Taze, Civic

Taze is one of a number of eateries along the increasingly lively strip that bookends the North Quarter of the Canberra Centre. Offering reliable eats and drinks, the area is a good pick for city workers and shoppers perhaps letting their hair down a little at night, or wanting a decent work lunch or farewell banquet during the day.

At Taze the emphasis is on decent quality Turkish cuisine, with some more elaborate offerings, and a full bar for revellers. Seventeen wines are available by the glass, including five sparkling, on a wine list full of Australian favourites. They also have a good range of cocktails and beers, including some on tap.

We arrived on a cold night, to be seated at the table opposite the door, which received an icy blast every time new guests came in. A small thing, but a design issue that it would be smart to address in a Canberra restaurant. All the restaurants along this strip have similar architectural features, namely large concrete uprights interrupting the flow of the room, and while this can lead to a nice sectioning up of the space, it also leaves some parts feeling a little empty at times. Once the place fills up this feeling evaporates.

We soon settle into the comfy banquettes, and examine the hit parade of Turkish favourites: dips, vine leaves, fresh bread, grills and some fancier mains. All looked promising and we ordered widely. A wonderful, puffed up balloon bread ($4.50) prompts gasps from the kids, and a smooth, well made hummus ($8 with bread) started us off well. Nicely crisped sigara borek ($15), filo pastry tubes filled with cheese and spinach, were well made.

Slightly less conventional, a good plate of tiny whitebait ($16.50) was lightly floured, and quickly deep fried, leaving them crisp and delicious. The ultimate beer snack, this dish brings a little sun into a frosty Canberra winter (just close your eyes and think long summer night).

A roasted half eggplant ($16.50) comes nicely stuffed and baked, the rich Mediterranean flavours well mopped up with the really fresh Turkish bread.

Turkish food is so widely available now, from the local takeaway, or supermarket, that it is good to find the basics done well, as they are here: terrific bread straight from the oven, robust, honest flavours, tender grills.

Staff are very friendly, especially with kids, and willing, if a little undertrained. We get plenty of attention, but not always at quite the right time.

Prices are a little on the high side, and if you are after a cheap, big Turkish feed look elsewhere.

Big zucchini balls ($15) are very pleasant, and served with a tangy yoghurt dip. For a main, the mixed grill ($31.50) gives us all the options on a plate - lamb, prawn and chicken skewers, with rice and salad. The nicely grilled offerings were a little charred as they should be, and contrast well with a freshly chopped cucumber and tomato salad.

Thick Turkish coffee and mugs of the traditional salep drinking custard sent us off into the night warm to the core.

Taze is a reliable place to grab a post-shopping dinner, or an intelligent beginning to a big night out.