Fine dining on a Saturday in Canberra
Courgette Restaurant is located just on the outskirts of the CBD in Canberra; not a particularly good spot as it’s a bit in the commercial area but definitely worth locating to try the food. It’s owned by one of Canberra’s great chefs James Mussillon.
It’s luxurious inside but also cosy so you feel comfortable in the main restaurant. There are options for group dining in private dining rooms and I have done this a couple of times before for work but I really prefer the main area.
One of the special things about the restaurant is the separate private dining room called the Cellar Room which is located [unsurprisingly] in the cellar surrounded by over four-hundred different bottles of wine and seats up to ten people.
The restaurant has a great lunch time special with three courses for just $66; I think this is surprising for Canberra in a fine dining restaurant as it’s inexpensive…we commenced with sparkling mineral water and my friend Jane ordered a really nice bottle of French wine (most enjoyable).
I started off with a corn fritter dish which was really not your typical corn fritter but came beautifully displayed on a wooden platter with baby corn and a mustard dressing.
Jane ordered the Morton Bay bug tail, seared scallop and chorizo with sweet peas, baby kale and fermented black garlic. Jane is a real ‘foodie’ and said both her entree and main course were fabulous.
Then for main course I had the roasted heirloom carrots, with crunchy seeds – so delicious…and so beautifully presented.
Jane ordered the beef dish which was also so well presented and even I said that being a strict vegetarian. It came with truffled mash, sweet and sour red cabbage with a port and thyme jus.
Our desserts were amazing; Jane had the fresh raspberries short bread mille feuille with fresh cream.
I ordered the baked hazelnut tart which came with coffee marscapone mousse, and praline dust. Didn’t like the mousse I must say as it was coffee flavoured and I don’t drink or like coffee but loved the rest of the dish.
Loved the experience and will definitely return.
