I have to admit I was a little more than surprised when I found out I would be reviewing The Australian Bar & Restaurant. Perhaps like most Canberrans, I thought it nothing more than an inner-city watering hole, frequented mostly by tourists and inner city stragglers for the odd beer or two.

Little did I know, The Australian boasts an extensive menu that reaches far beyond the traditional pub favourites. The burgers, steaks, schnitzel and chicken parmigiana are all there, but they sit alongside a range of fresh salads, tapas, pastas, wood-fired pizzas, home made pies and native but uncommon meats such as crocodile and kangaroo.

While the chairs constructed from beer kegs and bar stools at the front of the establishment suggest an ordinary, if not slightly kooky pub, the back of the room is warm and inviting, with wooden floors and tables dimly lit by vintage style drop lights.

My dining partner and I were treated to the oven dried tomato, bocconcini and basil bruschetta on sourdough ($12) and the chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto with garlic and sage sauce ($17) as entree. The dishes were large, and dominated by strong and pleasing flavours. The prosciutto was light and salty, fresh, as it should be. Of special note was the creamy garlic and sage sauce that accompanied the succulent chicken breast. Overall, the starters left us feeling satisfied and represented great value for money.

The mains showcased two Austrlian icons- kangaroo and crocodile. While kangaroo meat has become a staple in our supermarket fridges, you don’t see it on many menus, and crocodile remains a rare novelty.

The kangaroo fillet wrapped in prosciutto with kipfler potatoes and plum sauce ($28) was rich with sweet flavour. The kipfler potatoes donned a delicious, crispy skin and were well seasoned, while the bed of mixed greens it was served upon cut through the rich sauce nicely. All was washed down blissfully by one of the many beers on offer. I could imagine the kangaroo fillet coming straight off the barbecue in the middle of summer – a wonderful thought during a long, Canberra winter.

I didn’t know what to expect from the linguine with Coonara crocodile and chilli and lime ($21). It’s not every day you have a crocodile in your pasta, but this certainly was a delicacy I was intrigued to sample. The white meat possessed a delicate flavour, best described as a cross between chicken and crab. It went extremely well with linguini, just as crab or prawns do, and the chilli and lime ensured it was bursting with a spectrum of sweet and sour flavours.

The Australian Bar and Restaurant is certainly no ordinary pub. The dishes go far beyond the usual standard of a pub kitchen, introducing fresh, interesting and exotic flavours to hearty favourites. The result is a refreshing dining experience with all the creature comforts of a pub, but without the boring food. If you’d like to try something different that excites the palate in a relaxed setting, the Australian Bar and Restaurant is for you.

The Australian is offering a special treat for OutInCanberra readers – purchase any main meal Monday – Wednesday and enjoy a FREE BEER OR WINE.

…Book online now to redeem