Ha Ha Bar, Belconnen – revisited*

* I visited Ha Ha Bar as a guest.

Belconnen Town Centre’s Emu Bank is something special – or it has the potential to be. Facing (what I think is) the best lake in Canberra, with the Arts Centre at one end and one of the world’s best skate parks at the other, Emu Bank could be a promenade in Canberra’s north.

But it’s not quite there yet. While the restaurant quality is mixed from the average to the very good and caters from takeaway to pub to formal dine-in, it’s been missing a high-quality restaurant to anchor the area and attract similar ventures.

Ha Ha Bar is one of those venues that’s always been very good. I’ve always enjoyed the food (in addition to plenty of brunches and dinners there, you can read my first review in 2011 here, and 2013 here) even if the service left a little to be desired, but it hasn’t been what you’d necessarily call a fine dining experience.

I genuinely think that’s about to change.

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HaHa Bar Redux

HaHa Bar was one of the very first places I ever reviewed. To sum it up, I thought the service was a bit lacking but the food is divine. Two years is a long time between (reviewed) visits, so I thought it was time to put HaHa Bar under the microscope again.*

A. Baker

A. Baker is the hot new restaurant/bakery/bar in the hot New Acton precinct. We’re in the area for the very first of what promises to be many Hustle and Scout markets. It’s busy in Hustle and Scout, and we’ve had our fix; now, we’re hungry. The idea of A. Baker isn’t new – it’s been announced with popular 10 Yards Pop-up restaurants throughout the year – but what it’s now in its permanent home, and has been open for a few days. I haven’t been able to get to any of the Pop-up restaurants, so can’t wait to see what the fuss is about.

Lunch at Bicicletta

Bicicletta had been getting some rave reviews, and when searching for a place to dine for in the dying days of 2012, it jumped to mind.