The city is a no-brainer go-to for a social bite to eat throughout the week or to toast the weekend, but we sometimes forget that the north side has had plenty of new developments over the past few years and is now a bustling haven for any foodie – Siren Bar and Restaurant in Gungahlin certainly checks all the boxes.
Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Siren’s substantial menu boasts hearty feeds and all the loved classic dishes, brought to life by Siren’s passionate head chef Paola Carbonell. It also offers daily specials, a pizza menu and kid-friendly options.
For breakfast, you can’t go past the light and fresh Smashed Avocado on toast with poached eggs to kick start your day. The combination of feta with avocado is a highlight, as well as the hint of lemon which makes for a welcomed citrus twist on the palate. The eggs are perfectly poached and adds the extra protein needed to keep you going throughout the day. All the tasty elements are served atop a fluffy slice of sourdough toast. This dish is simple, healthy, filling and delicious – ideal to order for brunch with friends on a Saturday morning.
Moving on to lunch and the Monster Beef Burger grabbed our attention on the menu. As the name suggests, this burger is a whopper and came with the lot: bacon, a fried egg, beetroot relish, cheese, tomato, rocket and pineapple. Not for the faint-hearted, the lean beef patty is not too fatty – still juicy and tender. A hit with the boys and meat lovers, order this one while sinking down a few cold beers and watching your favourite sporting code on one of Siren’s big screens. After all, you can’t really go wrong with a beer, burger and footy combo! All burgers are served with crispy chicken-salted fries and will satisfy even the biggest of appetites.
A hit with the boys and meat lovers, order this one while sinking down a few cold beers and watching your favourite sporting code on one of Siren’s big screens. After all, you can’t really go wrong with a beer, burger and footy combo! All burgers are served with crispy chicken-salted fries and will satisfy even the biggest of appetites.
In our opinion, the star of the menu is the BBQ Pork Ribs, which is pure magic. The aroma as this dish arrived at the table was incredible, and the meat simply fell off the bone, even before our forks touched the succulent meat. The ribs were definitely our favourite dish of the day and turns out, it’s also chef Paola’s favourite too! What’s the secret to its melt-in-your-mouth goodness? Paola says it’s thanks to it being slow-cooked for a whole 12 hours, which makes the meat super tender and means that it literally falls off the bone. The barbeque sauce coating is made using the stock the meat was cooked in which is reduced. Instead of regular chilli, Paola uses chipotle. This Mexican spice is what makes the sauce a little different from a regular barbeque sauce. It is perfectly sticky and full of flavour, with a hint of smokiness. Served with corn on the cob, green beans and roasted Kipfler potatoes, the BBQ Pork Ribs are a must-try. After all, Paola says, she often hears this dish referred to by customers as, “the best ribs in Canberra!”
The barbeque sauce coating is made using the stock the meat was cooked in which is reduced. Instead of regular chilli, Paola uses chipotle. This Mexican spice is what makes the sauce a little different from a regular barbeque sauce. It is perfectly sticky and full of flavour, with a hint of smokiness. Served with corn on the cob, green beans and roasted Kipfler potatoes, the BBQ Pork Ribs are a must-try. After all, Paola says, she often hears this dish referred to by customers as, “the best ribs in Canberra!”
With the winter chill well and truly here, all we want to do is carb load. Pasta lovers are in for a treat at Siren with its Seafood Linguini. Tasting this dish transports you straight to Italy. The flavours of tomato, garlic, basil, balsamic and Italian herbs work so well together, especially when paired with seafood. This Napoli sauce is another slow-cooked delight, which makes it extra flavoursome, and the seafood is tossed in right before being served to ensure it’s cooked perfectly. The seafood is proudly sourced from a local supplier at the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets – mussels, clams, prawns and calamari. All this soaked up in the tomato sauce, which made each bite so tender. Al dente cooked linguini completes the dish, which in whole is a lovely and light lunch or dinner option.
This Napoli sauce is another slow-cooked delight, which makes it extra flavoursome, and the seafood is tossed in right before being served to ensure it’s cooked perfectly. The seafood is proudly sourced from a local supplier at the Fyshwick Fresh Food Markets – mussels, clams, prawns and calamari. All this soaked up in the tomato sauce, which made each bite so tender. Al dente cooked linguini completes the dish, which in whole is a lovely and light lunch or dinner option.
Pistachio and Walnut Brownie Stack, which oozes chocolatey goodness and is the perfect winter warmer to top off your dining experience. This sweet treat is guaranteed to make your jaw drop. Hard to believe, but it tastes even better than it looks! Even those without a sweet tooth, prepare to meet your new kryptonite. The base of the stack comprises a pistachio, walnut and milk chocolate brownie – crunchy on the outside, yet smooth and dense in the centre. The second layer is a scoop of house-made rocky road ice-cream, which cuts through the richness of the brownie underneath. The ice-cream features little pieces of marshmallow, white chocolate, and pistachio throughout, which adds a delightful texture to the dish. An oozing chocolate ganache is drizzled over the top, making it a truly decadent experience. It’s easy to understand why the brownie stack is a top-seller dessert!
The second layer is a scoop of house-made rocky road ice-cream, which cuts through the richness of the brownie underneath. The ice-cream features little pieces of marshmallow, white chocolate, and pistachio throughout, which adds a delightful texture to the dish. An oozing chocolate ganache is drizzled over the top, making it a truly decadent experience. It’s easy to understand why the brownie stack is a top-seller dessert!
Although we experienced Siren on a quaint and charming afternoon, we can easily imagine how bustling this place is on weeknights and weekends, especially when there is a major sporting event. Siren’s bar and its variety of beverage offerings, as well as the multiple plasma screens, show that the space caters for those who love getting together with their family and friends, having a great meal out on the town, and cheering on their favourite team.
While it has been around for a few years, Siren recently unveiled its renovations, complete with a sun-drenched outdoor deck area that is perfect for any occasion and can also accommodate for that memorable function. The atmosphere at Siren is friendly and fun, and the functional space is able to be sectioned off to create more intimate spaces for any occasion. The outdoor area is complete with plush seating, tables and most importantly heating, which means that you don’t have to wait for summer to enjoy it!
There are also loads of different food and drink specials throughout the week, and the size of the menu means that there is something for everyone’s taste and budget – great for families and people of all ages.
Siren definitely meets the mark on providing a delightful and diverse dining experience on any given time or day of the week, and it’s clear that its friendly team are committed to keeping guests (and their bellies!) happy.
