22 January 2013

Graduation Dinner Suggestions in Canberra?

| boffins
Join the conversation
23

My graduation dinner is coming up in a month or so, and family tradition is we go somewhere a little more expensive and fancy to celebrate when someone graduates university.

I am looking for suggestions of restaurants that have a good menu selection to keep everyone happy, and isn’t ‘little meals on big plates’ kind of fancy. I want everyone to walk away nice and full by the end of it.

So Riotact, what do you suggest?

Join the conversation

23
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

I really rate La Cantina in Narrabundah. Great food, great service, great atmosphere and a bit upmarket without being super fine dining.

Glad to see no-one has suggested Boffins’ name sake.
THE worst staff and attitudes.

Water’s Edge is fantastic

Bad Seed said :

Another vote for Italian and Sons, although its crowded and noisy so less “special occasion”; never had a bad meal at Ottoman Cuisine and enjoyed a fabulous meal at the new place in Kingston, Ox last month -no one will leave hungry there

I hated Ottoman. the meals are small and the flavours are not well balanced. i found my lamb main overcooked and the lindt chocolate dessert with raspberry sorbet i had for dessert was actually inedible (most of it was left on the plate and it was only a 2cmx2cm square to begin with)…

gentoopenguin9:13 am 23 Jan 13

Mothy said :

Ellacure, Bruce.

http://www.ellacure.com.au/

Work near there, have seen many a workmate off there, damn nice sticky date pudding with caramel goop.

Yes, I said goop.

+1 The food is faultless and they do a great banquet if you’ve got a few people going. I would recommend though starting with an earlier sitting. That place is packed and loud as by 7:30pm.

RedDogInCan said :

True story.

Being the first person in the history of my family to go to university, my graduation in 1994 was a big event with both my parents and grandparents attending from interstate. The plan was to have a celebratory meal at a posh restaurant after the graduation ceremony. The morning before the ceremony, my grandparents visited an old friend of theirs that now lived in Canberra. When my grandparents mentioned the restaurant plan, the friend said she knew of a wonderful restaurant that she had recently discovered and would love to take us there.

After the ceremony and still in our formal attire, we hopped in the car and followed the friend out to the restaurant. I was somewhat disappointed when we parked at the Tuggeranong Hyperdome and even more so when the fabulous restaurant turned out to be Sizzlers!*

Yes, after seven years of hard study and being the first person in my family to graduate from university, I celebrated it with fried shrimp and an all-you-can eat salad and dessert bar.

* For those who came late, Sizzlers was located in the upper level carpark at the Hyperdome where the cinemas are now.

Hahahahaha! Love it! 🙂

Madam Cholet8:12 am 23 Jan 13

Jim Jones said :

poetix said :

Jim Jones said :

Grail said :

The Alto (aka Black Mountain Tower restaurant). You’ll be walking away well fed, but at $100/head.

Set prices for dinner are $65/head, but you’ll pay $8 for Pelligreno mineral water and double digits for cocktails, and their wine prices are in keeping with the meal prices.

Book well ahead if you want to dine on a Saturday night. All tables were booked three weeks in advance when I last visited.

You know, food tastes better when it’s revolving.

I read that as revolting and thought you’d finally lost it. Or were recommending the special cordial of your namesake.

Heh … no. Just another tedious Simpsons reference I’m afraid.

However, I do remember reading over the weekend that the Black Mountain Tower Restaurant has been refusing to pay rent over allegations that rundown services and electrical faults pose a threat to staff and public safety

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/legal-row-over-faulty-tower-20130119-2d0kx.html

Apparently the revolving floor controls are also no good, along with air conditioning, the lift, etc.

Does that mean the revolving mechanism is at risk of going haywire? Could it speed up to the sorts of speeds that they deliver to astronauts when they are training? Now that would be a meal to remember!

True story.

Being the first person in the history of my family to go to university, my graduation in 1994 was a big event with both my parents and grandparents attending from interstate. The plan was to have a celebratory meal at a posh restaurant after the graduation ceremony. The morning before the ceremony, my grandparents visited an old friend of theirs that now lived in Canberra. When my grandparents mentioned the restaurant plan, the friend said she knew of a wonderful restaurant that she had recently discovered and would love to take us there.

After the ceremony and still in our formal attire, we hopped in the car and followed the friend out to the restaurant. I was somewhat disappointed when we parked at the Tuggeranong Hyperdome and even more so when the fabulous restaurant turned out to be Sizzlers!*

Yes, after seven years of hard study and being the first person in my family to graduate from university, I celebrated it with fried shrimp and an all-you-can eat salad and dessert bar.

* For those who came late, Sizzlers was located in the upper level carpark at the Hyperdome where the cinemas are now.

Another vote for Italian and Sons, although its crowded and noisy so less “special occasion”; never had a bad meal at Ottoman Cuisine and enjoyed a fabulous meal at the new place in Kingston, Ox last month -no one will leave hungry there

Ellacure, Bruce.

http://www.ellacure.com.au/

Work near there, have seen many a workmate off there, damn nice sticky date pudding with caramel goop.

Yes, I said goop.

Holden Caulfield4:30 pm 22 Jan 13

Canuckaberran said :

+1 For Italian and Sons. Food is delicious and amazing service.
Be careful if you have a large party … reserve far in advance!

+1 for the food recommendation.

But the service has been poor to woeful on the few occasions I’ve been. I always leave thinking I’m never going here again!

Kerryhemsley4:30 pm 22 Jan 13

poetix said :

Italian and Sons. But remember, it’s not the size that counts, boffins.

Yeah I agree on Italian and Sons. Best restaurant in Canberra at the moment. Service can be a liitle bit iffy if you get one particular waiter but the food is top notch italian.

poetix said :

Jim Jones said :

Grail said :

The Alto (aka Black Mountain Tower restaurant). You’ll be walking away well fed, but at $100/head.

Set prices for dinner are $65/head, but you’ll pay $8 for Pelligreno mineral water and double digits for cocktails, and their wine prices are in keeping with the meal prices.

Book well ahead if you want to dine on a Saturday night. All tables were booked three weeks in advance when I last visited.

You know, food tastes better when it’s revolving.

I read that as revolting and thought you’d finally lost it. Or were recommending the special cordial of your namesake.

Heh … no. Just another tedious Simpsons reference I’m afraid.

However, I do remember reading over the weekend that the Black Mountain Tower Restaurant has been refusing to pay rent over allegations that rundown services and electrical faults pose a threat to staff and public safety

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/legal-row-over-faulty-tower-20130119-2d0kx.html

Apparently the revolving floor controls are also no good, along with air conditioning, the lift, etc.

yeah waters edge is nice but not a big meal

the fine dining fare in canberra is heavy on the price and light on the quality in my opinion

Jim Jones said :

Grail said :

The Alto (aka Black Mountain Tower restaurant). You’ll be walking away well fed, but at $100/head.

Set prices for dinner are $65/head, but you’ll pay $8 for Pelligreno mineral water and double digits for cocktails, and their wine prices are in keeping with the meal prices.

Book well ahead if you want to dine on a Saturday night. All tables were booked three weeks in advance when I last visited.

You know, food tastes better when it’s revolving.

I read that as revolting and thought you’d finally lost it. Or were recommending the special cordial of your namesake.

Canuckaberran4:08 pm 22 Jan 13

+1 For Italian and Sons. Food is delicious and amazing service.
Be careful if you have a large party … reserve far in advance!

Grail said :

The Alto (aka Black Mountain Tower restaurant). You’ll be walking away well fed, but at $100/head.

Set prices for dinner are $65/head, but you’ll pay $8 for Pelligreno mineral water and double digits for cocktails, and their wine prices are in keeping with the meal prices.

Book well ahead if you want to dine on a Saturday night. All tables were booked three weeks in advance when I last visited.

You know, food tastes better when it’s revolving.

lanterne rooms, campbell shops

excellent food, varied menu but uniformly delicious and you won’t leave hungry. among this city’s finer dining in my opinion.

Italian and Sons. But remember, it’s not the size that counts, boffins.

We finally made it to Rubicon recently and had a pretty average experience – given the price I’d say it was unacceptably poor. At half the price it still would have been a disappointing evening.

The food was nice, though we were ushered in and out in record time, even though we were booked 6 weeks in advance. Our second dessert course (of the 7 course degustation), the cheese platter, and our coffees all arrived at literally the same time. Each course’s matched wines were being poured while we were still finishing the prior course. No time was given between courses to appreciate the flavours or the company.

My favourite at the moment is Sage in Gorman House.

I’ve also enjoyed myself at Alto a few times – it’s a unique dining expereince if nothing else, and they have plenty else in the food anyway.

Imma pimp Firestone ’cause I like that place lots. It’s got a good variety of (italian) food, like pasta and pizza and risotto, with reasonable portion sizes and such. I don’t think it does burgers or such though, so it may not have the menu variety you’re after. My lady is always talking about Tongue In Groove or some such place, in Civic but I’ve not been myself. The menu sounded pretty good though, and I’ll probably go check it out. It seems a bit trendy for my liking but if the food is delicious and not outrageously priced then I’ll suffer some wankery.

devils_advocate2:14 pm 22 Jan 13

On a weeknight, The Water’s Edge has a decent set menu for $75 – but may not be enough food for people who are big eaters.

Value for money, I reckon you can’t beat De Brouwe’s in Narrabundah. Huge portions of great food, wide selection, upmarket but relaxed atmosphere, but be warned it’s BYO only so don’t get caught short (I once found myself getting to the IGA next door to grab a bottle with 1 minute to spare).

My favorite upmarket restaurant in Canberra is Rubicon at the Griffith Shops. You can check out their menu online at rubiconrestaurant.com.au. It’s expensive, but the food is superb, and I always come out thinking it was good value. It may not pass the not “little meals on big plates” criteria though.

The Alto (aka Black Mountain Tower restaurant). You’ll be walking away well fed, but at $100/head.

Set prices for dinner are $65/head, but you’ll pay $8 for Pelligreno mineral water and double digits for cocktails, and their wine prices are in keeping with the meal prices.

Book well ahead if you want to dine on a Saturday night. All tables were booked three weeks in advance when I last visited.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.