LOCATION

Shop 8
Eggleston Crescent Chifley ACT 2606

OPEN HOURS

Mon 8am–4pm
Tue 8am–4pm
Wed 8am–9.30pm
Thurs-Fri 8am–10pm
Sat 8am–4pm
Sun 9am–8pm

Marble & Grain, Braddon – a great $14 lunch special 7 days

Marble and Grain in Mort St, Braddon is well known for its meats and share dishes, but not so well known for its five great $14 lunch specials, available 12-2pm, 7 days!

While there’s plenty of spots close to the CBD offering good weekday lunch specials it’s rare to find one you can take advantage of on weekends!

The stylish décor and professional service help create a dining experience far above the price of the meal.

Drinks are also reasonably priced making this good value for a relaxed Sunday lunch with friends.

The Ricotta Gnocchi is an excellent choice – light, soft texture, lovely lemon flavours well complimented by the mushroom – a stand out dish.

The Poached Chicken Salad with asparagus, avocado, baby cos and buttermilk caesar dressing is a good partner to the gnocchi if sharing dishes, but definitely the support act.

The list of $14 options is short, but well worth trying out!

Dream Cuisine, Fyshwick – a passion for pastry!

Dream Cuisine is a patisserie with purpose! Owen’s ‘Dream’ is to create the finest laminated pastry and perfect macarons.

Not bound by the rules of traditional pastry cooking, Owen encourages his team to explore new ideas, take risks and experiment with different butters and flours to achieve the very best results. (They even source their butter from Naomi in Myrtleford, Victoria who studied butter making in Europe!)

Along with his mum and business partner, Marilyn, Owen has successfully taken their vision to the Hamlet (Little Dreams), Old Bus Depot Markets and the Capital Region Farmer’s Market.

While the Fyshwick location may not be as convenient as more central spots, it gives the team the space they need to work their magic, and is so worth the trip! (The Lavender macaron is amazing!).

Cozy and cute, Grace and Annie make you feel right at home.

The coffee is excellent and there’s much fun to share as you select a treat from the beautiful display.

This visit to Dream Cuisine was hosted by Owen and the team for the Canberra Food Bloggers.

Ivy and the Fox, Acton – gorgeous and delicious

The relatively new Ivy and the Fox must have the most lovely brunch setting in Canberra during the good weather.

Located in Old Canberra House, Lennox Crossing near the National Museum, the garden setting is warm and welcoming.

The shaded tables on the lush lawn are ideal for relaxed sharing of food with good friends and family with a great view to Lake Burley Griffen.

Alex has brought the magic of Fox and Bow in Farrer, to the former Ivy Cafe and it’s a perfect match.

Dishes start from $6 for sourdough or fruit toast with butter and jam and there are add ons to custom design your perfect portion.

Ordering the toast can also be a useful addition to make it easier to share with a more substantial breakfast dish like Señorita Fox that has two poached eggs, smoked salmon, haloumi and feta on sourdough $20.90

There are banquet options starting at $29 per person which are a good way to try a range of dishes on the menu, but you could also create your own sharing menu by ordering one each of the very delicious sounding My Little Pecan salad, The Godfather fish and chips, Cruebanos sandwich and The Rocket Man croquettes between four.

Serving the all day brunch 8am – 4pm seven days, the kitchen closes at 3pm.

Licensed but not BYO, there’s also a good range of baked treats to enjoy (or share) with coffee.

It’s good to book, but if it’s busy, extra tables can be moved out onto the lawn. The most popular time is 10-12 Sundays.
If the weather is not so great it’s also cosy inside.

Parking can be tricky during the week but it may be possible to park at the museum and walk over.

Lava Expresso Bar, Phillip

Lava is a handy spot within walking distance of the Woden CBD that offers a relaxed casual atmosphere, friendly staff, great coffee and light tasty sandwiches.

Both toasted and fresh options are available including a good chorizo, chilli jam, Swiss cheese and basil sandwich $11.

The avocado and Persian feta on sourdough also sounds tempting for $9 ($3 extra for an egg) or sourdough fruit toast for even something lighter at $4.50.
Customers who hold the Canberra Entertainment Book can also get two coffees for the price of one.

Well worth checking out!

Bollywood Dimensions, Braddon – a good shared menu for under $15 with corkage)

The plan to share dishes at Bollywood Dimensions works.

The two dals are full flavoured and rival the chicken and lamb dishes. Ordered in generous side sizes ($8.90) they add variety to the meal without increasing the price.

The Kheema (lamb stuffed) Naan is better than the Paneer Naan and one serve of rice is plenty for two people.

Do ask for mild spice level to cater for different tastes as even this is quite spicy.

There’s a 25% Entertainment Book discount of the food and corkage ($5 per bottle) and more than one voucher can be used (although there’s certain conditions).

The restaurant is very flexible and is happy to work with the shared menu.

While the decor is mid range when dining with a group the atmosphere can be quite festive.

A recommended menu for groups of four people under $15 per person with the discount ($20 without) is….

2 serves steamed basmati rice $3 per serve.

1 serve Awesome Butter Chicken (Mild) $18.50 Boneless Chicken pieces cooked in Tandoor and finished in a creamy butter and tomato sauce. A creamy and fairly mild dish.

1 serve Marvelous Lamb Pasanda – a chef’s special $18.90 lamb marinated overnight to ensure that the meat is tender and full of flavour.

1 serve Mesquite Dal Makhani $8.90

A rich, creamy dal preparation with lentils and red kidney beans cooked with an aromatic combination of spices.

1 serve Yellow Dal Tadka $8.90

2 x Kheema Naan $4.50 (cut into 1/4)

About $19 per person (or $14 with a Canberra Entertainment Book discount) including BYO Corkage $5 per bottle

Fine Eating

Hints Hacks and Highlights

Reviews (Around Canbera)

Roti House Malaysian Restaurant, Canberra City

Chong Co, Westfield Woden

Wheat and Oats, Phillip

A Bite to Eat, Chifley

LOCATION

OPEN HOURS

Marble & Grain, Braddon – a great $14 lunch special 7 days

Dream Cuisine, Fyshwick – a passion for pastry!

Ivy and the Fox, Acton – gorgeous and delicious

Lava Expresso Bar, Phillip

Bollywood Dimensions, Braddon – a good shared menu for under $15 with corkage)

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OPEN HOURS

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