Eat

Snapper, by the Lake

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Inspired by the Food Marshall’s post on Snapper, at the Southern Cross Club Canberra Yacht Club, by Lake Burley Griffin, it is certainly a unique and special spot.

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Possibly it is the only place on the lake where you can have the benefits of taking your own picnic (like choosing your own spot, taking wine and drinks, nibbles, cake, keeping costs down, space for kids to run around) but also have the luxury of hot tasty fish and chips (around $12)….

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…or a nice smoked chicken and avocado or Caesar salad ($10) ready to go …

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Garden salad $6

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….along with a manicured lawn, great view, and live music (Sat and Sun from 12).

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Snapper does have tables, but these fill quickly and may not always be shady/sunny, so it pays to bring your own chairs as well as a back up.
They also sell alcohol, cakes and are open 8am-8pm every day!

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It’s just such a treat to have the flexibility to buy or bring as much or as little as suits you on the day, every day of the week, for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Hard to beat as a great spot in the good weather, particularly for families.

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Snapper on Urbanspoon

Sharing at Smoque, Woden

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The new Woden Smoque, while specialising in a range of American styled burgers and salads also offers the option of all-meat dishes and a range of sides, which can be added to a sharing menu for variety.

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Cornbread can also be ordered on its own.

The Mac n Cheese ($5.90 for the large serve), is good value, tasty and Moorish (but pretty rich and oily).

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The Carolina Pulled Pork $14.90 is also pretty oily. The pulled pork is probably better enjoyed in the Original Burger.

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The Garden Salad, while not as interesting or tasty as the Texan Waldorf or Thanksgiving salads, is good value at $9.90 and excellent for adding more salad greens to a menu selection.

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While it’s good to try a range of Smoque’s options, the best sharing menus are based on the gourmet burgers and a mix of feature salads/garden salad. The Vegie Burger $13.90 and Original Burger $11.90 are the best burger choices and the Texan Waldorf or Thanksgiving salad, both $16.90 are good combined with a Garden Salad $9.90 which is less rich.

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Vegie Burger $13.90

One burger or salad can be shared between three to four people (just need a sharp knife) and the total number of salads and burgers can be the equivalent of three between four people, making the cost of the shared menu around $10 per person.

Smoque Woden on Urbanspoon

Mr Frugii Dessert Laboratory, Braddon

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Mr Frugii on Lonsdale Street Braddon can be tricky to find, but just watch for the long line of happy customers emerging from the new Ori building opposite the old Lonsdale Street Traders.
Offering a short list of great flavours, it pays to be adventurous ( the musk is wonderful) and free tastes are offered.

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The $10 serve is very generous and you can combine 3 flavours.

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$5 serves are also offered as well (up to 2 different flavours) as some delicious cakes for $6.

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Salted Butter Caramel is great ( but not as good as that musk)!

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Limited seating at tables and be prepared to queue if it’s busy.
Open from Wednesday’s to Sundays 12pm-11pm
A perfect end to a Lonsdale Street Food Tour.

Frugii Dessert Laboratory on Urbanspoon

The Hamlet, Lonsdale Street Braddon

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If you’ve enjoyed the Forage street food offerings you will love The Hamlet on Lonsdale Street Braddon, a (temporarily) more permanent home for these caravan vendors of yummy, casual eats.

Open Tuesday to Sunday, it’s a great, inexpensive night out and just perfect for sharing a range of samplings between a group in good weather (just bring a sharp knife and a few extra paper plates).

Start a Lonsdale Street food tour (as it’s hard to get a table later) or stay the whole evening.

BYO (drinks and glasses) without corkage, adds to the great value.

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Top picks include Mr Pappas’ Pork Belly Roll ($12)….

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….and Broddogs “pups” (perfectly sized for sampling, $5-$7 each).

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…or a full sized ‘dog’ $6.50-$11 (about 1 1/2-2 times the size of a ‘pup’)

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New Yorker Dog with a Kransky

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Omi Pup (the best!), New Yorker Pup & Chilli Pup are all good.

Choose from a Vienna Frankfurt, Spicy Kransky or Pork free sausage.

Also worth trying is the pork roll with apple sauce from the Spit Shack ($12:90)…

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….and the Bratwurst in a roll with sauerkraut $9 from ‘Bratwurst’…

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I’m also told that the Bratwurst’s Schnitzels are good and easily shared ($16 small, $21 large).

One of the great things about the Hamlet, is that there are often smaller serving sizes on offer like Free Range’s pulled pork with couscous, rice and salad ($8).

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There’s also plenty to choose from for those wanting gluten free options. Broddogs has gluten free buns available and the sausages are gluten free. Free range’s pulled lamb is gluten free.

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Mr Papa’s Pork Belly sandwich is also gluten free if you skip the roll.

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Other choices include Mr Papas’ Peruvian Stuffed Potato (tasty, but plenty of outside coating to get through)

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…and Mr Papas’ Empanadas and Chicken Wings.

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Broddogs on Urbanspoon

Spit Shack on Urbanspoon

Mr. Papa on Urbanspoon

Canberra’s Multicultural Festival

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The annual February multicultural festival in Canberra is wonderful. Representing the globe, families, communities and embassies come together for the weekend to share the passion and connection that they have for and with their heritage.

They showcase the foods they love….

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Spanish Paella and Moroccan Pancakes

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Sri Lankan Kothu Roti

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Philippino Halo Halo

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The ever popular Gozlemes

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Bhutanese Momos, Beef Curry, Chilli Cheese and Saffron Rice

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Tibetan Momos

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Italian Gingerbread and Nougat

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Mongolian Dumpling and Croatian Kransky roll

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Greek Loukoumathes

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Foods from the Greek Glendi

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Their dance and music….

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But it’s also a highlight to see communities working together, producing and selling signatures snacks and wishes from their country….

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…..and the global mix through those enjoying everything the festival offers….together.

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Yes, it gets busy and you might have to  wait in line, but there are still plenty of good spot sot get a view of the stage and the lines aren’t so long (especially if you go a bit early). And it’s a great opportunity to chat to those who around you either supporting the stalls and events or waiting in line too. Their pride and love for their country is inspiring.

See, taste and chat about foods and cultures from around the world without leaving home and enjoy one of the great things about living in Canberra!

(Maybe, the ultimate strategy is to go with a few friends and task everyone with collecting a national food to bring back to share along with the back story gleaned while purchasing! Maximum taste and experience.)

Mandalay Bus, Braddon

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The Mandalay Bus in Haig Park Braddon is a Canberra icon that is immensely popular. In good weather, it’s a real treat to grab a table and some milk crates and share a selection from their interesting, good value menu of great food.

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Bring some wine ( free corkage) some glasses and probably some extra paper plates if sharing and enjoy the leafy treed outlook across the park and background music.

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Go early if you want to be sure of a table and choose a weeknight when it’s less busy. But it’s also a great option to take your own table and chairs and set up just under the trees.

Open Wed-Sun from 6pm.

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Some great picks are the Satay Chicken with Kim Chee on a crisp roti (a favourite) $9

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Burmese Chicken Coconut Noodle $10

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Burmese beef curry with potato and rice $10 ( a special)

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Jalapeno Poppers, 7 for $9 (jalapenos stuffed with cream cream cheese and crumbed)

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Vegetable samosas, 5 for $9 (nice crispy shells)

The Spicy Pork Tortilla  $10

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However, the Pigs Ear Schnitzel on a Saigon Roll has a lovely green apple and cabbage salsa fresca but it really is a pigs ear, so you need to be comfortable with that ( a special $9).

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Makes a great first or second course for a Lonsdale Street Food Tour.

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The Mandalay Bus on Urbanspoon

Turkish Pide House, Woden

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The Turkish Pide House in Woden has lovely outdoor seating and inviting interior seating.

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It also has a menu full of interesting Turkish dishes and a very convenient location for Woden workers.
The tricky challenge has always been how to order an interesting range of dishes to share and leave feeling content but comfortable.
A banquet (starting at $19.50 and including a glass of wine) is an easy way to share but is way too much food.

However, an alternative for sharing between a group of six is to order a dip and Turkish bread to start with another entrée item and a couple of salads with chicken veal or seafood as well as a pide.
This works out at around $13 per person.

Entrée:

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Carrot Dip with Turkish bread – carrot, olive oil, garlic, yogurt, mint & herbs $10.00

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Kabak Mucver– Crispy zuchinni puffs served with yogurt & dill dressing $12.50 (halved)
(Two different dips would also work)

Mains
2 Salads:

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Meditarranean Tavuk Salatasi- Tender chicken pieces char-grilled and tossed with mesculin lettuce, roma tomatoes, cucumber & topped with croutons. Served with a savoury piquant dressing. $19.00

Other choices include:
Prawn Salad– Char-grilled King prawns, tossed in mesculin lettuce with roma tomatoes, cucumber and infused with a tangy dressing. $20.00
Calamari Salad -Grilled Calamari, tossed in mesculin lettuce with roma tomatoes, cucumber, & infused with a tangy dressing. $19.00
Aegean Salatasi- Thinly sliced veal, char-grilled and tossed in baby spinach, fetta cheese, mesculin lettuce, tomatoes & topped with tzaziki dressing. $19.00
Karisik Balik Salatasi -Grilled seafood salad including salmon, prawns & calamari $22.00

1 Pide

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Vegeterian Deelite – Roasted pumpkin and potato with fetta, garlic, capsicum, onion & cheese topped with pesto aioli. $18.50

BYO is also welcome at around $4 corkage per bottle.

Turkish Pide House on Urbanspoon

 

Urban Bean, Woden

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Urban Bean is located at the bottom of Scarborough House in Woden. It does a great job of servicing the surrounding offices for breakfast, lunch and coffees.

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However, it is well worth considering in it’s own right as a lunch venue as it has good food offered in generous serves that are best enjoyed at one of the outside tables in warm weather.

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Dishes include large gourmet burgers wraps and open sandwiches served with aioli and chips for around $14 each. These are way too much for one appetite but perfect for sharing between two people.

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The Warm Chicken and Cashew Salad with mustard chicken tenderloins on a bed of mixed leaves, tomato, cucumber, carrot, Spanish onion with lime aioli and crunchy cashews is a good choice if eating light.

It’s ideal for sharing, but you might also want to order a side of Turkish bread to round off the meal.

Urban Bean Espresso Bar on Urbanspoon

Creative coffee celebrations at work

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A quick and easy idea to make small work celebrations/farewells/welcomes more special, is to take it out of the office and down to the local cafe.

Cafes that service workplaces are often happy for you to use their tables, cutlery, crockery and napkins for your own cake or morning or afternoon tea, if you buy their drinks to go with it.

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