Water’s Edge

Where better to relish the peace of Lake Burley Griffin than at the water’s edge? Padded chairs and carpeted floors add comfort to this go-to fine diner, and every offering from the three choices in the four courses is stunningly photogenic, with the vegetarian options especially pretty. Some of the colourful dabs or smudges were too sparse to deliver their promised flavour, however, such as a licorice gel accompanying duck a l’orange, pistachios and pickled red cabbage. No complaints, though, about a glorious ox-heart tomato tartare with chilled green tomato soup and slender garlic croutons, nor the succulent confit salmon with braised cos, saffron potato and sorrel beurre blanc. There’s lots of flavour, too, in goat’s cheese millefeuille with beetroot and radish salad, and onion jam. And we love that great quality house-baked bread is replenished as needed. Strawberry and pistachio sundae is suitably sweet but didn’t need its long marshmallow ‘handle’.

And … Visit the National Gallery, almost next door.

THE LOW-DOWN
Vibe Calm, grown-up, Canberra fine dining.
Best bit The gastro-porn snaps you’ll probably take. 
Worst bit A few too many fiddly bits on the plate.