Tags
ACT, Austr, Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canb, Lunch with friends, Pollen Restaurant, zucchini fritters
A lunch in August with friends
You know when you have heard and read about a particular place and you feel you really need to visit there?? Well the place I had heard about and wanted to visit was the restaurant at Canberra’s Botanic Gardens.
It’s called Pollen (good name really) and five friends and I met there one Sunday for a lunch for my birthday. I decided to walk to the restaurant which is about an hour and half from my home and about thirty-minutes into my walk my new (yes silly me wore new shoes) started to hurt so I rang my friends Ray and Nat and they kindly came and picked me up as they were coming along for lunch too.
From the car park, we walked through the Rainforest Gully Walk into the restaurant. I have been to the Botanic Gardens a couple of times before and it really is a lovely place to visit and take a gentle stroll around the plants for an hour or so.The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch and I recall thinking the breakfast menu looked a little better than the luncheon menu; more choice! But funnily enough I just took a look on-line to see the menu [to remind myself what we ate] and the luncheon menu looks better than when we visited. So perhaps another visit after a stroll around the gardens.We sat inside but had lovely views of the rainforest area outside. Inside is really quite lovely too; rather old fashioned which is very sweet.I think I would probably call this more a cafe than a restaurant as you receive your menu but have to order at the counter. Meals and drinks are brought over to you though by the waitress which is so much better than those cafes where they call out your number and you have to return to the counter to pick up your meal.
I ordered the zucchini puffs with salad and a tangy mayonnaise; rather big meal which was very tasty. My friend Mandy ordered the same but with an additional side of bacon.My friend Jane’s husband Paul ordered a burger from memory which I forgot to photograph and Jane had the salmon nicoise salad which was a huge plate of salmon with sugar snap peas, sweet potato, olives, a poached egg with cherry tomatoes and Spanish onion then with a drizzle of green goddess dressing! As you can see pretty big meals for a Sunday lunch…It’s a lovely little cafe and nice for a casual breakfast or lunch and must say the flower display near the front door was stunning!!Today I also thought I would also introduce my beautiful little rescue dogs Axel and Bindi, who have lived together since they were born. I bought them from a rescue organisation about six weeks ago and we have fallen in love with each other. They are so [so] sweet and really quick learners.Axel has a very funny little smile with crooked teeth, which he likes to display and sit up when he is allowed on the lounge (after the blanket is put down of course)…And Bindi has had a nice hair cut for twice daily summer walks.
Little Miss Traveller said:
Lovely to meet the two new members of your family Sue, I’m sure they will keep you busy and will be such good company for you. Didn’t you already have a dog, so do you now have three? Were you able to choose their names or were they called that already – sorry for so many questions but it’s really nice that you bought them from a rescue organisation and I know you will give them the good lives they deserve. M.
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Sophie said:
Welcome to Axel and Bindi! Very happy for you 🙂 Now about your lunch, I want to learn more about how Australians organize their food consumption throughout the day, because to me those dishes dont look so big for a lunch. Interesting to learn about our différences, as always.
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JohnRH said:
Nice looking dogs! (The food always looks good.)
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Marta said:
Love the doggies! How old are they?
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sileas said:
Your dogs look absolutely adorable! Such a kind act from you to give them a new home! I think you’ll have lots of fun with them 😉
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Amy said:
Sweet Axel and Bindi! So wonderful they are keeping each other company, Sue. If I do it again, I’d get two at the same age.
A beautiful place to enjoy! 🙂
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Lignum Draco said:
Wonderful setting for a cafe and the food choices look great. I’m a sucker for a nice salmon nicoise salad and that one looks terrific.
Pets? Does that mean you won’t be able to travel as much now? 🙂
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steveo said:
Charming little guys! And a wonderful Dracula imitation. 🦇🦇
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vinneve said:
Very nice I would like to go to that place someday! I like your two dogs too! 🙂 they are cute and good on you for getting them. I really wish we could settle in one place and finally have a dog I do miss having one.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Hi M. Questions are absolutely ok. How lovely of you to remember I had another little dog. Yes I did but she passed away with cancer this May. Still sad. But decided to bring a couple of other furry babies into my home when I was ready and a couple of months ago I saw these two on-line. They are five and six years old and already had names so I decided to keep their names as they had them for so long. We are now all in love with each other. A full house again.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Hello Draco. No it doesn’t mean I won’t be able to travel as a school friend of mine comes and lives in my home to care for the dogs when I travel. It’s a win-win situation as she lives with her older children so gets a break and I get to travel knowing the dogs are in safe hands.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Hi S. some people eat a big meal at lunch time and then something small at dinner which is better for our health I think.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you John. They have settled in so well.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Hi Marta. Girl Bindi is 6 and boy Axrl is 5 yo. They have settled in so well and now I couldn’t be without them as you well know.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thanks so much Julia. We are now all in love with each other. How lovely it is to have dogs again in my home.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
I hope you do. We have now all fallen in love with each other and it’s so lovely to have them in my hone. Thanks Amy.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Ha ha. That’s exactly what he looks like. Thanks Steveo.
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you. After my little dog passed away this year in May I found I was lovely without furry animals in the house so now we are a little family again. I hope when you settle somewhere you get a pet. I know it would be very hard whilst moving around.
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vinneve said:
Yes, it’s hard especially the thought of not bringing the dog if we go again and again and again… 😦
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reocochran said:
I love your sweet rescue puppies, Sue! They are adorable! 💞😘 I could not resist Axel’s crooked smile nor Bindi’s pretty, fox-like appearance. Hope you three have many years of adventures and love to look forward to, Sue.
That bouquet is gorgeous! 🌸🌹🌼
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you for such lovely lovely comments. I agree my little dogs are so cute. Thanks again for spending the time to comment.
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The Taste of Village said:
these puppies are so cute
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SueT唐 梦 琇 said:
Thank you very much. They really are sweet little dogs.
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