Rice Tapas Bar – Garema Place, Canberra City

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The Rice Tapas Bar can be tricky to find the first time (it’s upstairs on the corner of Garema Place, heading towards Alinga Street, next to Frawleys shoes (see the photo to see where exactly).

Service is excellent and staff are helpful and friendly. Corkage is $5 per bottle.
There are quite nice spots for groups to sit, but in winter it can be cold, so its good to take a coat.

Even though it’s a tapas bar, I think the mains are probably a better pick (nicer and better value for sharing). Top picks are the Beef Massaman Curry and the Stir-fry chicken in Peanut Sauce $20.50. The Jim’s Pork Belly has great flavour .The Red Duck Curry $23 with sticky rice $3.50 is also good. The duck had a good flavour, but just a bit too much skin. The Jungle Curry with Chicken $20.50 is not as good.

Serve sizes are not huge, but if you are getting one of the frequent special deals, it’s still good value.

In the entrees, the Mixed tapas (4) $14.50 Peking duck pancake, 1x pad Thai Spring Roll, 1x Yum Beef , 1x Prawn in Golden Jacket is quite good (the duck pancake and yum beef especially tasty), but again not as good as the mains for value. The soft shelled crab, though tempting, is disappointing.

The desserts are interesting, but not stand outs. The sticky rice with black bean and coconut $7.50 is quite good, as is the banana roti $8.50 and the coconut icecream $7.50 but not excellent.

Overall, well worth a trip when a special deal is offered.
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Crispy Pork Belly

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Seafood stir fry

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Chicken and cashews

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Tofu stirfry

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Tofu stirfry

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Red duck curry

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Group seating for a larger group

 

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Beef Massaman Curry

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Decor

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Sticky rice

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Entrance in Garema Place

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Soft shelled crab main

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Stir-fry chicken in Peanut Sauce

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Jungle curry

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Yum Crispy Pork Belly

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Mixed entree plate

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Black sticky rice

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Banquets and Set Menus

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Dessert

 

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Group seating for a smaller group

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View

 

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Rice Tapas Bar and Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Grazing, Gundaroo, NSW

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Grazing is Gundaroo’s offers prompt and attentive service, a cozy country atmosphere, but is ‘rustic ‘rather than ‘fine dining’ feel, so best suited to a more casual occasion.

Allow at least 30 mins driving time from north Canberra. This together with the more casual setting possibly makes Gazing a good choice for a special lunch rather than a special occasion dinner.

 In winter it can also be a bit chilly, even with the open fire.

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Decor                                                                                      Entree platter

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Mains

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Desserts

 

Grazing on Urbanspoon

Tulip Top Gardens, Federal Highway, Canberra

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Tulip Top Gardens is an amazing spot for a special picnic with friends or family!! Located on the federal highway (turn left when you see the sign just after the Macs’s Reef Road turn off), it’s like Floriade without the crowds.

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Only open for one month in Spring, your admission price of $14 ($12 for larger groups) includes tea or coffee, a sausage in bread and dutch pancakes.

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But a much better idea is to pack a gourmet picnic to enjoy in these perfect surroundings, with background classical music to match the ambiance.

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And why stop there…for a truly special occasion, there is nothing more perfect than a full high tea amongst these gorgeous blooms.
Call ahead to ask if Tulips will set up table and chairs.

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Cafe Gaudi – Woden

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Located at the entrance to Woden Westfield, Cafe Gaudi is in a perfect location for a quick workday lunch.
What seems open becomes actually cozy and private if you pick a comfy corner in the warmth and relax on the soft couches.
The menu is quite broad wide and interesting. The serves were generous and the prices reasonable.
Service is very friendly, accommodating and quick.
I really liked the look of the focaccias ($14) and the smoked salmon bruscetta ($16.50). But even the sandwiches ($14) were thick with generous tasty fillings.
Cafe Gaudi also offers 25% discount for Canberra Entertainment Book owners.

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Cafe Gaudi on Urbanspoon

The Palette Cafe, Deakin, Canberra – a quick look at lunch

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The Palette, located at the Beaver Galleries in Deakin is a little cafe with plenty of class and a good, though small menu.

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Cream of Mushroom soup with garlic butter $10.90 & Mixed leaf salad $7.50

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Sourdough bread $4                                                           Slow roasted duck with beetroot rocket and orange $23.90

However, prices are quite high and serves small. Booking is important.

The Palette Cafe on Urbanspoon

38 Expresso, Kingston Foreshore

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38 Expresso is great value on the Kingston Foreshore for breakfast or lunch and coffee – open 7 days, 7am-3pm.

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Banana bread $4 and Rye/Fruit Toast $4-5 are great options for breakfast and the toasties $11 each are full of delicious fillings with generous serves for lunch (2 between 3 is a good option).

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Chicken toastie – Chicken mozzarella avocado caramelized onion chilli jam $11

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Reuben toastie – Corned beef, dill pickle, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian sauce $11

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Staff are friendly and relaxed and there’s pleasant indoor and outdoor seating.

38 Espresso on Urbanspoon

Living Green Festival – another Canberra Spring Festival with food

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As part of last Sunday’s Living Green Festival’s  focus on sustainable living, a great range of food stalls and a lovely garden picnic area is also included.

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You can enjoy your delicious delights while listening to the live band in the heritage Albert Hall grounds and watching Canberra families having fun.

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A very pleasant way to spend a Sunday spring afternoon.

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Sweet Bones Bakery

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Funky Pies                                                                     Malaysian Chapter

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Sandeep’s Curries and Candles

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Veganarchy                                             Pupusas (Cornmeal with  cheese and fried beans)

 

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Addiction food

 

Stand By Me, Lyons – Canberra

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Stand By Me Cafe at the Lyons shops is helpfully located an easy and quick (about 10min) walking distance from Woden.
It’s open 7 days for breakfast and lunch (Mon-Fri 7-4pm, Sat- Sun 8-2pm) and has lovely staff and service.

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While it is a welcome new addition to the Woden workday lunch scene with a short list of regular dishes and some changing specials, its real strength is it’s breakfast menu (only available until11 am weekdays, but all day on weekends).
The setting and decor is relaxed, friendly and pleasant with indoor and outdoor seating (front and back). SBM is also happy for diners to share dishes.

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Meatball sub $11
The cakes are good value, but lunch serve sizes are fairly small.

SBM burgerburger

Blackened Lamb Burger $15.50

Stand By Me on Urbanspoon

A Canberra Street Food Tour – a great group summer idea

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Exploring street food specialties is one of the most enjoyable foodie travel activities. So why not try the same idea back home?

This way of sharing food together offers variety, value, an opportunity to learn about foods from other cultures, a short stroll between courses and some interesting conversations with eatery staff. But more than that, the ‘progressive dinner’ nature of the meal mixes everyone up each time the group moves, so there’s a chance to chat with more people. It’s a great idea for groups wanting to get to know each better.

Tips for organising a successful street food tour include:
1. Choose warm evenings if sitting at tables outdoors.
2. Choose spots with a BYO licence and low corkage (as you will pay this more than once).
3. Avoid busy nights and stick with eateries where you don’t need to book. (It is hard to predict exactly what time you will arrive and it can be frustrating for staff who are expecting to cater for a whole meal if you only are wanting to order one course.)
4. Pick places where you can come and go easily.
5. Plan to share dishes so that everyone can eat a number of courses but still be comfortable.
6. But do also plan to order sufficient at each spot to justify the use of crockery. (Paying corkage is helpful to cover the use of wine glasses).
7. Estimate the cost per person and keep a kitty to pay from at each venue.
8. Include the cost of wine and corkage. It can be helpful to buy and bring the wine for the group.
9. Leave a tip.

Suggested Canberra City Street Food Itinerary

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Entree:
iPho, Garema Place – Vietnamese fresh spring roll $2.50 each ($5 for two, must be bought in pairs). Corkage $3 per bottle wine.
(Allow $3.25 per person) (Open late)

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Main:
Global Cafe, Northbourne Ave – Ethiopian Injera bread with Meat and vegetable combination Wat $18.90 per serve (share one between 3 people, includes extra Injera and rice). Corkage free.
(Allow $6.30 per person) (Open until 8-8:30pm).

(On a Wednesday, the Roller and tap beer/cider special at the Treehouse is hard to beat for $10).

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Dessert:
Thirst, West Row – Modern Thai Street Food – homemade sorbet ($2.90 per scoop), coffee/tea $3.90, salted plain or peanut caramel $1 (or 80c with a hot drink).
(Allow $7. 60 per person) (open until 9:30pm)

Total $17.15 per person (not including cost of wine or tips)