Spicy Ginger Cafe

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  1     

The service is terrible. I couldn't care less what the food is like if the service is of such sub-standard quality, though one dish definitely stands out!

Their Black-sesame ice-cream is just plain bizarre. It tastes like grit, like grainy cement mix. And there's no flavour, just the texture that you're eating dirt.

What really ground my gears though, came at the end of the meal. We asked for our dishes to be packed up in takeaway containers so we could take them home, not an issue I've had with other places! They agreed, except when it came to the boiled rice. They insisted we pay a fee for the rice to take it home! I'm sorry, What The? It became fairly obvious our rice would just be put back in the pot out the back and re-served.

I don't even see how that could conform to OH&S codes of practice. I will actively tell people not to go here.

Dec 30, 2011 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  10     

We just dropped in to get a quick lunch on public holiday. Fantastic Szechuan flavours. Must eat there when in Canberra and we are from Sydney. Just go!

Oct 03, 2011 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

I went with a large group a little over a year ago and it was just perfect. Great food and great service. Also lovely decor. Will be coming back next week hopefully for my farewell to Canberra dinner! Keston

Aug 11, 2011 

4.8 Average

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  1      Value  5     

Generally delivering consistently good quality meals at a reasonable price. The dinner menu has some unique dishes and the setting of the restaurant is nice.

The key flaw is the terrible service we have received time after time. Twice now we have been turned away from their doors due to workers not wanting to serve people past 8:00 pm. Such a shame as I have brought many friends and colleagues (working just across the road). Now I will be sure to redirect my business elsewhere, where it is appreciated.

Jun 19, 2011 

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  9     

What a find! We stopped in one day for a quick yum cha lunch, and were so impressed we've gone back twice in a month for their a-la-carte dinner. The food is not your usual Canberra Chinese restaurant fare, it's mostly Szechuan, quite spicy, and full of unusual flavours and interesting textures. The menu is heavy on tripe and intestines but for the squeamish (which includes us) there was plenty of other new tastes to try.

The service is informal but friendly and attentive, and even the tea was lovely. If you go for yum cha, make sure to try a pineapple bun. If you are heading there for dinner, give the spicy duck a try - what a dish. This is going to become one of my favourites, and it's not even very expensive.

Jun 12, 2011