dining
review
Blakstone: Thumbs up THE Manuka food and wine scene isn’t always sure what it wants to be these days, with some long-standing bars and restaurants shutting their doors for good (Minque, Pangaea, JusQytly). But new ventures seem to be opening just as quickly, such as Blakstone Restaurant/Bar. Blakstone admits it’s still refining its operations and the night we were there a piece of stencil art featuring Old Parliament House sitting gracefully before New Parliament House, created by local E.L.K., had been installed. It’s a fun element to the décor which is gradually being refreshed. Blakstone is casual dining, with a new menu being launched soon. Some existing fare will remain, including steaks, tapas and pizzas. We shared a couple of entrees from the tapas/bar menu. The mushroom arancini balls with black truffle aioli ($7.90 for three pieces) were delicious – creamy, subtle tasting and well worth a try. We found the lemongrass paste prawn spring rolls with spicy soy sesame dressing a bit greasy, but they went down the hatch nonetheless. I ordered duck, wrapped in a crust created with lovely Szechuan spices that kept the juice of the meat intact ($28.90). It came with a small salad made with thinly sliced cucumber and vermicelli. A bit of coriander added some interest, but I couldn’t find the pickled green mango the menu promised. My dining partner eyed the crab pasta, but settled for prawns since Blakstone had run out of crab. In the end, the dish was a
MUSIC
DINING
By Wendy Johnson lovely combination of interesting flavours, which the fresh, ripe tomatoes really soaked up, and a treat for the eyes. We agreed the amount of pasta wasn’t terribly generous for the price (or for anyone who was super hungry), but there’s some understandable to-ing and fro-ing with the price structure. Fair enough. The wine list has a couple of local offerings, a mark of respect for Canberra’s talent in the area. And it features other drops not so readily available about town, so thumbs up to Blakstone for that. To top off the evening we shared a refreshing lemon semifreddo. If you’re a lemon fan you won’t be disappointed, and we weren’t. The structure of Blakstone is essentially the same as its predecessor Pangaea, but the owner is sprucing up the area at the front so it’s more of a bar, which is a good idea for Manuka. There are two levels of dining inside and a huge outdoor area which gets great sun for those who love to eat al fresco. Will we be back to road test the new menu, or try lunch (perhaps al fresco)? You bet. Blakstone Restaurant/Bar, Furneaux Street, Manuka, call 6232 6600.
FREE BBQ EVERY WEEKEND Relax and unwind after work with chilled music, free food & cheap drinks.
ACT Association for Advancing Disabled Sport and Recreation
Presents
A lunch and auction to raise funds for ACT people with a disability to help them at work or engage in their favourite recreation or sport. With speaker, journalist Jack Waterford.
18 CityNews October 22-28
Date: Thursday, October 29
Resident DJ Chad Sexington is back for the warmer months playing smooth, relaxed beats 5-8pm Happy Hour ($4 basics) 5-7pm - Complimentary BBQ food selection cooked fresh on the outdoor terrace 5.30-6.30pm
Cost: $75
Kick back with a sparkling drink special: piccolo buckets, champagne cocktails and 17 different Australian and French sparkling wines
enquiries: 6239 7919 or 0409 308410
For enquiries phone 6232 0322 Corner of Canberra Ave & National Cct, Forrest
TIME: 12 for 12.30pm VENUE: The Brassey Hotel, Barton
The ‘Guard’ of humour “The Yeomen of the Guard” By Gilbert and Sullivan. Q Theatre, Queanbeyan, until October 31. Reviewed by Bill Stephens “THE Yeomen of the Guard” is the darkest and most emotionally engaging of the Savoy Operas. Though the plot is convoluted, director Norma Roach has cleverly shaped the action of this beautifully costumed, well-sung production by The Queanbeyan Players to emphasise the libretto’s surprising amount humour. In the central role of the unfortunate strolling jester Jack Point, Mathew Greenwood gives an assured performance. Vocally secure and dramatically believable, he maintains an impressive balance between humour and pathos. Janene Broere, as Dame Carruthers, and John Buckley, as the jailer, Wilfred Shadbolt, also impress with their strongly sung, intelligent and funny characterisations. Anna Wise (Elsie Maynard), Jessica Kinsella (a feisty Phoebe Meryll) and Greg Wallace (Col. Fairfax) all bring conviction and fine voices to their roles. Although the large orchestra tended to overpower the singers early on, as the performance progressed, and the singers gained confidence, conductor Jennifer Groom managed to correct this, and by the second act had achieved an admirable balance between singers and orchestra, resulting in a thoroughly engaging presentation of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s more challenging operettas.