Smoque

This is a public service announcement – Smoque offers 50c wings (yes, you read that right, 50c wings) on Monday nights for dine-in customers. Cue marching band celebratory music here. Three of us headed down to the Woden store after work to indulge – we ordered 25 wings, sides of Mexican street corn and coleslaw, and a plate of poutine (chips with gravy and curd). It was a merry feast, although my friend picked the spicy (not suicidal) wings and as much as I wanted to eat more I couldn’t – clever tactic dude, clever. The wings were freshly cooked and had a nice amount of batter without being super oily. I avoided the blue cheese dipping sauce but apparently it was great, and there were some carrot and celery sticks served with it too. The chicken was tender and fell easily off the bone – so good. The corn was a highlight, fresh and covered in delicious cheese and sauce and a bit of lime, it was a nice break from all the meat. The poutine was my favourite though – the chips were really tasty (must be made from flavoursome potatoes), and whilst I would have liked more gravy, it filled me up after I couldn’t eat any more spicy wings. Next time I’ll be getting the non-spicy ones and smashing plenty more!

Smoque, 10 Bowes Street, Phillip ACT,

Bobo’s Diner

I have blogged many times about the need for a good, hearty burger, and that was exactly what I felt like when I met my colleagues at Bobo’s Diner in Frankston. They decided to share a plate of ribs, but I was sucked in by the promise of beef, cheese, lettuce and Bobo’s burger sauce that was ‘the original’. The food came out quickly and whilst the filling of my burger huddled like an island amid the sea of bun, once I got to that filling it was oh so good. The patty was wonderfully thick and packed full of ground beef (definitely not beef mince). The cheese and burger sauce added a huge amount of flavour and I actually did really like the soft but slightly crisped bun. The chips were tasty but nothing to write home about – they needed sauce and whilst the mustard on the table was tempting, I went for plain old tomato instead. My colleagues enjoyed the flavour of the ribs but were disappointed that there wasn’t more meat on them. The diner is open until late, and the staff happily let us work away as we ate.

Bobo’s Diner, 435 Nepean Highway, Frankston VIC                                          http://www.bobosdiner.com.au/

Fillos Souvlaki

Make way Canberra, a new venue has joined the ranks of food coma, meat sweat-inducing deliciousness. Welcome, Fillos Souvlaki! A recent addition to the Hamlet’s collective of food trucks, Fillos Souvlaki offers souvlaki as either a pita or a plate, with lamb, pork and vegetarian options. I went for the lamb pita ($12.50), and on reflection I probably should have fasted for some time prior to trying to eat it! My meal was prepared in two minutes flat – even the lady handing me the roll couldn’t believe it was ready so quickly! Inside the rather thick pita bread was a large amount of beautiful chunks of lamb, some serious chips, plenty of garlic sauce (yes!), and a nod to non-deep fried vegetables with some onion, tomato and lettuce thrown in for appearance’s sake. But we all know I’m here for the lamb. Whilst not melt-in-your-mouth, the cubes of lamb were really tasty and I didn’t mind the effort of chewing them a lot to extract the flavour. The chips were at just the right mid-point between crispy and soggy for belonging in a roll. I’d be keen to try the plate next time – bring it on!

Fillos Souvlaki, The Hamlet, 16 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT, no website

Joe’s Bar

On arrival at Joe’s Bar for a late dinner, the vibe was welcoming and chic, with beautiful glassware on display and an impressive array of spirits behind the bar. I started out with the Giant G&T – trust me, when they say giant, they mean giant! Served in a fishbowl glass, this classic is given a refreshing twist with housemade rhubarb syrup and pickled rhubarb, plus strawberries and fresh mint. It went nicely with the spiced popcorn brought out to the table – be warned, it’s extremely moreish! We decided to share two entrees and a main – starting with the arancini and the chicken liver parfait. The arancini were beautifully crisp on the outside and lovely and gooey inside, although we both thought they could have done with a bit more flavour – perhaps more of the dipping sauce, or some chilli? The pate was served with fresh bread and we lapped up every single mouthful – absolutely gorgeous. But the piece de resistance was the tagliata di manzo – black angus steak with crispy rocket, parmesan and balsamic. Oh my. We devoured the perfectly done steak and delighted in the balance achieved with the crisp of the rocket and sweetness of the balsamic. Next time I’ll get one of those to myself, thank you. We stayed until closing and weren’t hurried out – thanks team at Joe’s, you made a stunning first impression!

Joe’s Bar, East Hotel, 69 Canberra Avenue, Kingston ACT, http://www.joesateast.com/

Miss Peaches

Miss Peaches promises soul food, and that’s what we went seeking on a chilly Wednesday night. Bringing Southern American to Newtown, Miss Peaches takes up the space formerly occupied by the Marly Bar. We arrived as they opened, and snagged a table overlooking the street, after admiring the art in the hallway. Their cocktail list sounds fantastic (will have to go back for that), but we got right into the food. I ordered the smoked brisket po’boy, which comes with onions, pickles, mustard and gravy, as well as a serve of fries. The po’boy itself was a good size, and was packed with thickly-shredded brisket doused in gravy. Mmm. I am a huge fan of pickles and there was a very generous amount in the roll, which was light and just the right thickness. It’s not an elegant meal to eat, but dipping the fries into the gravy was particularly satisfying and delicious. Dad tried the gumbo – it was very spicy, but had a great complex flavour that I would probably have enjoyed more with a touch less spice. We were there very early, but I can imagine a really great atmosphere with some live music on a weekend. Soul food? Fo’ sho’.

Miss Peaches, 201 Missenden Road, Newtown, Sydney    http://www.misspeaches.com.au/

Hyatt Hotel

When a friend mentioned that the Hyatt was doing a series of Latin Flavours feasts from around South America, we booked in quick smart for the Argentine one. We were met with one of the best buffets I’ve ever seen in my life. There were three buffet stations, PLUS a stand from which to get your cooked goat. Swoon. I started with seafood – cold crabmeat, octopus salad and fresh prawns, plus oysters and mussels. I also fell in love with the beetroot salad. Oh my. Next was the red meat – rib eye steak in chimmichurri, goat, mini empanadas stuffed with beef and cheese, cheesy cabbage rolls and a selection of cold meats (chorizo, jamon and salami). By this point my initial goal of three savoury and two sweet rounds was seeming overly ambitious. I ditched savoury and loaded up my plate with a melt-in-your-mouth mango cake (I don’t think they have mangoes in Argentina, but who cares?), churros dipped in chocolate from the chocolate fountain, dulce de leche pancakes, strawberries and cream and quince tart. The tango demonstration was a good digestion pause before cheese to finish. There are a couple more nights left (Venezuela and Mexico) so get in quick!

Promenade Cafe, Hyatt Hotel Canberra, 120 Commonwealth Avenue ACT http://canberra.park.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

The One

Last time we went to Westside, my friend got a sandwich from The One and I promised myself I would get it on my next visit. So, instead of making a beeline for Miss Van’s, I branched out. The One offers a range of meat-packed sandwiches and tacos, and I was tempted by the promise of pickles on their Cubanos – slow-cooked pork, pickles, onion, leg honey ham, mustard and cheese, toasted. I chose the large size ($12.50), but it ended up being large enough for two lunches (!) so I would probably get the small size ($8.50) next time. This sandwich was to die for. I LOVED IT. Firstly the pork. There was LOTS of it – I’m talking tender, tasty, melt-in-your-mouth – and it went perfectly with the slightly sweet honey ham. There were plenty of bits of pickle throughout, and what really kicked the whole thing into the ‘out of this world good’ category was the mustard. I really loved the buttered American-style bun too. Ok, I loved everything about it, and, bonus, I got to enjoy the second half the next day. Get on it people, this is the real deal.

The One, Westside Acton, 3 Barrine Drive, Acton ACT       https://www.westsideactonpark.com.au/the-one/