What began as a plan to pair a tight, snackable menu with great wines, took on a life of its own when chef Nemanja Babić began testing dishes ahead of opening Corella on Canberra’s buzzy Lonsdale Street in April. It didn’t take long for all involved to realise Corella needed to be more than just a wine bar. Embracing both native ingredients and nostalgia, Babić’s menu offers thoughtful yet approachable share plates, polished without pretension. Bread comes with buttermite (cultured butter blended with Vegemite), while chips are served with a native-spice version of thousand island dressing. Davidson plum enlivens a teriyaki sauce, and sunrise lime (a relative of the finger lime) becomes the citrus in duck à l’orange, paired with the sweet, buttery foil of a bunya nut puree. To finish, you might be treated to a house-made chocolate freckle imbued with native river mint. It’s not complicated but it is very, very fun – just like Corella itself.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide 2022
Our guide gives a yearly snapshot of the best restaurants to eat at right now. The best-rated restaurants, as judged by the reviewers’ first-hand experience, form our national Top 80.
