when i first arrived in canberra, without knowing much about the food scene... just walking pass bentspoke... you get this vibe that it's a must try. despite doing a lot of my eating adventures alone, i still felt a bit iffy going to venues like this alone... even though many canberians do. alas, i found some friends willing to come along for an afterwork catchup, so bentspoke here i come.
we started with a plate of grain crusted hot wings - chicken wings coated in our house made chilli sauce and served with pickled cucumber and malted blue cheese sauce. the wings sat at the table glistening and screaming at me. which is always a good sign. the initial bite showed there was a lack in marinating as the flavours refused to sink into the meat. shame! though on the upside, the dip made a beautiful creamy compliment (i'm a sucker for blue cheese).
bentspoke is canberra's microbrewery and taphouse. it's situated in braddon and fits in oh so well with this young, happening food scene. most days after work you would find a decent crowd inside enjoying their large selection of cask conditioned real ales, lagers, seasonal one-off batches, barrel aged new world bent styles and hand crushed ciders.
i got a sampler as i stood there in awe of the choices. the ginger beer is a definite must try.... and chilli beer is probably the one i could give a miss. i'd still get the sampler again...if not for their beer, but the chance to use the four glass holding contraption they handed to me.
the ambience transports your experience away to somewhere like the hip and happening streets of melbourne. the alcohol selection, not only beer, is vast and their service is good ol' canberra friendly. they even allow you to sample beers for free before buying.
yes.. i wish you were beer... as i enjoy the lazy canberra sunset on my back, the cool breeze through the streets and that refreshing ginger beer that beckons you for another.