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eightysix

The whole room seethes with energy... eightysix.
The whole room seethes with energy... eightysix.Supplied

Good Food hat15/20

Contemporary$$

Sean Royle and Gus Armstrong opened eightysix in 2013 with one simple idea - to do the food they love, the way they want to do it. Sounds edgy, but vitello tonnato, duck confit, and slow-cooked lamb shoulder also happen to be the food everyone loves. As for the way they do it, a blackboard menu runs the full length of one wall, a bustling open kitchen and bar down the other, and the whole room seethes with energy to a hip-hop beat. Yes, there’s attitude but there’s skill too, in a share board of crunchy, biscuity gnocco fritto with finely shaved prosciutto San Daniele; a juicy, fresh ceviche of bream, avocado, corn and jalapeno; and a heaped helping of blackened, honey-glazed chicken legs with buttermilk coleslaw. This could be the most fun you can have dining in Canberra, right down to a deconstructed white chocolate cheesecake, which has more snow than Kosciuszko.

And … Blackboard listings sell out, so order NOW.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe
A roll-up-your-sleeves, have-fun neighbourhood diner.
Best bit In-sync floor staff.
Worst bit Paper napkins.

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