Hopscotch

When you work until 9:30pm on a weeknight, there are surprisingly few places you can go to get a good feed in Canberra. Wracking our brains, my friend and I rang Hopscotch, and were told that the kitchen would close at 10pm, so if we hurried we could make it. Hurried we did – after a long day with only cheese and crackers for post-5pm sustenance, you can move surprisingly quickly at the thought of a hot meal. When we arrived we were informed that only the snack options were available (but would be available all night). These were by no means dinner, but sharing a few was a makeshift dinner of sorts. We started with the falafel, served with hummus, and the calamari, served with coleslaw. The calamari was a standout, a bit dry by itself, but brought to life with the ‘slaw, which was juicy and had a good kick of spice. The falafel were crumbly and soft, but I found the hummus a bit dry. Not yet full, we went back for a basket of fries with aioli – this was definitely enough to tide us over. The portion was huge! So late night dinner at Hopscotch isn’t a thing, but tasty snacks are.

Hopscotch, 5 Lonsdale St, Braddon                    http://www.hopscotchbar.com.au/

Hideout

Walking back from a meeting, my colleague suggested popping in to Hideout for a coffee. It was a glorious warm afternoon and not being in any hurry to get back to the office, I agreed. Hideout wasn’t high on my ‘to visit’ list – they don’t have a large food offering, so it really is all about the coffee, which I don’t drink – but on this day I was more than happy to go along. The staff were very friendly and the service was impressive – we ordered at the counter (flat white for my colleague, soy hot chocolate for me), and our drinks came to the table in the blink of an eye. We took a seat next to the impressive bookshelf wall full of second-hand volumes, and when it arrived my hot chocolate was impressively tasty, with a lovely rich froth on the top. There are very few places in Canberra that can make soy taste good (experiences have ranged from ‘can’t taste any chocolate’ to ‘tastes like cardboard’), but for Canberra Hideout does well. It also came with two marshmellows, which was a nice bonus. The verdict? Cozy, tasty and inviting.  Hideout is aptly named.

Hideout, 6 National Circuit, Barton ACT                         http://www.hideoutcoffee.com.au

Old Parliament House

There’s not a lot on offer to eat in the Parliamentary Triangle, so when an opportunity to try something different arises, it ‘s pretty exciting. When my friend and I saw that the cafe at Old Parliament House was offering high tea, we booked in quick smart and prepared for an unusually indulgent lunch break. As with most high teas, we started with finger sandwiches – my friend is vegetarian and they happily provided cucumber and egg sandwiches for her, while I enjoyed the smoked salmon (always my favourite). We then progressed to the scones, where there were strangely three scones when we’d booked for two people. The scones were not as risen as some I’ve had but there was a good amount of jam and cream and they weren’t too heavy. The dessert tier at the top of the tray was the highlight, with five different pieces each! We sampled mini raspberry friands (beautifully buttery and tart), custard tarts, a nut brownie, a light, layered caramel slice and a handmade nougat. By then we’d had a bit of sweet overdose, but it was a fantastic selection with unusual choices, proving that it’s always worth trying something new.

Old Parliament House, 18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT     http://moadoph.gov.au/visiting/cafe/

Mint

There’s really nothing like sitting in a garden bar on a summer night, especially when you’ve managed to escape work early! We headed over to Mint at about 4:30pm on a weekday for a friend’s farewell, and arrived to an empty bar, giving us a monopoly on service and our pick of the tables. I ordered a Hendrick’s and tonic, which was poured into a long glass with great care and served with a wedge of cucumber. Unfortunately, the tonic tasted a bit watered-down, but the measure of gin was full and the service friendly. After lounging around for a couple of hours, we got peckish, so ordered a plate of hot wings and the pepperoni pizza. They came out promptly, and in serves of 6 (6 wings, 6 slices of pizza). The wings were quite salty but the dipping sauce was delicious and there was quite a bit of meat on each one. The pizza was the highlight though, with a perfectly thin, crispy base and minimal but tasty toppings in true Italian style: rich tomato, completely melted cheese and spicy pepperoni. I’ll be back to try their other pizzas and chill out in the leafy green space.

Mint Garden Bar, Gorman House Arts Centre, Batman Street, Braddon ACT http://www.sagerestaurant.net.au/mint-garden-bar/

Akiba

Part Two: Next up I was a bit spoilt – the chef shared out a sample of the kingfish sashimi – it had a surprisingly tropical flavour, probably due to the coconut and corriander – followed by the kimchi and oyster pancake I’d ordered. Now, don’t get too excited, it isn’t okonomiyaki, but it’s still delicious (and covered in bonito flakes, yum!). The main flavour isn’t kimchi, as you would expect, but the sriracha sauce, and whilst it’s a small serving, it’s quite filling. I thought I could fit one more thing in, and while I deliberated, the chef dished me up a Sydney rock oyster with black vinegar and ginger wine. He explained that they used to use this combination on pork at Sage, and were just mucking around with flavours for the oysters. It’s a winner – very refreshing and vibrant, much like the attitude and vibe at Akiba. My final dish was the pork jowl pancake with pickled white peach – this was unexpectedly creamy and rich and I preferred it to the kimchi one. Akiba made a fantastic impression (and the chefs are great for conversation!), being both considerate to a solo diner and so obviously energetic and excited about their food. Definitely a new Canberra landmark.

Akiba, 40 Bunda Street, Canberra ACT                                     http://www.akiba.com.au/

Akiba

Part One: There are times when you have a spectacular food experience. There are also times when you have excellent service. Akiba has both, and the combination is really quite something. Going for a solo lunch (apparently solo dining has become a thing), I was warmly welcomed and seated at the ‘raw bar’, the waitress explained, so I could watch and chat to the chef. This was very thoughtful and set the tone for my whole meal. I started with the strawberry and mint ‘Aki Pop’ – a soft drink served in a pre-opened bottle. It was sweet and refreshing, and I’m keen to go back to try their cocktails on the basis of this being so tasty. My first dish was the sashimi yellowfin tuna served with wasabi pannacotta and organic soy sauce – I watched the chef prepare it with care, including slicing the tuna delicately. There was a lot of both the soy sauce and the pannacotta, which, with the crunch of the fried onion crisps, was tasty, but which masked the tuna flavour a bit. When it came through though, there was a fantastic balance and richness to the dish that I loved. Everything sang of quality and care. To be continued…

Akiba, 40 Bunda Street, Canberra ACT                                     http://www.akiba.com.au/

A. Baker

I do love a good weekday breakfast, and that is exactly what A. Baker in the New Acton Pavilion offers. The menu appears fairly traditional, but has a sophistication that is evident in the presentation and flavours. We sat along the charred wall, which has been retained from the fire that ripped through the building in 2011, and whilst I’ve heard mixed things about the service, our experience was that the staff were prompt and friendly. I started with a fresh apple juice – made with granny smiths it came out in a good sized glass and with just the right amount of froth. For breakfast two of us chose the poached eggs, which were beautifully presented – I added avocado and it went with the artisan bread and warmed butter perfectly. Let me just emphasise, the bread was heavenly. One of the two eggs was perfectly poached, the other had just gone a touch too far and was partially solid, but the whipped fetta and dukkah really made the dish, both being served in just the right proportions. This is a classy breakfast that I will be coming back for.

A.Baker, Unit 2, 15 Edinburgh Avenue, New Acton ACT       http://www.abaker.com.au/