Pengham Junior
Booked myself and my mum in to try Kickin'Inn, on our trip down from Sydney to visit the Floriade for her birthday. It was definitely a highlight of our trip, and would absolutely come by again next time we visit Canberra!
Fantastic service from the moment we walked in - waitstaff clearly explained the full menu, and Rabi was our highly attentive and friendly server for the rest of the night. Very spacious, bright, cosy and clean restaurant. We went 6pm on a Saturday night, at it was fairly quiet at the time (two other tables).
We got the complimentary birthday Kickin' Shrimp Martini, Mini Mixed Bag with Kickin' Sha Bang sauce, 'Spicy' level, and a side of toasted garlic bread - and as it was my mum's birthday dinner, Rabi served us a complimentary mud cake with a candle, which was so lovely.
We were equipped with a bib and gloves, and were given the option to use plates/cutlery, but of course opted to use our hands (food always tastes better, eating with your hands).
Food in summary:
- Absolutely wowed by the Martini! It was huge, and we couldn't believe it was complimentary. The shrimp and chips were hot and crispy, with a delicious special sauce (like a slightly spicy thousand island - creamy, tangy, a little spicy, sweet), and the lettuce really balanced out the dish. The shrimp was tender and plump under the golden crunchy coating. Really delicious, highly recommend.
- The Mini Mixed Bag was a great first foray into eating at Kickin'Inn! The little baby octopus was a star - perfectly tender with a bit of bite. Prawns were also tender and juicy, and the mussels were briney and sweet (the shells also worked well to scoop up the sauce and the rice). I also feel like I have to mention that the rice on the side was really good - very fragrant, perfect texture. We chose 'Spicy', which isn't very spicy (to compare, it's less spicy than sriracha), so looking forward to trying some of the hotter sauce options next time. The Kickin' Sha Bang lives up to its name - it's kickin'. Aromatic and very well rounded, super flavoursome, but not overbearing.
- Garlic bread was piping hot and so buttery. Crispy on the edge and so fluffy in the middle.
- Overall it was a lot of food for us two, so we got to pack some to go in a cardboard takeaway container.
- The mud cake was also delicious - not too sweet, very chocolatey and moist. It's also gluten free, halal and vegan, for those looking for these options. A very sweet end to the meal!
Overall, would definitely recommend, and would love to come by again next time!
