forthecity.OwnersandpartnersDash
RumbleandRossMcQuinn,andchef
MalcolmHanslow,metwhileworking
at EightySixinBraddon,beforepeeling
offtopickupexperiencehereandfurther
afield– Rumbleonthefloorat Momofuku
Seiobo,McQuinnat PulpKitchen,and
Hanslowat Automata,EsterandOscillate
Wildly.Theresultoftheirreunion
is a restaurantforthehereandnow,
strengthenedwithtricksgleanedfrom
storiedestablishmentswithinternational
connectionsandreputations.
Havinga visionandimplementing
it aredifferentthings,butPilotgets
thedetailsright.Sourdough,made
bytheirbreadguy,Barry,is spot
on.Blinipiledwithmustardybeef
tartareandcuredyolkarehotand
crisp.Kimchidippedinpotato-
flourbatterandfried,andtopped
withkombupowderandmayo,
cracklesandcrunchesandsteams
inthecentre.Thingsarejust
cooked,justdressed.Theseare
simplethings,buttherightthings.
Engaginglocalsis theright
thing, too. A ruffle of ferns,InCanberra’ssuburbs,Pilotlandsasa projectwithlocal
values and big ambition, writesDAVID MATTHEWS.
Set for take off
T
heroastchookat Pilotgoeslike
this:a big,free-rangingorganic
bird,cold-smoked,skinstuffed
withleekandmushroom.
Roastedwholeandrestedsothejuice
runsbackintothemeat,it comescarved
andperchedina bowlofreducedchicken
stockthatat firstglanceyoumightcall
a gravy.Totheleft,twoslicesofsteamed
whitebreadanda discofmayonnaise.
Totheright,a saladofbutterlettuce.
Bread,mayo,chicken,salad,gravy.If
youwerea Sydneykidgrowingupeastof
theRedRoosterline,ora Canberrakid
withfondmemoriesofthelocalchicken
shop,thiscombinationwillbefamiliar.
Buthereeachelementis scrutinised,
thenelevatedtothebestversionofitself.
It’sthewhitepepper,tamariandrice
vinegarseasoningthejus,thekombuin
themayonnaise,thesharpnessandthe
savourinessofthedashivinaigrette,
thepillowybread.
Refiningfundamentals,thenpushing
them.Thisis thebriefat Pilot,where
eachdecisionappearstohavebeenmade
toadvancethecauseofhospitalityinthe
ACT by people with genuine affectionAbove,from
left:chef
Malcolm
Hanslowand
ownersRoss
McQuinn
andDash
Rumble;roast
chookwith
zippy salad.eucalyptusandlichenmountedonthe
farwallis fromUrbanJungleinFyshwick.
Ceramicsandglasswarearemadeintown,
coffeeis fromBarrioinBraddon,and
nearbygrowers,includingBrightside
Produce,providefruitandvegetables.
Theroomitself,whichusedtohouse
PulpKitchen,is nowdressedwithEdison
bulbsanda greenvelvetbanquette.A bar
standsat theentrance,bentwoodfurniture
fillsthefloor,andairycurtainsbring
a senseofintimacytowhatis,afterall,
oneofa stripofunremarkableshops
insuburbanAinslie.
Thespacecanfeela littlebareif the
30-oddseatsaren’tfull,butthebrigade
workingtheopenkitchenaddsenergy.
Hanslow,likehisformeremployers,has
theabilitytotakea simpleidea,honeit,
andpresentit as somethingnew,butstill
keepitsessence.Hiscacioe pepe,for
example,takesa spinthroughJapanina
dish of “cabbage e pepe”, with house-made40 GOURMET TRAVELLER