The Indian Deliciousness Begins

Indian Breakfast in the sky, on the way to Mumbai this morning

Minced mutton masala with paratha , tempered potato, tomato chutney, pickle and yogurt….and plenty of masala chai!!!

Delicious!

Pulp Kitchen – Ainslie

Pulp Kitchen is a popular spot for a weekend brunch (9-2pm) offering generous serves that can be shared between two ( e.g two eggs any style with toast and three sides $21) and smaller serves of traditional eggs benedict with spinach/ smoked salmon/ smoked ham for $10/$11.

Coffee comes in a cup $3.50 or a bowl $4.50 and parking is easy.

Coffe bowl

Max Brenner – New Acton, Canberra City

The Palace Cinema in New Acton is a lovely spot to see movies with friends with easy parking (a new open air area along Parkes Way as well as under cover parking in the Nishi Building).

But it’s always good to also have the chance to dissect the movie together afterwards and the newly opened Max Brenner also in the Nishi Building, New Acton, is another welcome and very convenient option for coffee.

Serve sizes are great for sharing, and staff are very happy to give you a box to take with you for what you would enjoy more again later.

Praline Meringue Extravaganza – plenty to share

New Acton Nishi

Corner Marcus Clarke Street & Edinburgh Ave

Canberra, ACT 2601

Ph: 02 62488993

Open 7 days 8am – 11pm (Sat 8am – midnight)

Green Herring Restaurant – Gold Creek

Having heard plenty of good feedback about the Green Herring Restaurant and it’s lovely open fire it was a good spot to head on a Saturday night in the middle of a Canberra winter. The duo of dips with bread $5, was a good nibble to have with wine ($9 corkage), but the accompanying thin garlic toasts were a bit too salty. I preferred the look of the cob loaf that went past (also $5). The steak was tender, tasty and well sized, but quite pricey at $38. The Venison was a smaller serve (also $38). The table next to us shared the dessert platter for two ($32), and it had interesting accompaniments along with the individual apple pie, chocolate spring rolls, brulee and steamed pudding. It could easily be shared between 4 people as it’s large and there are really four desserts on the plate. The fire was impressive, but a bit too warm. Service was efficient and included a surprise of complimentary chocolates.

duo of dips with bread $5

Beef

Venison $38

dessert platter for two $32

Zen Yai Thai – London Circuit, Canberra City – Thai Cuisine

Zen Yai is another good Canberra restaurant for Thai food, centrally located in the city, quiet on week nights, with a pleasant, tasteful decor, a nice feel, very reasonable corkage and mains that are well sized for sharing.

BYO is $3 per bottle of wine, $1 per bottle of beer.

Suggested menu for six:

Choose four mains and four serves coconut or plain rice.

The Stir fry dishes (e.g. Chicken with fresh chilli and basil) and curries (e.g. Massamun or Penang curry) make excellent choices, but also consider the house specials e.g. Gang Dang Ped, roasted duck in red curry with lychees, pineapple, tomatoes and sweet basil.

My favourite was the Beef Massamun Curry, followed in order by the Stir-fried Chicken with Chill and Basil , Beef Panang Curry with Beef, Roast Duck Red Curry with lychees and pineapple, Green curry with Prawns, Stir fried Chicken with Cashew nuts, Sweet and Sour Pork. (I have also heard the pork laab is excellent.)

Beef Massamum Curry $17.80

Stir fried chicken with fresh chilli and basil $18.50

Beef Panang Curry with Beef $21.50

Roast duck in red curry with lychees and pineapple $21.50

Green curry with prawns (quite spicy) $19.80

Stir fried Chicken with cashew nuts

Sweet and Sour pork with coconut rice

11 London Circuit, Canberra City

Canberra, ACT
Ph: 62627594

Open 7 days

Her Canberra’s Best Breakfasts

Good ideas for breakfasts to share between two

Iori Japanese Restaurant, East Row, Canberra City

Iori has been around for 14 years and has featured previously in Canberra’s Top Restaurant lists. Service is professional and personal. Director Mamoru is ‘hands on’ and friendly and chats with diners. He assured me that he tries to be as flexible as possible. This was true as we were able to swap the Miso Soup in the Ninja Banquet for Nasu Dengaku – Eggplant.

While the banquets (starting at $40 per person) are a delicious and easy option that let groups of at least four, try a range of dishes, like all banquets, you end up with way more food than you might otherwise order (making it hard not to overeat) and you may not try the most delicious options. I was told by xxx that it is possible to order a banquet for four to share between more people, which could be a good solution, but an alternative to a banquet that still allows everyone to try a variety, but to also stay comfortable, is to order specific dishes and share.

The best dishes from the Ninja banquet were the :

Seaweed Salad

Sushi & Sashimi with Special Sushi Rolls

Crab, Prawn and Vegetable Tempura

Terriyaki Chicken

$40 pp Ninja Banquet for Six People

Edamane

Age Dashi Tofu

Nasu Dengaku – Eggplant (Swapped for Miso Soup)

Seaweed Salad

Rice

Garlic Steak – Wagyu Premium Beef

Teriyaki Chicken

Crab, Prawn and Vegetable Tempura

Sushi & Sahimi with Special Sushi Rolls

Street Food – a great Asia Food Travel Itinerary Idea

Enjoying local ‘street food’ is one of the great delights of food travel, especially Asian food travel. It’s cheap, fun and the way the locals eat.

It may feel a bit more risky than five star restaurants but by keeping a few basic food safety principles in mind, you can be adventurous and stay well.

Food (and drink) gets more risky the longer it spends at warmer (but not really hot) temperatures, especially if it’s contaminated through washing or contact with ‘germ carrying’ surfaces.

So uncooked food, especially if washed in dubious water, food that’s been around for a while, or recycled, will be more risky than eating at a busy, freshly cooked hot food stall.

It pays to stand back and watch what’s happening for a moment. If there’s a queue and food is moving fast, the chances are good that nothing is left at the end of the day and food starts fresh. Popular stalls are less likely to risk their reputation by making people unwell, than quiet spots who may need to take short cuts to make ends meet.

It’s also a good tip to follow the crowd and ‘have what she’s having’. Not only will this often be the safest option, it’s probably also the best and you can just point to what you want.

Lonely Planet guide books usually have a ‘food section’ that lists the ‘don’t miss’ street foods that are unique to each area and this is a good place to start.

But a fun (albeit much more expensive) way to enjoy street food easily and safely with a knowledgeable local guide, is to join one of the increasingly popular street food walking tours offered by both global and local organisations, and even private individuals.
(Let’s face it, what a great tourism business opportunity for locals with low overheads and minimal effort to organise).

Intrepid Urban Food Safaris are offered in many cities, but these aren’t necessarily the best option available. It pays to do some research.

On my wish list for later this month is Reality Tours and Travel’s Mumbai Street Food Tour that will take in the great street food stalls on Chowpatty Beach as well as all the busyness and excitement of Mohamid Ali Road selling incredible evening food to those breaking their fast during Ramadan.

Another favourite on my list is the Foodies Day Out tour in Madurai South India.

But whatever your style, sampling street food safely, is an experience not to be missed!

Flavours of India – Woden

Flavours of India, is Woden’s best spot for Indian food.

The Kadhai Murgh (chicken pieces tossed with onions, tomatoes and capsicums along with coriander and garlic), Paneer Hara Marsala ( cubes of fresh cottage cheese cooked with tomatoes in spinach based gravy and fenugreek leaves), Gosht Hara Marsala (boneless pieces of lamb cooked along with spinach and fenugreek leaves) and the Malai Kofta (cottage cheese dumplings stuffed with raisins and finished in a rich creamy tomato and cashew based gravy) are all delicious.

The Kulcha Paneer ( stuffed bread) was exceptional.

Suggested Menu

One dish, bread and rice per two people for lunch

Gosht Hara Masal, Malai Kofta, and Kulcha Paneer

Kadhai Murgh and Paneer Hara Marsala

Shop G90/Woden Plaza Corinna St

Phillip ACT 2606

(02) 6260 5441

Soju Girl – Modern Asian Fusion – a Canberra World Food Delight, great value on Tuesdays

Soju Girl Two for One Tuesday current menu

(02) 6257 5328

41/43-45 Northbourne Ave,
Canberra ACT 2601

Soju Girl says it’s menu ‘has influences from all over south-east Asia with a heavy focus on Korean, Japanese and Thai cuisine. Call it modern Asian fusion if you will.’

On Tuesdays Soju Girl used to offer ‘Two for one Small Plates’ making it a good night to share a range of interesting dishes in a group, at a very affordable price. The two dishes didn’t need to be the same, but you paid for the most expensive option. (Soju staff have always be very helpful at pairing up similarly priced dishes.) However, this great offer has stopped (but hopefully might return sometime!!).

Suggested shared menu:

Order 1 -2 small plates per person (total)

Four of my favourites on the current menu are the:

Zucchini flower, sushi rice, tomato capsicum compote $7 each (or two for $7 on Tuesdays)

Cauliflower flowerets, puff rice, horseradish foam $15 (or two for $15 Tuesdays)

Eggplant pickle, goma siracha paste, sesame crisp $14 (or two for $14 Tuesdays)

Miso pork stuffed eggplant, sweet soy, fried basil $22 (or two for $22 on Tuesdays)

No BYO