Lunch at The District

For those who know me know I’m really indecisive, especially when it comes to food. I have FOMO, I don’t want to have food regrets and I also don’t want to be that table that orders 5 of the same thing. So going to The District out in Crace was no different and possibly even worse as I always crave a steak AND a schnitzel at the same time when in a pub style cafe.

 

As it turns out, it didn’t matter what I ordered everything was delicious at The District! Between the three of us we ordered two burgers and I opted for the ‘weekday lunch special’ of a Porterhouse steak at the very last minute (I changed my mind at the counter after deliberating at the table for at least 15 minutes on what to order). My friends were sweet enough to share a part of their lunch and I would have happily ordered any of them.

Burgers from the main menu ~all burgers served with beer battered fries

Crispy Buffalo Chicken Burger with bacon, cheese, baby cos & sweet chilli mayo ($22.00). When you feel like a schnitzel or a burger this would be the winning combination and I almost ordered this before I realised I really want beef. It is all my favourite things on a burger and the chicken itself was really moist despite the thicker cut.

My friend helping me get a cross section photo of her lunch before I let her eat it, hahahaha.

American Cheese Burger with 180g beef patty, bacon, sliced pickle,ketchup and American mustard ($22.00). I’m not one for pickles but when my friend said that it really makes it, I couldn’t help but agree. It was a nice juicy patty and definitely hit the spot if you were after a beefy meaty burger.

Weekday special~ a choice of chicken schnitzel, calamari or a Porterhouse steak all served with chips, salad and a beer/wine ($20.00). I exchanged my alcoholic beverage for a lemon lime bitters and thoroughly enjoyed my lunch. The steak was surprising really juicy and easy to cut (I’ve come across many chewy, gristle filled steaks in my time). I ordered my steak with a diane sauce and I’ve never had a more delicious sauce with my steak. It became our communal dipping sauce for our chips at the table as it was a generous serve and everyone loved it.

There is always a nice relaxed atmosphere at The District and it has always been family friendly. If you’re in the area and you want a nice simple meal without the pretentiousness at hard to park areas, come to Crace. The service is friendly, the warmer weather lets people enjoy the outdoor seating and the food is tasty.

Advertisement

The District re-run

As my friends and I were planning yet another trip overseas together (when you travel well together, you may as well stick together), an essential part of our planning involves eating dinner first, followed by dessert and then eventually some planning with some random YouTube videos in between. We went to The District because it was close by and we enjoyed our meal there last time.

Margarita pizza with Napolitana sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil ($16.90). A simple pizza topping flavour but it was nice and fresh and I like their pizza base.Champagne chicken risotto with bacon, mushroom and parmesan ($24.90). A rich heavy bowl of cheesy comfort food.Chicken schnitzel with beer battered fries and salad ($18.90). Nothing too fantastic but the gravy that we ordered was ridiculously salty and so we asked for mushroom gravy and they were happy to give us another sauce for free.Specials~

Surf and turf I really enjoyed the hollandaise sauce but I didn’t like the dried, shriveled seafood mix that was  placed on top, they should just stick with the big prawns. The steak was a bit tough and dry but I don’t know if it is because Chifley’s has just ruined me for life.Seafood chowder with penne pasta. There was a nice mix of seafood in the chowder and I liked how the sauce had a nice chilli kick to it. I like the family feel of The District and I also like how it is tucked away out in the suburbs, I hope more establishments like this pop up in suburbia shops.

See my previous blog post about The District here.

The District

Who knew, tucked away in the suburbs that The District existed, but I guess that’s what the place needs since the Gungahlin area is expanding so rapidly. We couldn’t get a table til 8pm and when I went in, I realised why. Number 1: it is very popular and number 2: they have very limited seated when it is cold and no one wants to sit outside.

I made a rookie mistake and ate a very large snack to keep me going to dinner time but instead it probably limited my stomach space and therefore limited my choices on what we tried from the menu.

The District is a versatile place that welcomes friends and families in a casual environment which has a menu to suit everyone and a lot of drink specials at the bar.Light starters~

Creamy garlic prawns with steamed rice ($15.90). Probably not the best value considering it was almost the same price as our shared main but it was very delicious, rich and creamy which almost made TimmyC order another one, but I suggested he leave room for dessert. We drenched our whole rice into the sauce and ate every last grain *licks lips*. 
A close up of the creamy garlic prawns.The Pizza~ (gluten free bases available)

Funghi with mushrooms and mozzarella ($16.00). TimmyC just wanted to eat something light and simple, so when I suggested pizza, he wanted to choose a basic topping. The base was really nice and the perfect thickness (for me), despite being really cheesy with the beautiful stretch of mozzarella when you pull away, I think the cheese lacked a bit of salty flavour.Check out that gorgeous cheesy stretch when you pull a slice away.The District Specials~

700g Cattleman Cutlet with herb and garlic roasted kipflers topped with tiger prawns and seeded mustard hollandaise ($38.90). This was shared between two people so it wasn’t a huge monstrosity to devour. My friends really enjoyed this, they ordered it medium rare and it came out perfectly despite it’s very thick cut.Desserts~

Rosemary  and white chocolate panna cotta with berry compote ($13.00). It might seem like an odd combination and it was, but that wasn’t what I had a problem with as I took a liking to the subtle taste of rosemary. It was the texture. As soon as I placed a spoonful on my tongue, I could feel the gritty texture. It was odd because overall it was smooth with a fine grain grit throughout it all. A shame really because it had a lovely wobble to it.Peanut butter parfait ($12.00). This was like a cold ice-cream version of a picnic chocolate bar minus the wafer. A lot of different textures and it was at times a little hard to dig through with our spoons but I love me some picnic!Butterscotch pudding ($10.00).  A lovely warming pudding for the cold weather but I would have liked more butterscotch sauce.The District is a really lovely place that is casual and inviting. I wish that this was my local where I could pop in for a quick dinner if I didn’t feel like cooking but still wanted a large variety of things to choose from. Random fact: I really like their taps in the bathroom.

I do intend on returning to try more of their menu but next time without snacking between meals.

Venue: The District

Address:  Crace Central Shopping Centre – Cnr Abena Avenue & Hillcrest St Crace, ACT 2911

Phone: (02) 6162 2265