Replacing Smoque at the Abode Hotel in Woden is Number 10 Restaurant. Some fellow foodbloggers and I headed there for dinner to check the place out. The restaurant is very spacious with a large indoor dining area as well as the outdoor deck.
We started off with the smoked ham hock,ย taleggio and green pea croquettes with mint pea puree ($17). These were a good fat size with a creamy smooth blend of ingredients inside and a crunchy crumbed exterior. I would have liked more cheese but that’s just a personal preference.
We received a complimentary bowl of kale crisps (usually $8) which we all surprisingly liked. They had been dusted in salt and vinegar powder counteracting the natural bitterness of kale. Salt and vinegar kale chips!
We ordered a small plate of calamari ($18) which actually came in salad form however this wasn’t mentioned on the menu. This came out late after the rest of the mains once we reminded staff about the dish. The squid had been fried with citrus salt, caramelised pineapple, coriander, cucumber, mint and orange syrup. I thought it was a good balance between fried vs healthy greens.
The buttermilk and bourbon fried chicken and waffle was ordered ($21) which came with maple aioli, cress and lemon. Even though our waitress described this dish as ‘large’, we all thought it was small. The fried chicken was juicy with a yummy crunchy skin. The waffle itself was a let down and too hard and dense for my liking. In saying that, the combination of chicken, waffle and aioli was spot on.
The prawn risotto ($27) with chives, mascarpone and citrus had the right flavours and I liked the simplicity of the dish, though I thought the risotto had been overdone.
The charred Wagyu rump ($36) with Cafe de Paris butter and fries was my favourite dish of the night. The Wagyu was so beautifully tender with delicious natural juices that didn’t really need any additional sauce to enhance the beef. I love my crunchy fries and am pleased to write that these were both crunchy and well seasoned, served in a separate bowl. The small side salad was also a bonus.
Everyone snapping the action shot below.
We decided to order one of everything from the sweet dessert menu (there was also a cheeseboard on the menu). The creme brulee ($14) had a nice crack to it and a nice thickness but unfortunately it tasted a bit too eggy for me.
The vanilla pannacotta ($14) was presented well and I liked the additional components of berry sorbet, fresh fruit, freeze dried strawberries and some ’30 second sponge’. The pannacotta was a decent size and wonderfully wobbly, but it just didn’t have enough of a wow-factor for me to go back for more.
The warm raspberry sugared doughnuts ($14) had been freshly made and were still hot. Simple but effective. It came with a sauce on the side but I forgot to try it. I was happy with the doughnut on its own.
Service was friendly with our waitress taking drink orders early.ย One of our dishes had been forgotten, but came out quickly when the staff were reminded. There’s a casual bistro feel to the restaurant and it would be nice to have drinks out on the deck on a nice afternoon.
Number 10 Restaurant and Bar can be found at 10 Bowes Street in Phillip (at the Abode Hotel).
Foodgasm 6/10
Value for money 6/10
Service 7/10
FPJ score 19/30
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