PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAIt’s the newest place in town, and it’s the oldest place in town. Well, not quite. But ask any local and they will tell you that Sammy’s Kitchen is one of the most well-established restaurants on the Canberra dining scene. And in these vibrant new premises, it’s also one of the busiest. The old Sammy’s Kitchen did a roaring trade each night in good, home-style Chinese cuisine, delivered quickly and efficiently to your table by ubiquitous Asian waiters. These days they have moved up-market and across the road (literally) but the cuisine is still as good, the waiters still Asian, and the trade – if anything – is roaring louder than ever.
The new premises, bright and glowing in shades of orange and pistachio, boasts a seating capacity of over 100 inside. A combination of colourful lamps and the natural light streaming in from a glass partition, gives the interior an airy feel; an outside seating area is fenced off by a series of comfortable wooden benches. The fare served here shows influences from both the north and south of China, as well as some Malay-style laksas and Kampong curries. The usual suspects are available for those adamant honey chicken fans, but for the adventurous a range of new, more culturally genuine dishes is more than satisfactory. Most of the dishes are available for take-away, but for those settling in for the night, a reasonably-priced wine list of Australian and New Zealand drops is on hand. Wines by the glass are written up on one of the restaurant’s blackboards – the other displays the house specials.
Stephanie Wang, October 2007
