Chez Frederic

For ages now I have been walking past Chez Frederic and wondering what this charmingly tiny, and seemingly always full little joint was all about. I made the mistake of telling friends the little French joint was worth a try, and it is, but it isn't French. 

Italian classics from the hale and hearty school are the order of the day at this very casual diner. The specials list often has a quirky edge, with recent additions including ravioli burgers and wild boar with chocolate tagliatelle. And there are the more familiar standards like lasagne, eggplant parmigiana, lamb shanks, and home made gnocchi. 

We weave our way in though the takeaway queue on a recent Friday night and settle on to one of the generous tables off to the side. Chez Fred is very self-service, so you order and pay at the counter (although they will run a bill for you). The kids grab drinks from the wall cabinet and we choose a couple of glasses of pinot off the short but interesting drinks menu on the wall. 

Some of the dishes are on full display, in a bain marie out front, some come fresh from the kitchen. The bain marie is a surprise, an honest display if very un-restaurant. The place is full of the smell of hearty food, and being able to eyeball your lasagne (and shanks, and roast potatoes) is perhaps not such a bad thing.  

Long sharing tables, some marked up as a chess board, fill the surprisingly large space once you're in there. Games are available to keep you occupied while waiting if you are eating in or taking away. Little plants in the tables and a nice spacious feel add a little funky something to the pleasant space. 

Servings come by the mound here, so clip your wings when ordering. The stuffed roast chicken is half a bird, lasagne is as big as a house brick. Prices range from  $22 for the lamb shanks to $12 for spaghetti with oil and garlic. Desserts are all $7. Meals are served on disposable plates, which often sag under the weight of the portions.  

This is decent quality home cooking, mostly Italian, with well-casseroled meats, in hearty tomato-based sauces. Our spaghetti and meatballs features al dente pasta, with big meaty balls in lashings of red sauce. Lasagne has similar flavours, with generous layers of meat and cheese. Chicken cacciatore is good tender white meat in a full-flavoured olive and tomato sauce. Good crispy roasted potatoes and a mound of veg fill the plate to bursting and provide good balance. 

Luckily, the dessert already comes in a takeaway container, so you can take it home for later. The tiramisu is rich and creamy with enough coffee punch to stop it being cloying. 

Canberra has some terrific high-end Italian eateries, and despite some notable recent additions (Loading Zone, Rosario) is still underdone on quality Italian at the everyday end of the spectrum. Chez Frederic is a welcome addition to Canberra's evolving food culture, one where eating out is more everyday and more affordable. 

If you are looking for delicate, subtle, or, heaven forbid, portion control, go elsewhere. Chez Fred is about generous servings and honest flavours, served without fuss. So take a night off, pull up a bench, and enjoy a hearty meal washed down with a glass or two of red at Fred's place.