One of my favourite things about Canberra is its seasons; the onset of winter shows in the colour of the leaves in the street and the change in flavours on the menus of some of Canberra’s best restaurants. One of these restaurants, nestled away in Bruce, is Ellacure and they have recently introduced their new winter menu to my absolute delight.

I recently visited Ellacure with a girlfriend on a freezing Tuesday night and was immediately warmed by the cosy atmosphere, delightful staff and interesting winter menu options.

We were greeted by a trio of enthusiastic and polite wait staff who seated us, in the warm, funky dining room and promptly brought us a serving of bread and dips while offering us the extensive wine list and menu.

With a wide variety of entrees, each sounding more delicious than the last, my friend and I had a hard time deciding what to order. I chose the prosciutto wrapped scallops with a sauce vierge and balsamic reduction. The combination of scallops which were plump, juicy and very fresh and the crisp salty prosciutto was to-die-for. The tartness of the balsamic reduction worked wonderfully with the sauce vierge, a French sauce made of fresh roma tomatoes, basil and lemon juice, a simple yes scrumptious start to the meal.

My friend chose the zucchini and haloumi fritters which were served with a tomato capsicum relish and raita, an Indian spiced dip. These fritters were cooked to perfection; perfectly crunchy and crispy on the outside with just the right mix of flavours. We were both extremely glad we had agreed to share and couldn’t decide which dish the favourite was.

Next came mains, and we decided to seek some assistance from Alicia, our very friendly and knowledgeable waiter. She suggested one of the specials that the chefs had prepared that evening. It was my first slow cooked lamb shank of Canberra’s culinary winter season, and it did not disappoint. The two shanks were served with a thick, creamy garlic mash, tomato and green lentils, and I was in heaven. Paired with a glass of Delta Pinor Noir from the Marlborough region this is the perfect dish for a cold Canberra night.

It was the lemon and ricotta gnocchi with asparagus, zucchini, peas, parmesan and saffron that appealed to my friend. She found it to have a slightly crisp, crunchy exterior which gave way to a creamy soft, zesty lemon flavour explosion that melted in her mouth. Served with fresh asparagus, zucchini and peas and delicately dressed with parmesan and saffron, this was a warming, winter dish that also seemed somewhat light and refreshing, especially when served with a glass of crisp Moss Wood semillon sauvignon blanc from Margaret River.

Dessert time arrived and we were again confronted with a large selection of options. Being almost Easter it was hard to ignore the range of chocolate dishes. My friend chose the dark chocolate marquise served with poached raspberries and citrus mascarpone. The marquise was like a perfect man; dark, rich and delicious. The raspberries and citrus flavoured mascarpone gave a complete balance of flavours softening the intensity of the chocolate. A lovely, simple dessert.

I couldn’t go past another of the evening’s specials – a decadent chocolate brownie simply presented with a scoop of pistachio ice-cream. This was everything a brownie should be, slightly crispy, slightly chewy and very, very delicious.

At the end of the meal, we left feeling extremely satisfied. The service was efficient, quick and very friendly. It seemed as if no request was too hard for the hardworking team at Ellacure. My friend dropped her knife on the floor at one point and before she had a chance to pick it up a friendly waiter arrived with a new one. It is this kind of attention to detail and prompt service that is missing in so many Canberra eateries, and which makes Ellacure stand out.

Ellacure, although slightly out of the way of the expected dining precincts of Manuka, Kingston and Civic, offers something that very few other eateries in Canberra do. It is the attention to detail, enthusiasm, atmosphere and consistently good food that makes it a star.

…visit Ellacure