I love that some of Canberra’s best eateries are tucked away in suburban oases – Stand By Me is one such gem. I was so impressed by the staff here; friendly, attentive and professional, not to mention happy to answer my questions knowledgably about the menu. I ordered a bottle of blood orange juice and the Samurai Mushrooms ($17.50) to eat. This is such a fabulous dish! The presentation is immaculate, with two wobbly sous vide eggs sitting atop a pile of assorted mushrooms (swiss browns and enoki were the only ones I could identify), with lovely bread soldiers and threads of dried chilli on top. Wow. The flavour backs the beautiful presentation – the eggs were lovely and soft, spilling out over the mushrooms like a sauce, and the mushrooms weren’t dehydrated or shrivelled. On the contrary, they were plump and rich, picking up the garlic and yuzu koshu flavour which brought a splash of refreshment. The judicious use of coriander also perked the flavours up, and the soldiers were made from a bread that I could happily munch away on for days – perfect for moppning up any bits of egg that escaped. Definitely a new favourite!
Stand By Me, 1 Lyons Place, Lyons ACT, no website
