“Why does it say “0″ under the temperature gauge?” I ask Mr NQN as we take the drive from Sydney to Canberra one Friday afternoon-the one that happens to see a breakdown and an accident so we’re a tad late.
“That’s because it is zero degrees outside” he says grimly, gritting his teeth. Even though we are in the warmth of the car I pull my scarf tightly around me in anticipation of alighting the vehicle. We arrive in Canberra cold, tired and hungry. Luckily our first destination is Italian and Sons. It’s not often that you can walk into a city restaurant nowadays and get a table at 9:30pm. So when we walk into Italian and Sons in Canberra and get a table and turn around to see another couple doing the same thing we’re pleasantly surprised.
In fact things are downright happening at Italian and Sons. An easel at the front of the restaurant holds people’s coats and we walk past tables and tables of people laughing and eating. We walk past the bar which also serves as a salumeria with several types of cured sausages hanging up and a cured ham leg ready to slice. People are thronging about, sitting at tables-a family of seven sits elbow to elbow picking up pieces of pizza and forkfuls of pasta while tables of two and four lean in and talk animatedly to each other.
Service is warm and old school-they help you on and off with your coat and hang it on the back of your chair for you. The back of the restaurant faces the open kitchen where the large wood fired oven churns out pizzas and dishes that would make your heart melt in this weather. I know what we want-you see I had been scouting out the menu in the car and knew exactly what I wanted. The only change we made was to order the special for the night the beef cheeks in chianti as our waiter told us that that was as close to their signature dish as it gets when it is available.
Complimentary rosemary and garlic bread
We are absolutely starving. I like to eat early at 6pm so eating at 9:45pm was not bodeing well for me yet I refused to stop and eat fast food when I knew that this was waiting for me. So when our waiter presents us with some deliriously good rosemary bread I dive right in. It’s a pillowy soft bread with a light crust to it from the oven and generously seasoned with rosemary and salt (a little too much of the salt on one slice). I save my second slice to have with the rest of the food knowing that Italian food always has such delicious, moppable sauces and I am a sauce fiend.
Carpaccio of wagyu ‘bresaola’, fiore di capra and roasted grapes $15
We’re not kept waiting long as this carpaccio of cured wagyu breseola is lovely, thinly sliced and served with a delicate goat’s cheese from Italy and roasted grapes and rocket. The roasted grapes are halfway between a grape and a sultana still retaining that plump juiciness and it complements the breseola, goats cheese and peppery rocket well as well as giving it moisture.
Chilli and garlic yamba prawns and eggplant caponata $22
Three large, juicy Yamba prawns come in this dish that sits upon a delectable caponata with eggplant, pine nuts and black olive. The caponata has a sweet and sour agrodolce aspect to it and it is fantastic. The prawn is perfectly cooked and I bat my eyelashes to get the third prawn from the dish. Mr NQN uses the bread to soak up every drop of the caponata sauce.
Beef cheeks in chianti $32
The beef cheeks are made the night before and set to cook just before they close the restaurant so they are ready the next morning. As a result the chianti flavoured cheeks are so divinely soft it’s almost hard to pick them up. The celeriac puree has a sweet aspect to it almost like vanilla parsnips and the halved glazed baby carrots are cooked to an ideal texture.
Diavolo pizza $22.50
The quartered Daivolo pizza comes topped with Finocchiona fennel salami, fried peppers, chilli and roast garlic and smells very come hither when it arrives at the table. The fried peppers (capsicum) give the pizza a sweetness and the salami and chilli a spiciness-it even comes with extra chilli if you want a super chilli hit (we’re not that brave, it is already quite spicy). I try for Mr NQN’s other slice by saying “What kind of husband denies his wife another piece of pizza?” and he smartly retorts “One that gave her the last prawn”. Quite right indeed and I had to give him that one.
Ricotta Cannoli alla Siciliana with rhubarb and mint marmellata $12
Desserts were considered after the mains were finished and whilst there was a smart selection selection of Italian cheeses from Lombardy, Piemonte, Sardegna and Toscana we opted for the sweet desserts. The ricotta cannoli is freshly filled with orange zesty ricotta and is served with a rhubarb and mint marmellata which is like a jam or marmalade with a hint of vanilla in it too. The cannoli shell is crunchy and the filling creamy which goes well with the ever so slightly tart rhubarb and mint jam.
Flourless Amedei chocolate torte with orange and pistachio gelato $12
Now from the wording above I thought that the gelato was an orange and pistachio one and the cake a chocolate flourless one. Turns out the cake is a chocolate and orange one with the orange being the thinly candied orange zest on top (rather than being baked inside). The gelato is a creamy pistachio with toffee shards which is wonderfully creamy. The chocolate cake has a chewy almost caramelised chocolate top and is rich and chocolatey inside.
Being that is it so late we leave while trying to make plans to come back for more pizza. We need to check into our hotel for the night which is the Diamant Boutique hotel in Canberra. After missing the turnoff (one only sees the sign after it is too late) we do a back track. Thank goodness for GPS because I find the circles in Canberra hard to negotiate and fear getting on an expressway back to Sydney accidentally.
We get there eventually and check in. The hotel lobby is stunning and modern and reminds me of an art hotel. It is owned by the 8 Hotels group who also own Daylesford’s gorgeous Hepburn at Hepburn which we stayed at last year. The check in staff is friendly and deferential and offers to help us with our bags-in fact all of the staff that we see on our visit are exceptionally friendly and courteous (I always tend to notice miserable or unfriendly staff). Our room, 206 is on the top third floor and walking down the hall is a little disconcerting with the numerous mirrors-it’s a little The Shining if I am to be honest (maybe it’s the late hour too). The hotel had part of it burnt down but it was mainly the restaurant while the main building is still standing and wasn’t touched by the fire.
Oh hello lighting fixture. I like you.
We open the door to our room and it is extremely modern and well appointed with designer goodies. There’s a Bang & Olufsen flat screen tv, wallpaper on the ceiling and two closets on each side. The side table is a tree stump (how very Twin Peaks!) and the colour scheme is a chic black and white with black velveteen curtains. The room has been thoughtfully preheated and there is a good selection of T2 teas provided and there is one of those automated mini bars that detects if you have taken something off the display and that always get me as I always pick things up curious to take a closer look.
The bathroom with a bath (yay!) has a good selection of toiletries (Romy brand in a lovely eucalyptus and lemongrass scent) and and the only thing missing is bathrobes and slippers (hey Canberra is cold!). The bathroom floor on a cold Canberra Winter’s night is like showering on an ice skating rink -oh for some heated floors!
At times the room is a little too minimalist with a complete absence of towel rails in the bathroom, no bin near the desk and I spent 10 minutes the next morning trying to figure out how to use the expensive designer Artemide Tolomeo desk lamp to no avail (and silly me ended up putting a sachet of instant coffee in my Earl Grey tea mistaking it for raw sugar in the dark!).
I leave Mr NQN to sleep in while I go to meet Hannah. Yes this means that I am driving on completely unfamiliar roads and well all I can say is that there are way too many circles and “form one lane” signs in Canberra! Well no wonder as politicians like to speak in circles … 
I got lost of course even with a GPS and find my way there eventually where I meet the darling Hannah from the blog Wayfaring Chocolate, she of the most fabulous ringlets ever! She is of course my spy pose friend and fellow hater of the chocolate and orange combo. She thoughtfully gave me a jar of a delicious chocolate and coconut spread!
We shall call you whirlpool spread…
We make our way into Beaver Galleries to the Palette cafe where chef Meg Pidd makes all of the goodies in house. Part of the Poacher’s Way collective of artisans, restaurants and wineries, Beaver Galleries is the largest privately owned gallery in Canberra. Run by Martin and Susie Beaver, they specialise in promoting Australian artists and feature sculpture, ceramics, jewellery and paintings. We take a little while to place our order as we are too busy talking. Hannah’s gaze is momentarily stolen by the cakes and we make a little dessert order after our breakfast.
Corn fritters with avocado, tomato and red peppers $16.50
The corn fritters arrive and they’re filled with capsicum and tender, juicy pieces of corn. They’re paired with an avocado and tomato salad with a vinaigrette dressing which gives the savoury corn fritters a tangy counterpoint.
Asparagus with scrambled eggs, shallots and parmesan $16.50
The scrambled eggs are rich with a generous amount of parmesan to pair with the slender spears of grilled asparagus.
Praline and chocolate cake (half serve slice)
The praline and chocolate cake is extremely dense, almost like a white chocolate fudge studded with chcolate. It comes with a berry sauce and thick double cream.
We take a little time to explore the gallery which has some gorgeous items including these vases and bowls. But naturally the garden outside with the sculpture setting lends itself to a session of spy poses and we go a little silly outside trying to best enact our spy poses. According to the Spymaster TV show that I watched, the best spies are the ones that blend into the background well so we test ourselves out in camouflage! And Hannah’s report is here
This is surely a talent!
I bet you can’t see me here …
The clock strikes 11.30am and we must depart so we say goodbye and I go back to pick Mr NQN up from the Diamant and are on our way to our next stop where we will be exploring more of the Poacher’s Way!
So tell me Dear Reader, what time do you like to eat dinner? Are you an early eater like me or a late eater?
NQN nad Mr NQN visited and explored Canberra as a guest of the Italian & Sons, Diamant Hotel and The Poacher’s Way
Italian & Sons
7 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT
Tel: +61 (02) 6162 4888
Diamant Hotel Canberra
15 Edinburgh Avenue, Canberra ACT
Tel: +61 (02)6175 222
Beaver Galleries
81 Denison Street, Canberra ACT
Tel: +61 (02) 6282 5294
The Poachers Way
http://www.thepoachersway.com.au
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50 Comments | Add your own
What an interesting name for a restaurant, and very descriptive.
Hmm, i didn’t see canberra as such a hip place.
this post changed my perception a little
““Why does it say “0″ under the temperature gauge?” ” hehe ahh yes – welcome to Canberra indeed
ps – It is always so nice to see one’s home town through the eyes of another
I’m definitely an early eater. I think it stems from being an early riser, so all my meals are early. By 5pm I’m ravenous, though I could probably stretch it to 6 at the very latest.
Thanks for letting us know about this great restaurant in Canberra. It’s a city whose cuisines I know little about.
Goodness, that does look like dinner to warm you on a cold and hungry night!
I am an early eater for sure! I tend to get just a little cranky if I eat late
This post made me cold just reading it. I lived in Canberra for a year and hated the bitter cold, the kind that gets right into your bones, brrrr.
I laughed when I saw Hannah. I kept thinking where the heck is your big winter coat? Obviously a true Canberra girl
The Boy & I go to Canberra at least once a year, just to get out of Sydney. I’ve been told Italian & Sons is a must do…great to see some nice piccies of the food.
OMG i was so excited to see this post because Panu and I are going to Canberra this weekend – Sunday and Monday. And Italian & Sons looks soooo good! BUT BLOODY NOTHING IS OPEN IN CANBERRA SUNDAY NIGHTS! like seriously nothing. except for Chinese restos cos Chinese people dont ever rest. So frustrating
(but great post!!)
I can get quite tetchy if I’m fed too late. 6 pm is probably too early for me really, but 9.45 is waaay too late and things can get ugly by that stage!
We eat crazily early – often at what I call ‘grandma time’ if the Husband is on a 12.5hr night shift it’s sometimes even 4.30pm!!
Wowza lovely, I was going to say, even if you begged and pleaded with the guys at Italian & Sons, you couldn’t get a table. You need a booking, and a good 8 weeks in advance too. That’s where Mr HG took me on our very first dinner date, and the bar at Diamont, which burnt I believe, was where Mr HG told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.
I’m so fond of the places you visited, and well, Hannah is fantabulous, so I’d say it’s a Fabio trip on all counts. PS: We are heading to Sydney tomorrow and going to eat Pancakes at 2am on the Rocks. We eat late, REALLY late.
Some very good reasons for a trip to Canberra.
Being a good Canberra girl, I love Italian and Sons. I’m very lucky in that it’s just down the road within walking distance for me. Only problem is, it’s sooo popular, there is a need to book weeks in advance. Mr D. was supposed to take me there for a special birthday dinner, but forgot to book, naughty thing.
As a Canberran, it is always nice to see the hidden treasures that we have here in the Capital!! (not that I get out much with a little one..!)
Hope to hear more from the area!!
thanks Lorraine
I am both an early and a late dinner-er (?). sometimes i will eat 2 dinners LOL =]=]=]
Feeling homesick now! We were only talking about Italian & sons last night as it was a restaurant didn’t manage to visit before we left. And I didn’t even realise Beaver & sons had a cafe – and a yummy looking one at that!
It looks wonderful all of it. They all look like my favourite dishes. Prawns, beef cheeks & rich chocolate cake, yum.
Woot, a Canberra review! Italian and Sons is one of my favourite restaurants, it is quite pricey though.
But the garlic bread and pizza is fabulous! I also love the pork orrichiette, and bought some of the dried pasta in Italy last month, I may attempt to re-create it, when I am feeling brave! Look forward to reading about your poachers trail trip!
Hmm that looks like wallpaper on the ceiling of the bedroom…
I prefer to eat early, that way my meal has settled and I have plenty of time for dessert before bed!
Food and hotels in Canberra can be good. Taxis can be as rare as hen’s teeth. The place would be so much better if it was warmer! I quite like to eat around 6.30pm these days – it means the family eats together – but why is it some places think we should all eat at 5.30 pm? I felt like a child in hospital recently eating no later than 5.30!
Great Post! You always get to go to the most awesome places and eat superb food!!
Darling! I can’t remember if we worked this similarity out too, but high fives for early-bird 6pm eating! When people book restaurants for 8pm or later, I cry inside… and then end up eating a pre-dinner chocolate and peanut butter dessert-snack at 6pm anyway.
*laughs* Love Mr NQN’s pizza quip! I’ve been desiring the marmaletta ever since you raved about it. I’ll definitely have to go here soon, but as you can guess, we’ve had no opportunities for fine dining lately amidst all the hospitalness! Can’t help giggling at your horror at Canberra’s cold. I utterly hate it too, but I guess I’m slightly used to it? I never would have thought I’d say that!
But now onto the CLEARLY best part of your trip…
AW! Squish! I’m sitting here smiling so much at the computer screen, my heart soaring with happiness at your gorgeous, wonderful words. Lorraine, our time together had me walking on sunshine for days afterwards (and you know I needed it at that point!). I feel all bashful that you like me too… aw!
Thank you for this wonderful write-up, Lorraine. I can’t wait for our next Spy Poses Singing-Skipping-Hand-Holding Dessert adventure! *hugs*
P.S. Bahaha whirlpool spread! Still gotta perfect that technique for my future business venture
Love Italian and sons! Their Tiramisu is to die for!!!!
I live one street away from this restaurant, it is indeed a lovely place to eat :>
The Diamont Hotel was recently burnt down in a fire, very sad…we walked past the remains the other day. It was such a beautiful hotel with such a lovely bar (Parlour Wine Bar) :’(
MPS has been ‘cooking’ this week.
So he picks up the takeaway around 7.30-8pm which is WAAAAAAY too late for me.
But beggars can’t be choosers eh?
If anything will warm you up when it’s freezing outside, it’s definitely meaty beef cheeks and plenty of pizza. Mmmm! I bet you felt at least 40 degrees warmer after that.
Loved every bit of this, including the fab pics of what I call ‘real food’ these days
! Heaps of friends in Canberra, so shall ask whether they know . . . Living rurally I actually eat four times a day, with an early lunch being the main meal, BUT, when amongst ‘city folk’ a latish dinner (9 to 9.30 perchance) is definitely de rigeur. Noone I know seems to be ready ere that . . . Will go to bed dreaming of those beef cheeks . . . 
!
I had no idea so many of your readers and fellow bloggers live here in the berra! Great post and Hannah (like you) is one of my favourite bloggers. Great to see an outsider’s point of view about our Capital
I work around the corner from the Diamant.
Hello, Lorraine,
I looooooove those white and black rooms. Clean. Fresh. Very Miami Vice.
I don’t know what this is: “Carpaccio of wagyu ‘bresaola’, fiore di capra and roasted grapes–” but I want some!! xx
PS. is it really that cold there?
the wagyu bresaola looks so delish! love the lighting fixture too
Oh gosh I don’t know from which one I should talk about! Lots of good stuff on this post. I really want to try Carpaccio of wagyu bresaola…. looks so good! I should try making this corn fritters with avocado & tomatoes. They look yummy! Always enjoy you post. Thanks for sharing!
mh.. free garlic bread i LIKE.
Asparagus with scrambled eggs.. looks lovely.. this gives me an idea… haha im goin to try making that sooon
Gorgeous dinner, lovely art, and a lush breakfast – my idea of heaven!
I’d love to have dinner earlier than eight in the evening – and I would love to be able to eat dinner with my family. Unfortunately, my evening commute never has me at my front door any earlier than eight. (sigh)
Italian and Sons looks fabulous, you always seem to fil all your time when you’re out and about. How do you find time to post everyday with all the travel you do? Ah – pehaps you’re one of those people who survive on 4 hours sleep? GG
Oooh next time you come to Canberra, I’ll cook for you instead if you like! I promise the weather is warming up- a little…
Did you know that tyres scrub out really fast in Canberra because of all the roundabouts too? We have some great places to eat, and it’s great someone as lovely as you can help show the rest of the world we’re not as boring as they might think!
Love the Canberra posts, i’ll be moving there in a few months so need some ideas on places to go & see!
I like to eat at 7 – straight after my daughter has gone to bed & I can eat in peace
OH that restaurant looked amazing, especially the Yamba prawns. I used to eat late dinners before kids, but now we tend to eat early – because the kids are starving by 6 pm. They usually have a snack – fruit, or hot milk and a biscuit – just before bed. It’s annoying when I’m in the non-mummy world because I’m always starving by adult dinner time!
I think that i would enjoy that Italian restaurant, and I love the pottery
Ciao
Alessandra
I’m generally an early riser and an early diner. Love that you had dessert for breakfast with a friend! xoxo Mum
the Carpaccio of wagyu bresaola looks amazing!!
All I can say is… I want that bread holder with the oil trough!! What a cool thing. Food looks awfully nummy… anything cooked for 8 hours must be sensational (and I can’t wait to make it once the weather changes)! I personally am looking forward to cold weather after this summer… and here you guys are just coming out of it!!
Great tour, Lorraine!
Once again what a fabulous read,
the restaurant looks absolutely fantastic with such nice art and food. Those cannoli are to die for…
I eat early dinner with kids and late heavy snack…
That scramble egg will work fine along with praline cake for my late snack LOL….
Italian food is so wonderful, I can be happy with just a slice of pizza. Ok, I’m hangry now…it’s close to noon here.
On weekdays we like to eat at 6:30-7, but on weekends, we really like to push it on to 8ish!
The restaurant looks absolutely great, but that light fixture is over-the-top wonderful!
I like to eat dinner at about 7.30 but I always have some nibblies at about 6.30 to keep me going.
I’m yet to go to Canberra but you just added to list of great restaurants I’ve heard of down there.
just love the sweet canelloni
just returned from Italy !!
pierre
that chocolate cake sounds amazing and I know what you mean about canberra driving – though on our recent visit the roundabouts were very useful when we took a wrong turn
i see that you were in Canberra ^^
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[...] To close this post, I think I’d just like to say that Lorraine is truly as magical in person as she is on her blog, that I’m incredibly honoured and chuffed to know in my heart that she’s a dear friend, that I can’t wait to tell you about the chocolates she brought me, and that if you want to check out her take on the day (and the rest of her Canberra adventures), click here! [...]
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