Morsels: BentSpoke, and Godzilla open; Delissio closes

BentSpoke opens
Possibly one of the most hotly-anticipated pubs in Canberra is meant to open this week. BentSpoke Brewing Co is the new venture from Richard Watkins, the former head brewer at the Wig and Pen and one of Australia’s leading beer creators. It’s a microbrewery, bar and restaurant in Braddon on the corner of Mort and Elouera streets, in an apartment complex. On the bottom is a bar with an outdoor area while upstairs is a restaurant with wide windows looking over the street. The all important craft beer tanks are enclosed behind glass walls. Fingers crossed that it’s thrown open its doors by the time we read this.

Winter beer dinner
Flint in the Vines is hosting a winter beer dinner on Saturday June 21 at 6.30pm. It will feature five courses, including spicy nuts (who can resist?), mussels with chili, a braised oxtail pie and sour cherry strudel. They’ll be matched with beer or a granita shot in one case. It costs $89 a head. Flint in the Vines is at 34 Isabel Drive in Murrumbateman. Book online at flintinthevines.net.au or call 6227 5144.

Delissio closes
But just across the road from BentSpoke there’s sad news. Bar and restaurant Delissio has ceased trading after what was described as an “ownership restructure”. The bar opened 9 years ago in Braddon and was followed by a brasserie in Curtin. The closure of both Delissio outlets was announced on Facebook on the weekend. “With a mixture of emotions we would like to announce that after 9 & 7 years of operation Delissio Restaurant & Delissio Brasserie have ceased trading,” the post read. In 2011 an apprentice chef was severely burned at the Braddon restaurant after butane gas exploded in the kitchen. Owners Jeremy Grobben and Shane Fitzsimmons were fined $24,000 in the ACT Magistrates Court last year over the incident, though the court noted the men had excellent reputations and had been quick to improve safety afterwards.

Godzilla opening
Hotel Hotel recently won an award for being Australia’s “Best Boutique City Hotel” and it’s continuing its hot streak this month with its new restaurant kitchen. The restaurant has a remarkably quirky name - Godzilla. It’s due to open June 12. The menu is going to be filled with dishes to share and food will be served in the very stylish lobby. The idea is for a lounge atmosphere and it will certainly establish Godzilla as one of Canberra’s more unusual restaurants. We’ll be very intrigued to see what chef Sean McConnell does with the concept but we’re sure it will look pretty good.

Dessert Castle

A new dessert shop offering cakes, crepes and waffles and other sweet things is set to open at the University Lodge in Civic. Dessert Castle will open its doors on June 16. It's decked out in white and blue and will be open seven days a week for desserts, and staying open late from Thursday and Saturday. Check it out at the corner of Childers and Hutton Streets or on dessertcastle.com.au

Gungahlin cafe style
There’s finally a tasty reason to make the trek out to Gungahlin. My Parea Espresso has popped up in one of the new developments on Flemington Road in Harrison. We had a first look on Monday and the cafe seems like a breath of fresh air to the area. The colourful nook is filled with kitschy furniture, and has quickly became a popular spot for locals in search of a morning coffee. Open weekdays for breakfast and lunch, plus Saturday for lazy breakfasts.