I have just recently moved to the Gungahlin region and still working my way through trying all dining options available in the far north.
I’d heard about Siren Bar and Restaurant even before I had moved to the area as a good place to have after work drinks. Siren has a casual modern pub feel about it and with an ample outdoor area and comfortable seating.
The food on the menu is also akin to contemporary pub food and the go is to order at the bar and take a number.
My first experience here was with breakfast and since Kirsty and I love our weekend brunches we thought we would give Siren a go. Look, let’s be honest here. I think if you are going to try Siren, you’re going to need to manage your expectations. It’s pretty casual. This is not your Cupping Room, Silo or Elk and Pea…this is your ordinary breakfast at your local café (which sometimes can be good) but this one was just OK, nothing fancy.
I ordered the Siren big brekky ($18.50) with poached eggs, bacon, roasted cherry tomatoes, potato rosti and sautéd mushrooms on toasted focaccia. The price point is pretty on par with most big brekkies in Canberra if not on the slightly lower side. One of the eggs was done very well with runny yolk but the other was overdone. The rest, I’d have to say was pretty bland. The bacon was pretty greasy, the mushrooms not greasy enough and the potato rosti tasted like it had just been heated up. It is certainly not one of the best big brekkies I’ve had in Canberra but also not the worst (sadly enough). On the upside, the food was served very quickly. I didn’t have any coffee what Kirsty had looked pretty good.
My second experience with Siren was for after work drinks dinner. When the sun goes down the outdoors area transforms into a pretty hip place for after work drinks, although, the crowd is slightly different to what you might find in Civic. During the cold winter nights the heaters come on to make the space cosy and welcoming.
I decided to go a little wild tonight and have a cocktail. I went with 50 Shades ($16) as the fruitiest cocktail I could find on the list and hoped for the best. It was good. It was fruity. Not much else to say really.
My two friends and I ordered a variety of little dishes to nibble on. We had the empanadas ($13.90) which were forgettable. The pastry was pretty dry and the filling was bland.
The soft shell crab with chilli aioli ($16.90) was a lot better. The batter was nice and crispy and the sauce (although slightly overzealously served and tasted more like sweet chilli) gave the dish a nice kick.
The calamari rings ($16.90) are your regular pub fare but they were tender with a nice light coating of seasoned batter. The citrus aioli was a nice accompaniment.
The pizza was probably the highlight of the night for me. I chose the one with the boldest flavours – the Mr Pepperoni ($19.90) which had pepperoni (of course), chilli, parmesan and blue cheese. The crust was pretty perfect with a nice bite and crunchy on the outside. With the addition of kalamatta olives, this made for a zesty and salty pizza – just how I like it! If you like bold flavours in your pizza and pasta, then this is the one for you! My only qualm was that it was probably a bit on the small side for the price.
All in all it was a good experience at Siren. The staff are friendly and the food is served supper fast. Next time, you are looking for a place to have an after work drink and a nibble, I would definitely recommend Siren. It fills a gap in the Gungahlin area that is still struggling to cater for an after work crowd. More of these establishments would certainly help the local economy and help other recognise how great Gungahlin really is.
Have you been to Siren Bar and Restaurant? What did you think of it?
You Berra Believe It – Lover of food and baking. Hater of Caterpillars. Begginer DIY-ER and long time beauty addict. Canberra is my home and my heart. See more on the blog here: http://berrabelieveit.com/
The views and opinions expressed in this post are soley those of the original author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of My Gungahlin.
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