Club sandwiches. Hushed, clubby surrounds. Mature waiters. Tablecloths. Monster isn’t having a bar of it. This is an entirely new kind of lobby restaurant. Just as Hotel Hotel celebrates Canberra at its most creative, with wild design and a vigorous engagement with the arts scene, Monster puts a spotlight on the region’s produce. Three Mills toast with preserves from Lake George at breakfast, say, or a tartare of Boxgum Grazing beef made at lunch, rich with avocado and miso-cured egg yolk and served with a dramatic, hanky-sized black-rice crisp. Or the local wine served alongside the inventive and big-flavoured likes of juicy, lightly spicy fried quail and Japanese mayo or flat-iron steak with chimichurri and fried okra at dinner. Could the service use a dash more organisation and hotel polish? Certainly. Could the menu change a bit more often? Deploy a lighter touch? Sure, but who would risk losing the signature yabby jaffle?
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
