Delicious Australia – (04)April 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY

ANISA SABET & GETTY IMAGES

@richardclune

WORDSRICHARD CLUNE

inkoverpowerthedelicacyofnew

seafood heroes Okinawa cuttlefish and

scallop. Elsewhere, a medley of seafood

brings some necessary zing with prawns,

musselsand scallops done in salted

lemon–thoughit’sasweetandspicy

eggplant that proves a standout in its

balance and tenderness.

Thedarkinteriorscontinueatnearby

Vincent, a wine-bar-come-restaurant

that’s rightly talked about by locals in

reveredtones.WhiletheScrabbleboard

wallmenufeelsatoddswiththe

sophistication on the plate – young

Canberrans Oliver Ryrie and Ute Pikler

deserveapplauseforelevatingtheplace

to this standard the past year – the menu

cuts across small and large plates of

YOU COULD ARGUE THAT

themost stirring thing

to have happened in

Canberra’s inner-city

suburb of Barton was

thedeathofformer

prime minister Ben

Chifley. Not to be

morbid, though the

post-war PM’s final

beat happened at

Barton’s Hotel Kurrajong...

inthecompanyofhissecretary.

To day,the heritage-listed hotel

remains–centraltothemodern-day

excitement that is contemporary Barton’s

reinventionasaheadyandtightlyheld

hospitality hub. While neighbouring

areassuchasKingston,Braddonand

NewActon tend to dance under any

spotlight shone over the capital –

Barton has served its time in the

wings and is now ready for top-billing.

Thepolitical classes have long cut deals

around here – and it’s a heavy discussion

regarding the future of federal Labor

that’s being served as a heady side dish

as we take our seats atChairman & Yip.

Here, beyond suited lunchtime banter,

it’s attentive staff and an interior that’s

amatchforTheATeam’svan(kids,look

itup)–allblackandredandreadyfor

action.Astartingconsomméislightin

presentation, with smoky trout cutting

throughwhatissilkentofu.Amoreish

update to prawn toast tends to see squid

This central slice

of Canberra is

provingitselfatasty

new inner-city hub.

BARTON

MORE THAN JUST POLLIES