Frugii Dessert Laboratory

Frugii Dessert Laboratory made a splash when it first opened, and I thought it was high time to check out what all the fuss was about. Dad and I went on a Saturday night and we arrived just before the crowds – there were about five icecream flavours and two sorbets on offer – I picked the passionfruit, orange and apple sorbet, and Dad chose the salted caramel icecream. We picked the small size, and whilst the portion looked quite small, I don’t think I could have eaten any more. The sorbet was really refreshing, with a good balance between the sweetness of the orange and apple and the tartness of the passionfruit. The fruity flavour was quite strong and didn’t lose its intensity the more I ate. I did find the texture a bit icy compared to other sorbets, but not unpleasantly so. The salted caramel was probably the best I’ve ever tasted – rich, creamy and with just the right amount of salt, I’d definitely order it next time, along with one of the delicate cakes on display. A fun additon to Canberra’s dessert scene.

Frugii Dessert Laboratory, 30 Lonsdale Street,  Braddon ACT                                 http://www.frugii.com/

The Roastery Cafe

Brisbane has some really lovely little cafes, and the Roastery is definitely one of the lovely ones. I was amazed to see the huge coffee roasting/grinding? machine housed in the warehouse next door – obviously the source of the cafe’s name – and a funky mural on the long corridor wall leading out into the courtyard. The space is cozy and the tables have succulents on them (my favourite!). The breakfast menu is pretty extensive, so I went simple and ordered the eggs benedict – a standard test of the quality of a cafe. I also had their juice of the day, which was watermelon, apple, pear and passionfruit – such a great combination! The juice was served in a mason jar with a handle and it was a beautiful sunset colour. The meal itself was a little disappointing – the eggs had been overcooked and had pretty much solid yolks, and the hollandaise was a little chemically, but the bacon was beautiful and the bread was nicely toasted (my usual bugbear avoided). The cafe had a nice atmosphere with friendly staff, and despite its failings, was a nice change to the work-provided breakfasts we’d eaten all week.

The Roastery Cafe, 25 Glenelg Street, South Brisbane      http://www.rougecoffee.com.au

On Flinders

Autumn is my favourite season in Canberra. The days are sunny and golden, and there are plenty of lovely spots to sit outside and enjoy the changing leaves while eating good food. The newest place to fit into this category is On Flinders, the new breakfast/lunch/dinner restaurant, funnily enough, on Flinders Way. I was too late for breakfast, but I picked a lighter-sounding lunch option (I’ll have to come back for their pizzas). I started with a huge glass of fresh orange juice (great value for only $4) and the New York Prosciutto Bruschetta, which the waitress mentioned she hadn’t tried yet. It was a good choice – the serving was massive and beautifully presented with kalamata olives, fetta, tomato ribbons and onion piled on top of the cooked prosciutto. The Turkish bread underneath was very moreish – I could have eaten a full loaf – and despite appearances was soft-centred and easy to cut. Mmm. There was plenty of everything and whilst it was an oily dish, the flavours were fresh and vibrant, and I didn’t feel bloated afterwards.  The table service was friendly and prompt and best of all I could sit and enjoy the sunshine. Perfection.

On Flinders, Shop 5 Flinder Way, Manuka ACT, no website

Ippudo

Apart from making excellent ramen, Ippudo explains that they consider it part of their mission to ‘promote regional ramen from other parts of Japan’. Who am I to argue with that? This was my first time trying a seasonal special – the Tokushima Niku ramen, made from a blend of pork and chicken broth and topped with a soft egg, slicd beef, bamboo, spring onion and chilli. Mmm. Before the ramen though, my friend and I shared gyoza – delicate and flavoursome – and pork buns – very tasty, with a good bao-to-meat ratio. I also had a glass of umeshu on the rocks, my favourite Japanese drink. They offer a couple of different brands, but I like the sweet Choya one. Anyway, back to the ramen. I took the waiter’s recommendation that it be served with white rice, and delved in to break the beautifully runny egg. The beef was sweet and tender, thinly shredded and generously portioned. The broth was quite light but complex, without being overly salty. It complemented the beef, egg and bamboo to create a harmonious blend of flavours. The ramen had great bite to them and I’d recommend getting the rice with this one – it works so well. Seasonal ramen you say? Yes please.

Ippudo, Westfield Sydney, Level 5, 188 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW                            http://www.ippudo.com.au

332 Manhattan

I’ve never been to New York (it’s next on my list), but somehow I don’t imagine it to be anything like the lovely cosy space at 332 Manhattan. We went for breakfast on a weekday and were delighted by the warm wooden furniture, the shelves piled with cookbooks and local produce, and the yummy-sounding breakfast menu. I started out with a fresh-squeezed orange juice (enjoyed to the sounds of my friend bragging about the role reversal of her being on time and our other friend arriving later), which was served in a good sized glass bottle and wasn’t overly sweet. I picked the prosciutto and fried eggs dish, which was the first to come out – we hardly waited any time at all and whilst our meals didn’t come at the same time, they were obviously fresh from the kitchen. My fried eggs had beautifully runny centres, the proscuitto was fresh (not fried) and there was plenty of it: tick, tick! There were also roasted tomatoes and garlic and rosemary potatoes, two of my favourite things on a big breakfast plate. Everything was tasty without being heavy on the stomach – I can’t yet compare to a real Manhattan experience, but for Canberra this is a very good feed.

332 Manhattan, 240 Bunda Street, Civic ACT, no website

Nitro Lab

Still in denial – how long until summer again? #icecreamthurs. I am a sucker for anything raspberry-flavoured. Wandering up Bourke Street, I came across Nitro Lab (which also seems to be called The Lab Nitrogen Gelato – confusing!) and was sucked in by the prospect of combining two of my favourite things – raspberry and nutella. The lady behind the counter was really friendly, and when I asked about the dairy-free options she gave me a really comprehensive outline of my choices. Luckily, the raspberry gelato is actually a sorbet – I decided not to go totally dairy-free and had the ‘golden gaytime’ crumb and nutella on top. The shop was fairly quiet so I only waited for a couple of minutes for my sorbet – the novelty of watching them make it with N2 doesn’t seem to wear off! The nutella dollop was massive and I tried to mix it in with the sorbet. The crumb was lovely and crispy, although it didn’t really taste like a golden gaytime crumb. The sorbet itself was the right balance between sweet and tart and there was plenty of it in the cup. Yum.

Nitro Lab, 188 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC, no website

The Mandalay Bus

As part of my birthday week celebrations I organised dinner with a group of friends at the Mandalay Bus. The bus is an iconic fixture in Canberra, and is somewhat notorious for pumping tunes loudly from its location at the top of Lonsdale Street. The menu is a mish-mash of fried food and Burmese curries, so I picked one of each to try. I couldn’t resist the waffle cut fries, which came in a generous serving and were crispy and well-seasoned. Friends had the chilli cheese version and enjoyed them too. Actually, I think most of the group ordered a serve of the fries, and we all nibbled on them throughout the night! For the Burmese dish, I ordered the pumpkin curry, which was also incredibly good – the soft, creamy pumpkin contrasted perfectly with the assortment of seeds scattered on top (pepitas, sunflower seeds, and others I didn’t recognise). The curry was mild but had plenty of flavour and after all those fries I couldn’t quite finish my bowl. I’d recommend rugging up as the nights cool down – milk crates aren’t the warmest seats but the casual community vibe and the fabulous street food makes it worth the effort.

The Mandalay Bus, Haig Park Carpark, Corner Lonsdale St and Girrahween St, Braddon ACT, no website