A circle of Berkshire pork belly… with mustard and wasabi sauce poured into the middle. Photo: Wendy Johnson
Next to Canberra Theatre, in Constitution Place, is a funky restaurant with groovy artwork, pretty special food and knowledgeable staff, writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.
Such and Such, in Civic, was our destination on a warm wintery day, so we dined outdoors, quickly agreeing we would order anything from the interesting, compact lunch menu. All dishes shouted, “pick me”.
Wendy Johnson.
A great beginning was the hash brown prawn toast, golden and crunchy on the outside and flavoursome and moist on the inside ($12 each and worth every bite). We dipped the toast into a refreshing ginger and shallot sauce.
Another small share dish was the tortilla de patatas, a Spanish omelette with paprika and dollops of cooling sour cream. Artfully plated, the dish featured crunchy almonds and thinly sliced shallots ($16). Delish.
Next was the radish cake with mushroom XO, intriguing but unexpectedly super spicy – more than anticipated ($18).
The “medium” section of the menu features three dishes. The vibrant looking and tasting chicken and prawn noodle salad won us over with its wonderful chilli and chopped-up nuts for crunch ($39). Such and Such loads this dish with chunks of chicken and big pieces of prawn.
A feast for the eyes was the Berkshire pork belly with mustard and wasabi sauce, from the large section of the menu ($50). Square slices of pork formed a perfect circle on the plate and the sauce poured into the middle. We weren’t entirely enamoured with the dish. Although the pork was moist and tender, we would have preferred the exterior to be crispy.
Our green salad with roasted cashew, fermented celery and Greek yoghurt ($16) was a lovely change of pace and a unique side.
Such and Such has plenty of offers available, including half-price Merimbula Appellation oysters and drink specials for happy hour (3pm-5pm, Tuesday to Saturday) and an “In and Out” offer for those looking for a quick lunch (one hour and $55 per person).
The wine list features more than 500 bottles featuring Such and Such’s favourite producers from near and far and styles it promises range from “wacky and wild to restrained and elegant”. The Vinden Estate Chardonnay (Hunter Valley) is a top drop ($80 a bottle).
To celebrate Floriade’s Feast of Flowers’, head chef Malcome Hanslow will demonstrate at Such and Such how seasonal flowers can be transformed into spring-inspired desserts (September 22 and October 6). Other chef demonstrations and culinary experiences are being held at Les Bistronomes (September 25) and Lunetta Trattoria (October 11).
Our only suggestion to Such and Such is to make the menu slightly more specific in describing dishes with “kick” so diners can better balance their selection.
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