Since opening in 2011, Siren Bar and Restaurant has exuded the kind of busy energy that you want to feel in a great community meeting place. Located in the very heart of the Gungahlin Town Centre, this is a bar that strives to deliver a quality experience across all hours of the day – be it popping in for a coffee during the mid-morning, a relaxing lunch, a few drinks in the afternoon, or a night out with dinner. Many of the dishes present a fun little twist on favourites – ensuring a dining adventure within traditional pub fare.
By example, Siren’s Arancini Balls play a clever little game by turning your expectations inside out. As expected, they’re filled with rice, and for a bit of variation are stuffed with prawns and saffron and sun-dried tomatoes. The clever trick is moving the cheese to the outside, with a bed of blue cheese sauce and swirl of balsamic providing every excuse to dip to collect as much as possible of the rich and thick flavours.
Buffalo Wings are a great example of a pub favourite, and therefore perfectly placed on the menu at Siren Bar. While they have a reputation for being (wonderfully) messy to eat, the kitchen ensures you can still pick up your glass with a fried-but-not-greasy version of the classic snack. The accompanying sauce is subtle – offering just enough tang to match the mild spice of the chicken wings.
Piled high on the plate and finished with shards of prosciutto, the Stuffed Chicken Breast presents a complex array of elements in perfect balance. Packed full with Camembert cheese and sun-dried tomato, and served with beans, snow peas and carrots, a generous ladle of pesto sauce finishes a cavalcade of colour, flavour and texture.
The BBQ Pork Ribs present an imposing sight – but one that will be warmly welcomed by carnivores with an appetite. These are American-style pork ribs that are slow-cooked and served with a buttery corn on the cob, smashed chats and smoky BBQ sauce. The sauce is a definite highlight, and makes for finger-licking-goodness. If you feel any guilt whatsoever, you can also eat some of the corn, carrots or beans that are hiding in fear on the side.
The best way to finish off (well, if you ask us!) is Siren’s Famous Nutty Parfait. It’s been on the menu for three years, and the regulars refuse to let it disappear. Again, this dish is a refresh of the original, so grab your fork and dive into peanuts, peanut butter, Nutella, choc chips and ice cream. To finish, it’s served on a biscuit base and topped with mixed berries and a raspberry coulis. Surely it couldn’t be bad for you? Anyway, if even if it is, brush those thoughts aside and enjoy every delicious mouthful.
Guests are invited to make a selection from the impressive wine-tower. Enclosed in glass, it provides a wide range of temptations that would suit an afternoon drink with friends, or accompany a full meal across multiple courses.
Siren Bar and Restaurant sounds like the perfect night out, don’t you think?
