Undiscovered territory
I have recently been relocated to a different office in central Canberra. Like any changes, it has its bad points and it has its good points. The only bad points that I could think of so far (it's only been around 2 weeks) is the extra travel time in Canberra's public transport and the availability of shops. The latter kind of also falls into a good point. In the old office, the most exciting shops there were a second-hand bookshop and Woolies. Wooo hoooo!!! Here? There are David Jones, Myer, Swarovsky, Cue, all those goodness! There are also eateries of all sizes and cuisines! Here are few that I've tried so far (other than Nando's and the ones I've been to before). I dont have any photos, since I'm often without my camera these days.
Tasuke Japanese Restaurant
122 Alinga Street, Civic
ph 02 6257 9711
This little restaurant has the appearance of a small Japanese eateries, with tables lined up and those plastic examples of meals served there. When I went, there were a few people slurping away, which looks so promising to me! Unfortunately, once I ordered and paid for my meal, I heard the chef and the server speak in Mandarin, which totally dashed my hope for it being an authentic Japanese food. The food itself isn't all that bad, but you still can taste the "Chinese Food" in them. A slight oiliness in the crumbed pork and egg, and the Katsu sauce really really salty. I probably would never go back there again, since they aren't cheap either.
Coo Japanese Izakaya (Sister Restaurant of Iori Japanese Restaraunt)
41 E Row, Civic
ph 02 6257 2233
Upon entering, you are welcomed with a "irasshaimase" which is super promising! the server lady looks super Japanese, which is totally awesome - at this stage I was super duper exciting at the thought of finding an authentic restaurant about a stone away from where I work. Perusing at the menu, however, you get a sense that all meals are marketed towards people who are not familiar with Japanese food, and probably also made towards the Western taste. E was sick at the time, so he ordered a ramen (which is something I have never seen him eat before, let alone, order at a restaurant!) I ordered a platter of sushi and Japanese tea. While we were waiting for our meals, a guy wearing a chef outfit walked around, being very friendly and polite and just very Japanese. He was entertaining :) Then my Japanese tea arrived and it was "omg! so freaking awesome" type of tea! I'm not sure what it is, it has some sort of a Barley taste to it and has a calming affect. As you would appreciate my expectation for the food is sky-high by this time, with the Japanese people milling around, speaking Japanese to each other, awesome tea and the place was packed - people with no booking were turned away, even! E's ramen came out, smelling ultra seafood-y which is good for me and really bad for him since he hates seafood. It was a little bland, boiling hot, and a little disappointing. Then my sushi platter arrived, and it was a plate of eight small pieces with a little blob of ginger and wasabi. The sushi were alright, but it was nothing special. Definitely not $18-kind-of-special! If they'd let me, I probably would go back there just to have the awesome tea, but other than that, I won't return. I will however try its sister restaurant, Iori - which received quite good review in a newspaper sometimes last week.
Croissant D'Or - French Bakery
33 E Row, Civic
ph 02 6247 0853
The only thing that caught my eye when I walked past this bakery were the three tall vases filled with French macarons. I don't have a sweet-tooth, I rarely eat lollies or biscuits, and the only type of chocolate that I like is dark. But French macarons? I LOVE them! I got my first taste of them at the tiniest French bakery in the Brisbane. From then on, hearing the word "macaron" got me to droll Homer-style! So one morning, on the way to work, I dropped in and bought each of the macaroons that they have - at $2.20 for a 50-cent coin sized macarons, I was flabbergasted but didn't care. I practically ran into my office and closed the door so that I can savour them privately. I bought a strawberry, pistachio and almond macarons - the first two were frikkin awesome, the latter, I had to stop myself gag when I realised what flavour it was. Mind you, I hate everything almond-flavoured, so its a given. It is probably not as good as Andriano Zumbo (Sydney) macarons, but with it being the only bakery that I know of in the whole of Canberra that makes them, $2.20 each seems pretty good!
Tasty Time - Chinese Noodle Bar
16b/31 City Walk, Civic
ph 02 6247 3742
Walking past the shop-front, you see pictures of all the different noodle dishes that they have to offer. Like the name suggests, to me, they all look so tasty and appealing. So one day, when E met me at Civic after work, I suggested the place - unfortunately for me, the first thing E saw were the mother-of-all beef balls in one of the noodle dishes, which totally grossed him out lol Whereas to me, those beef balls were awesomely enticing and so I went in one lunch time and ordered a bowl. I don't know what made me ordered their beef noodle soup when I know that they have spicy laksa - since I love laksa, and I don't like clear noodle soup. As I walked back to my office, I was kicking myself for ordering something I know I don't like and pondered why did I do such thing. Luckily for me, the soup was super duper good - it was TASTY! I had to stop myself from slurping the soup noisily and chance having my colleagues hear me eat like a pig! I like it so much that I'd go and order another bowl, without trying the laksa first. It was that good!
I don't know how long I'll be working in Civic but I'm sure there'll be plenty more posts about the different eateries I've been to - in the mean time, I am exercising a lot of self-restraint from blowing all my money on macaroons!
Tasuke Japanese Restaurant
122 Alinga Street, Civic
ph 02 6257 9711
This little restaurant has the appearance of a small Japanese eateries, with tables lined up and those plastic examples of meals served there. When I went, there were a few people slurping away, which looks so promising to me! Unfortunately, once I ordered and paid for my meal, I heard the chef and the server speak in Mandarin, which totally dashed my hope for it being an authentic Japanese food. The food itself isn't all that bad, but you still can taste the "Chinese Food" in them. A slight oiliness in the crumbed pork and egg, and the Katsu sauce really really salty. I probably would never go back there again, since they aren't cheap either.
Coo Japanese Izakaya (Sister Restaurant of Iori Japanese Restaraunt)
41 E Row, Civic
ph 02 6257 2233
Upon entering, you are welcomed with a "irasshaimase" which is super promising! the server lady looks super Japanese, which is totally awesome - at this stage I was super duper exciting at the thought of finding an authentic restaurant about a stone away from where I work. Perusing at the menu, however, you get a sense that all meals are marketed towards people who are not familiar with Japanese food, and probably also made towards the Western taste. E was sick at the time, so he ordered a ramen (which is something I have never seen him eat before, let alone, order at a restaurant!) I ordered a platter of sushi and Japanese tea. While we were waiting for our meals, a guy wearing a chef outfit walked around, being very friendly and polite and just very Japanese. He was entertaining :) Then my Japanese tea arrived and it was "omg! so freaking awesome" type of tea! I'm not sure what it is, it has some sort of a Barley taste to it and has a calming affect. As you would appreciate my expectation for the food is sky-high by this time, with the Japanese people milling around, speaking Japanese to each other, awesome tea and the place was packed - people with no booking were turned away, even! E's ramen came out, smelling ultra seafood-y which is good for me and really bad for him since he hates seafood. It was a little bland, boiling hot, and a little disappointing. Then my sushi platter arrived, and it was a plate of eight small pieces with a little blob of ginger and wasabi. The sushi were alright, but it was nothing special. Definitely not $18-kind-of-special! If they'd let me, I probably would go back there just to have the awesome tea, but other than that, I won't return. I will however try its sister restaurant, Iori - which received quite good review in a newspaper sometimes last week.
Croissant D'Or - French Bakery
33 E Row, Civic
ph 02 6247 0853
The only thing that caught my eye when I walked past this bakery were the three tall vases filled with French macarons. I don't have a sweet-tooth, I rarely eat lollies or biscuits, and the only type of chocolate that I like is dark. But French macarons? I LOVE them! I got my first taste of them at the tiniest French bakery in the Brisbane. From then on, hearing the word "macaron" got me to droll Homer-style! So one morning, on the way to work, I dropped in and bought each of the macaroons that they have - at $2.20 for a 50-cent coin sized macarons, I was flabbergasted but didn't care. I practically ran into my office and closed the door so that I can savour them privately. I bought a strawberry, pistachio and almond macarons - the first two were frikkin awesome, the latter, I had to stop myself gag when I realised what flavour it was. Mind you, I hate everything almond-flavoured, so its a given. It is probably not as good as Andriano Zumbo (Sydney) macarons, but with it being the only bakery that I know of in the whole of Canberra that makes them, $2.20 each seems pretty good!
Tasty Time - Chinese Noodle Bar
16b/31 City Walk, Civic
ph 02 6247 3742
Walking past the shop-front, you see pictures of all the different noodle dishes that they have to offer. Like the name suggests, to me, they all look so tasty and appealing. So one day, when E met me at Civic after work, I suggested the place - unfortunately for me, the first thing E saw were the mother-of-all beef balls in one of the noodle dishes, which totally grossed him out lol Whereas to me, those beef balls were awesomely enticing and so I went in one lunch time and ordered a bowl. I don't know what made me ordered their beef noodle soup when I know that they have spicy laksa - since I love laksa, and I don't like clear noodle soup. As I walked back to my office, I was kicking myself for ordering something I know I don't like and pondered why did I do such thing. Luckily for me, the soup was super duper good - it was TASTY! I had to stop myself from slurping the soup noisily and chance having my colleagues hear me eat like a pig! I like it so much that I'd go and order another bowl, without trying the laksa first. It was that good!
I don't know how long I'll be working in Civic but I'm sure there'll be plenty more posts about the different eateries I've been to - in the mean time, I am exercising a lot of self-restraint from blowing all my money on macaroons!