Looking for an upscale pub style venue with an emphasis on good food, coffee and craft beer that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner? The Meating Room in Weston is just that and it’s opened for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week and Tuesday to Sunday for dinner.
Mr Eat Canberra has been to The Meating Room a few times and had told me about the homemade biltong (more on this in another article) and how good the venue is. So on Friday afternoon I met him and some of our friends there where I also caught up with Robbi Kahlil, one The Meating Room’s three owners, to find out more about this suburban gem.
Robbi is a Canberran and chef by trade, he’s owned a number of cafes in Canberra and has more than 18 years experience in the food industry having worked at some of Canberra’s best restaurants including Mezzilirra and Ottoman. He opened his first coffee shop a few years after he completed his apprenticeship and has owned several since.
The Meating Room came to life after Robbi and two of his friends and co-owners Hamish Walker and Phillip Sacksady saw the potential to breathe life into the space previously occupied by Western Basement.
Walking down a set of stairs to enter, The Meating Room is a big venue with a decent sized outdoor space and a large dining and bar area inside. The décor is urban and funky with graffiti on the walls. There’s even a section for the kids so it’s a great spot for family celebrations and dinners. The venue is also available to hire and welcomes everyone from the elderly, families, a young crowd and tradies.
Now let’s talk about the food. One of the specialties is the ribs and this is what the boys went with. The beef short ribs are braised for 6 hours resulting in the juicy meat falling off the bone. They’re just as good as they sound and are coated in a rich, sweet sauce. Luckily Mr Eat Canberra let me try his! I ordered the double beef burger with triple cheese but I changed it for a single patty. Luckily I did because the meat patties are BIG! The burger bun was soft and slightly buttery and the burger was filled with a perfect balance of beef, cheese, pickles, mustard and sauce. The double beef would have won if I challenged it but I managed to tackle the single beef burger and I was left satisfied. Our other friend chose the veggie burger and she said it was yummy.
Obviously there’s an emphasis on meat (hence the name, The MEATing Room) and they aim to offer Canberrans a delicious and reasonably priced steak. One of our friends who we caught up with on Friday said he always orders the steak and he’s never disappointed. He said it’s one of the best steaks he’s had!
Now for dessert… I’d heard about the deep-fried cheesecake (yes you read correctly) a few times and it was on my ‘to try’ list. FINALLY the time had come. It’s just as good and indulgent as it sounds with a creamy cheesecake centre that’s smooth and not to sweet. The crunchy coating on the outside and the popcorn and toffee crunch that it sits on adds the perfect texture. It was topped with a tart raspberry sorbet that worked well with the other elements. You need to try it to believe it!
The Meating Room also offers eight craft beers on tap including a local brew, Pact Beer. The boys regularly rotate the beer so there’s always something new for you to try. Two Birds (Australia’s first female owned brewing company) will be one of the next beers you’ll find on tap.
Head to The Meating Room where you’ll find live music featuring local musicians on Friday nights between 8-10pm and Sunday afternoon between 3-6pm, a selection of boutique beer on tap and a focus on good food and coffee. The Meating Room is a great place for an afternoon drink with friends, a special celebration or a nice breakfast, lunch or dinner. Food is also available between lunch and dinner with a limited menu.
The owners are passionate about supporting local businesses and are major sponsors of the Weston Molonglo Football Club. They also have a Brumbies bus that picks up and drops off season ticket holders for $5.
The Meating Room will be launching a new menu soon so keep your eyes out but if there’s something you want to try on their current menu you better get in quick.
Check out their weekly specials below.
DETAILS
Where: 45 Liardet St, Weston
Website: http://meatingroom.com.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeatingRoomWeston
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meating_room/
Amelia Bidgood
Amelia is the Founder and Editor of Eat Canberra and the Founder and Managing Director of Eat Canberra Food Tours. She's a qualified journalist, presenter, freelance writer and also runs a boutique communications agency working with small business owners on all things social media, content creation and marketing. She's taught cheesemaking classes, judged hospitality and tourism awards, completed the WSET Level 1 Award In Wines, loves to cook and has travelled to 23 countries. She's also passionate about mental health and has recently started studying to become a Counsellor.