Exploring Melbourne CBD’s Top 100 Restaurants

Last month I was lucky enough to spend time in the Melbourne CBD. So I set about working through the restaurants on the 100 Top Australian Restaurants list.

While many visits were brief (one can only eat so much) I was impressed by how unpretentious these top eateries are. I was welcomed equally whether I was there for a meal with company or dining alone and dropping by for dessert. I was also surprised at how accessible the prices are, something for every budget.

This week I’ll be working through the list, but here’s a bit of a preview.

#15 Cumulus Inc.

My favourite for breakfast

#17 The Flower Drum

Not quite so accessible for the drop-in diner

#20 Supernormal

On my list to return – creating something special

#24 Movida

Must have the tapas

#30 Embla

Excellent for a drink

#34 Chin Chin

Fun dining

#65 The European

Mmmm…

And my verdict for the top…

Maha ( not actually on the list, but absolutely should be).

And I need to add in a great place to stay for this kind of project….

Hotel Grand Chancellor on Londsdale Street at only $103 a night.

Still on my dining Wishlist is Ginger Boy!

Pistachios, Torrens – perfectly portioned!

Pistachios Dining Rooms at the Torrens shops still have the best portion sizes I’ve ever had!

The wonderful Tasting Plate of three Entrées $19 and Tasting Plate of four Desserts $19 are still on the menu.

It’s my perfect way to enjoy seven different dishes and still leave feeling comfortable.

This week the Entrees were lovely and featured the ….
Seared Scallops, Black Sesame Seed, Rice Noodle, Yuzu, Avocado, Chilli (my favourite)

Goat’s Cheese Ravioli, Peas, Sage, White Truffle Oil, Smoked Bacon

Red Wine , Braised Lamb Shank Soup, Roast Root Vegetable

The four desserts were also very excellent ..

Vanilla Brûlée, Pistachio, Almond Biscotti

Chocolate and Hazelnut Blondie,
Dark Chocolate Mousse, Tia Maria Sauce

Apple, Blackberry Compote, Rolled Oat Crumble, Vanilla Ice cream, Caramel Sauce

Maha Sponge, Lemon Curd, Black Sesame, Cream Cheese, Chocolate ( my favourite)

It’s great value but there’s more…

BYO corkage is $7 per bottle.

Pistachios and delicious bread are complimentary.

If you have the Canberra Entertainment Card there’s also a 25% discount.

While it’s true that the ambiance is a little faded and with very little effort Pistachios could reinvent itself into a new young thing, it remains worthy of Canberra fine dining.

It’s soft furnishings make it excellent for conversation and parking is easy.

Yogi’s Kitchen – warm hospitality and a great thali in Barton

Yogi’s Kitchen opened up in Barton in July and clearly it’s a popular spot for nearby workers on a weekday.

It was hard to pick from the range of great lunch options – but really, it’s a no brainer the $15 Lunch Thali is the best!

With a choice of two curries, it came with rice, naan, pickle, raita, pappadom and a gulab jaman – perfect on a wet rainy day.

But the real stand out for me was the service. Nothing was too much trouble. There were no free tables, but I still felt welcomed and like a special guest as I waited.

As tables became free, the best one was worked out for us. The best thali combo was offered with the flexibility to add in a (more expensive) cheese and garlic naan, and then finally…

…a whole selection of take home containers were provided to pack the remaining delicious flavours for later.

Such hospitality is hard to resist.

But I’m not the only one, so next time I’m going to book.

Provini, Canberra City – a first look

Provini is new to the COCU Group that includes other Canberra Restaurants like Little Brooklyn, The Public Bar, Shorty’s and Edgars.

Filling the vacancy left by La Scala in Garema Place, it similarly specialises in Italian Food.

For a larger group, there is a private room available…

…and on offer is a $50 per person menu of antipasti with garlic and rosemary flatbread…

…. Rabbit ragu with Pappardelle

…and lovely beef steak with radicchio salad.

The house red is good value at $45 for 1 Litre (or $8 per glass).

La Cantina, Narrabundah – excellent food!

Narrabundah is overflowing with good restaurants – XO, D’Browes and…La Cantina.

On a Friday night La Cantina’s busy with couples and groups.

The pastas are popular – the review favourites are the Duck Ravioli and Gnocchi.

It’s easy to see why La Cantina attracts so many fans. The setting is stylish but cozy, lighting is relaxed and warm and the hosts are welcoming.

But I think the real standout is the food – it really is very good.

The Nanatta fritti $14 Crispy, baby white bait with lemon & aioli don’t look amazing, but they are.

The Beetroot Carpaccio $16 with gorgonzola, green beans candied walnuts & red wine vinaigrette is good too.

The Whole Spatchcock flattened, partially de-boned & roasted, served with roast potatoes & spicy lemon vinaigrette $35 has excellent flavours….

…and is probably only just ahead of the Grain-fed Hunter Valley eye fillet, Paris mash, baby carrots & porcini jus $36.

The desserts are wonderful…

Panna Cotta $5 Vanilla & orange infused panna cotta, red wine poached pear & crispy house made honeycomb

And a delcious flourless chocolate torte with vanilla bean gelato and orange and hazelnut soil $15

But the Cheesecake al Limone $15 Classic lemon cheesecake, with raspberry coulis & raspberry sorbet also looked like a good choice.

And there was also a Rosemary & Sea Salt Focaccia with aged balsamic & extra virgin olive oil $12 at another table that looked like a great way a meal to start too – a large and delicious serve, enough for two.

The only tricky part of dining at La Cantina would be deciding what to have, as the food is all so lovely.

BYO wine is $5 per person – which is helpful for budgeting.

Daana, Curtin – newly opened this week!

Daana, has a new home!

This week Sanjay and Sunita celebrated their re-opening in their new Curtin home, previously occupied by Silver Fox and Delissio.

There’s a wonderful new menu full of regional specialties.

New dishes like Street Chaat – Dahi Vada $12 (a dish served cold)…

…and a lovely traditional Kerala dessert Kei Paysam of rice cooked with ghee and jaggary, garnished with dried fruit and cashews $10.

But there’s still old favourites like Idli with Sambar and coconut and tomato chutneys $12..

…and those great prices that we love!

There are just so many new dishes to try – Bombay specials, Southern Delights, Daana Specials, Thalis, weekend specials and more, that it will take many trips to work through them all. I think I’ll just need to gather a group and order a bunch to share.

Next on my wishlist is the Kati Rolls, Samosa Chaat, Dosa and Kulfi Fulooda.

BYO wine is $6 a bottle and you can be relaxed and cozy inside or make the most of the sunshine outside.

Do watch out for the Karma nights too – a great time of community and generosity!

Parking is easy, close and free!

Address

83, Theodore Street, Curtin
Canberra, ACT 2605

Hours

Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 10pm
Sunday – 10am – 3pm
Monday closed.10% surcharge on Public Holidays.

Closed on Christmas Day.

Telephone

Sanjay – +61 429 945 500
Sunita – +61 435 849 970

Email

chef@daana.com.

Casey Jones Gastro Pub, Casey’s new local

Casey Jones Gastro Pub is the hot new item in Canberra’s North.

They are just so organised in their communications! Their online menu is fully of tantalising photos.

On a Sunday Casey Jones offers an all day breakfast-lunch menu….but how can you go past hotcakes that look like this!!!

Citrus Hotcake $16 Pickled rhubarb, compressed honeydew, organic maple syrup, macadamias, pistachio $16

Although the Tortellini pasta with mushrooms, spinach pesto, young zucchini and Meredith’s cheese goat was also very delicious $22.

For something traditionally pub like there is also the

Bacon and Eggs on a milk bun, award winning Pialligo bacon, fried eggs, ranchero relish, Iberico cheese $14

Other great looking menu options are the Sourdough with Eggs, ancient grain sourdough, local poached eggs, avocado, fennel, garden kale, dukkah, grana padano and the Fruit toast with lemon whipped goats curd, banana, strawberry gel $13

Excellent opening hours!

Monday – Thursday	Friday – Saturday	Sunday
8:00am – 10:00pm	8:00am – Midnight	8:00am – 10:00pm

Breakfast	Pizza & snacks	Dinner
8:00am – 3:00pm	12:00pm – 9:00pm	5:00pm – 9:00pm

The Pedlar, Campbell – a first look at brunch

It’s great to see the Pedlar Cafe so popular! On Saturday morning it was buzzing with couples and families!

The Crunchy Granola $12, Big Breakfast $19 and Roasted Swiss Brown Mushrooms $16 going past all looked excellent but it was hard to resist the Coconut Crusted French Toast $17. It sounded so good with white chocolate mascarpone, berry compote, maple syrup and matcha dust and looked so pretty!