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Canberra Today 12°/15° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Where the surf meets the turf

CAPE Cod, at Deakin shops, worships all things seafood.

We do, too, so the four of us started by sharing plump, natural Coffin Bay oysters ($19 for six). They were sensational – not too cold (which makes them taste horrible) and not too warm (which makes them impossible to swallow).

We then shared the crumbed calamari, a real treat with a Szechuan seasoning and served on a tangy Asian-style salad.

My surf and turf (or turf and surf) was the best value, I thought. The tender eye fillet of beef was cooked perfectly and the Queensland banana prawns were beautiful. I ordered the dish ($38) intrigued with the Pernod cream potato. A delightful twist for sure, although the small lumps of potato in the mash were disconcerting.

One of our party is a curry nut who didn’t hesitate to order the monkfish with fresh prawns in a mild coconut curry ($32). We were surprised that the sauce was as thick as gravy and it looked gluggy. She assured us it was and remained unhappy with her choice.

The other two went for the open seafood pie. The menu promised crusty pastry and mixed seafood on a potato mash and baby seasoned vegetables ($34). They both loved the flavours and I was offered a taste. The pastry wasn’t cooked through and was doughy in the middle.

I agreed the flavours were pleasing, but noted that the pie was a bit on the small side. I feel it would disappoint someone with a hearty appetite.

Cape Cod’s wine list is interesting and we enjoyed our selections.

The service is great and we were impressed with the friendly woman who served us. On her recommendation we squeezed in a delicious apple and pear crumble and one of the baked cheesecakes. It was decadent passionfruit and a real winner (all desserts $15).

The décor at Cape Cod, which changed hands a while back, has also changed since my last visit and the quirky piece of art on the wall opposite our table, featuring a group of bright red crabs, suits the place and made me smile.

A warning if you’re sitting close to a window; it can be cold on your back unless you’re seated near an indoor heater. I ended up wearing my coat and was still uncomfortable.

Although I love seafood, I found Cape Cod expensive and, for the money we spent, I believe there’s better value in Canberra.

Cape Cod, Deakin shops. Open Tuesday to Friday, noon-3pm for lunch and Monday to Saturday, 6-10 for dinner. Fully licensed.

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Wendy Johnson

Wendy Johnson

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