Do you want to know a secret? I think I may have discovered one of the best restaurants in Canberra. On an average rainy Wednesday my friend and I decided to beat the winter blues by organising a ladies night out. We were looking for a restaurant with a fabulous wine list, delicious food and great staff and we found this at Redsalt, Crowne Plaza.
The menu at Redsalt is very comprehensive, including pastas, salads, vegetarian options and a large list of steaks.
To start, my friend decided on the tamarind duck served with creamy coconut rice and a delightful, slightly spicy capsicum sambal ($22). This was an extremely exotic and flavoursome dish, the duck cooked to perfection. Our waiter, Sam Law, proved extremely knowledgeable in regards to wine, and matched the dish perfectly with a beautiful glass of T’Gallent Juliet pinot noir.
I decided to go with the spiced prawn and citrus salad with toasted pine nuts (special) and a glass of the Coldstream Hills chardonnay. The prawns were lovely and fresh and the citrus salad complemented them beautifully. Head Chef Mark Tarlinton explained how important fresh, local produce is to him and his team, saying “We choose the freshest, most colourful products we can and change the menu to suit what is seasonally available.” This was certainly evident in this dish.
Faith Brown our second waiter for the evening, enthusiastically explained how Mark has recently put all his wait staff through ‘steak training’ to ensure they knew all there was to know about the steak offerings at Redsalt. This aspect of staff training made a clear difference; the team knew everything about the menu and were more than happy to help us make selections.
My friend tested the team’s knowledge and ordered a 220g wagyu beef rump ($42), cooked to a perfect medium rare and served with thick, crispy fries and a creamy pepper sauce, matched with a glass of the Bimbadgen Ridge Shiraz.
I decided to go with the minted rack of lamb, served on cherry tomato and asparagus risotto with red wine jus ($33.50). This was a perfect winter dish. The lamb was tender and beautifully presented on the risotto, again with beautiful fresh produce. The dish was matched with a superb Doonkuna cabernet sauvignon merlot.
At this stage we were feeling extremely full, but felt unable to go past the enticing dessert menu. We shared a cheese platter ($18), followed by the caramelised orange tart with double cream ($15). The cheese platter was fresh and rich with three varieties and quince paste, dried fruit and nuts. The orange tart was beautifully presented with gorgeous, crisp toasted orange and toffee. It looked so beautiful it was a shame to eat it, but I’m certainly glad I did. A glass of warm brandy and a peppermint tea topped off a perfect meal.
You can’t beat a restaurant that has a fabulous menu, amazingly attentive and knowledgeable staff and a chef who cares about what he serves. I will absolutely be back, especially as I’ve been hearing so much about Redsalt’s famous seafood buffets which runs from 6pm, Friday and Saturday nights, for $59 per person.
Redsalt are offering a special treat for OutInCanberra readers, purchase an entrée & main meal and receive a FREE dessert.
