Belluci’s, Manuka – trying the lunch special!

Belluci’s is one of the best spots for a weekday lunch in Woden, and so Belluci’s Manuka has long been on the wishlist.

It has a prime and inviting location on the corner of Franklin and Furneax Streets. Is also just across from the medical centre where parking is nearly always easy (and very reasonable), even during business hours.

Like Woden, Manuka Belluci’s offers a great lunch special that includes a glass of wine, beer or soft drink for $19.95.

The menu in Manuka is familiar but refreshingly different with some of the favourite pizzas and pastas, but also two different lovely salads (salt baked salmon or pulled lamb), a delicious sounding pulled pork burger, a pizza with creamed taleggio, buffalo mozzarella & corella pears and a great looking pappardelle with beef shin and tomato ragu.

The salt baked salmon with quinoa, radicchio, asparagus, cherry tomatoes & orange is excellent. The dressing is quite heavy so best to order it on the side.

The chicken risotto with pancetta, button mushrooms & broad beans is similar to Woden’s but a little lighter and fresher.
It’s still quite a heavy dish and best shared with a salad and a friend.

Belluci’s is also very versatile, providing takeaway containers if you’d like to take some with you and allowing BYO wine at $5 per person corkage and $2 per person cakaege. There’s also a 25% discount for holders of the Canberra Entertainment Book (including the lunch special).

Pho Phu Quoc – still great value

Pho Phu Quoc really does have Canberra’s best Vietnamese food. And it’s such great value.

Rice is $2 per person, corkage $6 per bottle, there’s a 25% discount for Canberra Entertainment Card holders and serve sizes are large and plenty for two people.

One of the best dishes is the Bird’s Nest Seafood $18.90 (also good with chicken $16.90 and I’m sure Vegetarian style $13.90).

Open everyday for lunch and dinner!

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Copper Chimney, West Row, Canberra City – more winning dishes

While it’s good to know some good picks at Copper Chimney, you really can’t go wrong when you try something new.

The Butter Chicken, Kadai Paneer and Saag Lamb are just as good as the Fish Methi Marsala, Chettinad Chicken, Prawn Goanese and Kadhai Lamb.

Another good sharing menu for six to seven people is:

Entree:

The amazing Palak Papdi Chaat $13.90

and the equally good Chicken 65 $14.90 (one of each).

Mains:

One each of four dishes…a popular mix is:

Butter Chicken $18.90

Saag Lamb $19.90

Kadhai Paneer $18.00

Fish Methi Marsala

Add two serves rice ($3 each) and 3-4 Plain Naan ($4 each).

Corkage is $6 a bottle.

Pramod, Sunil and the other Copper Chimney staff deliver very fine and friendly service.

And it’s great value. Altogether it’s around $130 plus corkage for six to seven people.

If you have a Canberra Entertainment Card, it’s even less with a 25% discount up to $30.

Well worth having on you list of ‘go to’ restaurants!

Luke Ngyuen’s Red Lanterne, Riley Street, Surry Hills

This popular restaurant is lovely, simple and authentic yet full of style and class.

Tasty choices include:

Banh Bot Chien
Aunty 5’s rice cakes with tiger prawns,
caramelised pork, pork floss and shallot oil $21 (just as good as the reviews say).

Ca Chien, Sot Da Ua va Com Nghe $39
Pan fried fish marinated with dill, yoghurt and turmeric with bok choy and rice noodles

Cai Xanh, Dau va Cay Toi Xao Sot XO
Broccolini,
beans and garlic shoots wok tossed with Red
Lantern XO sauce $16

All good selections but more than enough for two modest appetites.

An alternate plan for two would be to order three smaller dishes or entrees such as

Goi Ga Nuong Nghe
Char grilled turmeric chicken with white cabbage, fried shallots, peanuts, Vietnamese herbs and sweet fish sauce
$22

Goi Mit, Cay va Du Du (G)(V)
Salad of young jackfruit, green papaya, cherry tomato and Vietnamese herbs $18

Wine by the glass starts at $10 for a small pour.

Urban Pantry – trying the wishlist!

Urban Pantry may be the top spot in Manuka for lunch. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating….

….good service, an interesting and reasonably priced menu, BYO wine at $5.50 per person and two for one meals for Canberra Entertainment Book holders.

The salads are a great choice.

The Grilled Halloumi with smoked tomatoes, pickled zucchini, wild roquette, chickpea puree, labneh, za’atar $21 is excellent.

It has lovely flavours and textures.

The Seafood Lasagne with sand lobster, Crystal Bay prawns, barramundi, crustacea butter, saffron, concise tomato $32 is very beautiful and generous with its seafood, but very rich and best shared between about four people.

Gundary Store, Moruya, NSW – great for coffee, breakie and lunch

Cute, friendly and casual, The Gundary Store on Campbell Street Moruya is a great place for good coffee or a well priced and attractive breakfast (until 11am) or lunch ( from 11am).

Closed Mondays, on other days it opens early and closes mid afternoon.

Turn right at the roundabout near the Shire Council Offices.

$14 Polish Dumpling Dinner at the Polish White Eagle Club in Turner, Canberra

Sounds like a great meal for a Wednesday night!
And high recommended by CBRfoodie!

CBRfoodie

3 Canberra Beanies!

I have to admit that most of my past reviews have been about lunchtime specials. I will try and include more affordable Canberra dinner options in future, starting with this one!

My new fave Wednesday ‪night dinner is the $14 Pierogi special at “The Polo”, which is the restaurant inside the Polish White Eagle Club in Turner.

Locals would be aware that the club was destroyed in a fire in 2014 but has since been rebuilt through a big community fundraising effort and it’s well-regarded restaurant has re-opened.

The Polish Club has a Facebook page, which regularly reminds followers about specials and special events.

I dropped in and wandered up to the window between the restaurant and kitchen to place my order with the friendly staff.