Whilst old Kingston doesn't quite have the vintage charm of old Kensington or the classic style of old Brooklyn, there is a certain charm, and indeed style, that exists in this corner of Canberra. And Otis, smack bang in the middle of Jardine Street, personifies it.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
I feel like we might be entering a room that's a cross between an old bank and Potter's dining hall, as the smiling waitress whisks us to our wooden table and our comfortable, light tan-coloured padded leather chairs in the middle of the rectangular dining room. The walls are clad in dark timber and bevelled mirrors, the floors are dark hardwood and the lighting is ambient. If Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell came to Canberra together, I suspect that they would dine here.
I also hope that if they dined, they would be offered a pre-dinner drink. We are handed two menus; the a la carte version and the mid-week prefix for $90. But it appears that we had "ticked the wrong box" when booking online and rather than the $90 menu, we were indeed locked in for the $95 menu. There goes five bucks. Although "a la carte" is a term usually reserved for a menu comprised of individually priced dishes, in the spirit of Brendan and Colin, we keep an open mind and choose from the four entrees, five mains and three desserts.
A couple of little blinis with crème fraiche and black fish roe land on the table and we eat them without noticing that we had done so. The bread is super fresh, served with pumpkin and honey butter. The trio of seared scallops with garlic butter, grenobloise, fried capers, meyer lemon and parsley are plump and intense. There is a balance and complexity in the sauce that is hard to find in Kensington, let alone Kingston.
Pumpkin ravioli with burnt butter, parmesan cheese, amaretti crumble and fried sage is a classic flavour combination and I'm starting to realise that Otis is all about the classics. And butter. Which I love and respect for all its powers. I'm pretty sure that something similar was on the menu when we last dined here pre-pandemic, and that's not a problem.
READ MORE:
The room is busy for a Thursday and the largest table in the house is a six. Noise levels are just right and this feels like a restaurant for mature people. My companion, who happens to also be my father, orders a glass of 2018 Farrell Wines Shiraz from the Clare ($16) and the wine is poured into the elegant stemware at the table. The problem is that there is more stem than pour. It's not the most expensive drop (you can buy a glass of Mt Mary Quintet for $98), but my educated guess is that our man has probably poured us 90ml at best when the industry standard for a glass of wine is 150ml. A quick hail of the head waiter (who assesses the pour at 100ml), and we get a top up to around 148ml. It is strange to feel like an annoyance when you are about to drop $350, and they won't be getting five stars from Choice Magazine for their wines by the glass. I understand that it's hard to make a dollar in the restaurant game this year, but some corners can't be cut.
The wait staff do love their wines. In order to ensure our future return on investment, we order a bottle of Collector 2019 Reserve Shiraz ($118) and I appreciate the bottle being left on the table, which they do against the grain of some finer dining establishments who insist on resting your wine 10 metres away.
The Byron Bay pork chop with roquefort butter, calvados jus, fried sprouts and mustarda lands as my very own main course in all of its glory. The pork is moist, slightly pink and the combination of the subtle hints of blue cheese and calvados resonate like Mr Redding's Try a little tenderness. The Otis pepper steak is a signature dish of aged prime fillet (although the waiter tells us that it's rump), with silkwood pepper and brandy jus. Fine peppercorns dance on the beef and the brandy jus is incredibly well made. I believe this has been on the menu since day one and the old Kingstonians may well revolt should it ever come off.
Frank Sinatra comes over the speakers quite late in the evening, just as a delectable crème caramel with smoked sea salt and Japanese whiskey slinks onto the leather placemat. It is a velvety symphony of silky smooth custard. The poached apple with chai spiced panna cotta, Anzac crumble and butterscotch is sweet without being over the top, and we have indeed been on a most lovely journey of three very well produced courses.
The food at Otis is splendid tonight. The service is friendly and confident, if not, at stages, somewhat confused. But as the old man says, who cares if the waiter's shoelaces are untied. You come to Otis because you know what you will get. And you will get an excellent meal, most likely every time. Classic dishes that stand as a paragon of steadfastness in good old Kingston.
Otis Dining Hall
Address: 29 Jardine St, Kingston
Phone: 62606066
Website: otisdininghall.com.au
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, from 6pm
Chefs: Adam Wilson and Jason Gould
Owner: Damian Brabender
Noise: No problem
Dietary: Choices available
Score: 15/20
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
