Sorry this is late, might not be any use to you now but maybe for the others it will help. I am a Northsider, there is a lot of good stuff Southside but I rarely cross the lake. Also I do not have an expense account, this stuff is mostly midrange except where I've indicated upscale. If you want trendy, check out the Sydney Morning Herald restaurant awards, they cover Canberra. Also: Italian - Caffe Della Piazza, it has an award winning wine list. The politicians go to Tosolini's (upscale), I've never been. Thai - Lemongrass, or Zen Yai Thai, bring your own wine, the winelists aren't that good but the food is great Traditional Aussie Chinese - Happy's, bring your own beer/wine. Great prawn toast. If you want nice decor, this isn't your place but if you want really good food, it is. Chinese Fusion - Chairman and Yip, upscale with good wine, they will organise dishes based on your preferences, excellent service Aussie/Mediterranean - Carlo's in Watson, fair wine list, great food for the suburbs Indonesian - Indonesian Cafe, it's a hole in the wall, no booze, but it's outstanding. Lunch only. takeaway service Yum Cha/Dim Sum - Best dumplings are at Imperial Court, if you want something different there's Four Rivers in Dickson that does Sichaun Yum Cha. I agree with the Ardeche recommendation, I go there about once every two months. Nice french wine list, good service. There's a boutique brewery called "The Wig and Pen". I'm not a beer drinker but locals love it. Also, there's a good wine bar called "Benchmark" with helpful staff who can guide you around some local wines. I would stay away from the revolving restaurant, you're paying for the view, not the food. At least, I've yet to hear anyone local say anything nice about the place. Maybe it's changed in the last year, who knows. Happy to answer any other questions if I can.
