Sanya Bar is situated on Lonsdale Street in Braddon sandwiched between Binny’s Kathitto and Tipsy Bull. You’ll notice the bright red Chinese lanterns strung up outside.
Mr FPJ and I headed in to check it out (using First Table where we got 50% off the bill – food only, after a $10 booking fee). Service was super friendly and staff were happy to chat to us about the menu. I started off with a mocktail asking for something with berries in it (unsure of price). Out came a mocktail version of their sangria with berries and lychee. Refreshing and not too sweet.
We ordered the bao platter (usually $25) which came with 6x baos – 2x Peking duck, 2x lamb skewers and 2x crispy tofu baos. The soft bun was smooth and thick enough to hold all the fillings without it falling apart however it wasn’t as soft and fluffy as I like them. All three baos were stuffed with a lot of cabbage and we found it to be cabbage overkill but it did provide a nice crunch to the dish. The Peking duck was the favourite as there was lots of duck meat. The tofu had been smothered in sweet chilli sauce for flavour. The lamb skewer was a tad messier to eat as the thin skewer was still stuck inside so we had to pull the meat off first.
As it was a Tuesday, Mr FPJ got the $15 burger deal and a $4 beer (not half price with First Table as it’s a separate deal). Mr FPJ loves his beef and black bean (his favourite dish at Chinese restaurants) so when he noticed the ‘Mr Black Bean’ beef brioche burger (usually $19) on the menu, he had to test it out. To be honest, our expectations weren’t high. So we were pleasantly surprised to find the burger really did taste like beef and black bean. The beef patty was juicy and the black beans had been cleverly infused into the honey and mayonnaise. It was a fantastic balance as the flavour of the black beans really came through. Brilliant idea for an Asian fusion meal. Mr FPJ was very happy with the burger which was also a good size with a soft bun, beetroot, lettuce and onion. The side of sweet potato crisps were oily, fresh from the fryer, but delicious.
We also ordered the pan fried char siu pork dumplings (usually $12 for 5 pieces, and can also come steamed) which came out slightly browned and charred the way I like it, but were still juicy and filled with flavour. Yum.
For dessert, we shared the fried cheesecake balls ($12 for 3 pieces) which were pretty darn good. Soft gooey cheesecake centre, fried like a doughnut and covered in sugar. No complaints.
One of Sanya Bar’s quirks is the ‘Jackie Chan’ wall of fame, a petition to bring Jackie Chan to Canberra, which is covered in signatures and photos.
Our early dinner was at 5.30pm so we sat at one of the undercover outdoor tables and enjoyed the alfresco setting. It had a lovely relaxed vibe with staff happy to chat but who also know when to leave you alone. Other interesting items on the menu include the meaty dumpling bowl with bacon and sour cream, jian bing aka a Chinese burrito, and the blue cheese pear walnut wontons. There are some vegan and vegetarian options too.
Weekly specials at the moment are the $15 burger deal every Tuesday, $10 bao deal (2 bao of your choice and sweet potato chips) every Wednesday-Thursday, and $6 Happy Hours on Friday and Saturday from 4-6pm.
Address:
Sanya Bar
5 Lonsdale St, Braddon, ACT
Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday: 4pm-10pm
Thursday to Saturday: 12pm until late
Foodgasm 7.5/10
Value for money 7/10
Service 9/10
FPJ score 23.5/30
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