Overnight in Canberra

Over the October long weekend Dave + I made a last minute decision to hop in the car and spend a night in Canberra for no particular reason other than to get out of town. As usual we stayed at the lovely East Hotel (we first stayed there during the Human Brochure weekend and fell IN LOVE with the place)!

Smoque

Before we checked into the hotel we made a beeline to Smoque for some good ole American style BBQ right in the centre of town.

There's a lot on offer on the menu so in order to try and get a taste of most things we ordered a Combo Platter, namely the Trifecta ($39.00) filled with pulled pork, pork ribs, brisket and a choice of one side (we chose red cabbage coleslaw and added a side of "Mexican Street corn" for $3.90).

Our cornbread was a bit of a (dry) write off but the pork ribs were the shinning star on the platter - super tasty, moist with a great smokey flavour (they do their smoking off site in case you're wondering why the restaurant doesn't smell smokey at all). The brisket was also quite good, but the pork ribs won the day for me.

Because I can't help myself when buffalo wings are on the menu we ordered a side of these too. They were FANTASTIC - super flavourful with a slightly spicy, sticky sauce. And the blue cheese sauce was spectacular...I could eat this all day, every day!

Of course all of this was washed down with a Miller's brewski - though isn't Miller's Canadian, not American?

Smoque is at Baileys Arcade, Shop 2, 131 London Circuit, Canberra. Phone them on 6162 3350.



Addicted to Fabric

After lunch we went and checked into the hotel and then Dave dropped me off at Addicted to Fabric to catch up with some Canberra sewing ladies I've become friends with; and he headed off to the War Memorial.

I love fabric shopping and this is a pretty great shop! I'm not sure if there are a lot of fabric stores in Canberra, and this is a food blog so why would you give a hoot, right? But just in case you do...I bought this lovely fabric that I hope to make into a dress soon - the bodice using one side and the skirt using the other.

Parlour Wine Room

I decided I wanted to go somewhere a little bit fancy for dinner and we decided to check out Parlour Wine Room, in the New Action area - which offers Spanish style tapas dishes in a luxe, old school style dining room.  It was a bit hard to find this place from the address but it's actually inside the Peppers Gallery Hotel - at the back.

When we first arrived we were sat at one of the lovely chesterfield lounges but after sitting there for a drink (Negroni for me, beer for Dave) I needed to move to a "proper table" as my back couldn't handle sitting on the sofa.

The menu has a number of raciones, or small plates, so we start off with a few of things over (another) cocktail. Nearly everything in this part of the menu appeals to me so it's really hard to pick just a few things...

Pork Crack ($8) - really good, air puffed pork rind.

Cider battered anchovies ($7) - Brilliant! The batter was thick and crisp, almost like a dagwood batter. Perfect for the salty anchovies and creamy, spicy sauce.

Smoked pork butter with bread ($2). This was good, but not as good as the chicken crackling butter we had at Jamie's Fifteen in London last year.

Moving right along to the larger Tapas plates. We initially ordered three of these these but as they weren't overly large and I needed just *one more* to finish off the night. The descriptions of each item is fairly light-on (which is the trend de jour I think with many modern restaurants) so we choose by simply going with the ingredients that sound good to us (those we could identify that is)!

House code, ancient grains, baby turnips + aoili ($19) - very tasty, though I found our cod overly salty. Loved the crunch of the grains and the creamy aoili.

Dusted calamari, squid ink, black garlic romesco, almonds ($17) - really nice, great seasoning on the calamari.

Twice cooked crispy pork belly, px glaze, fried onion, hazelnut ($18) - very delicious, excellent pork though I did find our  glaze a tad salty and thick...it overpowered the pork in a way.

Carrot + onion escabeche, labneh, crushed seeds ($15) - really loved this dish, light, refreshing and delicate flavours.

The Parlour Room is at 16 Kendall Lane, Newacton Pavilion, Canberra. Phone them on 6257 7325.



Me + Mrs Jones

The next morning we decided to head over to Kingston and revisit Me + Mrs Jones. Afterwards we wandered around the area and I spied another great looking cafe, Penny University that I'm keen to try next visit.

There seems to be a few more places to brunch/lunch in Kingston since our last visit so we have no trouble getting a table this time around.  We promptly order coffees and a juice whilst studying the menu.

Dave ordered the Spanish Eggs ($18.00) that was a fry up of A fry up of chorizo, smoked spec,
roast capsicum, olives, roquette and scrambled eggs, served with romesco sauce and linseed toast. It was packed with flavour and to be honest I had BIG breakfast envy!

In comparison to Dave's tasty, flavour packed breakfast I found my Breakfast Quesadilla ($17.00) a little bland.  Squashed between two tortilla warps was a bevy of scrambled eggs and manchego cheese, served with sides of smashed avocado, braised black beans and and house made hot sauce.  I think this dish would've worked better for me if the sauce and beans were inside the Quesailla to give a bit of moisture to this mix - like the Spanish Eggs above which were a medley of flavours and textures all mixed together..

Me + Mrs Jones is at 26 Giles St, Kingston ACT. Phone them on 6162 3355.



After breakfast we checked out a HUGE craft market that happened to be on during the same weekend we were visiting. I think (ok, I know for a fact) Dave found this SUPER boring but I loved it. It's always inspiring to see others people's creative endeavors. 

We also decided to for a spin before lunch and check out some of the embassy's and fancy houses nearby. Whilst we thought this was fun the AFP, and the guards at the American Embassy didn't seem too impressed at first.  Still...it's a free country and we continue on our merry way picking our favourite embassay's and houses.

Jamie's Italian

Although we have Jamie's Italian in Sydney, Dave was keen to go here for lunch as he'd seen Pavlova on the specials board when we walked past the day before.

Although we been to Jamie's Italian in Edinburgh I really wanted Dave to try Jamie's "famous polenta chips" ($8.50). I LOVE these crispy fried polenta chips that are sprinkled with rosemary and parmesan.

I always love to have a salad when I'm eating pasta. The simple green salad ($7.00) was really lovely, though I found the plating a bit awkward as dressing spilled off the plate. Anyway, our salad of  roundhead and babygem lettuce with a lemony yoghurt, tarragon and  basil dressing went perfect with my pasta, "Jools' favourite tuna fusilli" ($13.50 for a small serve).  I really loved this dish - sustainable tuna, slow-cooked tomatoes, garlic, herbs and cinnamon with crunchy, herby breadcrumbs. I really like the addition of bread crumbs and might try this in my pastas at home.  I'm not sure why Dave forsook Pasta, but he seemed very happy with his Tuscan Wild Boar Sausage ($25.00).

And the Pavlova you may ask? It was more of a Meringue but still pretty good!

Jamie's Italian is at 125 Bunda Street, Civic, ACT (Canberra Centre, under the Dendy Cinema).  Phone them on 6268 0400.



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And that my friends is the end of our overnight trip to Canberra. I keep hearing people say how boring Canberra is...and to them I say YOU ARE WRONG! There is loads of great food to be had, wineries to visit, galleries to explore, shopping to be had and friends to meet.

Until next time...

Food tour of The Rocks

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time you’re probably aware that I LOVE a tour…especially a tour where food is involved.

When the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) invited me on a media “food and beverage” tour of The Rocks I quickly submitted an annual leave day from work and RSVPd YES YES YES!

Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority owns and manages some of the State's most significant assets, including The Rocks. The SHFA website tells us that their “vision is to make extraordinary places the world talks about by preserving and enhancing the inter-generational value of the State, heritage and cultural assets it manages”.

I think it must be a tricky balance to preserve the heritage of The Rocks precinct whilst at the same time making the area relevant and modern through food, beverage, shopping and events in order to attract locals and visitors alike. The SHFA are the brainchild behind the ever popular Vivid Festival which was designed to bring visitors to the area in the normally quiet (for them) month of May. I’d say that idea worked pretty well, huh?

So where did the tour take us? Read on to find out. All of these places were new to me and I’m super excited to get back to some of them to revist.

Le Pain Quotidien

Firstly, massive props to the Le Pain Quotidien website which tries to help us pronounce the name of the place. They say it sounds like “luh paN koh-ti-dyaN”. Yep…still cannot pronounce it but in English that translates to “the daily bread”.

The first stop on our food tour of The Rocks is Le Pain Quotidien...a bakery hailing from Belgium that is located in a (very) old police station on George Sreet. I cannot count the number of times I’ve walked past this building and not given it a second glance. This is a lesson in why it pays to look up from the pavement and take in the beauty surrounding us!

At the back of the café is where you’ll find the old gaol cells. The "cells" have been done up as little dining spaces and it is really really cool. If you don't like your dining buddies you could just get up from you cell and lock them in the cell behind you! If you cannot get yourself locked in a cell never fear! There is loads of seating in the front of the building and also out on George Street where you’ll have a stellar view of the MCA.

On this first pit stop we get to try a few items from the Patisserie menu and I go for the almond and cheese croissant which is delicious. The cheese is almost undetectable so don’t let that put you off.  It provides a subtle sweet and and creamy note to the pasty.  This is not like eating a slice of Kraft cheese on your sweet croissant I promise. I also sink my teeth in to the fruit bread with a good sized schmear of the creamy, luscious hazelnut spread. All of this is washed down with some tart, refreshing Homemade Lemonade.

I really like this space. I think it’s fantastic that the café is making use of one of the most interesting features of the buildings (the cells for those not keeping up with my love of THE CELLS). I’m keen to come back on the weekend to have brunch or lunch with Dave and enjoy some French goodies. And YAY for somewhere that is open for brunch in the city ALL weekend (they also open for dinner FYI).

127 George Street, The Rocks
Phone them on: 9252 3840
Trading hours: Monday - Sunday 8.00am - 9.00 pm



ChocolArts

Next stop on our tour of the rocks is one for the lovers of handmade, artisan chocolate. Behold the wonder that is ChocolArts.

This place smells INCREDIBLE - rich and luscious. At ChocolArt you’ll find a HUGE range of beautiful handcrafted chocolates make from premium Belgian and French couverture chocolate. There's also some couverture on hand from North Queensland (it's grown on a banana farm)! Fantastic!  What's more is that there’s no artificial ingredients or preservatives in the ChocolArt choccies so this place is basically a health food shop if you think about it!

ChoocolArts has a range of traditional chocolates but I also like the addition of a few Australian flavours such as Lemon Myrtle (which is super yum FYI) and also the Leatherwood Honey. Whilst in store I also tried the Fleur de Sel. One word = YUM!

75 George Street, The Rocks
Trading Hours: Monday - Sunday: 10.00am - 6.00pm



Ananas Bar and Brasserie

Moving right along to the third stop on our food tour. We pop into the beautiful Ananas for some wine and a light lunch.

I figured out pretty quickly that Ananas is French for pineapple as there are pineapple "things" all over the joint. Pineapple lights of different shapes and sizes adorn various parts of the bar and brasserie and it REALLY is gorgeous. How have I not been here before?   Now, if you're wondering about the link between France and pineapples we are told that "way back in The Day, pineapples were a sign of wealth and great hospitality in France".  You learn something new everyday.

The bar area takes up a huge chunk of the building and is light and bright with a touch of “old world France about it”. It positively shimmers from the glow of the pineapple chandeliers. LOVE!

We move through to the brasserie, which is dark and lux, and settle at the tables for some tasty treats. First up is a glass (or two) of a smooth 2012 Château Darzac Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, France (naturally). I think I can now add another wine to my list of wines that I like…welcome to the club Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc!

On to the food… King Crab Salad with avocado and fresh green apple (from the restaurant lunch menu); Chef's celection of house charcuterie with brioche (from the bar menu); Ananas seared yellow fin tuna salade niçoise (from the restaurant menu). The dishes we are presented with are all beautiful with delicate flavours and textures that all blend perfectly together. I adored the charcuterie as it just screams Paris to me...

We finish off our light lunch with a trio of Ananas eclairs – the Chef's selection as Chef knows best after all. We had an African chocolate éclair, an Earl Grey Tea éclair (oh boy this was GOOD) and a salted caramel éclair. We cut each éclair into five pieces so we could each have “just a taste”. The perfect, guilt free way to have dessert I think.

18 Argyle Street, The Rocks
Phone them on 9259 5668 or email reservations@ananas.com.au
Trading Hours:
Lunch = Mon - Fri 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Dinner = Mon - Thu 6.00pm – 10.00pm | Fri - Sat 5:30pm – 11.00pm
Bar = Mon- Fri 12.00pm – 1.00am | Sat 4.00pm – 1.00am



Wine Odyssey Australia

Moving right along on our food tour of The Rocks to Wine Odyssey. This is another venue with a historical past – built in 1886 it initially operated as a hotel run by one of Australia’s first female publicans. 

The resident archaeologist from the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, who attended the tour with us, tells us that this building also served as a morgue (pubs with cellars = cool, dry place to store the bodies) as well as a “house of ill repute”!

I've never seen a DIY "wine tasting machine" before...and now I have. This month the machine is loaded up with NSW wines...you put credit on your Wine Odyssey card...stick it in the machine and taste away. More fun than an iPad people.

As well as the DIY "wine tasting machine" Wine Odyssey also has a wine bar, wine store, wine club and can host a variety of events. On the second floor of their venue is a “theatre” which is where we head to try both a red and white wine, and to sample a few of the delectable cheeses on offer.

39/43 Argyle Street, The Rocks
Phone them on 8114 0256
Trading hours:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday to Saturday – 12.00pm to late
Sunday - 12.00pm to 10.00pm



The Push

Next stop on our food tour of The Rocks is The Push. It's the first pub you'll meet as you enter The Rocks ...a really cozy space for a cocktail (or two) and something to eat. The Push sits on the ground floor of the lovely (and again, historic) Russell Hotel building.

The Push is a bit of a funny name isn’t it? It comes from a Blues and Jazz Club that operated in the Rocks in the 70’s, known as “The Rocks Push”. The club took its name go back to the early 1800s when a group of ye olde worlde gang-bangers (also referred to as “larrikins” back in the day) formed a gang called “The Rocks Push”. They terrorized the area and sailors frequenting the Rocks.

During our brief stop at The Push we get to sample a few of the bar snacks on offer and a few cocktails. I LOVE LOVE LOVED the crumbed calamari strips that are dusted with sichuan pepper and kaffir lime. I ignored the accompanying soy dipping sauce and dunked the calamari in the aioli that accompanied the cheesy little arancini balls. Good stuff. The nachos bites were piled high with spiced beef flank, beans, rocket, cheese and avocado – not so pretty to eat (more of a shove-it-in-your-gob) but really tasty! I also loved the slider I tired - pulled lamb with mashed peas (there’s also pork rib and vegetarian sausage sliders on offer if you prefer).

We try a few cocktails here, include their signature cocktail ‘Push Over’. The drinks menu tells us this drink is “inspired by the well-dressed ladies who were dazzled by the charisma of the members of The Push in the 1800′s. This cocktail is a fruity, refreshing mix of raspberries, lime, Chambord and vodka”. I’m not sure I’m classified as a “well-dressed lady” (I err more on the casual side of things) and I don’t go ga-ga for gang members BUT I did love this cocktail. Yum.

143 George Street, The Rocks.
Phone them on 9241 2999
Trading Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 12.00pm - 11.00pm
Friday – Saturday: 12.00pm – 12.00am (nice one lock-out laws...not)!
Sunday: 12.00pm – 10.00pm



The Glenmore Hotel

The rooftop of The Glenmore Hotel is a SPECTACULAR place to end our food tour of The Rocks. Stunning views...especially in the glorious weather we’ve been experiencing lately. The rooftop has received a face lift and is the proud owner of a a retractable roof. This means the rooftop will be open rain, hail or shine. Woot.

I take a seat at the table that overlooks the Opera House...and that overlooks three giant jugs of cocktails. I’m not sure what any of there are I’m sorry (I heard mutterings of Pimms and of rum {not in the same jug of course}) – but I had a VERY good sample from each one and can confirm that they are all delish. Coupled with the stunning, warm spring weather and the million dollar view I’d say these cocktails are darn near perfect!

Quite a few plates of food came out but I didn’t get to sample (or snap) them all. I'm keen to come back and try the chicken wings which we are told are devilishly spicy and messy.

The Salt and Pepper Squid was dusted in chilli and came with a coriander and lime mayonnaise – yum. I loved the BBQ corn salsa and tartare sauce that accompanied the Fish Cakes (which reminded me of a prettier version of the tuna patties I used to try and make at home, but they would never stick together).   After a few fried dishes the Tuna Salad was fresh and refreshing. Seared Albacore Tuna is plated under a medley of avocado, cucumber ribbon, heirloom cherry tomato, crispy panache salad with spicy sesame soy dressing.

I absolutely LOVED spending time on the rooftop of the Glenmore Hotel.  It just felt like the quintessential Sydney experience - big blue skies, warm weather, sunshine and a dazzling view of the sparkling water and Opera House.

96 Cumberland Street, The Rocks.
Phone them on: 9247 4794
Trading Hours:
Mon – Thurs: 11.00am to 12.00am
Fri -- Sat: 11.00am to 1.00am
Sun: 11.00am to 12.00am