Back in the day, I remember food offerings at the Australian National University meaning a chiko roll at the union in between lectures, a stop at Dolly’s on the way home from the city late at night and a Sunday roast of indiscriminate meat in the Bruce Hall dining room.
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Sure, it’s been 30 odd years since I was an undergraduate student, but on a recent visit to campus I was amazed to find out just how much has changed.
Let’s start at the ANU Union, on Rimmer Street, close to Barry Drive. The multi-million dollar redevelopment of Union Court will open its doors on March 28. The iconic Union Bar is now a stylish venue, with steel, brick and timber features, two light-filled courtyards, and a food courtish area where several food vendors will sell everything from fried chicken to bao, baked treats and sandwiches and even healthy breakfast options.
But it won’t be standard fare as Damian Brabender, 2017’s Australian Hospitality Association Chef of the Year, executive chef of the award-winning Otis Dining Hall, a man who's fed the Royal family in London, has come on board as the culinary consultant for the Union.
“One of my staff members at Otis mentioned this project he was working on, the Union is a not for profit organisation and I liked that idea,” Brabender says.
“I said I’d have a look to see if I could help them find a consultant to work with and I liked it here so ended up doing it myself.
“ANU students are living in the capital city of one of the best countries in the world, going to one of the best unis in the world, they should be able to have decent food in a relaxing environment and not have to pay $15 for a beer.”
Suranga Abeygunasekara is general manager of the ANU Union and is confident it can once again become a popular campus hub.
He recognises it is competing, in a way, with the retail offerings of the $260 million dollar Kambri redevelopment, but says the fact they are a not for profit driven business, means students will be getting great food at affordable prices.
Over in the Kambri precinct there are options galore, from coffee places, to Asian takeaways, restaurants and a pub Badger and Co. complete with television screens and a range of pub classics.
Abeygunasekara said the Union will heavily engage with the 2500 students living nearby in Uni Lodge, as well as the public who will be able to use the venue for functions.
Brabender said he’s happy to change up the menu based on feedback from customers, looking to provide the best possible experience.
“I think variety, as corny as it sounds, is the spice of life,” Brabender says.
“If you listed every possible university course that you could do in Canberra and then you listed every possible type of food offering, if we can keep them even that would be a good challenge.”
Acknowledging all the controversy surrounding the loss of live music from the site, Abeygunasekara says they hope to find “unamplified” acts to bring to the space.
While Nirvana might not quite fit the bill anymore, the new Uni Bar would be a great place for an acoustic Sunday session. Especially if the beers are at 1985 prices.
