culinary travel Archives - The Hotel Guide

Canberra’s Truffle Season Showcases the Delectable Treasures

Publisher — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 12:39:07 +0000

Kicking off the Canberra region’s truffle season with a bang this year, Canberra’s top restaurants are showcasing these delectable treasures with creative paddock-to-plate creations that are simply irresistible. Embark on a culinary journey through this curated list of must-try dishes and savour the essence of the season’s truffle trail.
Beltana Farm
Escape the ordinary and embrace a unique dining experience at Beltana Farm Dining. Indulge in a farm-style shared menu set amidst a sprawling trufferie, where the aroma of fresh truffles infuses every dish.
Extend your stay by booking one of Beltana Farm’s luxury yurts and immerse yourself in the serene surroundings. Guests can also enjoy recreational activities like tennis, cycling through the picturesque surroundings, and meeting Drake, the lovable truffle dog.
RAKU
If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine, make sure you swing by Canberra’s city centre for a fine-dining experience at RAKU. Watch the action while you sit at the bar-come-kitchen offering a 10 to 12 course set menu, featuring brand new truffle-focused dishes that are not available on the regular menu. There will be options to pair the course with a matching wine to complete the experience.
The Truffle Farm
Look no further than The Truffle Farm for the quintessential truffle experience. Team up with the owner of the farm and the truffle dogs to unearth these prized possessions. The executive chef will prepare an unforgettable dining experience and teach you all the secrets to using truffles at home.
Compa
Matt Moran’s newly opened Italian steak restaurant, Compa, is unveiling its inaugural truffle menu featuring locally sourced truffles from The Truffle Farm. Some standout truffle-infused dishes include fire-roasted scallops, truffle polenta, and truffle gelato. Diners have the option to elevate their dining experience by adding truffle to any dish for an additional $20 per 5g.
Explore their innovative truffle cocktails, such as the Truffle Shuffle Negroni, crafted with The Canberra Distillery Truffle Farm Gin, complemented by Campari, Rosso Antico, Antica Formula, and Truffle EVOO. Don’t miss this opportunity to indulge in the exquisite flavours of truffles at Compa
&Sando
Like sister venue Compa, &Sando will have two menu specials to be available throughout truffle season: ‘I knew you were truffle when you walked in’ is a truffle loaded grilled cheese toastie, and they also have a truffle french onion soup on offer. It is the perfect express truffle option if a long lunch isn’t on the cards.
Mount Majura Vineyard
There’s nothing like pairing truffles with wine, and Mount Majura Vineyard knows how to do it well during the winter season. Partnering with their neighbour Jayson from The Truffle Farm, they provide the freshest truffles, which are infused into a luxuriously rich triple-cream brie-style cheese. Accompanying this delectable treat is a flight of three 80ml glasses of wine, carefully selected to complement the truffled brie. Savour the elegance of the 2011 Late Disgorged Silurian Sparkling, along with a cellar red, for a truly exceptional tasting experience.
This truffle and wine flight is available on weekends throughout July and August. Online bookings are recommended, so be sure to reserve your spot in advance.
Australian Parliament House
Experience a culinary journey like no other as you sample the region’s finest truffles and indulge in a six-course degustation in the Members and Guest Dining Rooms at Australian Parliament House. Handpicked from Macenmist Black Truffles in Bredbo, these treasures are skilfully prepared by Chef David Learmonth to create an unforgettable dining experience.
Contentious Character
Experience pure indulgence at Contentious Character’s urban winery in Dairy Road Precinct, Fyshwick with a tantalising five-course truffle degustation from a meticulously crafted menu by Head Chef, Andy Park. The menu celebrates the earthy richness of truffles with the option to pair with their finest wines. Delight your palate with an exquisite culinary journey amidst the chic ambience of the urban winery.
Winter Market: Truffles, Wine, and Artisan Goods
Celebrate the season’s bounty at the Dairy Road Winter Market where you can explore the best of cool-climate produce. Indulge in fine foods like truffles, wine, garlic, olives, and more, while browsing the Cellar Door wine market inside The Vault. Alongside a vibrant street and garden of farmer’s stalls, this chef’s market offers direct access to premium and rare goods from the region.
With over 50 seasonal producers participating, you’ll find an array of winter delights from regional farms, brought to you in collaboration with the Southern Harvest Association and the Canberra Truffle Festival.

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The Best Romantic Restaurants in Canberra for Date Night

Publisher — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:03:29 +0000

Searching for the perfect romantic dining experience for two? Here are some romantic places to fall in love with across Canberra.

From award-winning fine dining to an international dining experience only minutes from the city centre, Canberra knows how to make your night out memorable. Start adding these must-dine spots to the bucket list and we guarantee your special someone will be more than impressed.

Such and Such

Canberra’s dining scene is waiting to surprise you, and Such and Such is the perfect marvel to kick things off. This quirky eatery boasted the title of New Restaurant of the Year in the Good Food Awards – across Canberra and New South Wales – in 2023. And if that title alone isn’t enough for you to travel to Canberra for an impressive meal, then we’re not sure what is.

KOTO

Traditional architecture and dramatic design, the KOTO interior preserves and revitalises the half-a-century old, Japan-heritage architecture of The Lobby; one of the most prominent historical buildings within the National Triangle. Dine under the knowing menu of sushi master, Shinya Nakano, who trained in Kyoto with a fifth-generation sushi master, later working his magic at Australian restaurants where he was awarded two-hats from Good Food Guide for his 18-course omakase style menu. So, while the building alone will astonish you, be sure to prepare for a dining experience that matches its fit-out’s prowess.

Corella Bar

Corella is an intimate escape away from the daily grind. This cosy restaurant and bar feels a world away from normal, yet it is right in the centre of the bustling Braddon precinct. The service is polished yet unpretentious, and with a thoughtful wine list and bespoke cocktails, it’s the perfect place for a romantic date night.

Pilot

Pilot is upscale dining, but not as you’re used to it. A restaurant built on pure hospitality and delicious Australian ingredients, Pilot’s chic fit-out and seven course degustation menu is sure to leave you satisfied, impressed, and deeply comfortable. They boast a smart, low-fuss experience and love hearing the phrase, “just treat us” from their patrons. And treat you, they will.

OHNO!

The OHNO! date night enjoys loud flavours and messing with the classics, flipping what’s expected of Pan-Asian cuisine on its head. Drop by, graze over some share plates, and select from their extensive wine list. Or wander upstairs to the cosy cocktail bar to sip or snack in the company of in-house DJs while you wait for your table to dine.

Louis

Located within a five-star hotel, Louis is the newest crown jewel of one of Canberra’s most celebrated fine-dining chefs, Ben Willis. It aims at bringing a multi-layered culinary offering right at the heart of the capital, combining a classical European dining experience with sophisticated cocktails. If you’re in the mood for romantic French cuisine with your loved one, Louis is the go-to – oui oui!

INKA

If you haven’t tried Peruvian Japanese fusion before, now is your chance to indulge at Inka. Prepare to be delighted by the Nikkei concept of this beautiful dining room, which promotes an enticing scope of cocktail styles and flavours from both Japan and South America, combining finesse and balance with the wild and tropical.

RAKU

You’d be forgiven for thinking a shopping centre isn’t the obvious place to look when you’re seeking romance – but RAKU delivers it in spades. This sleek modern Japanese restaurant is a versatile date-night destination. Sit at the bench and watch the chefs craft beautiful plates of sashimi, nigiri and maki rolls or hide out in one of the sculptural timber booths and ignore the rest of the world. Whichever option you choose, you’re assured of a memorable dining experience.

Bada Bing

If casual dining meets cosy rat-pack hideaway is the feeling you’re seeking for date night, then Bada Bing Dining Club has you covered. Seamlessly blending retro charm with light-hearted fun, sink into the impeccable style and culinary of old-school Italy at this inner-city eatery. Everything from traditional pastas to woodfired pizza, it’ll definitely be “that’s amore” for all involved.

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