East meets West and other Canberra, Australia Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Pangaea

Kim and I went to Pangaea for lunch. Pangaea is one of the popular restaurants in Canberra, located in Manuka opposite St Christopher. They are serving lunch and dinner. On the menu you’ll find a selection of different banquets, pizza, salads and some pasta. The restaurant is licence. The ambience is good. You can sit outside and enjoy the sun. The service is professional and the waiting is reasonable. Good music on the background.

As a stater we ordered herb and garlic bread, it was delicious. Kim had Pesto pizza which had pesto, English spinach, roasted pumpkin and cashew. I had a seafood pizza the Gambretto, it had good size tiger prawns and fried onion. We both enjoyed the pizza. We also ordered Chicken Caesar salad. For lubrication I had Cascade light beer and Kim had house wine. Total bill - $70 aud. As far taste are concern I had better.


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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6232 6600
Address: 2 Furneaux Street Manuka
Directions: Opposite St Christopher

Restaurant Name: Sammy's Kitchen

Sammy's restaurant in Civic is always busy as the food is good and the price is reasonable. The vibe is definitely has a quick moving pace. It has the Retro 70 decor. We like the Hawker style noodles. We ordered my favourite dish the Penang style Char Kway Teow, which is rice noodle stir fried with prawns, Chinese sausages, bean sprouts and egg. Mee goreng is also stir fried wheat noodles with chilli, bean sprout, tomato and minced beef. For desert we had chendol and fried ice cream. Kim also had a glass of wine. Total cost - $39. There is other excellent Chinese cuisine to choose from. I find the Malaysian cuisines is not authentic especially the Beef Rendang.

Trading hours
Lunch - Mon to Sun 11.30am - 2.30pm
Dinner- Mon to Thur 5.00pm - 10.30pm and Sun 5.00pm - 10.00pm


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Theme: Pan-Asian and Pacific Rim
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6247 1464
Address: Shop FG09 Bunda St Canberra Centre Civic
Directions: Opposite Gus Cafe

Restaurant Name: Caffe Della Piazza

Caffé Della Piazza use to be one of my favourite restaurants. I use to love their pasta, but after Sunday I am not sure. On Sunday we had lunch. I ordered my favourite dish Marinara and Kim order Nona which is vegetarian pasta. Marinara is a pasta dish with mix seafood (prawns, calamari, muscles and scallops). I did not enjoy my Marinara, I thought it taste different than previous and the portion was rather small in a big plate.
Kim did enjoy her pasta, although she said there was not enough spaghetti. We will give it another try to eat at Caffe Della Piazza. If the same thing happens we will give this restaurant a miss.

Caffe Della Piazza is a popular and busy restaurant. The menu is Italian Mediterranean influence. It ranges from different kind of pastas, risotto, brochette, foccacias, and breads to salads. It is licensed, you can bring your own wine only. There is a corkage charge of $6.00 per bottle. The wine lists are interesting and many to choose from. They are available by the glass. You can either sit outside or inside. The service is friendly and quick for except when the restaurant is busy.

Open 7 days a week from 10.30am till 11pm.

19 Garema Place
Canberra ACT 2601


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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6248 9711
Address: 19 Garema Place Canberra City ACT 2601

Restaurant Name: Ruchi

Ruchi in Manuka is one of our favourite Indian Restaurant. They serve South Indian cuisine. The ambient is quite and relaxing, you can actually have conversation with your partner without shouting. Ruchi is fully licensed and BYO (Bottle wine only). The service is good and the waiting is reasonable. Ruchi are open for lunch and dinner.

They are many dishes to choose from the menu including lot of vegetarian dishes. You can have it from mild to hot. In the menu they recommend the wine to go with the dish you choose.

Ruchi serve Dosai and they are many to choose from. I have ordered Dosai in the past. My favourite is Tandori chicken dosai, which is a thin rice and lentil crepe filled with spiced chicken. Dosai comes with different sauces.

On Saturday night we had dinner at Ruchi. We ordered our favourite dish. For a starter we had the usual Vegetable Samosa (spiced potatoes and green peas in crispy pastry) serve with sauce. For the main Kim ordered a vegetarian dish Malai Kofta Curry which has fresh homemade cottage cheese mixed with potatoes, mild spices and vegetables cooked in creamy sauce. I ordered Butter Chicken a chicken cooked in butter and spicy cashew nut sauce. Also we had Tandoori breads the Garlic Naan, and coconut rice. That evening we brought our own wine.

We enjoyed our dinner and even paying the bill of $46.80.

Lunch 12 noon - 2pm Tuesday to Friday
Dinner - 6pm - 10 pm 7 Nights
Fully licensed & BYO (Bottle wine only)


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Theme: Indian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6295 7122
Address: Shop 19, Upstairs Style Arcade, Franklin St Manuka

Restaurant Name: Legends

Legends is a Spanish Restaurant, located upstairs on Franklin Street in Manuka. The restaurant has large area compare to average. It has tavern style décor with posters of bullfighters and Castilian dancers to make it a Spanish feel. It is fully licensed. You can also bring your own. Wine only. It has good selection of Spanish wines.

We came here for the first time last Saturday night. We order tapas which is a small dish of food. We had five different tapas. Pulpo a La Brasa grilled octopus marinated in paprika and oregano, Spanish meatballs in carrot and tomato sauce, Pinchitos marinated lamb kebab, Tortila potato onion omelette and Alcacofas Artichoke heart served with vinaigrette dressing. All the dishes were quite nice but we could not finish it. Next time we order less. Average price for the Tapas is $9 AUD.

Listening to solo guitarist playing flamenco was relaxing and pleasant to our ears.

Beside tapas there are many other dishes like the famous paella, seafood dishes, roasted young rack of lamb, other meat and also vegetarian dishes.

The service is good with well trained and informative staff. We didn’t have to wait long.

I think I will try the Paella next time, looks yummy.

The price is reasonable. Our bill came to $59.50 AUD.


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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6295 3966
Address: Franklin Street Manuka
Directions: First Floor, Capital Theatre Centre Franklin Strret Manuka. The same building with Greater Union Theatre
Website: www.legendsspanishrestaurant.com.au

Restaurant Name: Woodstock has close after 36 years in business :-(

Woodstock in Civic is one of our favourite pizza restaurants. We have been coming to here for ages.

Beside pizza they also serve good steaks which they are famous for. Seafood, veal, chicken, omelettes, pasta and fresh garden salads also serve. The house special changes all the time.

Woodstock restaurant is probably the longest serving restaurant in Canberra for over 36 years, established in 1971.

The ambient is quite and relaxing and the décor is modern with number of large photos of the famous concert on the wall the 'Woodstock'. You dine inside or outside. It is licensed.

Try Surf and Turf (sirloin steak topped with king prawns in cream and white wines sauce serve with salads and chips) and Sagittarius, Gemini pizza, Garden salad.

Open: 12–9.30 pm, Mon - Sun


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Theme: Steakhouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6249 7969
Address: 185 City Walk Civic
Directions: Near Garema Place and David Jones next to Dymock book shop
Website: www.woodstockrestaurant.com.au

Restaurant Name: Sanur's

Sanur’s in Belconnen is a new Indonesian restaurant. It is only been open for three months. The other day I went there with my work colleague. We individually ordered rice dishes. I had Nasi Ulam Bali which is steamed rice served with Balinese style chicken, egg in coconut sauce, perkedel and jukut urab vegetables. It was good and the taste is authentic. Also ordered were rice dishes like Rijst Tafel Sanur, Nasi goreng lautan. In the Sanur menu there are plenty to choose from red meat, duck, chicken to seafood.

The ambient is relaxing with Sundanese music playing on the back ground. The service is ok and the waiting is reasonable. It has modern decor with a touch of Indonesian influence thrown in.

Trading hours
Lunch - Tue to Sun 11.30 - 15.00
Dinner - Tue to Sun 18.00 – 22.00
Monday closed


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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6162 1688
Address: Shop 1, The Boardwalk 1/114 Emu Bank St Belconnen.

Restaurant Name: All Things Chocolate

All Things Chocolate is a great place to have coffee. It is own by Lindy Butcher she makes her own chocolate who has studied under Chocolate expert.

The café offers breakfast and brunch. They offer all sort of delicious chocolates, cakes and slices throughout the day. Also sells biscuits made from 80 per cent nuts and chocolates. The coffee is roasted fresh daily by Kaldi Coffee. The Belgium hot chocolate is awesome try it.

They open seven days a week.


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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: (+61) 2 6162 0881
Address: Shop 19 Cusack Centre Eyre Street
Directions: Go to the Green Square Kingston

Restaurant Name: Dobinson Bakery Cafe

The reason I recommend Dobinsons Bakery Cafe is simple there are good and the cost is reasonable.

They serve breakfast and lunch 7 days a week. Dobinsons Bakery Café has great variety for the customer to choose from thick raisins toast, hamburger, steak and kidney pie, Aussie burger, Barramundi burger, egg Benedictine to seafood basket. The bread is bake daily at the shop premise. When you order hamburger you will be sure that the bread you are eating is fresh.

The ambience is relaxing. If you prefer you can sit inside or outside.

Favorite Dish: Try the barramudi burger, it is simply delicious. The Ice Coffee is not bad either.

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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6257 5966
Address: Bunda St City Markets Civic Canberra City
Directions: Near Canberra Centre opposite Monaro Mall

Restaurant Name: Wokitup

Wokitup is a Noodle Bar. It is located in Belconnen and a great place to have noodle for lunch. I quite often buy my take away lunch and eat it at work.

While you are waiting you can see the chef cook your noodle and it doesn’t take very long, less than five minutes.

There many type of noodle dishes, Singapore Chilli crab, Pad Thai, Char Kuai Teow to name a few. They also serve Laksa, Tom Yum, rice dishes (Nasi Goreng) and snacks like spring roll and all sort of wraps.

The price for the fried noodles is very reasonable, it comes in two size small $6.90 - $7.50 and regular $7.90 - $9.50.

I found the small size is quite sufficed. I always enjoy my noodle at Wokitup. You can also eat there with the view of the lake.

Another Wokitup is located in Gungalin Shop4/46 Hibberson Street, 02 6241 3838


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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 02 6162 3939
Address: Shop6/102 Emu Bank Road Belconnen ACT 2617
Website: www.wokitup.com.au