The Merchant Deli & Cafe at the Kingston Foreshore is having its soft opening this weekend. A limited selection of items on the menu is available to try out with the full menu being launched this Tuesday. Walking past outside, you can’t help but notice the brightly coloured glossy tiles along the back wall and the contrast with the exposed brick counters. It gives off a nice warmth and cosiness in the cafe. Staff uniforms are also bright with different coloured shirts and aprons worn by floor staff.
It wouldn’t be a deli without the huge selection of meats and cheeses.
A selection of cakes and tarts are in the dessert window ranging from $6-8.
Jugs of water are readily available and I was impressed with how frequently the jugs are replaced with full ones. The grapefruit and lemon slices make it very refreshing and citrusy.
The menu for lunch and dinner offers a range of meat dishes ‘from the land’ and ‘from the sea’, items from the grill (not available during the soft launch weekend) and pastas. I noticed the breads and croissants are from Autolyse Bakery in Braddon
I ordered the anise braised beef cheeks ($22) with baby fennel, mandarin and brioche crouton salad with garlic milk. The beef cheeks were amazingly soft and tender simply melting in my mouth. A knife was not required as my fork was able to cut through the beef easily. Delicious! The fennel and mandarin salad was a good accompaniment providing crunch and a burst of juiciness. My only minor complaint is that the portion is on the small side.
A charcuterie platter for two ($25) was ordered filled with cured meats, olives, gherkins and grilled sourdough. It looked great!
Another friend had the grilled lamb, lemon and rosemary lamb skewers ($22). This is a great option for meat lovers. The chunks of lamb were huge and cooked perfectly with a beautiful redness inside.
D had the braised lamb shoulder pappardelle ($20).
It took about 20 minutes after ordering dessert for our slices of cake to come out. Our waitress apologised for the delay as our orders had been mixed up somehow. The New York lemon cheesecake ($8) was a popular choice for most at the table.
My Belgian chocolate cheesecake ($8) came out last. Moist and chocolately with a smooth thick ganache, I enjoyed this treat. It came with a light custard and berry coulis too. I wonder if we can ask for ice cream?
There is no drinks menu besides coffee and soft drink at the moment. The Merchant, Prohibition Bottle Shop and Market the Grocer (towards Giles St end of the Foreshore) are all from the same company. Any wine or beer purchased from Prohibition can be brought into The Merchant with no corkage fee charge.
As the kitchen is completely open, I could really smell all the various meats cooking. Jackets smelled a little of BBQ at the end of the night. Noise levels were at medium levels that night with all tables occupied inside. On the way out, staff thanked us for dining in and welcomed any feedback.
I headed back for an early breakfast before heading out of Canberra for the weekend. It was still a chilly morning and I could see the fog surrounding the lake. The Merchant opens at 7am and there were already a couple of people sitting inside. The day’s newspapers are available to read from the centre counter. I was warmly greeted and shown to a table before being asked for my coffee order and a jug of water being brought out. Coffees are $4 with an extra 50c for soy, almond milk etc.
I ordered the Eggs and Trout ($15) consisting of 60 degree eggs, smoked petuna ocean trout, yoghurt and carrot relish on sourdough. A nice light breakfast with some tartness from the ocean trout and seeded mustard. The yoghurt was missing but I wasn’t too fussed. It is the first breakfast service after all. There are plans to introduce juices, smoothies and milkshakes when the full menu is out.
The Merchant Cafe & Deli is located near La Rustica and 38 Espresso at the Kingston Foreshore. As with most places on the Foreshore, there are plenty of outdoors tables and chairs available. It is open 7am – 10pm every day of the week.
Foodgasm 7/10
