12 March 2013

Where should RiotACT have lunch?

| Barcham
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lunchtable

So this is where John, myself, and George the RiotACT dog have lunch most days. It’s not ideal, we think we can do better.

Occasionally we find enough shrapnel in the RiotACT couch and go splurge on lunch somewhere, we attempt to justify this expense by reviewing the places we visit. These tend to be some of our more popular articles on the site.

Will think twice before reading another Barcham article. The byline is poisoned now. – Grail

So, we like food, you like reading about it, and this table is becoming less and less hygienic. We will kill all these birds and more with one stone@ A regular lunch review section!

For this we are going to need your help Rioters! Between the two of us we know a lot of places, but not all of them. So tell us your favourite places to eat! Once a week, or possibly more or less often, we will look at the suggestions, pick what sounds the cheapest nicest, and go do a review.

For fun and profit! Probably not any profit.

So leave a suggestion in the comments!

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Duxton. O’Connor. Sounds quite nice. Have you ever been there?

Or you could review Tilley’s.

Or Au Lac? (Or, as some might put it, Oh Lack!)

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

LSWCHP said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

I have not been to kingo for years but my experience with cook your own was horrid. Great cuts of meat but way too much heat. Got a decent sweet spot a few centimetres into the steak but outside was burnt and inside was raw.

Can’t comment on the Snag Shack, but just lack of expertise at the Kingo grills, I suggest. I’ve been cooking steaks at the Kingo for over 20 years, and they always come out exactly how I like ’em. Add some barby sauce, mustard, and all the salad you can eat with a bread roll to mop up all the juices…. mmmmmeeuurggh…I’m drowning in my own slobber…

And I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but I’m getting some mixed messages with this marriage and poo-poo business. Not the sort of action that I get into, most days. Each to his own of course, and other Rioters are welcome to it if it revs their motors. 🙂

Don’t knock it until you tried it!

To be fair I always picked quite a thick cut. Maybe il pop in on Friday and try again.

That’s a good starting point. Some of the steaks are like dinosaur thighs, and can be a bit tricky to get right.

Gianni’s Cafe, Homeworld, Tuggers. Mmmm…pizza…

FioBla said :

Swaggie said :

Pork Barrel. Lovely surrounds.

I don’t know. I hear Julia has some unwanted interruptions while having lunch there one Australia Day.

Growling Ferret said :

There is a new asian cafe/restaurant where Sharlimar was on Marcus Clarke St opposite IGA. Last weeks red curry was delicious.

Takeaway is $8.50.

Do it.

I was there today. Ordered a lunch box of steamed rice with some kind of chicken curry and honey chicken strips. The meal was pretty good: the honey chicken was particularly delicious with just the subtle taste of honey.

The place needs to work on their marketing, though. I mean, at 12:15 I was the only customer there and the only used table was occupied by the family/owners (about 5ish people). The whole operation seems a bit like a family reunion, and made me feel like I’m stepping into a family lunch.

Still, the food was good and definitely well priced.

Also, now that I’ve a bit more time, maybe it’s a good chance to elaborate on my previous comment:

fernandof said :

I really like the sandwiches from Food with Flair on the crn of Marcus and Uni Ave.

Food with Flair put some serious effort into their food. The food has this fresh quality to it, and salads have none of that “extra-protein” of the bug variety I unfortunately got accustomed to consume.

Another place I often visit is the sushi place next to Food with Flair. Can’t remember the name, but they serve a descent mixed-box set for $6.5 (although I wouldn’t recommend if you’re feeling hungry, more like a light meal).

For good sushi I go to the sushi place in the Latin American Plaza. A bit pricy, but pretty good quality and more than enough to get you full no matter how hungry you are. I tend to go there occasionally on Fridays as a nice treat.

In all honesty, I think it would prove entertaining to have a long running review of servo food. Where is the best servo for microwaved chicken rolls? Did you get free sauce with your pie? How did the Coke zero’s compare price-wise? Were there any trends identified? To provide a greater level of hilarity, one ould include a 100metre sprint after each meal which should be timed along with gps data.

It’s an idea. One that i think is a good one. You have to think outside the square of “asian lunch box” or “insert latest trend in garema pl”. Take it or leave it.

I wonder, shouldn’t reviews really be on places ‘at randon’ and not a list of everyone’s *favourite* places? Otherwise, if posters are good judges, surely all will get the same good rating?
Don’t we need a range really?
I think people should be suggesting places, with no comment regarding if they are good or bad (in their opinion!). That can then be up to the RA reviewers, who won’t go there with an idea of what outcome they should be expecting. Just sayin…. 🙂

The Fat Goanna Cafe at BBP. Excellent on all fronts. Gourmet menu and awesome service.

astrojax said :

doesn’t look like an office ergonomic assessment or oh&s assessment has been undertaken, either. should we boycott r/a until our intrepid team are ensured some level of safety?

No, so long as they constantly film each other and post any funny accidents. Unless the dog is injured. That would be sad.

Swaggie said :

The Lobby, turn right at the front door and hit the cafe next door

Pork Barrel. Lovely surrounds.

sfoglia in dickson, one of the only places in the area serves digestible coffee, great cakes and pretty good foccacia and risottos as well as their pasta specials. go there.

doesn’t look like an office ergonomic assessment or oh&s assessment has been undertaken, either. should we boycott r/a until our intrepid team are ensured some level of safety?

Head south, cross the lake, head for The Lobby, turn right at the front door and hit the cafe next door, I cant remember the name of it but if you see the Tent Embassy you know you’ve walked too far…

Solidarity said :

Nobody cares about your opinion.

We’re not too keen on yours either.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

Snag stand…NO NO NO NO!
Have tried it 3 times and every time the sausage is awful. There is nothing gourmet about any of it. No matter what they advertise, it is either mass produced crap or badly cooked.

I have not been to kingo for years but my experience with cook your own was horrid. Great cuts of meat but way too much heat. Got a decent sweet spot a few centimetres into the steak but outside was burnt and inside was raw.

I will poo poo on anybody who says either of those type of foods is good. Come to my house and pay me half the price and I will make you want to marry me.

Nobody cares about your opinion.

Barcham – as discussed post-trivia, I think you guys should definitely do some reviews of the eateries within the Parliamentary Triangle: Lachlan on Brisbane Ave,, the RUC (Blackall St,), the DFAT cafe (in the DFAT building, but open to the public) etc. etc.

tipsymcstagger9:31 am 13 Mar 13

PJ’s in the city does a schnitty at lunch time for $10.
Pretty good sized portions and generally a pretty “nice” place, should fullfill all of your criteria.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd6:52 am 13 Mar 13

LSWCHP said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

I have not been to kingo for years but my experience with cook your own was horrid. Great cuts of meat but way too much heat. Got a decent sweet spot a few centimetres into the steak but outside was burnt and inside was raw.

Can’t comment on the Snag Shack, but just lack of expertise at the Kingo grills, I suggest. I’ve been cooking steaks at the Kingo for over 20 years, and they always come out exactly how I like ’em. Add some barby sauce, mustard, and all the salad you can eat with a bread roll to mop up all the juices…. mmmmmeeuurggh…I’m drowning in my own slobber…

And I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but I’m getting some mixed messages with this marriage and poo-poo business. Not the sort of action that I get into, most days. Each to his own of course, and other Rioters are welcome to it if it revs their motors. 🙂

Don’t knock it until you tried it!

To be fair I always picked quite a thick cut. Maybe il pop in on Friday and try again.

LSWCHP said :

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

I have not been to kingo for years but my experience with cook your own was horrid. Great cuts of meat but way too much heat. Got a decent sweet spot a few centimetres into the steak but outside was burnt and inside was raw.

Can’t comment on the Snag Shack, but just lack of expertise at the Kingo grills, I suggest. I’ve been cooking steaks at the Kingo for over 20 years, and they always come out exactly how I like ’em. Add some barby sauce, mustard, and all the salad you can eat with a bread roll to mop up all the juices…. mmmmmeeuurggh…I’m drowning in my own slobber…

And I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but I’m getting some mixed messages with this marriage and poo-poo business. Not the sort of action that I get into, most days. Each to his own of course, and other Rioters are welcome to it if it revs their motors. 🙂

Yep, the Kingo grill is a good un. Very hot in a few places but there are cooler areas on the grill for those who want their meat cooked a bit more.

Although this is fairly academic because everyone knows the only way to eat a good steak is rare and that grill is great for it.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

I have not been to kingo for years but my experience with cook your own was horrid. Great cuts of meat but way too much heat. Got a decent sweet spot a few centimetres into the steak but outside was burnt and inside was raw.

Can’t comment on the Snag Shack, but just lack of expertise at the Kingo grills, I suggest. I’ve been cooking steaks at the Kingo for over 20 years, and they always come out exactly how I like ’em. Add some barby sauce, mustard, and all the salad you can eat with a bread roll to mop up all the juices…. mmmmmeeuurggh…I’m drowning in my own slobber…

And I’m sure you’re a nice guy, but I’m getting some mixed messages with this marriage and poo-poo business. Not the sort of action that I get into, most days. Each to his own of course, and other Rioters are welcome to it if it revs their motors. 🙂

damien haas said :

The request was for something that can be undertaken fairly soon. The light rail hasn’t been constructed yet (although I’m told the engineers are surveying the route right now). The volume of traffic and passengers at midday is vastly different to that of the peak periods.

So, playing devils advocate (I don’t really know enough about all this!), are we saying the ?$600m light rail is really only needed for ~2-3 hours a day, and buses would be fine the rest of the time?

Wow. There is somebody doing ‘things’ other than ‘Johnboy’ on the RiotACT…Woah!
Well. You should do a Kingsley’s Chicken V Chicken Gourmet review. And not just the food. What we will see is the vast difference in terms of sloppy under cooked dodgy fried chicken. Thursday, Friday and Saturday night teen workers v the Chicken Gourmet chips n gravy at 3:00am. Does Chicken Gourmet exist between 8am and 5pm? God, who knows. Who really cares anyway….

I hear Luis XV in Monaco is a good feed.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd9:50 pm 12 Mar 13

(Ps I’m already happily married)

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd9:50 pm 12 Mar 13

Snag stand…NO NO NO NO!
Have tried it 3 times and every time the sausage is awful. There is nothing gourmet about any of it. No matter what they advertise, it is either mass produced crap or badly cooked.

I have not been to kingo for years but my experience with cook your own was horrid. Great cuts of meat but way too much heat. Got a decent sweet spot a few centimetres into the steak but outside was burnt and inside was raw.

I will poo poo on anybody who says either of those type of foods is good. Come to my house and pay me half the price and I will make you want to marry me.

How far are you willing to travel?

How about an unbiased review of Tidbinbilla instead of Mully Cup Winner, FreddyVegan’s rant?

Maybe lick that keyboard! Looks healthy and nutritious!

poetix said :

Suddenly my keyboard looks a lot cleaner…

At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious, how about Lonsdale Street Roasters? And could you try and have a vego meal, just occasionally? (She asked the question plaintively, like a pathetic wilting lettuce.)

Do you still want people to send in reviews as well?

I’m not sure how much merit this is in reviewing vegetarian food, being aimed at a demographic that obviously take no joy in eating food and all 😛

poetix said :

Suddenly my keyboard looks a lot cleaner…

I must say that this doesn’t have quite the international-media-organisation vibe about it that I had mentally prepared as my view of the RA lunch room. Perhaps I should start hanging around the CT website, or the Australian.

Hmmmm…nah.

screaming banshee7:22 pm 12 Mar 13

If you’re not making a tax deduction of the meals and any associated travel expenses then you’re doing it wrong.

The unassuming little Ethiopian place on Northbourne near the bus station.

dpm said :

poetix said :

Suddenly my keyboard looks a lot cleaner…..

Is that simply because iPads are easier to wipe clean? 🙂

damien haas said :

The Pho place in Hibberson St Gungahlin is pretty good. You could catch a Blue Rapid ACTION Bus out there, have lunch and catch a Blue Rapid back in about an hour.

Hmmm, sounds like you’ve just invalidated the need for light rail to Gunners! Sweet! Now, what can we spend all those saved millions on…? 😉

The request was for something that can be undertaken fairly soon. The light rail hasn’t been constructed yet (although I’m told the engineers are surveying the route right now). The volume of traffic and passengers at midday is vastly different to that of the peak periods.

bleebleeblee5:05 pm 12 Mar 13

damien haas said :

The Pho place in Hibberson St Gungahlin is pretty good. You could catch a Blue Rapid ACTION Bus out there, have lunch and catch a Blue Rapid back in about an hour.

oh yes, do this. that place is great.

Recommendations? Hmmm…

The cook-yer-own steaks at the Kingo pub are bloody good, although like most things not as cheap as they once were. With one of the bigger steaks, you get enough red meat in you in one go to be able to hibernate through winter.You also won’t be able to complain that the meat is not cooked to your taste if you go there. They have Squires and other good beers on tap.

Zierholz in Fyshwick has some of the best beer in the country, though that is not the point of all this. They also do some pretty good tho’ pricey Germanic lunches that go well with the beer…pork knuckles, pig belly, sauerkraut etc.

The Bakery in Wollongong St Fyshwick opposite the Toyota dealership does great burgers, steak sandwiches and salad sandwiches. The gyros place next door does outstanding gyros, and Elaine’s Gourmet pies next to that lives up to its name.

Plumb (great name) opposite Bunnings is a great if more upmarket dining experience. Great Service and nice food.

I suggest you try a brief foray to Kingston, and once you’ve got over the shock of traveling so far from home base, have a look around the Fyshwick eating opportunities.

RUC in Barton.

Also Bookplate at the National Library has quite nice sandwiches, though not cheap.

I really like the sandwiches from Food with Flair on the crn of Marcus and Uni Ave.

poetix said :

Suddenly my keyboard looks a lot cleaner…..

Is that simply because iPads are easier to wipe clean? 🙂

damien haas said :

The Pho place in Hibberson St Gungahlin is pretty good. You could catch a Blue Rapid ACTION Bus out there, have lunch and catch a Blue Rapid back in about an hour.

Hmmm, sounds like you’ve just invalidated the need for light rail to Gunners! Sweet! Now, what can we spend all those saved millions on…? 😉

Ferrari’s on Mort do a pretty decent burger with the lot for $8. I second Snag Stand, that place is awesome.

$20 all you can eat Yum Cha in the Yum Cha place on Childers street.

Also, the dry chilli beef from the Roti House, for under $13 is enough for 2 people and is probably the best chilli beef in Canberra – or at least Civic (which also, kinda gets itself into the lunch for Under $10 category).

The Pho place in Hibberson St Gungahlin is pretty good. You could catch a Blue Rapid ACTION Bus out there, have lunch and catch a Blue Rapid back in about an hour.

Hawker chippy.

Ka Japanese in the new EY building on Marcus Clarke.

Suddenly my keyboard looks a lot cleaner…

At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious, how about Lonsdale Street Roasters? And could you try and have a vego meal, just occasionally? (She asked the question plaintively, like a pathetic wilting lettuce.)

Do you still want people to send in reviews as well?

Growling Ferret1:40 pm 12 Mar 13

There is a new asian cafe/restaurant where Sharlimar was on Marcus Clarke St opposite IGA. Last weeks red curry was delicious.

Takeaway is $8.50. Do it.

Huitzilihuitl said :

Supabarn!

Or better yet, Costco! They have an eating area out the front where people, er, eat. It’s not a pretty sight but it is cheap. And you don’t have to be a member. You can admire the tyres while you chew.

Seriously though, Snag Stand.

Brodburger.

Every day.

Forever.

Madam Cholet1:17 pm 12 Mar 13

Current fave would be Soju Girl. But it’s not cheap.

I hear that there is a new cafe in Odgers Lane – yes, a lane way cafe that will make you feel you are in Melbourne, before you depart back to your unhygienic table in Canberra. Opening next week or so they say.

Huitzilihuitl1:14 pm 12 Mar 13

Supabarn!

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