It was exciting news when the Boat House decided to open its doors for lunch services from Friday to Sunday. A prix fixe lunch menu is offered and diners can choose from either 2 or 3 course options. The best part – not everyone at the table has to have the same number of courses.
I booked myself in on a Friday off work. Mr FPJ decided to join me so I amended the booking to two people. We had a table by the window overlooking Lake Burley Griffin with the Kingston Foreshore on the far side. It was a lovely day with blue skies.
Our waiter informed us about the course options and asked if we had any dietary requirements. The drinks menu is digital via a QR code on the food menu, so Mr FPJ happily looked up the wines. The mocktail ‘Non 1’ of raspberries, chamomile, Murray River salt, cane sugar, verjus, and filtered water ($14) isn’t something I’d normally choose but I wanted to try it. I can make out the salt in the mocktail, but it’s actually superbly balanced. I forget what wine Mr FPJ ordered, but when a little bug fell into it on the table, the restaurant staff kindly replaced the wine.
There are 4 options for each of the three courses. Bread is an additional $3 per person and sides (designed to share) are an additional $12. Of course I opt for 3 courses ($77) to have a dessert at the end, while Mr FPJ only ordered 2 courses ($67). My first course was the truffle and eschallot chicken ballotine with cauliflower, butter jus and almond. I loved the succulent chicken and the slightly crunchy filling, and of course butter makes everything taste better. It was so moreish. The freshly shaved truffle on top didn’t hurt either.
Mr FPJ ordered the ginger mirin pork belly with pear, miso and shallots. He thinks the pork belly trumped the chicken, and it was pretty good. There was none of that sickening pork belly fat that you often get. Instead the fat had been rendered beautifully and it was just tender yet crunchy. I still preferred the chicken ballotine though!
For the second course, I chose the Humpty Doo barramundi with caramel sake, wombok and kohlrabi. This was the dish of the day for me. The barramundi was super smooth, silky, juicy and cooked to perfection. The wombok had a lovely char and the sweet sauce balanced everything out. Perfection!
Mr FPJ ordered the Cowra lamb rump with roasted broccoli, sesame and eggplant. The eggplant came in the form of baba ganoush, and there was a lot on the plate. We didn’t think the dish was as good as the barramundi, and seemed quite plain in comparison.
For dessert, I had enquired about the matcha cheesecake and whether it was pregnancy-safe a couple of times but no one ever came back to confirm. I asked again and was assured that yes it was safe, so I ordered that to try. The cheesecake is more of a cheesecake mousse with dehydrated chocolate and raspberries with a raspberry sorbet. So refreshing and so good. I don’t mind the bitterness of matcha, but the restaurant did well using raspberries to offset it.
All in all, a wonderful lunch with great views was had at The Boat House. Refills of water had to be asked for but we found service was friendly, the food was well spaced in terms of timing, and I was full after the three courses (no need for bread or sides).
Bookings recommended and can easily be done using the online booking tool.
We were told that an outdoor bar was going to be ready for summer, and it’s been advertised a few weeks later. Armada Bar – opening 9 October from Friday-Sunday afternoons.
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The Boat House
Grevillea Park, Menindee Dr, Barton
Opening hours (for lunch)
Friday – Sunday: 12.00 – 2.00pm
Foodgasm 8.5/10
Service 8/10
Value for money 7.5/10
FPJ score 24/30
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