8 July 2014

Where's the ladies? Enjoying marmalade martinis at C Dine Bar

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c-dine-eggs

This week, we planned to meet for brunch (mmm, we love brunch) at Local Press Café on the Kingston Foreshore but had to take our chances with a table as they didn’t take bookings. Sadly, we missed out – but it did send us to another little find on the foreshore– C Dine Bar. CDB (we’re friends now) is located on one corner of the foreshore with lovely big windows on two sides (Great for people watching).

The fit-out was unexpected (by foreshore standards) with carpeted floors and plush fabric chairs creating a warm atmosphere (particularly appealing on a cold day). Although there were maybe one or two too many tables in the room and it felt slightly cramped.

The restaurant was full, so we were offered a ‘bar table’ up the back. With half of us spread across a cushioned bench seat and the other half perched on reasonably comfortable stools, we were set. Our wait staff had trouble serving the further reaches of our table, but we were happy to help out.

The menu covers a range of breakfast dishes from the usual eggs benedict, bacon and eggs etc. through to delights such as eggs Atlantic (benedict with salmon and spinach), pumpkin and mushroom bruschetta (pumpkin, mushrooms and goats cheese) and Spanish baked eggs (chorizo and bean ragu with baked eggs).

c-dine-bruschetta

They also offer a Prix Fixe option including two courses and an amuse bouche. In addition to this, you can indulge in a champagne breakfast including a glass of Moet and a couple of oyster shooters (now there’s a way to start your morning with a bang!).

A welcome surprise to the offering was a range of breakfast cocktails including a Bloody Caesar (think Bloody Mary with a twist), a Marmalade Martini and Mimosa.

c-dine-atlantic-eggs

The coffee was good and served promptly. Once again, we were all lost in conversation but did pause to wonder where our food was and on reflection the food service was pretty slow but we had coffee and weren’t in a hurry.

The Prix Fixe was delivered with an espresso cup of melted chocolate and chilli. Although not what we really expected as part of a breakfast offering, we managed to give it a red-hot go. And who says melted chocolate isn’t a suitable breakfast option?

The eggs benedict were good; nicely poached runny eggs and plenty of hollandaise (although there was a suggestion that the hollandaise could have had a bit more bite). One serve of bacon and eggs was requested with “well done” yolks and crispy bacon and it arrived as requested. The bruschetta looked lovely and was tasty but perhaps needed a dash of something to remedy the dryness. The Spanish eggs were tasty and the chorizo had a wonderful kick, although needed a serve of toast on the side to mop up the flavor. The Atlantic eggs were polished off pretty quickly and they were deemed excellent.

c-dine-spanish-eggs

The ladies rooms were shared by other restaurants in the precinct and were reported to be neat and tidy with a powerful hand dryer.

We enjoyed a lovely leisurely brunch at C Dine Bar and all left in need of a snooze. The hit of the day was the marmalade martini and we suspect this is where C Dine Bar hits its niche; long boozy brunches. We’ll be back when we have a whole Sunday to spare and no car keys.

Brunch for six would have set us back about $35 each, but C Dine Bar is in the Canberra Entertainment Book and offered 25% (up to a maximum of $40) off the bill.

C Dine Bar is on the Kingston Foreshore, at 17/19 Eastlake Parade.

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VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :

Why is the last meal served in a frypan?

Because it’s trendy.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back12:57 pm 09 Jul 14

Why is the last meal served in a frypan?

Madam Cholet10:11 am 09 Jul 14

It’s a nice place and the food is good – agree with that. Had both breaky and lunch there and would say the lunch prices are a little on the high side fro the serving size, but a great place to sit outside in the summertime warmth and linger.

With regards to the location of the ladies. Yes, it is shared, and to get there you need to pass a huge smelly wheelie bin in the corridor. Not the greatest, and I’m sure they know it. There’s also a disabled toilet before the ladies which is usually not in great condition.

Great write-up.

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