Emissions Cafe

So, I'm in Canberra - why?, because a client flew me (from New Zealand) here to present a one day training seminar. Could it have been presented by a local? Definately. Who was the client - the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency - just a wee bit ironic if you ask me.

I won't dwell on that though. While there I visited the Emissions Cafe on the ground floor several times (mmm coffee). The first thing you notice is that this is definately a cafe for the local workers. You see office workers and people in uniform from the surrounding buildings.

The coffee was OK, and the bagel slightly better (6/10), but, the system of calling out your name when your order is ready clearly does not work. If you go there, and have a common name, make a name up and use that instead. My bagel made it to the neighbouring building before a policeman of the same name as me realised he had not ordered a bagel.

An alright cafe if you're in the area, but don't look it up specifically.

Emissions Cafe - Civic, Canberra

Ottoman Cuisine

Naming a restaurant after a style of food is something I'd not be inclined to do. However, Ottoman Cuisine in both Sydney and Canberra lives up to it's eponymous style.

I have dined at the Sydney restaurant at Walsh bay many times, and yesterday visited the 'original' Ottoman cuisine in Barton, Canberra.

Needless to say, I was impressed again by their food. Almost as much as I was impressed by the fact they had to start a second wall for their awards as they ran out of space on their first (there are almost 20 consecutive years of Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide plates for example).

The chef/owner Serif Kaya has certainly done a good job, both restaurants are immaculate in terms of both venue and staff, and the food is undescribably good - certainely not something you can even remotely compare to the average Turkish restaurant, let alone kebab shop. In particular there is something about that wonderful fluffy pide.

I'd easy rate last night's meal of mantar, kofte and pide with a 10/10. These restaurants definately qualify among my all time favourites. Particularly with the views from Walsh bay.