Alright, it’s been two months since Lazy Su first graced us with its presence in Canberra’s nightlife and hospitality scene, and usually by now the hype has settled, but despite a number of new innovative venues popping up around town since its inception, the tongue-in-cheek Asian eating house has continued to book out almost every night and push the boundaries in fun fusion food and drink.
If you haven’t yet checked the place out, here’s a little taster of what you can expect. Have a read, get a hit-list going of what dishes you want to try for yourself and hop on their site to make a reservation to see what the rest of Canberra has been fussing about!
The great thing about Lazy Su is as well as offering a diverse selection of food, its bar is also absolute killer, making it the perfect hot spot for after-work drinks or pre-drinks to ease you into a boozy night out on the town. If this is more your style then I suggest you order the Apple Soju or dive head first into one of the Scorpian Bowls with friends – or have one all to yourself if you’re game. That’s if co-owner Andrew hasn’t already encouraged you to have a couple of cheeky tequila shots on arrival to kick things off.
If cocktails are more your thing you can’t go past the Pisco Disco – matcha infused pisco, pineapple and tarragon syrup, and whites. This one isn’t too sweet on the palate and has the perfect balance of citrus and earthy tones. The Miss Matsuda is another crowd favourite – a delightful, feminine Japanese shochu, with grapefruit liquor and thyme, while the Yakuza Sour comprises mandarin, aperol, yuza and whites – order this aromatic drop if you’re after something with a little more punch to sip on.
Onto the main event and the food doesn’t disappoint. Start your Lazy Su feast with the Szechuan Pepper Squid, salted black bean, lime, coriander and aioli. These crispy golden morsels of goodness encapsulate perfectly-cooked squid that are made to taste even better with a sprinkling of salted black bean clusters, and a garnish of fresh chilli and coriander. Squeeze plenty of zesty lime juice atop to marry all the elements together.
Next up is the home-style XO Pippies. Hands. Down. The. Best. Bring a hair tie ladies and make sure you take off all your rings for this one as things are about to get weird. Cutlery aside, get your hands dirty and get amongst this dish. The XO sauce is plentiful and oh-so moreish, so don’t forget to mop up the sauce and really suck the life out of the damn things to get a bit of everything in the one bite. The dried onion, chilli and shallots atop make for a flavoursome accompaniment.
In our eyes, Lazy Su hits the nail on the head when it comes to letting simple, quality ingredients speak for themselves. The Mum’s Hainan Chicken with poached ginger, Singapore sauce, cabbage, sesame and light soy is a hearty dish that gives a nod to the traditional family recipe, but with a twist. The tender chicken pieces fall apart at slight touch and floats on a bed of wilted cabbage greens soaked in light soy that’s generously drizzled on top.
Looking for a plate to share or just feeling a bit peckish? Order the Ssäm Beef Short Rib with charcoal-grilled beef slices, pickles, lettuce wraps and ssämjang. Again, it’s best to disregard the cutlery for this one too and just wrap a dollop of every element into the lettuce wrap. We’re all friends here so don’t hesitate to double dip into the ssämjang once more to really get a hit of the authentic spicy paste.
Another crowd favourite that we all know and love, and another dish that’s great for sharing at the table is the Kimchi Fried Rice. Tossed in gochujang, egg, nori, sesame, this Asian stable has been reinvented with that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ unique to Lazy Su – expect an explosion of tradition flavours combined with delightful crunchy textures.
With a myriad of delicious options to choose from when it comes to food and drink, the friendly peeps at Lazy Su have taken all the stress out of ordering and offers a Mi-So Hungry Feed Me Banquet, where you are served up a selection of seven of its greatest hits for just $49. Add dessert for an extra measly $8 and now you have no excuse but to go there for the third time this week…guilty!