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

Muse

It’s hard to keep up with all the new cafes opening in Canberra, but when I heard about Muse, a cafe/restaurant/bookshop, it went to the top of the list. We booked in on a Sunday morning and were all delighted by the space; despite the industrial feel with concrete floors, it wasn’t very noisy and fresh flowers added a nice style element. The menu had some exciting options, and I went with the most unusual – brown rice with avocado, beef tapa, chilli jam and a fried egg. As it came to the table, we could all smell the garlic rice aroma and I was delighted to see that the dish looked like bibimbap. I wasn’t disappointed flavour-wise – the beef was a bit sweet and tender, the fried egg was oozy and salty, and the garlic rice was a dream. I appreciated the fresh carrot to break up the heaviness of the rest of the dish. Our drinks arrived much later than our food, but I loved my fresh lemon and ginger tea – it was literally those two things in hot water and was the perfect digestive at the end of a lovely breakfast. I can’t wait to come back!

Muse, East Hotel, 69 Canberra Avenue, Kingston ACT  http://www.musecanberra.com.au/#welcome

Pizza Arte

Ladies and gentlemen of Canberra, how is it that none of you have told me about this place before?! Oh my! I was feeling very lazy on a Friday night and driving through Kingston, I decided to treat myself to pizza for dinner – I saw the sign for Pizza Arte and went in, keen to try something different. Pizza Arte dishes up woodfired pizzas that are cooked while you wait (if you didn’t order ahead, like me) – and cooked fast. I ordered a small ($13) Marinara, and sat there for less than 10 minutes before my pizza was ready. Wow. I took it home to devour, and devour it I did! The base was lovely and thin, and had a beautiful smoky charring around the edges, making it nice and crisp. The toppings were perfection – kalamata olives, capers and anchovies – all incredibly tasty (and salty), and in authentic Italian proportions (i.e. just enough). What really surprised me was the huge flavour packed into the tomato base sauce – wow. I noticed that they sell jars of it, so on my next Friday night pizza run, I’ll definitely snap one up to try. Serious pizza love.

Pizza Arte, 13 Leichhardt Street, Kingston ACT, http://www.pizzaarte.com.au/

Bookplate

My team organised a lunch at Bookplate, the cafe at the National Library of Australia, which has come under new ownership this year. The menu is varied and extensive, making it hard to pick just one thing. One of my favourite lighter meals is a caesar salad, which was my pick on this visit. Whilst you have to order at the counter, meals are brought out to you – we sat under the beautiful stained glass windows. The salad was elegantly presented in a reasonable-sized bowl. This caesar was all about the individual flavours – the pancetta was beautifully crispy and salty, the lettuce really fresh, and the spring onion added a kick. I am a sucker for good croutons, and these were right up there, although a little hard to cut. My only complaint was the lack of dressing – a good, oily caesar dressing would have gone better than the sparing daubs of a creamy version. For dessert I ordered one of the giant hazelnut meringues in the cake cabinet – it was heavenly! There was a lovely balance of crispy outer and gooey inner and the hazelnut flavour was just perfect throughout. Oh yes, I’ll be back.

Bookplate, National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes ACT       http://bookplate.com.au/

Hyatt Hotel

When a friend mentioned that the Hyatt was doing a series of Latin Flavours feasts from around South America, we booked in quick smart for the Argentine one. We were met with one of the best buffets I’ve ever seen in my life. There were three buffet stations, PLUS a stand from which to get your cooked goat. Swoon. I started with seafood – cold crabmeat, octopus salad and fresh prawns, plus oysters and mussels. I also fell in love with the beetroot salad. Oh my. Next was the red meat – rib eye steak in chimmichurri, goat, mini empanadas stuffed with beef and cheese, cheesy cabbage rolls and a selection of cold meats (chorizo, jamon and salami). By this point my initial goal of three savoury and two sweet rounds was seeming overly ambitious. I ditched savoury and loaded up my plate with a melt-in-your-mouth mango cake (I don’t think they have mangoes in Argentina, but who cares?), churros dipped in chocolate from the chocolate fountain, dulce de leche pancakes, strawberries and cream and quince tart. The tango demonstration was a good digestion pause before cheese to finish. There are a couple more nights left (Venezuela and Mexico) so get in quick!

Promenade Cafe, Hyatt Hotel Canberra, 120 Commonwealth Avenue ACT http://canberra.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html