Welcome to the first instalment of ‘cheap and cheerful’. The aim of this column is to provide a few ideas for a good meal in Canberra. As the name suggests, we’re looking for a good value night out. The cost of every meal will vary, but I hope to find great places for different occasions at a price that will stretch the measly student dollar as far as possible.
Where:
Abell’s Kopi Tiam (7 Ferneaux St Manuka, Canberra)
When:
Friday night
(7:30ish)
What
For: Friday
night catch up after work
How
Much: $66.80
for four people
Last
Friday a group of us decided to catch up for a meal at the end of the week.
It wasn’t a special occasion, just a bit of a get together.
We chose Kopi Tiam in Manuka.
 |
Food |
Entrée:
Veggie Spring Rolls for four
Main:
Shared 3 dishes. Sizzling Beef, Crispy Skinned Chicken and Mongolian Lamb.
Drinks:
2 Glasses of wine, 1 beer, 1 orange juice.
The food
at Kopi Tiam could best be described as traditional Asian cuisine with a twist.
The menu contains several ‘traditional Asian’ dishes, a large
vegetarian selection and many east-meets-west style combinations of Asian and
western flavours. We chose dishes
to share but there were many individual style dishes like soups and laksas.
The
veggie spring rolls contained actual vegetables
and were crispy on the outside, crunchy on the inside and not at all oily.
We asked the waiter for enough spring rolls for four and were given eight
large pieces, a perfect sized serving for entree.
The spring rolls came with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.
I would however had liked the option of a soy sauce as well.
While
our three main courses sound like the sort of fare you would find at your local
Chinese restaurant, they were of a much higher quality.
The crispy chicken was lightly spiced and served with a light coriander
salsa. Unlike many traditional
crispy skinned chickens, this one was not soaking in oil and we got actual
pieces of chicken meat, not unidentifiable pieces of bone and gristle.
The beef and lamb dishes were light, spicy and very tasty.
I did find the Mongolian lamb a little spicy for my liking but I am very
sensitive to hot foods and none of my dining companions had any complaints.
We
ordered only three dishes and boiled rice between four (2 male, 2 female).
We finished all the food, but I think that another dish may have been a
little too much, especially if you want to experience the Manuka nightlife and
follow with a sidewalk coffee and desert.
 |
Wine |
The wine
list was comprehensive with a good selection of both red and white wines.
The large number of wines available by the glass was a bonus.
 |
Service |
The
staff at Kopi Tiam were quick, polite, knowledgeable and unobtrusive.
Our drink orders were taken soon after arrival and a decent amount of
time was allowed for us to peruse the menu.
Our drinks and meals arrived quickly and the only time all night that we
were left looking for a waiter was when we wanted our bill.
We were seated without a problem even without a booking however it did
look like it may have been getting busier later in the evening, so if you like a
later dinner it might be an idea to book ahead.
The Verdict
Kopi
Tiam was a great place to start my restaurant-reviewing career.
It was the perfect place to catch-up with friends over a quick, tasty and
inexpensive meal. If I had been looking for a special occasion place I may have
been disappointed but for our purpose, it was ideal.
Find
it on the web:
