Burmese Curry Place

The Burmese Curry Place has always looked inviting and like incredible value for money ($7 for two curries and rice take away, $8 eat in).
But it is only open until 7pm-7:30pm Monday to Friday.
Serve sizes are generous, particularly for eat in, and service is warm, friendly and quick (instant).
There are just nine curries to pick from, which keeps the choice easy.

Sweet Pork and Chicken and Beans with rice $8 eat in.
I liked the Chicken and Beans (No.8) and Sweet Pork (no. 3) best, followed by the Chicken and Prawn (No.7) and then the Fish Curry (No.5) and last the Vegetarian Curry (mainly shredded potato) (No.9) which I wouldn’t get again.
Reading a few more reviews, I’d like to go back and try the egg curry, fish cake curry and beef and potato curry (and why not try the Chicken and Potato too).
Probably better suited to warmer weather when it’s nice sitting outside as the ‘eat -in’ option is a good one and the dishes are more enjoyable served on a plate. No licensed and no BYO.

Chong Co, Belconnen

Chong Co in Belconnen shares the same gracious staff, menu, generous serve sizes and delicious recipes as it’s sister restaurants on the Kingston Foreshore and in Woden at Westfield and the Woden Southern Cross Club.

While it has some charming corners that would be lovely on a quiet night, unfortunately the atmosphere on a busy night tends more towards food court. Sadly the decor and ambiance may be the least of all the Chong Co’s and does not compete with the space and outlook of the Woden Southern Cross Club venue.

The BBQ Lamb is flavoursome, but you do need to enjoy lamb chops.

The Chicken Penang Curry is good, like all the Chong Co curries, but probably the Beef Massaman, followed by the Chicken (or Tofu) Green Curry and then the Roasted Duck Red Curry are the best that the Chong Co’s do.

Da Nunzio, Gungahlin, Canberra

Da’ Nunzio is a Gungahlin cafe with a lovely outlook over the lake and nice outdoor seating.

In nice weather, this is a great spot in the north for breakfast or brunch or coffee.

In addition to a full a la carte menu, it has specials, gelati and some baked goods to go with coffee.
Staff are friendly and warm.

Calamari salad $19 Gnocci with porkbelly and veal ragu $26

Sprout Cafe, Arboretum, Canberra

Sprout Cafe is a casual eating spot co-located with the more upmarket Conservatory Restaurant at the Arboretum.
It’s great strengths are the amazing 180 view, great playground outside for kids and the child-friendly nature of the surroundings (road is far away, room to roam, child-proof exhibits, good vision of open areas).

It also has some very good value, nicely presented, made to order meals.

The best of these are the salads for $10. The Atlantic Salmon salad (like a Ceasar salad) was very good and the Ceasar salad looked similar (also $10 but with crispy proscuitto in the place of the salmon).

The gourmet burgers (vegetarian, beef with crsipy bacon or chicken tandoori for $8.50) also looked good options at great value.

The corn chips with chilli con carne ($10) and 6″ tomato & cheese pizza ($6) were exactly as described on the menu (and smallish serves) and probably not as good an option as the salads and burgers.

Extra mixed leaves are complimentary and these can also accompany a pre-made savoury pastry/pie or wrap.

There are also attractive cake and coffee options to enjoy with the great view.

Wine is available by the glass starting at $9.

Downsides are pay parking ($2 per hour) and that it is quite busy on the weekend and this can give it a bit of a food hall atmosphere.

To get around this, go during the week or consider the Conservatory Restaurant in the corner.

Phnom Penh Cambodian Restaurant – Belconnen, Canberra

What Phnom Penh may lack in appearance, it quickly surpasses in friendliness and delicious dishes.
Cambodian cuisine differs to Thai and Vietnamese in it’s unique and liberal use of pepper, with great effect.
Phnom Penh is well worth a visit, just to experience the difference.

Dishes are well sized and ideal for sharing (around one dish per person is about right) and rice ($2.50 per serve) and corkage $5 corkage is inexpensive.

My favourites were:

Fish Amok – fish cooked with coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, crushed peanuts and chilli (Cambodia’s national dish) $19
Crispy soft shell crab with chilli – soft shell crab tempura with garlic,black pepper, spring onion, fresh chilli served with lemon and pepper sauce $25

Ginger fish on vegetable crown – pan fried fish fillet with ginger and shallot sauce on a crown of tomatoes and cucumber $28
Crispy calamari – tempura calamari with lime juice and pepper (main size $17.50) (this photo is only part of the dish)

Others particuarly liked the:
Hot pot pepper and caramelised fish – fresh fish in caramelised sauce with pepper $20

Cambodian BBQ special lamb sizzling – marinated lamb with lemon grass on a hot sizzling onion bed $20

Least liked was the:
Special lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and chilli stir fry with pork $18

Easy to find as it overlooks the roundabout on Luxton Street from it’s upstairs location next to Taj Agra Belconnen.
Parking is easy below where there’s also conveniently a bottle shop, if you need it.

Kingston Grind, Kingston – a quick look at lunch

Kingston Grind, has lovely outdoor seating overlooking Green Square in Kingston and is open 7 days (8:30am-5pm) for breakfast (all day) and lunch.

Serve sizes are generous and good for sharing, especially if combined with a side of bread.

Fish and chips $15.90 Warm chicken salad with fresh peas & citrus dressing $16

Xchange on London, Acton, Canberra

The Xchange, while busy and catering well for city workers, still has a good feel to it and plenty of style. The menu is interesting and varied and meals are nicely presented, especially the Chicken Ceasar Salad with a crumbed boiled egg and a crisp pita and cured meat for crunch and a salty flavour. The pulled lamb baguette is also good.

Chicken Ceasar Salad $22.50 Pulled Lamb Baguette $24

Tuscan Style poached eggs, spinach, pesto, sautéed tomato, and mushroom with fried haloumi $19

Xchange Big Breakfast eggs poached, scrambled or fried, on toast with bacon, mushroom, tomato, spinach and roesti $20

If you have the Canberra Entertainment Book, there’s a two meals for one offer in it for the Xchange.

Indian Affair in the City, Canberra City

Indian Affair in the City is quite different to it’s the sister restaurant of Indian Affair in Phillip.

Co-located with Digress, it is the night club that is the major interest, with the restaurant offering a (very) quiet, small, view challenged (unless you count Bollywood video clips, which are an interesting touch), (very) quick meal.
No BYO is available (due to the night club licensing arrangements) but house wine starts at $6 a glass. Prices are similar to other Indian Canberra restaurants that offer more ambiance and atmosphere.
Entertainment card holders are eligible for 25% discount.

Pappadoms (2 for $12.25) Aloo paratha $5 Chicken Saag $18.90

Mango Kulfi $6.90

La Scala- Italian Restaurant, Canberra City

This cosy, relaxed long time Italian restaurant offers good service, nice atmosphere and BYO wine ($4.50 per person).
La Scala also offers a range of specials and discounts (such as 25% off for Entertainment Cards) making it good value.

The eye fillet with porcini and field mushrooms is a little too creamy but the eye fillet with a balsamic and port sauce is lovely.

Filetto di Manzo ai Ferri 250 gms Victorian highlands eye fillet. $34
Served with choice of:
Balsamic, mushroom, bacon and port
Peppercorn
Porcini, field mushrooms, sage and cream

Spaghetti Con Polpette Al Rosso Beef and veal meatballs in a traditional Napolitana sauce $22

Pappardelle al Gin Sautéed Qld tiger prawns, flamed with Gin in a cream and Fontina cheese reduction with a sprinkle of gremolata $29

Risotto con Pollo e Funghi Porcini alla Crema a Chicken and porcini mushrooms risotto
with white wine, garlic, chilli, English baby spinach with a splash $23
Salmone Infornato Crispy skin Atlantic Salmon served on grilled asparagus and truss tomato $27
finished with a saffron, anchovy, caper and cream sauce $30.

Scaloppine La Scala Veal scallops, bacon, garlic, chilli and cream. $33
Kipfler potato and string beans. A virtual sin in every mouthful. (A chilli dish)

Pheast, Manuka

Good reasons for dining at the recently opened Pheast in Manuka include large serving sizes and excellent value for money on Mondays and Tuesdays when meals are two for the price of one and include a choice of two sides (chips, creamy mash, salad, vegetables).

In warm weather there is pleasant, relaxed outdoor seating and the restaurants is open for breakfast. lunch and dinner, 7 days.

Pan fried crispy skin salmon with chardonnay garlic cream sauce $26, Chicken kiev with sundried tomato pesto $24,

Chicken breast schnitzel 280gm $21 Single slow braised lamb shank $24

Whole sole grilled (special) $20 T- bone (special) $20

However, if dining as a group it is worth considering sharing dishes. This helps accommodate the large serve sizes and still stay comfortable and also assists the kitchen who may find it difficult to keep track of a large number of orders.

For a group of six the smoked salmon linguini, prawn & chorizo linguine. pheast deluxe pizza and smoked salmon & avocado pizza with sides of vegetables and salad (two sides are included with each meal) would work well.

On a Monday or Tuesday night this shared menu would total $46 ($8 per person).

No BYO, but glasses of wine start at $7 each.

Fine Eating

Hints Hacks and Highlights

Reviews (Around Canbera)

Burmese Curry Place

Chong Co, Belconnen

Da Nunzio, Gungahlin, Canberra

Sprout Cafe, Arboretum, Canberra

Phnom Penh Cambodian Restaurant – Belconnen, Canberra

Kingston Grind, Kingston – a quick look at lunch

Xchange on London, Acton, Canberra

Indian Affair in the City, Canberra City

La Scala- Italian Restaurant, Canberra City

Pheast, Manuka

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