Sleek, glamorous and darkly lit, Temporada in Canberra hits all the right style notes on first impressions. The menu here isn’t overly complicated, but there’s a decent selection in each category (oysters have their own section) to keep things interesting.
We kick off our dinner with a mix of natural Wapengo Organic Rock Oysters from the NSW South Coast and woodgrilled Moonlight Flat, Rusty Wire Rock Oysters from Batemans Bay. While the natural Wapengo oysters were nice and fresh (albeit small), the woodgrilled oysters were so wonderful, with a hint of charcoal infusing in the juicy oysters that they were winners of the mix without a doubt.
Wapengo Organic Rock Oysters (natural), $4 each and Moonlight Flat Rusty Wire Rock Oysters (woodgrilled), $4.50 each
After that promising start, we moved straight into the share plates. It was winter, which means black truffle season in Canberra and we couldn’t resist the Poached Egg on a bed of soft, creamy polenta, garlic crumbs and plenty of local black truffle freshly shaved on top. It was a simple looking dish, yet the premium ingredients and the complexity of the flavours made it so much more than your standard poached egg dish.
Poached Egg, $25
Next up, we had the Grilled Lamb Rump which came pink and already sliced, with smoked and honey roasted parsnip and a mound of barley. The lamb was grilled to perfection, so that the meat was tender and succulent. I’m not much of a fan of parsnip though, even when it has been honey roasted.
Grilled Lamb Rump, $30
The other meat dish was also a hit and much richer, thanks to the thick bone marrow sauce which accompanied the Woodfired Wagyu Rump Cap. Again Temporada’s woodfire grill works wonders and leaves the wagyu rump beautifully soft, yet with a hint of the distinctive scent of charcoal. The confit kipfler potatoes were also delicious.
Woodfired Wagyu Rump Cap, $38
We also tried the Ricotta Gnudi, which is like a larger version of gnocchi. These pillows are firmer than gnocchi and had a slightly crunchy exterior, which contrasted nicely with the soft, flavoursome mushrooms which had soaked up all the sauce and flavour from the black garlic in the dish.
Ricotta Gnudi, $26
All in all, Temporada is a perfect date night restaurant for Canberrans with delicious modern Australian share plates, stylish decor and ambience to boot. If only we had one in Sydney!
Temporada
15 Moore Street, Canberra ACT 2601
Phone:(02) 6249 6683
