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/

Old Parliament House

Friday drinks at OPH were something of a myth when I moved to Canberra – they’d been all the rage but had since stopped, so I never got to go. But good things come to those who wait – once again OPH is opening its courtyard to those seeking end-of-week beverages. We headed over for a friend’s farewell after work, emerging into a lovely green space full of benches and beanbags. The bar is set up under a pergola and offers wine, beer and cider, and alongside it is the food. For $6, you could choose to eat 1. a bratwurst with sauerkraut, 2. tandoori chicken skewers or 3. a green paw paw salad. I went for the bratwurst, after seeing that it was DIY condiments (yes!). I heaped my hot dog up with bacon chips, sauerkraut, diced pickles, aioli and cheese – it was definitely the right choice. The roll was just the right thickness and held everything together without dominating the flavours, whilst the sauerkraut and pickles really complemented the  sausage. The cheese didn’t add much flavour, but the bacon chips were crispy and worked well with the whole combination. No better way to send a friend off in style.

Old Parliament House, 18 King George Terrace, Parkes ACT   http://moadoph.gov.au/events/friday-night-drinks/

Mikla

Thank you, thank you, thank you Lonely Planet. This is in contention for the best bar I have ever been to. On a balmy summer evening, emerging onto the 17th storey rooftop and being met with 360 degree views of the city was breathtaking. So too was the line up at the bar – there is no cocktail or spirits menu, the bartender comes over to your seat and just asks what you feel like. I was definitely in the mood for a mojito, but I imagine that if you didn’t know what you wanted, they would happily guide you in the right direction. Having said that, the wine list was actually a book – there was more choice than I’ve ever seen anywhere! My mojito was well-balanced and utterly refreshing. I was given a small dish of warm, spiced almonds to snack on while I waited, although I spent more time taking photos and admiring the skyline of Istanbul. When an accoustic version of Swedish House Mafia’s ‘Don’t You Worry Child’ came on, I turned to my left and saw the man sitting there propose to his girlfriend – I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to become engaged.

Mikla bar, Cafe Marmara Pera, Meşrutiyet Cd No:1, 34430 Beyoğlu, Turkey http://www.miklarestaurant.com/en/mikla-restaurant/bar