Perched on top of a hill with views of Lake Burley Griffin, Telstra Tower and some of the 44,000 rare, endangered and symbolic surrounding trees, you’ll find The Conservatory Restaurant tucked away in the award-winning Village Centre, at the heart of the National Arboretum Canberra.
I visited The Conservatory Restaurant for lunch on a Tuesday and the Village Centre was bustling with activity. The restaurant is located in one of the front corners of the Village Centre so you can soak up the stunning views that are visible through the glass walls.
We were greeted with a smile and seated promptly, arriving at the corner table by the glass. It’s the one with the best view so if you book a table, I suggest that you request this one. I took a big breath as I smiled to myself and soaked up the gorgeous view of beautiful Canberra.
Executive Chef, Janet Jeffs, who has inspired and trained many aspiring Canberran chefs, leads The Conservatory kitchen.
Janet is an advocate for supporting local farmers and is all about the paddock to plate philosophy. She works hard to source produce primarily within a 100-mile radius around Canberra to ensure she’s doing her part to support the farmers in the region. Her focus is on organic and biodynamic produce, heirloom meats, seasonal vegetable and fruits, and sustainable sea and fresh water foods.
She also heads Ginger Catering and is responsible for some incredible events held at the National Arboretum. If you haven’t been to one yet, keep an eye on their calendar of events if you want to be treated to an evening of spectacular food, wine and entertainment.
Now back to the food.
We visited in May so we were presented with the autumn menu. It was a tough choice because everything sounded incredible and we wanted one of everything.
We started with a glass of Nick O’Leary Riesling and after much deliberation, we finally decided on our dishes of choice.
I settled on one of the specials, the paprika cured kingfish with citrus pickled daikon, fermented green pepper dressing, finger lime and coriander. It was fresh and zesty.
I took Mr Eat Canberra’s mum with me and she went with the prawn bisque with smoky paprika rouille, fresh chervil, dried Ingelara Farm garlic flowers and chargrilled sourdough. I tried it (our family likes to share food) and the bisque was rich and full of flavour, the prawns were cooked perfectly and the sourdough was the right accompaniment to mop up the last of the bisque.
Choosing our mains was just as challenging as the entrees. I don’t eat steak often but when I do, I make sure it’s high-quality beef. So I couldn’t resist the chargrilled Tajima Wagyu with parsnip mash, caramelised brussel sprouts and fermented mustard seeds with Shiraz jus. The steak was cooked perfectly and the balance of flavours was spot on.
Mr Eat Canberra’s mum went with the seared wild barramundi with confit leek, white sweet potato, coriander and spring onion jus with lightly picked carrot. The fish was cooked well and again, the flavours complimented each other perfectly.
We stayed local with our wines and enjoyed a glass of 2016 Four Winds Sangiovese with our mains.
Dessert was up next.
Again, it was a tough choice. We eventually narrowed it down and when with the hibiscus tea panna cotta with poached rhubarb, pistachio sponge and crystalised pistachio. It was another beautiful looking dish that tasted divine. The panna cotta wobbled seductively and the tartness from the rhubarb cut through the sweetness of the creamy panna cotta, while the pistachios added texture.
I was lucky enough to try the giant Ferrero Rocher chocolate parfait with praline parfait, salted caramel, raspberry crumble and gold leaf. It wasn’t on the menu when we visited but it was going to feature on the menu for a special event not long after we visited. I’d had my eye on it for a little while because it was on the previous menu so the kitchen team created one for me to try. It tasted just as decadent as it looks.
We don’t have any dietary requirements but our main dishes and the panna cotta were gluten free. Other gluten free dishes and vegetarian dishes were available so they cater to a range of dietaries.
Mr Eat Canberra’s mum loved it so much she took Mr Eat Canberra’s dad their for lunch a few weeks later. He loved it too!
I can’t fault my experience at The Conservatory Restaurant. The quality was high, the taste was incredible, the service was great, the produce was fresh and each dish looked beautiful on the plate.
It’s also great value with the option of two courses for $45 or three courses for $55. There are usually 5 entrees, mains and desserts to choose from, plus a separate menu for weekly specials. You can also choose from a range of extras.
The menu changes seasonally and special menus are created for occasions like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
Another great thing about The Conservatory Restaurant is that the wine list features mainly Canberra regions wines and Canberra craft beer. There’s also a good selection of non-alcoholic hot and cold beverages, including coffee brewed with award-winning ONA Coffee.
The breakfast menus sounds just as impressive as the lunch menu and I’m looking forward to returning for breakfast very soon. Their current lunch menu sounds incredible too and I’m hoping to try some of the dishes before the new menu launches.
The only downside is that they don’t open for dinner but it’s the perfect excuse to enjoy a beautiful lunch. Choose the 3-course option and you probably won’t need dinner.
Go for an amazing dining experience and stay for the many things to see and do at the National Arboretum Canberra.
DETAILS
Address: Village Centre, National Arboretum Canberra
Website: https://gingercatering.com.au/the-conservatory-restaurant/
Email: theconservatory@gingercatering.com.au
Phone: 02 6130 0173
Trading hours:
Lunch – Monday-Sunday from 12-2pm
Breakfast – Saturday and Sunday from 8-11am
Eat Canberra dined as a guest of The Conservatory Restaurant but all opinions are the author’s own. Photos by Amelia Bidgood from Eat Canberra.
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.