Saigon Foodies

I’ve only stopped in at Saigon Foodies once before, and was so impressed with their banh mi that I decided to head back and try out their pho. It’s a small store with no frills but a real sense of welcome. They clearly have their regulars, and I can see why! I ordered the beef pho ($12) to dine in, and took a seat by the window to watch the world go by. Before long, my pho additions were brought out (bean sprouts, lemon, basil and hoisin sauce) and then, voila, the steaming hot bowl of pho. Having never been to Vietnam, I can’t say how authentic it was, but compared to other pho I’ve had in Canberra, I found the broth really light and simple – I would have preferred a bit more flavour. The amount of beef was very generous and combined with the hoisin, that’s where the real taste was hiding. The noodles appeared handmade, although I didn’t get to ask them to confirm, as they were all different thicknesses, and were beautifully silky. The bowl was more than enough for lunch – I think their banh mi is still my favourite though.

Saigon Foodies, 42 Giles Street, Kingston ACT

Ink Bake Grill

Ok, so maybe this post is cheating a bit. I organised a lunch at Ink Bake Grill, but sadly ended up getting stuck at work, so didn’t visit the restaurant. But, one of my lovely friends brought me back a pastry, so here’s what I thought of that, until I can break free of the office and head out there (they’re only open on weekdays). The pastry my friend chose, knowing my love for raspberry, was a raspberry danish, and it was a really great size. The outer pastry was incredibly flaky and crisp, but amazingly not too messy (meaning I wasn’t embarassed eating it at my desk!). The custard inside was really luxurious and rich, and there was plenty of it so no complaints from me. Finally the raspberries dotted in the centre packed in so much flavour I couldn’t believe that was coming from so few pieces! They had a real bite, but weren’t as tart as unbaked raspberries, and they melted a bit into the custard. Mmm. Highly recommended. I can’t wait to try some of their burgers, bao and tacos too.

Ink Bake Grill, Shop 3, 7 Geils Court, Deakin ACT, http://www.inkbakegrill.com.au/welcome.html

Dom’s Coffee Bar

One of my friends has broken her foot, and after failing to get a park at Floriade that she could walk from, we went for a short stroll along the lakefront near the National Library instead. No outing is complete for me without food of some kind, so we stopped in at Dom’s Coffee Bar for gelato. There isn’t a huge flavour selection, but that’s to be expected for a small kiosk. I was excited to see that they had several dairy free options and I went for the Lemon Lime flavour, while my friend chose the Passionfruit ($4.50 for one scoop in a cup). We walked/hobbled over to the wooden seats to soak up the sun, and I was very excited to discover that my gelato did in fact taste a lot like a Lemon Lime Splice! Whilst lacking the creaminess of a Splice, the gelato retained the strong citrus flavour that I find so refreshing. The texture was slightly melty, so definitely softer than I would have liked, but that didn’t detract from the flavour. I also tried the Passionfruit – the flavour was really crisp and the texture was better. I’d go back again for sure.

Dom’s Coffee Bar, Parkes Place, Parkes ACT, no website