The chef’s selection of sashimi santen is fresh, delicious and served with a touch of theatre. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
I’ve noticed plenty of people around Canberra are tightening their belts and watching their wallets (as am I) and, frankly, it’s all a bit grim.
I feel like, more than ever, we need to take some time and enjoy some affordable luxuries. I’m not talking about yachts or private jets with bottles of expensive champagne, but a quiet lunch at a nice restaurant.
Raku is (rightly) considered one of Canberra’s finest restaurants, and it has a price point to match its exceptional service, high-quality ingredients and attention to detail.
But they also serve a $60 express lunch, which is very good value for money, and gives you a taste of the full Raku experience without blowing the budget. So I went for lunch with my Mum.
Something I love about fine dining restaurants is the sense of theatre that accompanies the meal. Instead of plonking two ramekins of soy in front of us, the rich black sauce streams from a specific pot (the base wiped reverently on a cloth between pours) into two shallow black dishes. When our first course of sashimi arrives, it is served on a bowl of ice, with a blue-tinted iceberg in the centre. Would the fish taste the same if they were served on a cold plate? Sure. But there is something special about this, and it shows a deep regard for the craft of hospitality.
We are served two slices each of salmon, kingfish and scallop, along with a generous amount of wasabi (too generous, if I’m honest, there’s no way we would need that much!) The slices are thick, perfectly portioned and tender.
The maki rolls are satisfying little bites. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
A plate of maki rolls is placed next: truffle hiramasa (kingfish) with avocado, sesame and yuzu, topped with a dollop of mayonnaise and a slice of green chilli. It’s vibrant, fresh and spicy. Super satisfying to eat, and again, generously portioned with three pieces each.
A selection of vegetable tempura is served next, with a light dashi broth. Among the mix of vegetables, we both enjoyed the enoki mushrooms best, fanned out attractively and gorgeously crispy. Alongside the tempura, we are served a dashi and miso broth with tiny pieces of diced tofu and wakame seaweed. The broth is rich and flavourful but very clean. I somehow feel healthier once I’ve finished it!
For our main dish, we share a perfectly cooked piece of New Zealand snapper in an orange ponzu broth with koshikari rice. The flesh of the fish falls away in juicy flakes, and the grilled half-mandarin adds a smoky depth. The sauce left in the bowl is so delicious that we each have another scoop of rice to mop it up with after we’ve finished the fish.
The enoki mushroom tempura was our favourite of the seasonal selection. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The dishes are served in quick succession – it is, after all, an express menu – and clear (but very polite) signals are given by staff when we are nearing the end of our time at the table. We have time to squeeze in a cup of tea: jasmine for Mum and Genmaicha for me. The teapots and cups, like all the crockery, are both beautiful and functional.
We had briefly considered adding drinks to the meal (which would have pushed the final bill considerably higher), but with work to do in the afternoon, we decided against it. Although I filed away the oyster shots – complete with coriander-infused vodka – for a future visit.
The restaurant was full during lunch, with more diners arriving for a second sitting as we left. If Raku has been on your wishlist, but you can’t justify a full dinner, the express lunch is well worth $60 and an hour and a half of your time.
Raku is located at 148 Bunda St, Civic. They are open seven days a week, from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm for lunch and from 5:30 to 9 pm for dinner. The express lunch menu is available on weekdays only for a minimum of 2 people. Follow Raku on Facebook or Instagram.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
