Canberra has a lot of cafés, some good and some very average. Ask any Canberran and you will hear it is very difficult to know where to go to get consistently spot-on café food at a reasonable price. It is even harder to find this at the right price combined with attentive, capable staff. So, I was delightfully surprised to find exactly this on a recent visit to Calibre Café and Bar in Woden.

I visited Calibre on a cold and windy night with two friends and was greeted by an enthusiastic waitress who seated us and promptly took our drink orders. A busy, bustling café, I was surprised by how humming it was on a miserable, Monday night; families, couples out on dates and friends catching up for a quick meal and a drink before heading to the cinema next door were all present and everyone seemed to be having a great time.

When I first looked at the menu I felt overwhelmed. Calibre really seems to have something for everyone, a huge range of options from the signature Portuguese chicken, to salad, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas and meatier options made it very difficult to choose. There is also a great range of clearly labelled vegetarian and gluten free options.

While umm-ing and ahh-ing over the huge choice of meals we decided to begin with a trio of dips with delicious, crunchy toasted Turkish bread ($12.50). Dips and bread are a staple item that you see on many of Canberra’s café menus, so we weren’t expecting too much; however the trio of beetroot, hummus and Baba-Ganoush dips were really special. Infused with a variety of flavours such as mint and garlic they were exciting and different. We also decided to share a serving of the bruschetta with sautéed mushrooms ($9.90). The mushrooms were a delight, perfectly cooked with basil, sea salt, garlic and oil. The flavour was decadent and flavoursome but not too heavy.

Salt and pepper squid and prawns came next ($19.90). Coated in an amazingly light batter, these fresh, tender pieces of seafood had an excellent crunch. They were served on a bed of shoestring fries and a fresh garden salad. Accompanied by a beautiful baby caper, lime and dill aioli this dish was simply delightful.

The veal scaloppine was the dish of choice for one of my dining partners ($25.50); cooked to perfection the veal medallions were tender and melt-in-the-mouth soft, served in a creamy mushroom sauce on a bed of crispy, smashed chat potatoes this is a perfect winter dish. Creamy, warm and filling; you couldn’t ask for much more.

The garlic prawn linguini ($22.00) was a must-have for my other friend, after tasting the delicious prawns earlier in the meal. These tender, juicy king prawns were coated in a shallot, leek and parmesan cream sauce served on a bed of al dente linguine. The garlic flavour was subtle and not too overpowering and worked perfectly with the creamy parmesan flavours. Simple, but delicious.

I couldn’t go past Calibre’s signature dish; the Portuguese Barbeque Chicken, marinated in a hot lemon and herb coating, served on a bed of rice with a side of tender vegetables ($14.90). Not too hot but still with a hint of spice, the chicken was crispy and flavoursome. Something a little bit different, it is easy to see why this dish is a favourite of long-time Calibre regulars.

By this stage, we were all bursting at the seams. We had eaten an amazing amount of food, each dish surprising us with the excellent combinations of flavours and textures. Throughout our meal we were also consistently checked on by the wait staff to ensure we had everything we needed; a delightful change of pace from many other Canberra cafés.

Although we felt we couldn’t possibly eat another bite; we thought we would end the night with a coffee. The coffees came quickly and were exactly what we needed, hot and strong. One of my friends made the brave decision to order an iced-chocolate. It was huge, chocolatey and covered in cream; really more of a dessert than a drink. We were also convinced by the wait staff to try the amazing, decadent honeycomb cheesecake. It was creamy and soft, with a distinct honeycomb flavour; a wonderful way to end the meal. The coffee and cake alone would be enough to entice me back.

Calibre really surprised me; each and every dish was a step up from regular café food. The ingredients were fresh and the flavours worked perfectly together to create meals that were tasty, warming and a little bit special. Not only was the food at Calibre excellent when I visited but it was priced in a way that didn’t break the budget, always a plus in the over-priced café market. Located next door to the cinemas, it’s also the perfect stop before or after a film. Topped off with attentive staff and a fun, bustling environment, Calibre is now firmly on my list of best Canberra cafés.