“Akin to any great story, the writing of a restaurant menu is no different. As the ink dries and words flow, a gastronomic story begins to appear.”
Last Thursday night, three members of the Canberra Daily team were treated to a five-star dining experience in the Capital. If you are a lifelong Canberran, or even a frequent fly-in, dinner at the Capitol Bar & Grill at QT Canberra is a bucket-list item of an evening.
The new autumn menu was carefully carved out by Executive Chef Michael Box to tell a tale of the season, as experienced in Canberra. Rich colours emulate a blanket of vibrant leaves, and locally sourced flavours come alive and tantalise the tastebuds.
“I’ve really stripped the combinations and presentation back, letting the simple, seasonal flavours shine. Every detail, flavour, crunch, you name it, has been scrutinised,” says Chef Michael.
His journal, used to capture every minute detail of the creative process, slowly became the new menu itself.
The fruit of that labour shines in dishes like the flash fried zucchini flower with romesco, pecorino romano, and honey.
The zucchini flowers were a standout favourite for our editor, Julie Samaras, and for good reason.
Seasonally harvested from the QT Canberra rooftop and dished up as a visual feast, the sweetness of the honey is perfectly balanced with the piquant pecorino.
It is not often the case that the appetiser is what stays in your mind hours after the last bite of the meal is devoured, however Chef Michael has achieved exactly that.
Our photographer, Kerrie Brewer, indulged in the main chapter of the new menu, the slow roasted lamb from Junee, NSW.
Served up with with anchovy crème, black garlic and watercress emulsion, this melt-in-your-mouth dish is best enjoyed with a glass of red from Capitol’s robust repertoire.
The night was kicked up a notch when Chef de Cuisine, Mel Hobby, came out with her pick, the grilled Dory, sourced from Shoalhaven NSW and served with seaweed butter, crisp basil, and burnt lemon.
If you are even somewhat of seafood person, I recommend sharing the Dory with a very fortunate dining partner, as it is more than enough for two. As an accompaniment, the potato gallette is, as described by our wonderful waiter Aditi, somewhat of an elevated side of fries.
To finish the night, any one of the Capitol’s desserts will serve as a strong ending to a great story. The Canberra mess is the closer of the new autumn menu – a shattered calamansi meringue with freeze dried mandarin, sorbet, and coconut mousse.
The dark chocolate and fresh raspberry tart was a work of art, with flavours that have been perfectly suited for each other since the beginning of time.
As said by Chef Mel, the Capitol’s tiramisu is something any foodie must try at least once. You think you know tiramisu, until you taste it freshly made with The Little Marionette Espresso and cocoa nibs.
Capitol Bar & Grill at QT Canberra is open for dinner Monday to Saturday, from 6pm to 10pm.
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