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Canberra Today 14°/17° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Dining / Service with a smile – and a sympathetic  ear

Pomegranate restaurant, Kingston. Photo by Gary Schafer
Pomegranate restaurant, Kingston. Photo by Gary Schafer
I LOVE pomegranates. Lots of tiny, perfect, ruby red little seeds in a plump, rounded outer case. It’s a sweet analogy for a restaurant where lots of bits are involved in creating a whole experience.

And that takes me to Pomegranate Restaurant in Kingston.

It’s on Giles Street, where European was for a brief spell. Nothing much has changed with the décor, but the menu has transformed into modern Australian fare with a Mediterranean influence.

Staff greeted us with smiles and the service was friendly throughout our stay as well as efficient but not intrusive. We felt at home and sat at a long table tucked in a corner where it was quiet (European had a noise issue when the place was packed).

Pomegranate’s chargrilled chicken breast served with grilled vegetables and dijon lime mustard dressing. Photo by Gary Schafer
Pomegranate’s chargrilled chicken breast served with grilled vegetables and dijon lime mustard dressing. Photo by Gary Schafer
We started with the recommended zucchini flowers stuffed with goats cheese, feta cheese, bocconcini and Sicilian olives. They were dusted with a housemade dukkah crumb ($18). If you love a “cheese combo” you’ll love the stuffing. We felt the crumb lacked flavour.

We applauded Pomegranate for increasing the flowers from three to four to suit our party. Too often restaurants aren’t proactive with this, which can make it awkward to share.

The salmon carpaccio (always a favourite of mine) was marinated with apple cider vinegar, onion, ginger and chilli – intriguing flavours that worked a treat and a generous serve of salmon for the $18 price tag.

After our entrees we were served a complimentary refreshing lime and mint cleanser. Delightful.

Pomegranate doesn’t offer an extensive list of mains but instead concentrates on quality.

My Wagyu striploin with creamy mash, exotic mushrooms and a rich, rewarding beef jus ($33) was a winner. Looking for pomegranate (surely it had to be on the menu), one of our party ordered the crispy skin duck leg with celeriac puree, more of those exotic mushrooms, zucchini, and a slightly tangy pomegranate sauce ($31). The other mains didn’t disappoint either.

Chocolate mousse cake with chocolate ganache, fresh berries and pomegranate sorbet. Photo by Gary Schafer
Chocolate mousse cake with chocolate ganache, fresh berries and pomegranate sorbet. Photo by Gary Schafer
One component of our meal that did disappoint was the side salad. The menu didn’t mention tomatoes but there they were in all their glory and one of our party isn’t at all enamoured with them. We agreed the dressing was overpowering and, indeed, interfered with the other dishes.

We also applauded Pomegranate for asking how we enjoyed our experience. Sounds simple but it’s amazing how one can be ignored after being served. We provided feedback, including on the salad, and we felt listened to and appreciated. I haven’t been back as yet, but my bet is that matters raised have been nicely adjusted.

Pomegranate offers a degustation menu ($68 per person without wine and $98 with). The wine list is thoughtful and includes some quality local labels. I’ll return to give it a go.

Pomegranate, 31 Giles Street, Kingston. Call 6295 1515.

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Wendy Johnson

Wendy Johnson

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