Bent Spoke

Canberra is becoming seriously hipster, and if anywhere is the epicentre of this, it’s Braddon. If the epicentre has an epicentre, it has to be Bent Spoke Brewing Co., Canberra’s very own microbrewery. Yes. That’s right. We’re so cool now we don’t need any of that nonsense out of a bottle. On arrival, my friends an I were shown Bent Spoke’s impressive tap, with space for 18 brews. They only had six when we went, but we were promised that more will come. Given it was our first visit, the bartender happily talked us through the different beers on offer, giving us sample glasses of those we were interested in before we ordered. I was lured by Adam’s cider, although the Dick Tracey (described as the closest thing to a golden ale available) was a close second. After making our choices, we ordered a serve of chips, and were excited to hear that the deep frier had just been cleaned, and it showed when the chips came with smoky sauce – they were perfectly soft inside and crispy outside. The decor reflects the bicycle theme, with wheels and spokes along the wall and even as lights – totally hipster.

Bent Spoke Brewing Co., 38 Mort Street Braddon, ACT      http://www.bentspokebrewing.com.au/

Eighty Twenty

Another new Canberra breakfast place – I can’t quite keep up! We went to Eighty Twenty (which is named for the balance of healthy foods vs treats you’re meant to have in your diet… oops!) for a pre-work breakfast. Despite being new on the block, the cafe was buzzing by the time our food came out. Two of us couldn’t go past the sweet potato rosti, with pesto, poached egg and cherry tomatoes (which I wouldn’t recommend sticking your fork into… Lesson learned). It turned out to be a good choice – the rosti is soft (clearly not fried) and the pesto tastes fresh and very basily.  The egg was perfectly poached and the portion size was just right for breakfast. I also had the ‘Glow Pro’ smoothie (rejoice, dairy-free smoothies are a thing here!) with raspberry, blueberry, acai and coconut flesh. It was light, refreshing and a great match for the meal. As the weather warms up  the outdoor seating is definitely going to be popular. I’ll be back to try the dukkah spiced eggs and possibly the lunch menu… And some more smoothies.

Eighty Twenty, 18 Lonsdale St Braddon, ACT, no website

Up to You Restaurant

This story begins with a Living Social voucher, and a group of colleagues who love all you can eat hot pot. Hint: it ends with happy tummies. We headed out to Belco after work to try Up to You Restaurant, and were encouraged by the steam on the windows as a sign that it was warm inside. We’d booked ahead, and were seated at a long table with individual hot pot burners. We were asked for our broth choice (I opted for pork bone, although I later heard that the laksa was a winner), and then moved to the ingredient table to collect things to cook in said broth. Options included tofu, noodles, mushrooms, sweet potato and assorted greens, as well as about six sauces. When we sat back down, the broths came out along with plates of raw meat and seafood to cook – the beef, lamb and pork was paper-thin, so cooked quickly, whereas the seafood was frozen and took much longer. My favourites were the shiitake mushrooms, which were so flavoursome dunked in peanut sauce (mmm), and the beef, also smothered in sauce. Unlimited hot pot? Definitely a happy ending.

Up to You Restaurant, 114 Emu Bank, Belconnen, no website

The Merchant

Sometimes picking just one thing from the menu is really tricky, and this was definitely the case at The Merchant, which has recently opened on the Kingston foreshore. I was sorely tempted by the chicken liver parfait, the braised lamb papardelle and the lamb skewer, but after much procrastinating  – mostly spent admiring the pretty tiles on the back wall – I went for the skewer, because there’s nothing like big chunks of lamb at lunchtime! I was struck by the huge portion size when the plate came out and delighted to see a wedge of lemon to drizzle over the lamb; surely ‘lamb & lemon’ are the ‘apple & cinnamon’ of the savoury world. The salad was tasty and substantial, with large pieces of fetta and pitted olives (hooray!). The lamb was a bit variable – perfectly cooked and soft on the outside, but a bit undercooked and chewy inside each piece. There also could have been a bit more yoghurt for dipping. I was, however, very impressed with the iced tea, which was lovely and sweet, and had fresh orange and lemon juice in it. Mmm. Yes they’re still finding their feet, but The Merchant has a lot of promise.

The Merchant, 3/2 Trevillian Quay, Kingston ACT         http://www.themerchant.com.au (under development)

Local Press

Getting up for breakfast in a Canberra winter is hard. You know it’s sub-zero outside, you know your car is going to be a touch colder than that and you know you won’t be able to feel your fingers by the time you arrive at your breakfast venue. But in this case, totally worth it. Local Press is on the Kingston foreshore, and actually colder than other places, being so close to the water. But the cafe is so light and airy and, the staff so welcoming that you don’t notice the frostbite setting in. The breakfast menu has some exciting points of difference and I couldn’t resist trying the ‘smoothie bowl’ – muesli served with a strawberry smoothie instead of milk or yoghurt – genius! The muesli had whole macadamias and the most beautiful crispy toasted bits, and the smoothie had a strong berry flavour. I ordered the kale, spinach, mint, celery and apple juice (yep, I was feeling adventurous!) and it was lovely – well balanced, with apple and mint being the dominant flavours. Bonus – the waiter told me I could keep the jar it came in (which I now use as a flower vase)! Worth braving the cold for.

Local Press, 128 Trevellian Quay, Kingston ACT     http://www.localpresscafe.com.au/

Capitol Bar and Grill

I was looking forward to this dinner for quite some time before it happened. The QT hotel in New Acton has only recently opened under that brand, and with it came the Capitol Bar and Grill, promising excellence in steak. Challenge accepted. I went with three friends who are equally appreciative of a slab of beef, so we each ordered something different and decided to share a range of sides. I chose the 200g Eye/Ox Fillet from Tasmania, which I ordered medium-rare, along with a serve of the garlic and rosemary potatoes. We munched on a range of tasty breads while we waited for our slice of beef perfection. When the mains arrived they were worth the wait – my beef was so tender and flavoursome, and was perfectly enhanced by the horseradish cream picked out from the range of condiments on offer. The highlight of the side dishes was the mac and cheese, quite possibly the best I’ve ever eaten out. Despite being stuffed full, we pushed through for an apple tarte tartin to share for dessert – again very much worth the pre-warned 20 minute wait. Not an inexpensive meal, but we weren’t rushed and could savour every delicious mouthful.

Capitol Bar and Grill,  1 London Circuit Canberra, ACT   http://www.qtcanberra.com.au/food-drink/capitol-bar-grill/

Gryphons

I can’t help but think of Alice in Wonderland when I come here, even though the pub’s name is the only link to Lewis Carroll.  I’ve only eaten here twice, once for lunch and once for dinner, but both times I’ve been unable to resist the same item on the menu  – the American pulled pork burger. Mmm. There are a lot of places to eat pulled pork in Canberra – it seems to have become fashionable since Smoque opened – but this one is still one of my favourites. The pork is so flavoursome and not overly greasy/oily as others can be.  The colesaw is fresh and crispy (the way I like it), and the chips are crunchy on the outside and soft inside – although they could do with some sauce.  The staff were very friendly and the pub has a warm atmosphere with a mix of comfy lounges, raised tables with stools and formal dining tables. My friends ordered two pizzas to share between two, and the large size defeated them – luckily takeaway boxes were on hand.  Maybe I’ll have to try something different next time – curiouser and curiouser!

Gryphons: 16 Barker Street, Griffith ACT                 http://gryphons.com.au/home