Manchester Press

Manchester Press’s lunch menu is all about the bagels (oh yeah), so after a delightfully perfect soy hot chocolate (seriously, I had to confirm that it was dairy-free, it tasted so good), I ordered the Reuben closed bagel ($14), with smoked pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing and pickles. Also – bonus – the bagels are served with salted pretzels and a pickle. Yum! The bagel itself was firm but not too dense, and you get a sensible, serrated knife to eat it with dignity. There was so much pastrami on this bagel I couldn’t quite believe it – I particularly liked the spicy kick of the seasoning (it reminded me of spicy togarashi), but be warned that it isn’t for the faint-hearted. The meat was tender and tasty, just as it should be, and I loved the way that the pickles served in the sandwich were diced up and mixed throughout the creamy dressing. Mmm. The sauerkraut flavour was a bit lost amongst the strong tastes of the pastrami and the dressing, but there was enough of a tang to know it was there. Basically I’d happily eat this any day with no complaints – #cometocanberra?

Manchester Press, 8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne VIC, no website

Space Kitchen

I’m calling it – puffed grains are the new trending meal topping for 2016. Catching up with the lovely Erin of Mouthless Mutters for breakfast, we both marvelled at the pretty plating done by the staff at Space Kitchen. I ordered the Smoked Salmon Breakfast ($18.90), curious to see what a coconut roesti was like (still made of potato with a coconut flavour or made of coconut?), and surprised by the lovely pile of delicious things that was put in front of me. The two eggs were perfetly poached, although I’d have prefered them on top of the roesti so that the yolks don’t go to waste (particularly when you don’t have a spoon). The smoked salmon was served warm and wasn’t as smokey as some, which worked for me at breakfast time. There was plenty of it too (yay!). I love it when you get a really good slather of avocado and this portion was also very generous, hiding the roesti (made of potato with coconut flavour), which was light and lovely. I also ordered the orange, pear, pineapple and passionfruit juice ($6.90), which came in a giant glass and tasted like summer. Great company, great meal. What more could you ask for?

Space Kitchen, Skypark, corner of Furzer and Worgan Streets, Phillip ACT, http://space-kitchen.com.au/

Barrio

The food at Barrio is never what I expect – they’re always trying something exciting and slightly off-kilter (which I mean in a whole-heartedly positive way). This time I picked their take on a potato salad, but don’t imagine it’s your usual staid boiled-with-mayo affair. No. Here, your potato is candied. What, I hear you ask? Like almonds? Not exactly – the potato is cooked but almost dehydrated, with a texture that reminded me of unknown but delicious vegetables in Japanese supermarket salads (again, a good thing). To contrast this almost sponginess are segments of fresh orange, which add a divine splash of acidity and freshness, slightly bitter green leaves and some sort of split bean/pea thing (woe is me for forgetting to photograph the menu). That’s not to mention the smattering of puffed wheat and fried shallots on top. I ordered this dish with a side of smoked salmon (the recommended optional extra), and was delighted by the three thick, not overpowering slices that brought great balance to the riot of flavours and textures in this salad. The whole thing was nicely complimented by a glass of fresh orange juice; I could have happily had a dozen more glasses as this was the real deal. Never expect the ordinary here.

Barrio Collective Coffee, 59/30 Londale Street, Braddon ACT                                  http://www.barriocc.com/

Two Before Ten

When you find yourself brunching over the course of three hours, I believe it is the joining of three marvellous things – good food, good company and a pleasant setting – to nourish the soul. My sojourn at Two Before Ten in Aranda was just that – a lovely three hours of relaxing in the sunshine, admiring the impressive vegetable garden, chatting and enjoying the excellent food. I ordered the Spiced Eggs on Toast with avocado, persian fetta, and Espelette spice (a chilli grown in France) ($15). I added a side of chorizo ($4) to liven things up a bit. The plate was beautifully presented, with the avocado served as a puree and a scattering of lettuce leaves artfully placed on top. The eggs were cooked to that perfect omelette consistency – light and fluffy, with a good kick of spice from the Espelette chilli powder. The persian fetta added some extra creaminess, and I would highly recommend the chorizo on the side, for a nice balance of salty meatiness. Unfortunately the bread fell into one of my pet hates – very tasty, but impossible to cut with the blunt butter knife provided – but that was my only complaint. The staff happily let us enjoy our patch of sunshine and while away the morning.

Two Before Ten, 68 Bandjalong Crescent, Aranda ACT, http://www.twobeforeten.com.au/

Stand By Me

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

Patissez

The Lawns at Manuka are a lovely place to relax on a warm afternoon, which is exactly what my friend and I did – plus cake, of course! We had a 15min wait for a table at Patissez, and then ordered two cakes from the display cabinet – a pistachio cake and an open lemon meringue tart, both gluten free. Both were beautifully presented, and we went halves to be able to try both! The pistachio cake was topped with a lime-flavoured meringue in fluro green – this somewhat artificial-tasting flavour seemed to dominate, dulling the pistachio flavour, but complimenting the perfect texture of the cake layers. With oozy icing and luscious creamy layers in between the pistachio cake, those less excited by the lime can still enjoy the delicious flavours beneath. Next up was the open lemon meringue – this is a creative take on a classic, with beautiful, crisp honeycomb perched on top of a huge meringue cloud. Hiding beneath are dollops of a tart lemon curd, but the real surprise was the spice-infused tart base – we thought it might be cardamom or nutmeg, which cuts through the sweetness of the rest of the cake perfectly. Be warned – these cakes are huge, so we got the leftovers to takeaway. Yum.

Patissez, 21 Bougainville Street, Griffith ACT, http://patissez.com.au/

The Gods Cafe & Bar

The Gods is so lovely! I loved working in this space, and was very excited to try my mango smoothie ($7) and P-Y-T-T-I-P-A-N-N-A (verbatim from the menu, $16), a Swedish-style breakfast with stir-fry potatos, bacon and onion, with beetroot and a fried egg. Ok, so it’s not exactly the healthiest breakfast, particularly for the carb-conscious, but there is an elegant simplicity to these flavours that I can imagine being the perfect start to a chilly Swedish (or Canberra) morning. The fried egg was cooked perfectly, oozy and runny, coating the potato which might otherwise have been a bit plain. The sprinkle of spring onions adds a great bit of bite to the dish, the bacon contributes a kick of salt and I loved the tender, flavoursome slices of beetroot that balance out the other, heavier ingredients. The sourdough toast is coated luxuriously in butter too. Oh, and the mango smoothie was spectacular – definitely worth ordering, the texture wasn’t icy at all and the mango flavour was intense and fresh. Yum! The staff were attentive without being intrusive, clearing plates and happily letting me linger to write.

The Gods Cafe & Bar, Building 16 ANU Arts Centre, Union Court, Acton ACT, http://www.thegodscafe.com.au