Monster Kitchen is Good Food’s number one Canberra restaurant – and it’s not hard to see why.
Quirky and welcoming, the eclectic decor is engaging.
But it’s the food that is the real star.
Our lunch dishes were perfect! Beautiful, well priced and a unique combination of ingredients and textures.
The two of us first shared the:
Fried tofu with pickled shitake, boito soy, spring onion oil and sesame $18
Eggplant, smoked goat’s curd, katsuobushi and sesame $20
Pulled lamb shoulder with pistachio, yogurt, vine leaf, pomegranate and brik $30
I especially liked the pairing of the goat’s curd with the eggplant and the yogurt with the lamb shoulder. Thses gave the dishes a delightful creamy highlight. But I also loved the salty elements of the soy with the tofu and the katsuobushi with the eggplant.
The textured coating on the tofu had a lovely light crunch. I loved the colour and crunch of the pistachios and pomegranate with the lamb’s shoulder and the gorgeous green tinge on the tofu.
We finished with a dessert of Soft chocolate with mandarin, almond and rosemary $20.
This was also a perfect balance of textures and flavours, especially the ice-cream that came with it. The crisp garnish was excellent as was the puree garnish but the fresh mandarin would be better preserved.
Still on my wish list for another time is the Yabby Waffle $20, the Boxgum grazing beef tartare $23 and the Green tea dessert with coconut, raspberry and mille feuille $18.
I also want to try the Monster Light Lunch that offers specials like Spagetti with wagyu tongue, peas, capers, reggiano and chilli $17, Baby beet salad with wild rice, pear, walnut $16, Pork belly banh mi $13 or Boxgum grazing ham, pyengana cheddar and green tomato pickle $15 sered 12-5pm daily.