The long lunch - Lazy Su
Not every Friday lunch needs white tablecloths and an encyclopaedic wine list. Sometimes, the perfect venue is one that both blends bar and restaurant to provide fantastic food in a more relaxed setting.
This is what makes Lazy Su on busy Lonsdale Street the perfect place to while away (cough) a couple of hours. The menu is bursting with flavours, the service is efficient and friendly, and the atmosphere is so upbeat that you’ll be tempted to hang around a lot longer than intended.
So, what’s the hook? For us, it was Lazy Su’s sense of fun that permeates the entire experience. From the array of Lucky Cats that greet diners at the entrance through to the cheery farewell, there are little touches that surprise and delight. Mirror ball? Tick. Cheesy Japanese LPs from the 80s? Check.
While you’re settling in, it’s hard to go past an Asahi beer and a plate of edamame beans. For the uninitiated, this is pretty much the equivalent of a schooner of New and a pack of Nobby’s Nuts, and is de rigueur in any bar or izakaya across Japan.
From there, it’s simply a decision of how heavily you want to indulge prior to the weekend. Lazy Su’s menu diverts into two pretty distinct paths: the first being the healthy side of Japanese cuisine with fresh fish, grilled meats and noodle salads.
The other option (and let’s face it, we’re not here for our health) is the street-food. We’re talking pork belly bao (burger), ganjang (Korean soy) fried chicken and takoyaki (octopus) fries… just to name a few.
Naturally, everything is designed to be shared and passed around. Hands, chopsticks and spoons will be clattering around the table as the delightful dishes land in quick succession.
The wine list features 20 options across red, white and sparkling. However, it’s in the spirits and cocktails that Lazy Su really shines.
There are funky takes on classic cocktails that offer a sense of deep knowledge and wit rather than simply trying to be quirky.
A couple of examples: the Tom Collins gets sage and ginger flavours, a sour is injected with yuzu, and pisco is treated with matcha green tea. So, you’ll need a sense of adventure, but the journey is certainly worth it.
Before you know it, it’ll be 4.00pm. Hey! That’s cocktail hour. Let’s go again!
Lazy Su
1/9 Lonsdale Street
Braddon ACT
02 5105 3812