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Fire in Sydney Building
Very saddened to hear about the fire in the Sydney Building today.
Lots of photos online via @CanberraTimes and #Canberra peeps on Twitter and Facebook. Early reports say the fire started in the Coo Japanese Restaurant in East Row. Looks like much of the building and opposite shops will be shut down while emergency services mop up and deal with the asbestos in this old building.
Canberra City Labor Club lunchtime specials
(three #Canberra Beanies) 
The specials board outside the City Labor Club is always worth a read.
The City Labor Club doesn’t have much competition from other community clubs in the civic area. There is an outpost of the Woden-based Hellenic Club and a Magpies Club but they are both smaller and less well-known and further away from the prime position next to the Merry Go Round in the centre of town at Garema Place. For the uninitiated, Canberra’s Community Clubs are unique in Australia. They have privileged access to gaming machines in return for community funding and not-for-profit constitutions. Their boards are elected by the members and all profits are in theory reinvested into the club or the community.
They are also well-regarded for affordable food and drinks. Most adult Canberrans are members of at least two of their local clubs. On this recent Monday I paid $9.90 for a chicken Parmy and $4.50 for a welcome cold schooner of VB. Both looked & tasted great. 3 #Canberra Beanies.
I go this club regularly for lunch and am rarely disappointed. At other times I’ve had $9 meat-lovers pizza. My friends have also ordered healthy $14 salmon and avocado salad.
But I tend to go back for the parmy. The hot one is particularly good.
Mooseheads at lunchtime on Tight-Arse Tuesdays
(two #Canberra Beanies) 
I don’t go to Mooseheads after dark. However during the day it looks and feels like a regular pub. On Tuesdays it’s worth going in for the cheap and reasonable pizzas which are large enough to share.
I had the Greek pizza and my mate had Hawaiian pizza. We also had a bottle of beer each and enjoyed sitting at a nice window seat and watched lots of Canberra go by on London Circuit. It’s not a bad way to spend an occasional lunch break. The service is ok (the pizzas took about 15 min). They certainly weren’t the best ever pizzas but it’s hard to beat the value of a large fresh lunchtime pizza for $12. 2 #Canberra Beanies.
i-Pho, Garema Place
(three #Canberra Beanies)
One of my favourite places for a quick, healthy and affordable lunch in Garema place is the Vietnamese café i-Pho. You order and pay at the counter and the standard Vietnamese fare is served hot and fresh to your table. The Pho is very good and large enough to leave you sated for the rest of the day. Recently we also tried and enjoyed Vietnamese-style rice paper rolls, which are sold for $5 for a pair, so for $10 you can enjoy four – a quick and healthy meal on their own.
But our favourite dish is the combination Pho, which a perfect mixture of fresh ingredients, herbs and varied meats, including a small amount of offal, making it very authentic. I’ve also enjoyed the seafood noodle soup (pictured below) for $13.50.
It’s also worth checking the specials board as you walk in for tasty bargains. Unfortunately my Vietnamese is a bit rusty, but the friendly staff are always happy to translate.
i-Pho is highly recommened. 3 #Canberra Beanies.
Beach Burrito in City Walk
(one #Canberra Beanie)
Because it was a Tuesday I decided to check out the usually crowded Beach Burrito Mexican restaurant on City Walk. On Tuesday’s they offer a very reasonably priced lunch special ($5 Sol beer and $3 tacos) so I ordered a beer and three tacos.
The 3 tacos were OK (a bit soft and soggy but tasted very fresh and healthy) but there are cheaper & tastier options around Canberra for Mexican fare.
If you want to try a variety of Mexican the regular Sunday Bus Depot markets taco stand make great Chimichanga, and there are a couple of new places in and around the Canberra Centre. Honkey Tonks and a few of the bars around also do cheap Mexican-style bar food. This particular meal just scored 1 #Canberra Beanie but there are more attractive options on the menu if you would like to pay a little ore than our usual $15 target.
Gaby’s van in Barton
(three #Canberra Beanies)
Thanks to inspiration from @In_The_Taratory I ventured into Barton’s back-lots to search for a fabled food van that served the best burgers in the inner south. This van was legend amongst public servants from the surrounding office blocks as far as DFAT, AGs and Treasury. Luckily I got there just before Christmas and the rumoured closure over much of January, when the parliamentary triangle drifts into a temporary slumber.
I was very impressed. After being greeted by Gaby through his small ordering window I was greeted by one of the waiting staff and wished a Merry Christmas, and given a chocolate treat to enjoy with my drink while the hamburger (with the lot) which I just ordered was cooked.
Gaby’s is excellent value and the burger tastes just as good if not better than the many more upmarket (and more expensive) burger joints sprouting up all over Canberra. Gaby’s is a bit of a time capsule, reminding us how small family-run burger joints and take-aways should be.
Needless to say I was very impressed with my $8 burger with the lot + $2 drink. Should mention that Gaby’s only opens weekdays when those lucky public servants are around in large numbers. Gaby’s gets a predictable 3 #Canberra Beanies.
Update April 2014: Gaby’s is now under threat from a relocation order via the NCA. There is an online petition if you’d like to help and stories on the Canberra Times and Riot ACT websites. I also noticed recently that Gaby’s wasn’t featured in Urban Spoon so have remedied that (although how much longer they will be able to stay in their current location I do not know).
Mavi (Turkish) at The Realm
(two #Canberra Beanies)
class restaurants like the Ottoman with its nouveau Turkish cuisine. If you want affordable Turkish food there is a hidden gem only a short walk from the Ottoman in the same building as The Realm Hotel, situated next to the National Press Club.
At Mavi there is an extensive menu but for just $13 buys you can enjoy a tasty lamb skewer roll & coke. Order and pay at the bar and the food will be delivered to your table. 2 #Canberra Beanies.
Uni Pub
(two #Canberra Beanies)
It’s not widely promoted by I recently discovered that on Monday afternoons the Uni Pub (on London Circuit and University Avenue, Civic) sells (if you buy a pint of beer) reasonable burgers for $3. If you’re up for an early drink or a late lunch on a Monday afternoon. 2 #Canberra Beanies!
The Burger is served with a generous side of chips, not bad value for $10 (including the compulsory $7 beer 🙂
V Spot Cafe
(one #Canberra Beanie)
To prove I’m not a total carnivore, I recently enjoyed a “Zoodle” for lunch (Zucchini noodle) at the new V Spot Cafe in Garema Place Civic.
The V-Spot Zoodle meal included a cashew/tomato sauce, iced tea and apple bread all for $15.60. The owner was happy to explain how healthy the meal was and provided very nice service and bio-cutlery!
I have to admit the food tasted fine and did make me feel healthy, but I still wanted more. So if you want to slim down, eat healthier and feel better about yourself and your environment, this is the place for you! 1 #Canberra Beanie.
Jimmy’s Saigon
(Three #Canberra beanies)
Recently we tried Jimmy’s Saigon, a Vietnamese restaurant on Bunda Street, just a couple of doors down from Gus’ Café. Jimmy’s Saigon has a subtle façade that is easily missed but if you like Vietnamese food you will regret it. Their $14 Pho is awesome. Along with prompt table service and excellent flavours I had no hesitation in giving it 3 #Canberra Beanies. Will definitely be back for more Pho and to try other items on the menu. Between Jimmy’s and I-Pho (which is around the corner in Garema Place), Vietnamese cuisine is well-represented in Civic.
CBRfoodie 