By far the most innovating and delicious meal I have had since I moved to Canberra three months ago. The Lanterne Rooms, a Malaysian-fusion restaurant hidden away in the Campbell Shops, provides a tempting and delicious menu, sure to satisfy those who are bored with the mundane offerings Canberra seems to inspire.
The brainchild of Chris Hansen and Josiah Li, the pair behind The Chairman & Yip in Civic and Cape Cod in Deakin (both of which I am yet to try), the Lanterne Rooms feature an inviting and modern decor, incorporating dark slatted wall panels with bright colours and (you guessed it) a vast array of hanging lanterns to create an environment which is both suitable for intimate dinning, and for group functions. The restaurant is set out with many nooks, designed to give larger groups privacy, and intimate couples a quieter dining experience.
I personally got to experience the Lanterne Rooms when attending a work social function, which had approximately15 guests in attendance. We had the $57.50 Lanterne Dinner Banquet, and as I am a vegetarian the staff were extremely accommodating and provided me with my own entrees and share dishes throughout the night. A fellow workmate is allergic to prawns, and the staff were more than willing to provide alternate dishes, which were immaculately presented and apparently very tasty.
My own dishes were superb. I had started to lose hope that Canberra would ever be able to provide me with an inspired meal again. The food I've had here hasn't been too bad, it just hasn't been special. There was nothing new or innovative; The Lanterne Rooms have sure put me in my place!
As part of the entrée courses, I received 2 dishes which consisted of crispy fried tofu, presented with some amazing sauces. The stand out here was the Tamarind sauce, with an apple and rock melon slaw served on the side. Absolutely mouth watering.
Within the mains category, a stand out for me included the spicy cassava and mantou bread. This dish was served collectively to the table, and received mixed reviews due to its peppery taste, but I found the dish to be perfectly balanced; neither too spicy nor too bland. The fried mantou was the perfect accompaniment.
A noodle dish was served in both a seafood and a vegetarian version, and the noodles got rave reviews table-round. Round discs, the noodles were chewy and filling; it took us all a while to work out what they actually were (with guests speculating some sort of unknown seafood). I could barely finish a third of this dish as the noodles were so filling, but they were definitely a high point for me (I even dreamt of them last night!).
For the meat eaters out there, the Wagyu beef was hands-down the most popular dish of the night, the guests were talking about it even after we left the restaurant. Whilst it is not the cheapest meal on the menu, it comes highly recommended.
The staff were knowledgeable and friendly; the food was inspired and fresh; and the company was diverse. With entrées starting at $15.50, and mains ranging from $26.50-30.00, it's not the cheapest restaurant in Canberra, but the quality is worth every penny.
http://www.lanternerooms.com.au/
02 6249 6889
02 6249 6889
3 Blamey Place, Campbell Shops, Campbell ACT
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