I spoke last week about eating in Canberra, and as that was a half finished conversation, feel the need to finish it off.
I ate out at varying levels of venues whilst there. The top range was covered by a restaurant named 'Anise'. The prices were on a par with somewhere like Marque IV, but the standard and service was nowhere near what I have experienced here in Hobart. At the other end of the spectrum, I ate at two of the most enjoyable 'diner-style' places ever. One was Indian (called 'Bharat International Sweet & Spice Centre' at Belconnen), and was situated within an Indian supermarket - by which I mean that all products for sale in the supermarket were Indian. The other was one of those unadorned, formica-tabled places, called 'Tak Kee Roast Inn', which advertises itself as being the first Chinese BBQ restaurant in Canberra.
Both the Indian and Chinese food was absolutely sensational. I won't go into it, but take it from me, those Canberrans are spoiled for choice.
Covering the medium scale venues was a meal I ate at - I kid you not!! - Canberra Yacht Club! The scenery around CYC is beautiful. It is situated right on the Lake (Burley Griffin), and was well patronised, especially for a Tuesday night. The service was very poor. The food was fine, but I think we might have been a hard ask for them. I was in of a party of about 15, and there were 2 other tables on either side of us with a similar number of people, added to which all 3 tables arrived at similar times. Not very cleverly planned, by either us, or management! I'll bet chef wasn't happy about receiving all those orders round the same time either.
Pictured above is my Atlantic Salmon meal at Canberra Yacht Club.
Once again it highlighted to me about how relatively small our dining-out market is in comparison to the mainland. Last Saturday (in Canberra), my brother phoned round at least 8 restaurants trying to secure a booking for his oldest sister's birthday dinner (and we're not talking shoddy restaurants here!). All were fully booked, and laughed at him. It seemed like he should have been doing the booking at least a week before.
By the way - the most base level of food I ate while away was my KRISPY KREME pig-out, which I managed to have both on the way to Canberra, and on the way home to Hobart! Yes - they now have KK outlets at both Sydney AND Melbourne (Tullamarine) Airports! YAY! Halleleulia!
And to finish up, a bit of trivia for you - a member of CYC told me that the yacht Brindabilla, which sails most years in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, is based at CYC - but doesn't/can't moor there (for obvious reasons).
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16 comments:
Hi Rita
Nice to chat today. I hope you become a crab afficionado - there is always room in the world for more.
I read back the comments on older posts - the Kuzina thing clearly has divided people. Still, as always, I'm voting with my feet.
Have you ever heard that Nenah Cherry song "7 seconds away.."; I sing that happily to myself whenever I have a KK in the microwave - although my machine needs about 11 seconds to get the KK to melting perfection.
OK, off to the website now....
Hi Rita
Just a request regarding your photos.Please take picture of the dish as presented. Often looks rather ugly when dish is half eaten.
Hi Fatcatty
Great chatting to you too. Now I had the second bite at the crab, am another convertee! Looking forward to Kuzina's crab.
Yes - I do know the Nenah Cherry '7 Seconds Away' (good song too). I haven't had the patience to wait even the 7 seconds to heat them!
Hi Anon 5.51. I must confess to two things - firstly, being in that slightly older age bracket, it is really unusual for me to remember to photograph the meal BEFORE I hoe into it; and secondly, I'm such a pig I just get right into it straight away, then think (belatedly) "Damn! I meant to photo that before I ate it".
I agree - it does look messy half-eaten. I should have instead used the scenic CYC pic I took of the view from their beautiful deck. Apologies.
hello rita,
i have noticed that through reading you blogs, you refer to Marque IV a lot... its almost as if you worship the place. I feel that you seem to be comparing almost everywhere to MIV, which in reality is silly.
Its hard to compare any 2 restaurants, unless of course they are on the same playing field. in your previous post you are comparing Lebrina to MIV... these two establishments are on completely different levels. Lebrinia, being a place that goes with its own.. they do amazing food with amazing produce because thats what they love... its also fine dining (silver service e.t.c), whereas MIV is more the "fasionable" place to go at the moment, the food is good, but not amazing, its not silver service and they are driven by competition... they have huge bills to pay and large rent...
I would like to see restaurants not compared with each other but "Reviewed" or "Blogged" on their own field... its a bit more work but takes any bias out of the equation.
As to how you or anyone eats their food, its up to them but there are a few facts we cannot ignore.
Well Done meats such as steaks, will not be as "nice" as say a medium-rare serve.... this comes down to moisture content, cut of meat and even how the beast was grown... you will find that Lebrina buy a steak of excellent quality that is easily destroyed by overcooking... but they are not there to cater for everyone, Lebrina is a place of true hospitality, they care not for every market of customer, but only for the ones that really care for food and hospitality.
besides, a true hospitality person would understand that meat is better cooked rare, not only better for you but better tasting. its proven, its scientific and its how real hospitality people eat.
a real hospitality person probably would not specify how they would like their steak cooked in a place like Lebrina... i would leave it to the chef's discretion.. surely he would know best.
oh anon 6.11, a 'real' hospitality person - I had a different phrase in mind...
Lebrina might well go with its own, having left so many of us behind...
Rita you are a crusader of causes. I think you should start the fight to bring krispy kremes to Tassie.
I'm one step ahead of you Anon 8.48! It's not a fight though. Apparently you need a population of a certain number before some companies like KK, and Ikea, will approve their franchised outlets. We just don't have it!
Anon 16.11
You made some good points but you lost me when you staretd to dictate what is a personal preference when it comes to the way we like out meat cooked.
Also whats with the, 'True' or 'Real' hospitality person tag?
What planet do you come from?
Just because YOU might feel a steak is better served a particular way DOESN'T mean everybody else will!
You sound like a deluded knob!
Rita, I have a prezzie for you... while i was at uni the other day, they had a free book section and guess what I found - the 1992 edition of the food lovers guide to tasmania.. Hobart's top restaurants then were The Aegean, Ali Akbar, Astor Grill, Battery Point Brasserie, The Bay Hamper Eatery, Concetta's, Dear Friends, The Deli, The Moorilla Wine Centre, Orizuru, The Paris, Sakura, Sisco's, The Upper Deck (Mures), Vanidols and the Woodbridge Hotel...
how many of them are still around!!?? 5
LT
Aaah, LT - those were surely the good old days. The Aegean, Ali Akbar, Dear Friends, BP Brasserie, Bay Hamper, Concetta's, Paris, Sakura etc - look at all the current names of people of high profile in todays hospitality industry who owned these places in '92. Anne Ripper, Geoff Copping, Graeme Phillips, David Quon, Mark Wilsdon etc.
I suppose it is evidence that this industry is so transient.
I once wrote about the way that one could map out a time & place with the meals consumed at restaurants, kinda like a soundtrack to your life. Restuarants & cafes are rather like a snapshot of the times we live in.
It always makes me a bit reflective to think about all the meals, service & good times that pass through them only for them to end ingloriously & often without a whimper. Only the memories of those who once made them what they were remain. Thats a reason why many restaurants these days get a book out because its a way of recording & observing that they were there which will probably endure long after the tides of fashuion have deemed a place no longer hip.
I have the same guidebook & also picked it up at a second hand shop. I wish Roger & Sue would do another. In the meantime, visit their site www.foodtourist.com for a more up to date view.
Rita
The good old days should stay firmly planted in your memory - the industry has changed considerable and I suspect give a second go - most of the people in your list would hesitate before risking life, limb and sanity to re enter the industry today.
Them good old days when margins meant making a living.
cool room
Just remembering beautiful meals I enjoyed in those establishments from the past, Cool Room. It's called living for a longish time and it's an incurable disease. I'm so glad I have those wonderful memories of meals gone by!
Who could forget the Ali menu? Or the food at Paris? Sublime.
Geez, I'm turning into Sir Grumpy!
where is sir G?
I've been wondering the same thing.
Only yesterday I was thinking about guiness stew and of course Sir Grump popped into my head
Haven't heard from him in ages.
I need a good chuckle every now and again and miss him greatly.
Gobbler and I were just saying the same thing yesterday about Sir G - wondering where he is.
Maybe on holiday?
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