Little Bird – a top lunch spot in Barton @littlebirdbarton

I was so impressed by my first visit to Little Bird in Barton.

And clearly everyone is…it’s full and busy.
Staff are just lovely…even sending me off with a complimentary brownie…just because its my first visit!

I’ve heard great things about the salads, fish and chips and breakfast. On a cold Canberra day, the soup of the day (pumpkin), pie of the day (chicken and leek), toasted sandwiches, hamburgers and gnocchi all look great going past. I don’t think you can go wrong with the new winter menu.

The Wagyu Hamburger is good and staff don’t blink an eyelid when we ask to can share one. (I love that!)

I’ll be back…often!

Open 7 days: Mon – Fri 07.00-15.00 | Sat – Sun 08.00-14.00

Cnr macquarie st and broughton st, barton act 2600

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Sunday Lunch Special at Marble & Grain, Braddon

Marble & Grain is a great spot for $15 lunch specials any day of the week.

It’s a warm and cozy place in winter, with excellent and accommodating service and an inviting interior.

The current specials are five including a good looking salad and a generous chicken schnitzel.

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Bar Rochford

Bar Rochford is making ingenius use of the first floor space in the heritage Melbourne Building above the Lemongrass Thai restaurant.

It’s great strengths are it’s atmosphere, central location and share menu

Downsides are the noise and the busyness.

From best to least, the menu includes:

Chicken Liver Parfait, Sour Cherry Jam & Wild Cucumber $18

Three Mills Sourdough & Jersey Butter $4 (a great option to maximise the other dishes)

Cypriot Haloumi, Pickled Beetroot & Hazelnuts $14

Wood Grilled Pumpkin, Fermented Chilli & Pepita Cream $16

Beertroot and goats cheese

Hand Cut Chips $8

Homeleigh Grove Olives $6

The Grenache is amazing and well worth the $16 per glass.

Courbissac (2012) → Grenache, Syrah & Carignan Minervois FRANCE $16/$78

Pialligo Estate launches its ‘The Butcher, The Baker & The Merrymaker’ July Winter Event Series

Something special is happening in July out at Pialligo Estate.

They are making the most of winter in Canberra with eleven mid-winter/Christmas in July themed events...

…. and Canberra Food Bloggers were treated to a preview this week.

Showcasing wines from Pialligo Estate, Schnapps, wonderful gluwein and gin from Wild Brumby Distillery near Jindabyne and boutique beers from Pact, there was plenty to toast to the success of the venture.

Rohan from Pialligo Estate, Anne-Marie from Wild Brumby and Kevin from Pact introduced guests to their unique local products and partnership.

The Hot smoked salmon, Salmon gravolax, Pialligo ham and air dried beef with roast veg and accompaniments were amazing, as was Mel’s mum’s recipe for Christmas pudding with brandy custard.

A wonderful taster for what’s on offer to Canberrans making the most of winter.

Pialligo Estate is hot right now in Canberra and in winter it’s also cosy.

Not only is the Farmhouse restaurant lovely and welcoming but the pavilions, usually open in summer, are now toasty and warm.

The event calendar includes:

1 July Midwinter Christmas Feast $150pp ( three course)

3 July Kirsty’s pudding making day ( and champagne lunch) $150pp

7 July Sunset drinks $40pp local and regional wines and produce

9 July Feather and bone Masterclass $120pp – butchering, cooking and enjoying a Texel lamb

10 July A Feast of the beast from feather and bone $145pp – 5 course menu of meat dishes and wines

14 July Bastille Day truffle dinner $150pp – French truffle feast with paired wines

16 July Cape Grim and Flinders Island age of meaty innocence $145pp – a lavish lunch

21 July Smoked, cured and grilled $145pp

23 July Pact full of surprises $110pp – four course afternoon soirée with beer matches from Pact Beer Co.

28 July Wildbrumby Schnapps Banquet $145pp four course meal and schnapps tasting

31 July The Christmas Sunday Roast $110pp

31 July Family Market Day free – market stalls showcasing local produce

#butcherbakermerrymaker

@butcherbakermerrymaker

@butchbakemerry

Canberra Dining Specials Roundup from the Canberra Times

Just in case you missed the Canberra Times Food and Wine last week, here’s Canberra’s guide to weekly cheap eats, meals deals and food specials

I would add Thirst’s two for one deal on Mondays and Tuesdays and the Polish Club’s Wednesday Peirogi night.

All week

A BAKER Two course lunch plus a house wine, beer, soft drink or coffee for $24. Monday to Friday

A BAKER Two course dinner plus a house wine, beer, soft drink or coffee for $49. From 5.30-7pm. Monday to Thursday.

BEACH BURRITO COMPANY $10 burritos until 3pm Monday to Friday.

BETTI BRAVO’S Three course banquet for two or more people, $49 per person. Lunch or dinner, seven days.

DURHAM $10 burgers, $10 schnitzels, $14.50 parmigianas and $15 T-bone steaks 12-3pm, Monday to Sunday.

THE DUXTON $10 lunch specials from 12-3pm, Monday to Thursday

ELK AND PEA $20 lunch special for a burger or salad plus a house beer or wine. Monday to Friday.

HOPSCOTCH Schnitzel with chips, salad and sauce plus a drink for $15. Monday to Wednesday, all day.

JAMIE’S ITALIAN Two courses for $25 or 3 courses for $30. 12-5pm Monday to Friday.

MARBLE AND GRAIN $15 lunch specials, 12-2pm seven days a week.

SIREN BAR $10 lunch specials, Monday to Thursday.

TRANSIT BAR Pizza and soft drink for $10 from midday-2pm, Monday to Saturday.

TREEHOUSE $9 lunches Monday to Friday from 12pm. Plus $3 glasses of house wine, beer or soft drink.

THE LOFT Three course dinner for $49, Wednesday to Saturday night.

Monday

DEBACLE Two-for-one pizzas for lunch and dinner.

EDGAR’S $15 chicken, beef or vege burger and chips or salad (or both for $1.50 extra) with beer, wine soft drink. From 5.30pm

GRYPHONS Special Mexican menu with meals ranging from $13-$15 for dinner.

THE DOCK Two-for-one pizzas all day.

THE DURHAM Two-for-one steaks, schnitzels and fish and chips for dinner.

THE DUXTON $10 schnitzel with chips, slaw and sauce. From 5pm.

LITTLE BROOKLYN $15 burger and Boags beer, house wine or soft drink All day.

MOOSEHEADS Steak or burger with house beer, wine or spirit for $15. All day.

OLIMS BAR $15 nachos for dinner.

PUBLIC Two-for-one pizzas, lunch and dinner.

SHORTY’S Burger with chips plus house beer, wine or soft drink for $15. All day

SIREN BAR Pizza with a pint of tap beer or glass of wine for $15. Dinner only.

SMOQUE Chicken wings only 50c each. Lunch or dinner, eat in or takeaway.

SUB-URBAN 200g rump with chips and salad with a beer, wine or soft drink for $15. All day.

Tuesday

BEACH BURRITO COMPANY All tacos $3 each. All day.

DEBACLE Two-for-one pizzas for lunch and dinner.

THE DOCK southern fried chicken or beef burger 2-4-1 lunch and dinner.

THE DUXTON Two-for-one pizzas all day.

EDGAR’S INN $15 rump steak with sauce, and chips or salad (or both for $1.50 extra), plus beer, wine or soft drink. From 5.30pm.

GRYPHONS 200g steak with chips and salad and a schooner James Squire or house wine or soft drink for $10.

GREASE MONKEY Buy your burger and get a drink for free. All day.

HONKYTONKS Two tacos and a beer for $10. All day.

LITTLE BROOKLYN Schnitzel with chips and salad plus a Boags beer, house wine or soft drink for $15. All day.

MOOSEHEADS Pizza and house beer, wine or spirit for $12. All day.

OLIMS Schnitzel and parmigiana for $15. Dinner only.

SHORTY’S $15 schnitzel with chips and salad, or parmigiana with chips plus house beer, wine or soft drink. All day.

SIREN BAR 250g scotch fillet with chips and salad plus a beer or wine for $20. Dinner only.

SUB-URBAN Any pizza with a beer, wine or soft drink for $15. All day.

Wednesday

THE DOCK Two-for-one fried chicken. All day.

THE DURHAM $10 burgers for lunch and dinner.

EDGARS INN $15 schnitzel with sauce, and chips or salad (or both for $1.50 extra) plus a beer, wine or soft drink. From 5.30pm.

GRYPHONS $20 pizza and pint. Lunch and dinner

LITTLE BROOKLYN 1kg of wings plus Boags beer, house wine or soft drink for $15. All day.

MOOSEHEADS Steak with chips, salad and gravy plus a house beer, wine or spirit for $18-$25. All day.

OLIMS BAR AND BISTRO $15 steak with chips and salad. Dinner only.

SHORTY’S Steak with chips, salad and sauce plus house beer, wine or soft drink for $15. All day.

SIREN BAR Pie or pasta with a beer, wine or soft drink for $20. Dinner only.

SUB-URBAN Any burger with a beer, wine or soft drink for $15. All day.

Thursday

THE DUXTON Burger and beer for $15. All day.

THE DURHAM $10 schnitzels, $14.50 parmigiana or $15 sirloin steak. Dinner only.

LITTLE BROOKLYN $15 steak night with chips and salad plus Boags beer, house wine or soft drink. All day.

MOOSEHEADS Schnitzel, chips and salad plus a house beer, wine or spirit for $12-$14. All day.

OLIMS $15 fried chicken. Dinner only.

SIREN BAR $10 chicken or bean nachos and $10 margaritas. All day.

SUB-URBAN Chicken schnitzel with chips, salad and gravy with a beer, wine or soft drink for $15 all day.

Saturday

MOOSEHEADS $12-$15 menu including steak, schnitzel, fish and chips and burgers with a house beer, wine or spirit. All day.

Sunday

THE DUXTON $20 roast all day

Trying the Pierogi Dumpling Special at the Polish Club, Turner

The Wednesday Pierogi Special night at the White Eagle Polish Club across from the O’Connor shops, has been on my wish list ever since CBR Foodie recommended it .

There’s a good looking menu Thurs -Sat, but Wednesday night is special night!

On Wednesdays there’s a choice of 4 different types of pan seared Pierogi Polish dumplings for $10…

…or $14 with a beer or wine.

The Beef with Horseradish ( with yogurt sauce, bacon, carmelised cabbage) was sold out, so it may be the favourite choice. But the Pork and Chicken served bacon and caramelised cabbage was very good.

Fellow diners reported that the Pork and Chicken was the pick over the Cheese and Potato or the Mushroom and Cabbage Pierogi.

But if you don’t fancy the Pierogi, then the Golabki – pork, beef and rice stuffed cabbage leaves, with sour cream and tomato sauce $16 looked very good. It’s a large serve and could easily be shared (for a light meal with a drink) or with a serve of dumplings for a larger appetite.

Other Wednesday options are Ricotta Fritters $10 – cinnamon tossed dumplings with rhubarb compote that sound particularly good to try. (Maybe share a plate of savoury and sweet dumplings between two or three). Dishes do sell out though, so the earlier diners have more choice.

Pierogi may not be everyone’s choice, and it may be an option to ask for boiled rather than pan fried (either way, plenty of sour cream is good to ask for). However, it’s a great value menu and the staff and atmosphere are friendly and homely.

Not at all fine dining, it’s noisey, buzzing and casual but it feels like visiting friends of friends and a great place to meet up.

Wednesday – Saturday evenings from 6pm

Facebook is useful for keeping up to date with the specials and the Saturday Continental Deli I’ve heard is good.

High Tea at The Wilmot, The Primus Hotel, Pitt Street, Sydney

Inspired by Not Quite Nigella’s post for a High Tea at the Wilmot and spurred on by the two for one deal from the High Tea Society available until 30 June 2016, Monday to Friday, it is hard to choose between the three options available:

Traditional (The Wilmot)

The Zen

The G&T Gentleman’s High Tea ( savoury only)

Both diners need to choose the same option but the Zen is definitely a winner.

The savoury options win the day with the pork bao definitely a winner, followed by the Thai beef salad, seafood salad on a wonton crisp, steamed bun with pandas coconut custard, Peking duck pancake, then the miso caramel fudge, kalamansi curd fruit tart, green tea and raspberry mousse cake, mango and coconut sago, and lastly the chocolate and jasmine delice.

The Bombay Chai is the pick of the black teas and is served in a gorgeous tea drawerer.

$45 per person with tea/coffee and $55 – $65 with wine/cocktail.

A gorgeous option in a heritage setting with good service. Best enjoyed before 30 June if you get the chance.

Debacle

Debacle ticks lots of boxes for a group lunch – it’s central in Lonsdale Street, Braddon, open every day, and you just order and pay at the counter.

But perhaps best of all, it’s got a range of options to suit everyone.

If you are eating light then there’s the side of steamed vegetables or mashed potato for $8 (a half serves pictured here)…

…. and the six slices of pizza bread for $5 is a bargain and tastes fantastic with the anchovies and parmesan…

…other smaller dishes include the tapas like the Seared Chorizo and Prawns (tossed with lemon, chilli and shallots) $12..

…or a shared pizza like the Bombay Chicken with tandoori chicken, spanish onion, raita & papadums (large $30 pictured here with 8 slices, medium $21 is six slices, small is $14 for small slices)

Then for something more substantial off the menu there’s the Chicken Burger – $20 with southern-fried chicken breast, avocado, tomato, lettuce, blue cheese aioli & beer battered chips

…or the Seafood Linguini $26 with king prawns, mussels & scallops in a spicy tomato sauce…

…or the Fish and Chips with grilled snapper $25

But there are also the black board specials like….

Pho $13.50 (not the strongest dish)..

Mexican Chicken Breast $16.50…

Thai Beef Salad $16.50…

Char-grilled lunch steak $16.50

Mondays and Tuesdays are two for one specials and there’s also Happy Hour Monday to Friday 3-5pm.

Vincent

Vincent is has chosen its location in Barton well to capture the after work drinks/dinner trade and Friday lunchers.

Its great strength is its decor and ambience. It has fabulous style!

Wine by the glass is well priced and the temparillo at $8 is excellent.

The menu is small, but interesting and food is well presented though possibly lacking wow.

The mini lobster sliders $6 each, have a great brioche bun, but only a small amount of dressing so a little dry. It’s worth asking for extra mayonnaise to get a better mouth feel and flavour.

The medley of beetroot salad $19, is beautiful but again, fairly simple.

Serve sizes are small so be prepared to budget for a least one dish each unless you order the gnocchi or chips on the side.

For extra photos of dishes, search instagram.

Fine Eating

Hints Hacks and Highlights

Canberra

Little Bird – a top lunch spot in Barton @littlebirdbarton

Sunday Lunch Special at Marble & Grain, Braddon

Bar Rochford