After our recent triumphant evening enjoying the offerings of Lunetta, perched high above the nation’s capital on Red Hill, we returned to sample the trattoria downstairs at the historic round Red Hill pavilion and we weren't disappointed.
One is never enough, and two is far too many
It’s important to start and finish a night out with a fine drink. In this case, I began with a dry martini – only one, because as the saying goes, ‘one is never enough and two is always far too many, or as the great Dorothy Parker observed ‘I like to have a martini/Two at the very most/After three I'm under the table/After four I'm under my host.’ My version was made with Prohibition gin, maidenii dry Vermouth and huge (and excellent) Sicilian green olives.
The heritage pavilion atop Red Hill which houses both Lunetta and Lunetta Trattoria
A few drinks then what came between
Having planned a satisfactory book end to the evening, I could focus on what came between. I had to concentrate because after our previous visit I had published a review to Google Maps. It’s a habit I’ve got into over the years, and somehow I seem to have become one of the top 10% of reviewers posting on Google Maps with 50,000 views of all the photos I have posted there – all I can say is not many other people must be posting there! Anyway, it keeps me entertained, but it does have some duty of care.
‘On an earlier flying reconnaissance, I had consulted the menu and realised that the wood-fired beer-brined chicken had not only my name on it, but my signature.’
On an earlier flying reconnaissance, I had consulted the menu and realised that the wood-fired beer-brined chicken had not only my name on it, but my signature. Hailing from Hazeldene Farm and pasture raised, it came with chicken jus, watercress verde and lemon. It threatened to be large, so we shared it and surrounded it with side dishes – too many as it turned out, but that’s another story. Maybe the serve of wood-fired flat bread was part of the problem, because that was too good to leave. The chicken was tremendous and there was a lot of it, even though it was only a half chicken.
Favourite Italian dishes
Before the chicken I had to have one of my favourite Italian dishes – beef carpaccio. Luckily the other dish – vitello tonnato – was not on the menu, otherwise I would have had to order that as well. On my first ever visit to Amsterdam late last year, I stumbled upon a restaurant that had both dishes – needless to say I ordered them both and also needless to say I liked Amsterdam.
Wood-fired beer-brined chicken, fried whole new potatoes with parmigiano reggiano, salt and sage and broccolini with whipped lemon buffalo ricotta, salted garlic almonds and a shallot dressing
The carpaccio was excellent, with an interesting take on this simple recipe. It came with pickled fennel, caesar mayonnaise, charred lettuce and a finely shaved coating of parmigiano, like snow.
Too good, but unfortunately too much
For sides we had fried whole new potatoes with parmigiano reggiano, salt and sage – lots of sage, which really made the dish. With that we had broccolini with whipped lemon buffalo ricotta, salted garlic almonds and a shallot dressing. Too good, but unfortunately too much.
The wine list continues to impress, but I stuck to the Italian ones I had discovered last time – firstly a glass of dry white 2023 Pecorino and then a 2022 Montepulciano, both by Contesa Wines from Abruzzo, both very enjoyable.
‘An evening visit in summer is well worthwhile, because you can appreciate the changes as evening approaches and the sun sets all around.’
For our previous dinner upstairs we had managed to make it to a shared dessert, but the main meals were so good and so filling this time, that dessert had to be postponed to another occasion.
As on our previous visit, we soaked in the view across the city and lake of Canberra, with the added attraction of seeing the airport in operation. An evening visit in summer is well worthwhile, because you can appreciate the changes as evening approaches and the sun sets all around.
© Stephen Cassidy 2025
See also
‘The top of Red Hill in Canberra is a prime location. Over the years there have been a series of restaurants and cafes, but late last year a new player appeared and not one, but two, restaurants opened in the iconic heritage building perched above Canberra. All in all, Lunetta marks a welcome addition to Canberra dining and finally a return of a fine restaurant to the premium Red Hill location’, Perched on Red Hill – fine dining above the lights of the capital.
The island to the North – the islands to the North East
‘The awkward relationship between Tasmania and the island to the North is not the only clumsy relationship between islands in this part of the world. The history of the ties between the island to the North and the islands of the Pacific is even more troubled’, The island to the North – the islands to the North East.
‘The awkward relationship between Tasmania and the island to the North is not the only clumsy relationship between islands in this part of the world. The history of the ties between the island to the North and the islands of the Pacific is even more troubled’, The island to the North – the islands to the North East.
Food and culture in the neighbourhood – culinary love letter from the South Pacific
‘Our near neighbours in the vast Pacific are often overlooked by Australia in its slavish focus on America, Britain and Europe. Yet this is our own backyard. The lack of knowledge has ranged across many aspects of the culture and history of the Pacific, including its culinary traditions. Yet, behind the scenes over more than a decade, a culinary revolution has been underway. This is the story of New Zealand chef, Robert Oliver, his fascination with the traditional food of the Pacific Islands, and an internationally award-winning cookbook, described as a ‘culinary love letter from a smattering of islands in the South Pacific’, which has developed a life of its own’, Food and culture in the neighbourhood – culinary love letter from the South Pacific.
‘Our near neighbours in the vast Pacific are often overlooked by Australia in its slavish focus on America, Britain and Europe. Yet this is our own backyard. The lack of knowledge has ranged across many aspects of the culture and history of the Pacific, including its culinary traditions. Yet, behind the scenes over more than a decade, a culinary revolution has been underway. This is the story of New Zealand chef, Robert Oliver, his fascination with the traditional food of the Pacific Islands, and an internationally award-winning cookbook, described as a ‘culinary love letter from a smattering of islands in the South Pacific’, which has developed a life of its own’, Food and culture in the neighbourhood – culinary love letter from the South Pacific.
The Asian food century begins in Sydney
‘Almost ten years ago much fuss was made of the rapidly looming Asian Century, full of challenge and promise. I was working in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet at the time as Director of the National Cultural Policy Task Force. The discussion White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century being developed at the same time seemed part of a similar big picture approach to Australia's future. Today it seems even more relevant than in those times of more strategic governments. In Sydney you get a much sharper sense of the Asian Century – and its culinary reflection, the Asian food century’, The Asian food century begins in Sydney.
‘Almost ten years ago much fuss was made of the rapidly looming Asian Century, full of challenge and promise. I was working in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet at the time as Director of the National Cultural Policy Task Force. The discussion White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century being developed at the same time seemed part of a similar big picture approach to Australia's future. Today it seems even more relevant than in those times of more strategic governments. In Sydney you get a much sharper sense of the Asian Century – and its culinary reflection, the Asian food century’, The Asian food century begins in Sydney.
Returning to the city while the coast is clear – Raku serves up Japanese seafood with style
‘While I was in the city recently I noticed that Raku restaurant was open. It’s an old favourite and we’d looked at takeaway from there in the midst of the first lockdown, when everyone was ordering from their favourite locals to help keep them afloat. However, we hadn’t been to the restaurant since the pandemic struck. Since we needed to grab some lunch, we thought why not go there and support one of our local businesses while the coast is clear since the hospitality sector has been the only one to be harder hit by the pandemic shutdown than the creative sector. A stream of Japanese dishes seemed a suitable way to enjoy the charm of a local restaurant that serves up seafood with style’, Returning to the city while the coast is clear – Raku serves up Japanese seafood with style.In search of wild mushrooms
‘Growing up in the Central Highlands of Tasmania, foraging for wild mushrooms was a regular part of life. Now living in Canberra, a landscape markedly similar to where I grew up, mushrooms have an altogether more deadly reputation. However, it all comes down to specialist knowledge about the subject, as I discovered on a chilly evening with one of Canberra’s mushrooming experts’, In search of wild mushrooms.
The Asian food century begins in Sydney
‘Almost ten years ago much fuss was made of the rapidly looming Asian Century, full of challenge and promise. I was working in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet at the time as Director of the National Cultural Policy Task Force. The discussion White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century being developed at the same time seemed part of a similar big picture approach to Australia's future. Today it seems even more relevant than in those times of more strategic governments. In Sydney you get a much sharper sense of the Asian Century – and its culinary reflection, the Asian food century’, The Asian food century begins in Sydney.
We all scream for icecream – cooling down in a cold climate with Frugii
‘I realise I may have just become a statistic. I have a suspicion that I have eaten more sorbet, gelato and icecream since local Canberra icecream outlet Frugii opened in Canberra’s Braddon perimeter than I have eaten in my whole previous life. Tucked away in hipster heaven, it keeps churning out flavours, in an ever changing smorgasbord of coldness’, We all scream for icecream – cooling down in a cold climate with Frugii.
A bustling Friday night in hipster heaven
‘On a bustling Friday night in hipster heaven, I popped into my favourite Canberra restaurant, Italian and Sons, planning for little more than a quick bite to eat. I managed to get my favourite spot – when I’m not settled comfortably in Bacaro, the adjoining bar out the back, that is – sitting in the window, watching the action on the street. I headed straight for a real blast from my Adelaide past, part of my earliest discovery of Italian cuisine – saltimbocca. Then I beat a path down Lonsdale Street to Frugii, Canberra’s own dessert laboratory. What is happening to this city? It’s getting cooler by the minute and it’s not just the icecream or the approach of winter’, A bustling Friday night in hipster heaven.
Vitello Tonnato for a life well lived in hipster heaven
‘It had been quite a week and I had been crushed by too many encounters with the crazy world of Centrelink as I fulfilled my long list of aged care responsibilities. I needed cheering up so last night ate out at the venerable Italian and Sons, the very first of the many funky venues which now enliven Braddon. My attention was drawn to the rare appearance of vitello tonnato. My imagination had been captured decades ago when I was a young boy by seeing the recipe for the dish in Margaret Fulton’s classic cookbook. I finally tried it in a tiny restaurant in Florence, during my first visit overseas, after a stint at the massive Frankfurt Book Fair in 1989. This most recent one was the best I have ever eaten outside my own home – well, perhaps the best anywhere. This is a favourite place, probably my most favourite in Canberra. Coming here always makes me feel happy and what more can you ask?’, Vitello Tonnato for a life well lived in hipster heaven.
Eating out in a cold, funky city – Canberra comes of age in the Asian Century
‘On a day and night which was bitterly cold – as cold as Canberra has been this year, with the hint of snow clouds overhead – I was reminded why I live here. As we wandered along after a full day of cultural institutions and design events, looking for somewhere to eat we impetuously popped into Restaurant Eightysix and even more impetuously were able to get a table. I had forgotten reading somewhere that famed long-former Adelaide chef, Christine Manfield was here for the month, cooking up an Asian-inspired menu. How much better could it get?’, Eating out in a cold, funky city – Canberra comes of age in the Asian Century.
Provenance - knowing where good things come from
‘It took me only five years but I finally found my way to Provenance, the legendary regional restaurant established by chef Michael Ryan in Beechworth in 2010. Provenance is widely considered one of the best restaurants in regional Victoria, in a tiny state that contains many good regional restaurants. I had been meaning to eat there since it was established and given how regularly we travel to Beechworth and its surrounds I was amazed I hadn’t been earlier. It took some time but it was worth it’, Provenance - knowing where good things come from.
No comments:
Post a Comment