Pomegranate Restaurant – Kingston – Australian Capital Territory – Australia – February 2017

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Pomegranate Restaurant

Dinner in Canberra

A colleague I know from Queensland was recently successful with a senior job in my organisation, so I thought we should go out to dinner to a really nice restaurant to show her a little bit of the Canberra restaurant scene.  One Wednesday night in February my friend Natalie arranged the dinner and off we went to a restaurant called Pomegranate which serves modern Australian Food with a Mediterranean twist!

It’s a really lovely restaurant and has a fabulous menu; so much to choose from.

For entree I chose the trio of dips (chilli, hommus and eggplant) with olives and pickled cabbage along with some lovely fresh bread.

For main course I ordered the baked eggplant boat filled with slow braised potato, zucchini, carrot, green beans and tomato.  This was absolutely delicious and so healthy.

 My friends ordered a range of dishes for their entrees, [several ordering the same] the first being the Atlantic salmon marinated in apple sider vinegar with onion, chilli and garlic and I think the other dish was either prawns or balmain bugs with a lemon yoghurt dressing.  I should have made a note of the dishes!!

The mains my friends chose [again several ordering the same dishes] were the duck ravioli which was served with a pomegranate sauce with carrot puree and zucchini and also the Hiroshima kingfish with braised leeks and carrot and Dijon mustard dressing.

My friends also ordered a couple of side dishes; broccolini with goats curd with caramelised onions and walnuts and the mixed leaf salad with goats fetta cheese, walnuts and tomatoes and dressed with a balsamic vinegar.

After a little break, our waitress asked if we wanted dessert, well I was a bit full but my friends ordered a couple of dishes that looked fantastic and I was told were delicious.

The mixed nut ice-cream with cinnamon crunch and caramel sauce looked fabulous!

And then there was the beautifully displayed passionfruit cheesecake tart served with pomegranate and saffron icecream, honey caviar and fresh berries and topped with a macaroon and flower bud.  My friends said this was amazing!

We enjoyed some lovely wines to go with our meals and I must say it’s a restaurant I need to come back to.

Vincent’s Bar & Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – February 2017

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ACT, Australia, canberra, French wine, Tapas, Vincent's Bar & Restaurant

Tapas and drinks at a local bar 

A couple of weeks ago, we hosted an international colleague in Canberra.  She had arrived a few days before I met her and was inundated with lunches and dinners so by the time we met, she was rather.  My idea was to have an early glass of wine at the local bar near our office with another couple of colleagues followed by dinner.

And of course I wanted our visitor to try some good Aussie wines.  We walked to the bar and found a table.  I was quite surprised when I was told that the bar did not stock Aussie or New Zealand wines which really I would expect to find in a local Aussie bar.  The waiter chose a French wine similar to savignon blanc for me.  I do admit I initially turned up my nose but I had to immediately change my mind; the wine was fabulous!!

Vincent’s specialises in pairing food with specifically sourced wines from around the world [clearly not from Australia or NZ] and you can make a selection from a variety of small plates of delicacies or if you are really hungry you can order larger meals.

Both the wine and food menu are located on the side wall and remind me of the boards at the airport that tell us when flights are arriving and departing.

We sat for a while and chatted over a couple of glasses of wine (me now loving the French drop) and as our international colleague was tired, I said that instead of driving to another  restaurant we could order a few share plates which meant we would all have an early night.  Everyone agreed!

We went to the wall and chose our dishes:

The wagyu sirloin with parsnips, swiss brown mushrooms and mustard.

The zucchini flowers with asparagus, goat curd and celery salt.

The scallops with speck, smoked cauliflower and dasi (stock).

The gnocchi with goats cheese, pumpkin, rocket and pear.

 

The prawns with Jerusalem artichoke, almonds and beurre noisette.

And finally the medley of beetroot with cherry tomatoes, macadamia nuts and goat curd.

All of us said our favourite was the vegetarian gnocchi which was really good.  So fresh and tasty!  This bar is a great place to go as it’s close to work with excellent wine and food.

Rubicon Restaurant – Canberra- ACT – Australia – November 2016

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Fine Dining, Rubicon Restaurant

Dinner with some visiting South Korean colleagues

In one of the outer suburbs of Canberra there is a lovely Italian restaurant called Rubicon and one night a friend and I took two of our international visitors there for dinner.

It’s a quaint little place that’s been around since 2000 and has four small dining rooms including a terrace which is lovely for small parities.  I have eaten here a few times and on this occasion, which was a Monday night, it was pretty quiet.

I don’t usually eat a great deal on week nights so ordered a lovely salad of fennel, orange, radicchio and hazelnuts; delicious.  I really love fennel.

For entree our visitors ordered the gruyère and chestnut twice cooked soufflé with tomato kasundi and labneh which they shared.

My Aussie friend Jon ordered the scallops and confit chicken with bacon jam, apple and calvados [which I now know is an apple brandy from the Normandy region in France].

So far the meals have been delicious.  Then our international guests ordered the chargrilled Wagyu rib eye with miso onions, boulangère, gentlemen’s relish and horseradish which again they shared.  I really have no idea what ‘gentlemen’s relish’ is…or why it’s called that but they loved their meal.

Jon ordered the duck breast with pickled blood plum, salt baked celeriac, beets, black eye beans, kale and duck brick…he loved this too…but again no idea what a ‘duck brick’ is….some restaurants just have strange names for things I think!!

Of course there were the obligatory fries with the meal….I would love to say I didn’t have any but I did have a few…

It was a rather quick meal as we had been out sightseeing all afternoon and I was a bit tired [getting too old to stay out late these days], but a lovely meal and the main thing is our international guests enjoyed themselves.

Copper Chimney Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – November 2016

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Copper Chimney Restaurant, Indian cuisine

Another new restaurant in Canberra!!

A friend was visiting from Beijing and we wanted to catch up over dinner; I didn’t want to take him to a Chinese restaurant as I knew he had eaten Chinese food probably every day for the past three years. So I decided on an Indian restaurant in the centre of Canberra and that is where we went along with two other friends.

When I walked into the restaurant, I loved the feel of the place, especially the bright and colourful cupboards along the wall displaying lovely Indian ornaments.

We shared entrees so ordered the onion bhaji (spiced onion fritters served with a mint and tamarind chutney), palak papdi chaat (spinach leaves in a spicy lentil batter, topped with a yoghurt, mint, chilli and tamarind chutney) and my friends shared the chicken tikka.

None of us had tried the palak papdi chaat before and each of us said how delicious it was.

For my main course I ordered the dal masala (yellow lentils tempered with cumin and garlic) with basmati rice, whilst my friends shared a butter chicken dish, the lamb roganjosh and also a madras beef dish.

Food was fresh and delicious – a great night with a friend I had not seen for a while; lots of conversation about China and a little on how bad the pollution is.

I think when most people eat at an Indian restaurant they order the delicious bread and we definitely did that on this occasion.  We ordered the mixed bread basket comprising naan, garlic naan and roti.  I think roti is much more healthy than the naan, so I enjoyed a couple of pieces of that!!

And a pot of peppermint tea to finish off the night…

Benchmark Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – December 2016

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ACT, Australia, Benchmark, canberra, Fine Dining, Wine Bar & Restauarant

Dinner at My Favourite Wine Bar and Restaurant

A couple of weeks before christmas my friend Jane said to me she wanted to try the dishes at the wine bar/restaurant where I held my birthday party last year.  She enjoyed the tapas served at my birthday so much that she wanted to try the main dishes.  I made a booking and with my other two good friends we went mid-week.

Benchmark Wine Bar & Restaurant is in the centre of Canberra city and I love it.  Not that many years ago, it was difficult to find a good wine bar in Canberra then along came Benchmark.  Yay…it’s great for a quality glass of wine and tapas or a three course dinner, or as I have experienced a large special event.

The owner Tass is so lovely and I came to know the bar well, as it was across the road from my old office, so my friends and I would visit often for a glass of wine before heading home on a Friday afternoon.  It has an extensive wine list so it was always difficult to choose but as Tass knew me and my friends so well, he would pour us a glass of wonderful Aussie or New Zealand Sav Blanc.  Great champagne too!!

On the occasion just before christmas, my friends ordered some of the home made ciabatta bread with cafe paris butter…bread was toasted and delicious.

I wasn’t that hungry so didn’t have any entree/starter but my friends ordered the fresh shucked oysters with finger lime and martin millers gin granita…

For our main courses I asked Tass if the chef could make me a salad as again still not that hungry; which the chef did and was lovely and light.

Jane ordered the twice cooked pork belly, scallops, cauliflower puree, morcilla sausage flakes with caramelised fennel…she said this was absolutely delicious!!

 

Ray ordered the market fish of the day [but I can’t recall what it was] but as you can see it came on a risotto base with greens and caramelised sweet onions and Natalie ordered the angel hair pasta with air dried tomatoes, basil, aged reggiano with white truffle oil.  Like Jane, both loved their dishes.

Of course the obligatory fries were ordered and eaten….these came with oregano and sea salt…

No dessert for any of us, as we were too full…another great night I must say and as I mentioned I do love this place and it’s lovely to go to a bar or restaurant where you are known…I think it’s a lovely feeling.

When I held my birthday here, I had about fifty of my friends come along and I ordered a birthday cake which was raspberry and white chocolate and cream frosting with lovely sugar flowers cascading from the top of the cake to the bottom.

What I didn’t know was that Tass had arranged for the chef to make me a wonderful (and delicious) croqueembouce…such a wonderful surprise along with a fabulous night!!

Sage Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – November 2016

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Degustation, Vegan

My Vegan Degustation Lunch

Sage restaurant is located in a suburb about a five minute walk from the centre of Canberra and it’s quaint and cosy; while remaining a fine dining restaurant. It’s definitely a place to go to celebrate a special occasion which we did – a friend’s 40th birthday.

When you arrive you walk through lovely greenery to a historic building where the tables are set with white tablecloths.

The gardens are lovely in spring but a little too warm to sit out in the middle of the day in summer so we sat inside.  The gardens have an outside bar with a range of  cocktails and fresh herbs are grown amongst the tables, and local and international wines and beers are served.

We all enjoyed five course degustation menu and the restaurant catered for me with vegan dishes.  First arrived some local sourdough bread with butter but I forgot to photograph the bread so I can only show the butter and salt.  Oops!!

Our first courses were sugar cured salmon with whipped tahini and for me a poached parsnip with mandarin, sage and fennel salt.  We all thought my first course seemed a little small on the plate and I was a bit concerned I might be left hungry; no such feeling…food was plentiful even to the stage I was sharing my last main….guess chef knows best!!

After a short break, our second course arrived, which was a tea smoked duck with nettle puree and the vegan dish was a textured carrot with sesame and cumin.

Feeling a little full, I continued on and were all served a mushroom risotto; with the parmesan cheese replaced with shaved vegan cheese for me. After this course, I was definitely full!!

Our last main dish was lamb rump with parsnip puree, dukkah, Jerusalem artichoke with lemon and macadamia and I was served roasted eggplant with tomato consume, pepper oil and nori covered button mushrooms.

I have been to this restaurant once before and I think it’s my absolute favourite in Canberra.  The food is absolutely delicious.

Our dessert and final dish was chocolate mousse with salted caramel and mine was very special: gin compressed pineapple with nitrogen frozen coconut…great way to finish off a fabulous meal.  Loved it!!

Excellent restaurant; fabulous food and wonderful company!!

‘Tasting China’ Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – November 2016

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Chinese food, dinner, Tasting China Restaurant

Contemporary Chinese Cuisine in Canberra

For my regular followers, you know I love all things China and definitely love Chinese food, so when my friend Jen asked me to catch up for dinner at a new Chinese restaurant in Canberra, I immediately said ‘yes’…

I knew the location of this restaurant as it previously was home to one of Canberra’s fine dining institutions which has now moved to the other side of town (another great Chinese restaurant called Chairman & Yip).  On this occasion, I drove into town and walked a short distance to the restaurant, which only opened up this year and is known to have a fabulous interior. Wow…when I walked inside… it really is fabulous!!

Amazing cartoon portraits of Chinese princesses and pinups cover the walls.  The roof lights are contained in bamboo cases and bankers lamps hang from the walls.

The room is adorned with Chinese replica furniture and porcelain..(I know it’s replica because the owner told me after I admired some of the pieces)

(last photo above from: http://www.foodpornjournal.com)

After about half an hour of catching up, my friend and I ordered our dishes.  The menu is extensive and like the restaurant; rather glamorous.

Inside the menu there is a great saying:

one cannot think well, sleep well, love well
if one has not dined well

I ordered the lotus roots and mixed greens with macadamia nuts and cashew nuts..this was an incredibly fresh and delicious dish…I loved it!!

Mr friend ordered the beef with green vegetables and onion which she said was very tasty.

The bar offers a range of wine and spirits but instead my friend and I enjoyed a lovely pot of fragrant Jasmine tea…beautiful!!

The service was excellent and I started talking to the owner who was extremely friendly.   I spoke a little Chinese and she gave me her business card.  As I was giving mine I saw a group of three Chinese at the next booth, all with gaping mouths…one male said they couldn’t believe I was speaking Chinese (and really it was just basic conversation)…they kept starting at me whilst I continued chatting to the owner.  Of course they gave me the usual phrase when a Chinese hears a non-Chinese speaking Chinese ‘Nǐ shuō dé hěn hǎo’ (you speak very well)…I knew I hadn’t really but decided to take the compliment and thanked them. It was very sweet of them to compliment me.  My dear friend was also suitable impressed with my Chinese but really I am not sure why as over the past ten years or so she has learnt to speak fluent French (very clever).

My final question to the waitress was to ask if they would make the spicy hotpot eggplant dish without pork and was advised that the chef would definitely do it for me (next time).

I loved this restaurant so much that I have organised a group of friends to celebrate the upcoming festive season in early December.  Can’t wait to try the eggplant dish.

 

Jamie’s Italian Kitchen – Canberra – ACT – Australia – May 2016

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Italian food, Jamie Oliver's restaurant, lunch

Eating Italian food at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant 

This year, I made a list of casual restaurants I would like to try in Canberra and Jamie’s Italian was one, so with two of my friends we met and tried the food at this franchise.

One friend and I sat at the bar enjoying a glass of wine while we waited for our other friend and when she arrived, we were seated at a little booth which was comfortable with a huge chandelier above us and an array of cured meats and hanging garlic above the kitchen area.

Our waitress allowed us to sample a couple of wines before we bought, as they were Italian and we had not tasted them before.

There are great small plates to share on the menu and whilst we wanted to eat them all, we decided on just one dish which was the crispy polenta chips – they were good!!

I ordered the margherita pizza for my main course and it was nice; a reasonable looking pizza with a tasty base and even though it was not the best I have ever had, it was still enjoyable.  There were many dishes to choose from for vegetarians but this day I felt like pizza as had seen one being delivered to another table and it looked pretty good.

My friends ordered the prawn linguine which consisted of fried garlic prawns with fennel, tomatoes, chilli, saffron, fish broth & lemon rocket and the squid and mussel spaghetti which had  flash-fried squid and mussels with octopus, capers, chilli, anchovies, tomatoes and white wine.  My friends both said they enjoyed their meals.

Food was ok and service very good, but I think I need to return to try an eggplant dish that I think has my name on it which has so many ingredients that make it sound really interesting (roasted eggplant with a ragù of lentils and tomatoes and smoked paprika with a garlicky yoghurt dressing, toasted pine nuts, lemon rocket and pomegranate).

Jamie’s has so many vegetarian dishes on its menu which all sound delicious including:

• pasta filled with roasted squash, ricotta and parmesan in a pumpkin, chilli and rosemary butter
• a tomato based pasta with garlic, basil, chillies, vegetarian pecorino and herb breadcrumbs
• pasta stuffed with zucchini and mint and
• a truffle risotto

 It’s always nice when a restaurant has so many options for vegetarians!!

Little Thailand Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – September 2016

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Little Thailand Restaurant, Thai food

An unexpected evening out in Canberra

A friend called me unexpectedly one Monday night and asked me out for dinner.  Now I usually don’t like going out on a Monday night, not really sure why but I just like to come home from work, go for a walk with my little dog and then rest up.  But I decided to go out and we went up to my local restaurant area and found my absolute favourite Chinese dumpling restaurant closed, so we decided on the restaurant next door which serves Thai food.

Service was excellent during the whole evening and we enjoyed sitting around for quite a few hours chatting and eating lovely Thai food.

We shared our main meals but ordered separate entrees.  I ordered the tofu with peanut sauce (delicious – perhaps a little too much sauce though) and my friend ordered the tempura prawns with dipping sauce.

For main course, we decided to share two dishes; the vegetarian pad thai with bean sprouts, chives and crushed peanuts and the mixed vegetables and tofu with chilli jam and cashew nuts…both dishes were lovely and fresh.  I really enjoy pad thai and often order it at Thai restaurants and this one was delicious especially with a squeeze of lemon.  We also ordered some steamed rice which came in the lovely silver dish that is so often used at Thai restaurants to serve the rice.

A nice evening with great fresh Thai food.  A place to remember to return.

Ginseng Restaurant – Manuka – ACT – Australia – September 2016

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ACT, Australia, canberra, Chinese food, dinner, Ginsing Restaurant, Manuka

Another Chinese restaurant in Canberra

Married friends of mine have been going to Ginseng Asian restaurant for years and often enjoy a bowl of soup on a Sunday for lunch.  I had never been, so took a look at the menu on-line and saw there were many vegetarian options so I arranged a dinner outing with a few of my lovely friends; all I worked with in China during 2011-14.

It’s a very understated little restaurant which has been named Canberra’s best Chinese every year between 2004 and 2008.  It is quite small but does have an upstairs for dining.  We sat downstairs and ran into other friends of mine who also joined us for dinner.  Canberra is a small place so it’s often that you are out and about and will see people you know.

I ordered separately as my friends wanted to share meat dishes for both entree and main courses.  I ordered the vegetarian spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce which were ok…nothing special really; but still enjoyable!!

My five friends ordered the duck pancakes which came out ready made on individual plates and then another huge platter with more ingredients to make pancakes.

For main course, my friends ordered the prawn and duck fried rice with Thai chilli paste…

and the five spice prawns dish and BBQ pork.

They also shared the Shantung lamb with sweet soy sauce and Asian spices and the satay chicken and broccoli.

As I mentioned I had the choice of many vegetarian dishes so I decided on the five spice tempura eggplant and tofu, which was plentiful and a dish I did enjoy.

It was such a lovely casual evening and I enjoyed the ambience, service and the incredibly fresh food -enough to return again sometime.  Next time I intend to order the tofu and eggplant hotpot (yes… eggplant again – I think I could live on it).