Chomolungma, Manuka – good for Nepalese cuisine

Chomolungma in Manuka is a great spot for Nepalese food.

I really like their thali style choices but this last visit we tried some curries with rice and breads and of course, the momos.

For a light lunch the pork momos are great…

..about $14 for 10…

$11.90 for 6 fried..

But it’s also a good option to share one chicken/lamb/goat or pork curry cooked with ginger, garlic onion, tomato & Himalayan spices $17.50 and rice $3 and a roti $3 with a friend..

Goat

Beef

Jhinge $18.90 – garlic chilli prawns with Himalayan spices and herbs..

Pappadoms are $2.50 for 4….

Corkage for BYO wine is $2.50 per person.

Charnie’s Noodles & Dumplings, Charnwood, an expert in a classic style!

Finding myself in Canberra’s far north for work last week, I consulted the Canberra Food Bloggers for any nearby ‘do not miss’ spots for lunch.

Unanimously they agreed that I must not miss this opportunity to experience Charnie’s Noodles and Dumplings, a favourite!

And indeed Charnie’s is a specialist in that heritage classic Aussie Chinese takeaway style.

Large serves of deliciousness are very affordable, rice is cheap at $2 per person and you can take along your bottle of wine at no charge if you want to eat in.

All this service comes with the friendliness and welcome of Sophia and her team who love to see their customers happy.

A steady stream of regulars is a testimony to its popularity with locals.

A very kind man allowed my to photograph one of this favourites chicken fritters with plum sauce $13.80

Sophia apologised for the extra $2 price rise on lamb dishes, but boy was it worth it. The Lamb Satay $17.80 was exceptional, tender slices of flavoursome lamb.

The chicken with ginger and shallots was also very good $14.80, but it was very hard to beat that lamb.

The pork and coriander dumplings $13.80 was soft and tasty, but knowing now that the steamed version comes in a broth I’d like to go back and try the fried….much easier for sharing.

Being so tasty and large, one serve from Charnie’s will go a long way, making it very affordable.

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon until late, closed Mondays.

A real local suburban gem continuing a uniquely Aussie classic cuisine and culture that’s well worth enjoying and supporting.

Petra Palace, Phillip – a great menu for six

Petra Palace is another favourite of mine in Canberra.

I always love the dishes like the amazing Hummus $10 served with delicious breads…

..the Lamb Fatteh $25 – marinated lamb casserole, with crispy lebanese bread. spiced rice, garlic, mint, yogurt and tahini suace topped with pine nuts..

…or the similar Chicken Fatteh $25 (but the lamb is probably the best if you’re only choosing one).

I also really like the dry texture of the falafel $10 for 4 pieces served with tahini sauce, pickles and tomatoes.

If you need some salad then the Fattoush Salad is $15.

Choosing these dishes (with two hummus) is a good banquet for six.

It’s not BYO but the Willowglen Cabernet Merlot for $30 per bottle ($8 per glass) is a good choice.

Open Tuesday to Saturday 5-9pm it also offers two for one meals for holder of the Canberra Entertainment Book.

Malaysian Chapter, Belconnen – a great spot for a group dinner

Malaysian Chapter is still as good as ever!

It’s great food and great value (large dishes for sharing and 25% discount for Canberra Entertainment Book Holders as well as $5 per bottle corkage).

There’s also plenty of room for groups and it’s nicely carpeted and quiet for chatting.

My favourites dishes for sharing are:

Entree:

Roti Canai – Flaky bread, served with Lentil Curry $4

I just love the roti!

(one person person is perfect!)

Mains:

Nonya Prawn and Pineapple Curry $21.50

Rendeng Lamb Curry $21.50

Assam Fish $20.50

with the absolutely delcious coconut rice $3.50 per serve

Three mains and three rice was perfect for 5-6 people

There’s other dishes to try like the Crispy Chicken and Belacan Fry $18.50…..

….but I still go back to my favourites.

Taj Agra Dickson – still a good option for Indian food

The Taj Agra, in Dickson still offers good food at reasonable prices ($18.50-$19.50 for mains, rice $3, breads $3.50-$4.50) in a carpeted quiet setting.

It also offers Canberra Entertainment Card holers a 25% disount and corkage is well priced.

Copper Chimney, Canberra City – a great Palak Papdi Chat and Dal Makani

I really like Copper Chimney on West Row.

The service is very professional and friendly and the decor attractive with soft furnishings and carpet that make chatting easy.

And the food is great.

There’s also a very reasonable corkage of $6 per bottle and a cheerful 25% discount for holders of the Canberra Entertainment Book.

The last time I visited we enjoyed the Chicken Chettinad $18.90…

Saag Lamb $19.90…

…Goat Bhuna Masala $20.90…

with rice $4 per serve…

Kulcha Marsala $4.90…

and Aloo Paratha $4.90.

But the stand out dishes were defieitely the Palak Papdi Chaat starter $13.90…

…and the Dal Makani $17.

I’ll be back for more…

Lunch @Space.Kitchen, Woden – such eating fun!

Eating at Space is just the greatest eating fun!

The dishes are such works of art – an instagrammers delight!

So what better place could there be for a Canberra Food Blogger lunch.

Two of us shared the SPACE BENEDICT Pulled pork croquettes, beetroot hollandaise, poached eggs, corn bread & pea puree $18.90…

…and the HOTCAKES Blueberry ricotta hotcakes, coconut ice cream, passion fruit & HOTCAKES Blueberry ricotta hotcakes, coconut ice cream, passion fruit & verbena custard, meringue 17.9, meringue $17.90…

These hotcakes are just so amazing! The passion fruit sauce and verbena custard is delicious along with the meringue and coconut ice-cream, nicely paced with the plainer but still yummy, hotcakes. They just look so different to the first time I had them about 10 months ago on the first day Space opened!

It’s just great that the favourites remain on the menu but keep reinventing themselves!

The other bloggers were also very pleased with their choice of CALAMARI Sumac spiced calamari, carrot hummus, quinoa tabouli & dill creme fraiche $19.90.

It’s great to see Space as popular as ever and even though I can’t get there as much these days, I love it when I do!

Ona on the Lawns, Manuka – lovely for lunch

Ona on the Lawns in Manuka has a lovely spot for sitting out in the good weather.

I liked the relaxed service, the all day menu and that it was easy to share.

The coffee is great…

…and the trout salad $21 with torn Baguette, Jeruselum artichoke puree and trout fantastic, cherry tomatoes, zuchini nad gremolata is wonderful!

Still on my Wishlist are the Gouda and Potato Fritters $17 with poached eggs, corn, snowpea tendrils, coriander, aioli and lime….

…and the Fruit toast with mandarin ricotta and honey $11.

Open every day:

Mon – Fri 7am – 3.30pm

Sat – Sun 8am – 3pm

Penny University, Kingston, two brilliant lunch choices @pennyuniversitycoffeeroasters

It wasn’t easy to pick just two choices to share for lunch at Penny University, but the Chilli Scrambles $18 and the Roasted Cauliflower Salad $23 were wonderful and memorable dishes!

The Chilli Scrambles – eggs with fresh soy beans and shitake mushrooms scrambled in tau ban chilli and served with a shallot pancake and bean sprout salad was spicy and delicious!

The warm Roasted Cauliflower Salad with grains, herbs, baby spinach and crunchy roasted chick peas, preserved lemon and honey yogurt, hazelnut sukkah and pomegranate, had perfect crunch and some gorgeous spices – cinnamon, cloves maybe allspice? It was a lovely dish too.

I love the all day menu and that you can book for lunch.

Firmly on my favourites list!

Taste of Bangladesh, Manuka – I still love it!

It’s been nearly 18 months since I discovered Taste of Bangladesh in Manuka and I still love it!

The prices are still absolutlely amazing – curries start at $14, rice and breads are about $3, entrees $7-9, sides $2-3, desserts $4.50 and BYO corkage for wine or beer is free!

Shafique has cooked at many Canberra restaurants and it’s easy to see his great passion for sharing his dishes.

..and Gary does a great job of looking after the floor and is just such a nice guy too…

I’ve got my favourites that are still hard to beat …but lately I’ve tried a few others.

Entrees:

I think my favourite is the samosas..two for $7…I love the crisp shell and the flavours and texture of the filling.

Next would be the Onion Bhaji (onion fritters) …four for $7…so great to share with a group of four or more (you can always ask Shafique to add extra for $1.75 each).

Then the Palak Papdi Chaat $9 – crispy spinach fritters on a potato salad with tamarind and yogurt

And then the chicken tikka $10 for four pieces

But I just love the Cheese and Spinach Naan $3.50 each…I always have to get that and it would make afine entree with some Raita $3.50 (yogurt and cucumber dip)

..I like it more than the Garlic Naan $3 (which is also pillowy soft if your prefer a plainer bread)..

Mains

I still love the Chicken Dum Murgh $15.50 and the Fish Bengali best $16.50…

…but I am also a fan of the Beef dishes like Handi Dum Beef or Bhoona Beef $15 and the Khadi Lamb $16 is great too…

The Coconut Prawn or Fish Curry $16.50 are good…

…and for variety the Palak Paneer $14 is great and the Dal Makani also good $14 and there’s the eggplant marsala $14 ( a bit like Fish Bengali but without the fish (which I prefer)..