Pizzazz Cafe

We had grand ambitions of heading to Silo Bakery for our Sunday breakfast but sadly it was closed, so Aaron made an executive decision to head to Pizzazz Cafe. The cafe lacks polish but the menu is reasonably creative and I quite enjoyed my Strawberry crepes came red current compote, ricotta and slivers of kiwi fruit.

Under no circumstances should you order the tea. I am always baffled when I am served an awful cup of tea but honestly this one tasted like someone had stolen the contents of Nana's dusty potpourri while was attending church and added water. It was horrid and I struggle through my two sips. So just have breakfast and you'll be fine.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Address: 41 Kennedy Street, Kingston, ACT 2604.
Open: Tuesday - Sunday. Breakfast and lunch.
Phone: (02) 6239 6200

Brodburger

I've always regarded Canberra as a beautiful but soulless town so it was refreshing to discover Brodburger. Brodburger is a Canberra institution and is prepared and served from a little red caravan by the lake. The photo doesn't depict it but by the time Mellie, Aaron and I came to collect our burgers there was a real crowd.

So what is a Brodburger? A standard Brodburger is a fantastic culinary execution of a homemade burger featuring a soft bun, thick beef patty, salad, lashings of aioli, tomato relish and your choice of cheese (swiss, brie or blue). However there number of other options including chicken (pictured above), fish, vegetarian and the Brodeluxe which features eggs and bacon.

To fully appreciate the joy of the Brodburger you must be (a) hungry and (b) have plenty of time. There is only one window to collect and order from and they appear to do this in batches. Once you have ordered your meal, it can take anywhere between 45 minutes to 1 hour to finalised ... but once you have the gorgeous burger in your eager little hands, you won't be disappointed.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Address: Bowen Park Carpark, Bowen Drive/Wentworth Avenue, Barton ACT 2604.
Open: Lunch - Tuesday - Sunday: 12:00pm - 2pm. Dinner - Wednesday - Saturday: 5:30pm - midnight.
Phone: 0424 635 824
Price: From $9

Kingston Grind

I've always said that I am one strike away from the trifecta of bad driving being Asian and female, so all I need to do is drive a Volvo or apply a frangipani sticker to my vehicle. So it was with much trust and love that Mellie and Aaron put me behind the wheel on their car. Having successfully accomplished our mission we headed to Kingston Grind for a celebratory coffee. The coffee came recommended and it was probably the nicest beverage I had on my holiday. The coffee blend is unique to the cafe and is sweet and silky smooth. It lacks that coffee kick, so those who like something a little stronger may be slightly disappointed, but I was a happy little scamp.

The breakfast menu was a standard affair and I ordered the Eggs Benedict. The muffin base was lightly dusted with polenta, ham grilled lightly to add intensity to the flavour and the yolks of my eggs were runny and a vibrant orange. This offering could be improved with a homemade hollandaise sauce and perhaps a touch of wilted spinach ... but that's just my own personal preference.

To summarise, Kingston Grind: good coffee and a passable breakfast selection. If you're heading there for breakfast I would suggest having a look at the pastry cabinet ... they looked gorgeous.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Address: Cusask Avenue, Kingston, Canberra, ACT 2604.
Open: 7 days a week. 8am - 4:30pm.
Phone: (02) 6295 8189.

Sabayon

Located in Canberra's inner city in a historic building is the elegant, Sabayon. This fine dining experience offers modern Australian cuisine without any stiffness and it is possibly one of many reasons why the lovely Michelle selected this venue for my first Canberra dining experience.

I chose the 'Seared Barramundi with a ragout of Eden Bay mussels, Brocollini, kipfler potatoes and a Champagne buerre blanc' and wasn't disappointed. After the breaking the well seasoned crisp skin with my knife, the flesh was beautifully soft and complimented the champagne buerre blanc sauce. The Eden Bay mussels were gorgeous and reminded me of the flavoursome green lipped mussels I used to enjoy in my youth. Ah when seafood was economical!

I've always been a bit of fan of the traditional warm chocolate fondant and the Sabayon version came with fresh raspberries and pistachio malt ice cream. The ice cream was well paired as the pistachio malt flavours cut through the richness of the chocolate. It's a great venue after a long work week and provides satisfaction in the form of chocolate or in the lovely Michelle's case the vanilla bean creme brulee.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Address: Shop 4, Melbourne Building, West Row, Canberra, ACT 2501.
Open: Lunch - Tuesday - Friday: 12pm - 3pm. Dinner - Tuesday - Saturday: 6:30pm - 11pm.
Phone: (02) 6247 8212.
Price: Entrees - $18. Mains - $32. Desserts - $15.