Restaurant review: Betti Bravo's, Kingston

At this time of year, there aren't going to be too many nights where you can willingly sit outside and dine alfresco in Canberra, so when this late March evening proves to be mostly balmy, we head to Betti Bravo's on the Kingston Foreshore. This tropical themed bar and restaurant opened in January in the spot where the Rum Bar used to be, with a giant parrot mural on an outside wall, pink flamingo wallpaper and some lazily turning wooden fans whose services are superfluous tonight.

Outside, there's a sofa nook, some big bar tables for the drinking of wine and passing of gossip and little pastel coloured tables and chairs looking out over the water. We get a spot in a rather dark corner, and order drinks from a menu that's focused on cocktails with a big splash of rum, though there's a short wine and beer list. A glass of Pimms (should Pimms come in anything less than a jug?) is a taste of summer and helps prolong denial of an impending autumn and winter. Our friends order zombies - which come in a kitsch tiki mug and involve a bisected lime set aflame - and Planters punch to get into that Pirates of the Caribbean frame of mood.

In the food department, Betti Bravo's tends towards the share plates with a sort of Caribbean/Spanish vibe - calamari and chorizo, tortilla, and "Spanish burgers" (I did say "sort of Caribbean/Spanish). So that's how we order, mostly smaller plates and a few big dishes. If you want to make things easier, you can choose between a couple of set menus, with a spread of dishes from $40-$55. A couple of confit chicken wings are crisp but heavy on the salt. There's a streak of corn puree and tonka bean aioli on the side, which are both too bland for my liking.

Much better bold flavours are to be found in the firm chunks of chargrilled octopus ($17), coated in smoky paprika and spritzed with fresh lime. Slices of potato make a good supporting act. Grilled corn pieces ($11) dusted in a snowy layer of iberico cheese (a la Mamasita in Melbourne), and someone has thankfully taken the time to make the mixed leaf salad more interesting than it usually is, with a judicious sprinkling of sumac and mint.

The bigger dishes are pretty hearty. Jerk chicken ($27) is blackened on top and tender roasted beneath - a little oddly, there's a dab of allspice paste on the side of the plate which would be better smeared across the chicken and cubes of mango are scattered across the top of the meat. This is a good feed, though I'd love to see more heat. A platter of roast goat slices ($34) are soft and pink in the middle but dry around the edges. Another drink? We'd love to - another zombie, another tiki mug. Service has been very friendly and mostly switched on, though we get a little lost in the back third of the meal when we're waiting on desserts.

Sensibly for a place that's mostly about drinks and nibbles, there are only two desserts. And just as sensibly, one of them is unusual and a little bit of fun. Dessert gnocchi ($16) is a creamy mix of white chocolate and sweet ricotta gnocchi, cooked in sherry and topped with a blanket of golden brown macadamia crumbs. It's a good blend of warm gnocchi and vanilla ice cream, with plenty of nutty crunch on top. The other dessert, a creme catalan ($16) is cold and thick on the bottom but has a lovely glassy cap which gives under the spoon with a sharp crack and has lots of citrussy and cinnamon spice.

That chilled tropical vibe, and the food focus gives Betti a bit more interest and elevates it a notch or two beyond your usual drinking hole. Let's hope it continues.

Address: 6/2 Trevillian Quay, Kingston

Phone: (02) 6295 7000

Website: http://www.bettibravos.com.au/

Chef: Simon Prickett

BYO: No

Hours: Lunch and dinner Tues-Sat, 12pm-12am

Vegetarian: Small range

Score: 13/20