OTIS Dining Hall five-course chef’s menu

It was a Saturday night, a cold wet raining night in July in Canberra. I shared dinner with a friend for her birthday.

Another blogger, Sue, had recently been to OTIS Dining Hall and I had mentioned on her post that I was looking forward to trying it out.

OTIS Dining Hall is where the Little Brussels Belgian Beer Cafe used to be. Head chef, Damian Brabender was formerly of Sage Dining Rooms; another favourite Canberra restaurant. Damian is also associated with The Truffle Farm in Canberra.

On arrival, I was recognised by the maître d’ which is nice. Our waiter for the evening was Tom, who is a very friendly, helpful and knowledgable about the menu and the philosophy behind each dish. All the produce and main elements of each dish are sourced from Canberra or very close by in New South Wales.

OTIS Dining Hall Gary Lum

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We decided on the five-course chef’s menu.

  1. House-made tagliatelle with cracked pepper, black truffle and parmesan
  2. Windsor quail, artichoke, hazelnut and watercress
  3. Baby barramundi, shiitake mushroom, coriander and ginger
  4. OTIS pepper steak, silk-wood brandy jus, served with French fries
  5. Crème caramel, whisky and smoked sea salt

The entire meal was filled with really nice flavours and the portion size, in my opinion, was perfect. Not too big and not too small.

It’s truffle season in Canberra so the first dish was a creamy tagliatelle with truffle infused and two wafers of truffle on top. This was amazing, and if the steak didn’t exist this would have been my favourite dish. As far as a dish licking score is concerned (desserts should be excluded because all desserts should be disk licked), this was on top. If I wasn’t in a public space, I would have put that bowl to my face and licked every last bit of creamy truffle goodness from the dish.

The second dish was a local quail done three ways, with crispy crackling skin and a version of a KFC herbs and spices quail thigh. Apparently, Damian has a thing for KFC. Good to know since I also have a thing, well let’s call it a deep and abiding love for KFC thighs. This was one of those dishes where if there was more I could just keep going, fortunately, it was a perfect portion for the second dish. It had me wanting more.

The third dish was fish, one of my favourite tropical fighting fish is the barramundi. It has firm white flesh and this dish was barramundi but with really crispy skin. It had shiitake mushrooms and ginger. Okay, so I will say, this portion was a little small for my liking. The skin was perfect and the flesh firm. Mmm… I love firm flesh to eat, but you know, I’ve been Barra fishing in the Top End, and the most magnificent fish meal I’ve ever enjoyed was catching a Barra, killing it in ice, watching the guide fillet it perfectly, chuck the skin into the air for a hawk to swoop and take it mid-air, and then pan-fry that gorgeous firm white flesh in a well seasoned frying pan with butter and lemon. Nothing, and I mean nothing can beat that for an eating experience.  

The fourth dish was a pepper-coated steak, cooked perfectly rare and rested well. It was served with a brandy jus and some chips (fries). Coupled with a perfectly weighted steak knife, eating a small but thick portion of juicy tender steak is amazing. I loved this dish. The pepper coating sang in my mouth, as I breathed in I could feel the fresh peppery sensation on my tongue. There’s something to be said about having a good quality steak knife when eating a perfectly cooked piece of steak. It’s like being an artist with the best quality equipment.

The fifth dish was dessert and it was a crème caramel with hints of whisky and sea salt in the caramel. Tom told us that the chef who made this, made this dish for her interview and she hasn’t been allowed to modify it ever. The gradient of flavour intensified as you got to the centre. It just kept getting better and better.

This was a superb meal. I just wish I could drink alcohol. Tom described the accompanying wines with great passion.

You can reserve a table online with Dimmi or just call and make a booking. If you live in Canberra or visiting, I highly recommend OTIS Dining Hall.

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Sage dining rooms Good France Dinner

XO Restaurant Narrabundah

 

Why do people in #Canberra rave about Sage Dining Rooms @sagemint1

Bron and I have been to Sage a few times and I’ve enjoyed an outing there for work during a menu testing period. Each time we’ve enjoyed the experience and always say we’ll be back because the food and service is always so good.

This time is no different. Imagine a warm Friday evening in Canberra just before a long weekend. I’ve reserved a table for the À la carte meal at 6 pm. 

Soon after being seated we’re served an amuse-bouche from the chef. It’s a salt and vinegar crumb on Hollandaise sauce. The first spoon transports you back to your first time eating a packet of salt and vinegar chips. It’s delightful. I’d eat a soup bowl full if I could.

Salt and vinegar crumb with Hollandaise sauce. Butter and salt flakes in the background.
Salt and vinegar crumb with Hollandaise sauce. Butter and salt flakes in the background.

We’re presented with the menu which looks amazing.


For an entrée Bron asks for the 63 °C egg and I ask for the ocean trout.

Perfectly cooked 63 °C egg. Slow Cooked Hen’s Egg, Pearl Barley Porridge, Cavalo Nero, Celery Cress.
Perfectly cooked 63 °C egg. Slow Cooked Hen’s Egg, Pearl Barley Porridge, Cavalo Nero, Celery Cress.
Ocean trout. Sugar Cured Ocean Trout, Zucchini Flower, Poppy Seed, Yagoona Yoghurt.
Ocean trout. Sugar Cured Ocean Trout, Zucchini Flower, Poppy Seed, Yagoona Yoghurt.

It goes without saying that we both enjoyed these entrés. Bron was very enamoured with the egg and explained in some detail just how perfect this egg was. The yolk looked amazing and the white helped form the porridge. I was quite taken with how the corn and raisins complemented each other. The corn was dry and crispy and added a lovely texture to each mouthful.


For our main courses dishes Bron asked for the Wagyu beef and I went for the calamari and pork belly.

Wagyu Beef Picanha,, Marrow Custard, Chicharron, Celery, Watercress.
Wagyu Beef Picanha, Marrow Custard, Chicharron, Celery, Watercress.
Poached Calamari, Berkshire Pork Belly, Cured Organic Egg, Yuzu, Xo, Crumbs.
Poached Calamari, Berkshire Pork Belly, Cured Organic Egg, Yuzu, Xo, Crumbs.

You can see the large dollops of marrow custard that sit with beef skin crackling. While with my dish you can see a lovely tender calamari and pork that has been cooked slowly for a long time.

A small mountain of delicious Paris mash with truffle and parmesan.
A small mountain of delicious Paris mash with truffle and parmesan.
That's me applying some of the Paris mash to the last morsel of pork belly.
That’s me applying some of the Paris mash to the last morsel of pork belly.
The Paris mash was good. It would be a shame not to finish it.
The Paris mash was good. It would be a shame not to finish it.

After the main course dishes a palate cleansing pre-dessert was served.

Licorice crunch on the bottom, carrot sorbet in the middle and yoghurt on top. You need to eat all the layers at once because the yoghurt is quite sour.
Licorice crunch on the bottom, carrot sorbet in the middle and yoghurt on top. You need to eat all the layers at once because the yoghurt is quite sour.

At first I was not convinced as I took a small spoon of yoghurt. It was quite sour. Bron explained that each spoonful needed to scoop through all three layers.My next spoon was a brilliant combination of sweet carrot and tangy yoghurt that balanced each other perfectly and left with a mellow freshness.


The desserts came out after a short break. Bron went with the Eton mess and I chose the peanut paste parfait. Okay, the menu was peanut butter but I always say peanut paste. I’ll explain why in another post.

Sage’s Eton Mess, Tarragon Ice-Cream, Sage Farm Berries, Matcha Tea, Silkwood Pepper.
Sage’s Eton Mess, Tarragon Ice-Cream, Sage Farm Berries, Matcha Tea, Silkwood Pepper.
Peanut Paste Parfait, Zokoko Chocolate, Jersey Milk Skin, Salted Caramel.
Peanut Butter Parfait, Zokoko Chocolate, Jersey Milk Skin, Salted Caramel.

Bron mentioned during her dessert how much she was enjoying the tarragon flavours in her ice cream and how it complemented the berries and other elements of her dish.

For me the parfait was fantastic. I especially liked the white chocolate and salted caramel. 


As we’ve come to expect the food and service were of the highest quality. The wait staff were friendly and knowledgable and very helpful when it came to explaining the complexity of each dish. The ambience was just right; even though there was music playing at the bar outside, it didn’t create a disturbance inside the dining rooms.

Our only reservation was we thought the meal was a little rushed. We were booked for a 6 pm meal and I’d been told that the second sitting would be at 8 pm. The amuse-bouche, bread and entrées all came out in quick succession. The entrée came out seconds after the amuse bouche was cleared away. We had a longer gap before the pre-dessert and then a slightly longer gap before the dessert. We were walking out at 8 pm with the sun still shining and the warmth of the day still hanging in the air. We also noticed there were still empty tables. It would have been perfect if there was a little more time between the amuse bouche and entrées and main course dishes.

We would happily recommend Sage Dining Rooms to anyone who appreciates fine dining coupled with impeccable service.

I’m happy to rave about Sage Dining Rooms because the food and service is so good.

Sage Restaurant on Urbanspoon

http://www.sagerestaurant.net.au/

Sage Restaurant and Mint Garden Bar, Gorman House Arts Centre, Batman St, Braddon ACT 2612
T (02) 6249 6050
F (02) 6249 8563
E sagerestaurant.act@gmail.com
Twitter @SageMint1
RESERVATIONS
Bookings on 02 6249 6050
Restaurant hours
Dinner 5.30 to 10 pm Tuesday to Saturday
Lunch Tuesday to Saturday 12 to 2 pm
Bar hours Tuesday to Friday 4 pm to Late, Saturday 12 pm to Late

XO Restaurant Narrabundah

XO Restaurant Narrabundah is brand shiny new. The space used to be The Artisan which has since closed. There have been a few good write ups and blog posts on XO Restaurant already. You can check them out at the bottom of this post.

So for something unusual I’m writing a post without any food photography. I want to focus on the describing the dishes and the sensations I experienced as I enjoyed each of them.

XO’s menu is southeast Asian with elements of cuisines from all around the region. I read in one of the reviews that one of the owners has a family connection with Griffith Vietnamese which is a stalwart of the Canberra eating scene.

XO-Food-Menu

The menu is divided into starters, small plates, larger plates, sides and desserts. There is also a separate drinks menu with a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including sake.

XO-Drinks-Menu page 1 XO-Drinks-Menu page 2

We started with a Shantung bao each. These are made slider style and different to the one-piece ‘wrap’ style I recently enjoyed at Fish Can in the Westside Acton shipping container village. The bao is held together with a bamboo pin and is very easy to eat with one hand (after removing the pin). The pork was melt in the mouth soft but retained its texture so you could savour the flavour and enjoy the crunch and bite of the daikon pickle. Like all good bao, a little of the sweet dough stuck to the front of my teeth for a few minutes which meant numerous attempts to dislodge it with my tongue until there was a need for a discrete scrape with a finger under the cover of a napkin.

Next to us there was a young couple who also had the bao and the woman had the biggest smile on her face as she bit in and chewed on each mouthful. It was obvious how good these little parcels of joy are.

From the smaller plate range we couldn’t resist the idea of Asian bolognese. What a great name. Given Marco Polo took so many ideas from the far east back to his homeland, it’s nice to see an improvement and reinvention on an Italian classic. The 60 °C egg sits centrally with the shiny udon noodles arranged around it with lovely bits of minced chicken (ragout) and its sauce coating the noodles. I loved the way the noodles held together and slid down my throat. I’m thinking why would I ever bother with boring Italian spag bog ever again now that I know this Asian masterpiece exists. With a small starter like the bao, one serve of the Asian bolognese is a perfect entrée to share.

From the large plate selection we chose the steamed barramundi and the crispy lamb ribs.

The barramundi was perfectly cooked. It was moist throughout and flaked nicely. As a generous serve, it was accompanied by cherry tomatoes and greens. Adding some of the sweet and salty sesame soy sauce to my bowl of steamed rice added a lovely dimension to the dish.

The crispy lamb ribs were amazing and I can understand why it is the favourite of so many guests. Perfectly sized, if you’re good with chopsticks you can pick one rib up and enjoy. The skin is sweet and crispy from the plum sauce. The meat is perfectly cooked, and with the right amount of effort, the meat comes away from the rib bone in bite sized chunks. If you’re not that good with chopsticks, use your fingers to pick up a rib and use your lips to strip the meat from the bone. The aromatic Asian greens make a refreshing accompaniment. On our plate we had five ribs.

I’m really partial to Asian style steamed fish. I thought the barramundi was superb. It took me home to Mum’s kitchen and family time. As much as I loved the lamb for its unctuousness, the barra was a winner for me for the happiness it brought to my heart. The barra made me think of Mum and how one day I’d love to be good enough to cook something like this for my kids.

To end the meal we went with the chrysanthemum tea soft serve ice cream in a cup. This dessert was sweet but not too sweet. The serve was generous enough to ensure brain freeze and brought a refreshing finale to the meal. I’d happily buy a tub and bring it home to eat while watching Netflix.

The new decor is bright and vibrant. The hard surfaces make it a little noisy and the music volume went up and down throughout the evening. If you’re partially deaf and have tinnitus like me it will be difficult to have a conversation at a table of four or more I reckon. I liked that the chopsticks had XO branded into them and the spoons had a cool shape and feel. The china is also Australian made.

The service staff were all friendly and helpful. They knew about each dish and even with a packed restaurant we weren’t left waiting too long for anything. It was nice to meet the wait staff and I’m guessing some of the owners who came and asked how we were enjoying our meal.

I’d happily recommend dinner at XO Restaurant to anyone from Canberra or anyone visiting and wanting a special evening to remember. I know that I’ll be back even if it means eating the same things again.

You can find XO Restaurant here

XO Restaurant also has a Facebook page and a website If you have a dimmi account you can book a table online. This is how I did it and it is dead easy. You’ll also receive a telephone call from the restaurant a couple of days out from the booking just to confirm your reservation. The great thing about dimmi is you also get an iCal or Google Calendar alert if you choose to use it.

Reviews from local bloggers and The Canberra Times

Good Food Australia

The Food Porn Journal

Le Bon Vivant

Tales of a Confectionist

Sage dining rooms Good France Dinner

 

Sage dining rooms Good France Dinner

 

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Last week I received an e-mail from Sage dining rooms inviting me to a Good France Dinner to be held on Thursday 19 March.

It seemed like an obvious thing to do to just call the restaurant and make a reservation.

So it’s Thursday night and I have a booking for 7.30. When we arrive the restaurant already has a good crowd seated and everyone is looking happy.

We’re greeted enthusiastically and have at least four people looking after us. The degustation menu is set before us and we’re offered an aṕeritif. I was offered a non-alcoholic drink which is something I’ve never been asked before and I happily said yes. I can’t remember exactly what was in it other than hazelnut. I’m happy to call it Essence of Nutella because it was delicious and made me think of Nutella.

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The first food we’re served is the chef’s take on salt and vinegar chips. We’ve had this before and we both love it. The vinegar is subtle, the crispy texture pops and the Hollandaise is so creamy perfect.

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I can’t remember all the snacks but one is a leafy green marshmallow with a Spanish ham, the other is a creamy puree and the third is a fried wonton wrap with a fresh bit of tuna in it.

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After the snacks, we start with the main dishes. The first is a parfait of hazelnut and pork which includes pâté, crackling, popcorn and hazelnuts. This is unctuous. 2015-03-19_20.13.54_004_GARY_LUM_FB

The next dish is sea scallops with leek and truffle. Three scallops are cooked in a scallop shell that has been sealed with puff pastry. The leek, caviar and truffle add so much flavour to the perfectly cooked scallops.

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Next, we are served a perfectly cooked duck breast with shaved and candied orange. It is served with a ‘two-tone’ caramel which is sweet and bitter.

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My favourite dish was the beef cheek that had been cooked for 20 hours. It was the chef’s take on the classic French Beef Bourguignon. The meat was amazing and the onions so cute and sweet.

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With a French degustation, we had to have cheese and we were served a marvellous blue vein cheese with honey and homemade Lavosh bread.

The cheese was so creamy and flavoursome.

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We were then served a palate cleansing carrot ice cream with liquorice and yoghurt. It was so refreshing.

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The final dish of the evening was dessert and I’m happy to say it was spectacularly yummy. It was a large Géant chocolate truffle with a salted caramel soil and the filling of creamy gooey chocolate.

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As we’ve said before, Sage dining rooms is a favourite Canberra restaurant. The Good France dinner was fabulous. The service was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. If you get the opportunity to try it, do it. Apart from the Good France Dinner, I’d highly recommend dining at Sage dining rooms at any time. Go for the degustation menu if you can, it’s so worth it.

Sage Restaurant on Urbanspoon

 

Eightysix in Braddon

The Yummy Lummy Cooking for one podcast
The Yummy Lummy Cooking for one podcast
Eightysix in Braddon
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It’s been cold in Canberra the last few nights. It’s the middle of summer and the mornings have been <10 °C (<50 °F). I’ve heard that Thredbo (~200 km SWS) has been having 0 °C (32 °F) mornings. I’ve been trying to enjoy summer salads for dinner but my mind is playing tricks on me. A night out for a hot meal is in order…at Eightysix in Braddon.

So on Friday evening, Bron and I dined at eightysix in Braddon. We’ve been to eightysix previously in May 2013 and really enjoyed the experience.

If you go to the website you won’t find a menu because it changes regularly. The menu is written on the walls each day and as items run out they are rubbed out (or eightysixed).

We had a booking for 6.30 pm and I was told a second sitting occurs at 8.30 pm so we’d have to be out by about 8.15 pm. This happened last week at Sage Dining Rooms too. Being told there is a need to finish my meal isn’t a time and motion problem for me, I tend to eat quickly. The deadline though, does generate what I believe is unnecessary anxiety which is not good for digestion. Perhaps restaurants that have a two sitting policy should consider charging the first group of patrons by time rather than per dish or offer a discount for those who vacate their table 30 minutes prior to the deadline.

Parking in Braddon on a Friday night is a difficult proposition but we find parking spots a few streets away and manage to arrive at 6.30. We’re shown a table near the entrance which enjoys the breeze from the front door. On a warm night this would be pleasant but I reckon in winter we’d ask for another table unless the door was kept closed.

The service at eightysix is warm, friendly and energetic. We’re greeted by two wait staff, one of whom remains as our main contact through the evening. Because we’ve been here before an explanation of the menu and ordering process isn’t necessary. To make it easier a printed menu of a piece of paper is also provided along with a wine list. Eightysix is about communal eating so all the dishes are designed to be  shared at the table. Bron suggests I make a first scan of the menu and choose. The first thing I see and the item my eyes fix on is a whole shoulder of lamb. I can’t get my mind off it. After a few minutes Bron suggests we have a light starter. Bron suggests a blue cheese, apple, walnut and witlof salad. Our waiter agrees and mentioned the bitter witlof is best eaten as a ‘spoon’ to hold some of the cheese, walnuts and apple. When we mention the whole shoulder of lamb we’re asked if we’re sure we can finish it off. Bron laughs, points at me and says that it won’t be a problem. We’re told it’s substantial but not gigantic, our waiter points to one of the bar staff who she says finished an entire shoulder to himself. In my mind I know if he can do it, I can do it too.

 
Eightysix on Urbanspoon
 

So we ask for the witlof salad and the whole shoulder of lamb.

Blue cheese, apple and witlof salad with walnuts
Blue cheese, apple and witlof salad with walnuts

This was a large plate of salad with more than enough witlof ‘spoons’. To keep the witlof upright some cheese had been used as ‘glue’ on the base of the plate which could be collected with a fork and eaten with the apple batons and green leaves. This salad was delicious with each element combining to form a magnificent biteful of joy.

Blue cheese, apple and witlof salad with walnuts
Blue cheese, apple and witlof salad with walnuts

Just a bite size portion on my plate 


After a reasonable period to digest the salad and develop anticipatory hunger for the main course we were served a fennel salad which was quickly followed by the centrepiece of the evening’s meal.

Fennel and lettuce salad
Fennel and lettuce salad
Whole shoulder of lamb with quinoa tabouli and cabbage
Whole shoulder of lamb with quinoa tabouli and cabbage

When our waiter delivered the lamb on a plank she ceremoniously plunged the spoon into the flesh and said it’s been cooked for 18 hours and there’s no need for a knife to cut this.

 

Whole shoulder of lamb with quinoa tabouli and cabbage plus fennel salad
Whole shoulder of lamb with quinoa tabouli and cabbage plus fennel salad

This was my first plate. The lamb was gorgeous. It just melted in my mouth. Having the salad as well as the quinoa tabouli plus the cabbage made eating the meat easier. Just having the meat would have made the meal a little boring. We finish the entire joint and when our plates are cleared we’re congratulated. Apparently some people cannot finish eating all the meat from the bones and this seems like such a waste.


After the main course we were told about the desserts. The choices included a banoffee pie, margareta, caramelised popcorn sundae and a chocolate creation.

Bron went for the banoffee with fresh banana and I asked for the popcorn sundae.

Banoffee pie
Banoffee pie. Photograph courtesy of Bron.

Bron said she really enjoyed the fresh bananas in the banoffee pie. She said the pretzels also added a nice salty contrast to the sweetness of the condensed milk and richness of the cream.

Caramel popcorn sundae
Caramel popcorn sundae

The popcorn sundae was a salty sweet crunchy bowl of happiness. I love this dessert.

Eightysix is a modern upbeat venue with a great menu, energetic staff and an infectious vibe. I’d happily recommend it for dinner for a small or large group. There’s also seating at the bar so you can watch the kitchen staff do their thing.

Telephone 02 6161 8686
E-mail info@eightysix.com.au
Address Elouera Street. Mode 3 Building Braddon ACT 2612
OPENING HOURS
Lunch Tuesday to Sunday
Dinner Seven Nights