The Night Noodle Markets have been and gone but there are still plenty of dynamic and diverse dining events coming up for the rest of Canberra’s Good Food Month! You can literally take a trip around the world in the next two weeks trying everything from Latin American cuisine at Elk & Pea, Italian at Italian & Sons, Chinese at Chairman & Yip and Nyonya cuisine at the Lanterne Rooms.
We spoke to some of our favourite Canberra restaurants and got the lowdown on their upcoming Good Food Month events & what to expect:
Red Earth & Ocean: Capella Chef @ Lanterne Rooms
A 5 star international food event, with a menu designed by guest chef, Aravinth from Singapore
What inspired your Good Food Month menu?
This is a menu designed by our guest chef, Aravinth from Capella Resort in Singapore. He found a great interest in Indian cuisine early in his career, as it always reminds him of Malaysian food that he holds very close to his heart. Since then, he has spent his career working in numerous different countries in Asia including China, South Korea and Singapore. He gradually developed his own unique fusion style incorporating local ingredients and flavours with his Malay-Indian background.
There is no better place to showcase Aravinth’s vision than Lanterne Rooms, a restaurant that has a long tradition serving Nyonya style cuisine that captures the essence of Chinese, Indian and Malaysian flavours.
What will be on the menu for the event?
There will be two special set menus available for Good Food Month:
1. Aravinth’s ‘Kenduri’, which means feast in Malaysia. The whole menu is designed for a group of friends or family with an emphasis on sharing;
2. Capella Resort five star tasting menu, which is rather similar to a degustation menu, designed to bring ultimate experience of various Malay-Indian flavours with a fusion touch.
Key Information about event:
Where: Shop 3, Blamey Place, Campbell
Cost: $68 for a seven-course banquet
When: March 15-19, 22-26, 29-31
Phone: 02 6249 6889
Website: http://lanternerooms.chairmangroup.com.au/
Chairman’s Friday Wine Club @ Chairman & Yip
In their spacious new surrounds in Barton, unwind over a glass of wine & try some brand new Chairman menu items along, with Good Food Month exclusives
What inspired your Good Food Month menu?
Our Good Food Month menu features highlights from our newly launched Chairman & Yip menu, since our move to Barton in the last month. The menu features Chairman & Yip signature classics (Duck pancakes, Beef & Scallop hot pot, Shantung lamb), alongside some reinventions of signature Malamay dishes (three day slow braised oxtail, crab and prawn croquettes). We wanted to feature a menu that highlighted the best of both restaurants, as the new Chairman & Yip is a combined effort of the original Chairman team & the Malamay team. We have strived to improve and reinvent some of the best dishes from both restaurants to provide a stellar menu to our diners.
What will be on the menu for the event?
The event for Good Food Month centres around a Friday night wine club, where guests are invited to join and sample a selection of wines that will be opened by our sommelier, Yann Mengneau. He will be organising wine pairings with food, fully flexible and as diners choose- from one or two dishes to a full tasting menu. We will also be featuring special dishes throughout the month.

A new dish on the menu is sweet & sour fried barramundi fillets in the original Cantonese style, with eight treasure vinegar, with fantastic depth of flavour. (Image Supplied)
Key Information about event:
Where: 1 Burbury Close, Barton
Cost: no fixed price & no set menu
When: March 18, 25, 27
Phone: 02 6162 1220
Website: http://thechairmanandyip.chairmangroup.com.au
Agave Azul @ Elk & Pea
A five-course Central and South American inspired banquet paired with tequila tasters and cocktails.
What inspired your Good Food Month menu?
Tequila and Mexico! As the cuisine at The Elk & Pea has a Central/South American flair whenever we hold special events we like to take inspiration from that part of the world. No one will admit to it but everyone loves Tequila and so we felt we would showcase this wonderful spirit and show how well it matches with the food and flavours native to its various regions in the wonderfully colourful country that is Mexico.
What will be on the menu for the event?
The five course degustation with matching Tequila, both in the form of a shot and a complimenting cocktail, are all new recipes that have not been seen before on The Elk & Pea menu however the bold flavours of chilli, avocado, tomatoes, corn and lime will all be present as they are on The Elk’s regular menu. On the night customers will indulge and traditional Mexican dishes with a modern twist. Dishes include ceviche, lamb timbal (traditional Mexican dish) and a goat tostada alongside Tequilas from various regions of the Golden Triangle.
Key Information about event:
Where: 21 Lonsdale st, Braddon
Cost: $95 includes five courses plus tequila tasters and tequila based cocktails
When: March 19
Phone: 02 6162 0222
Website: http://www.elkandpea.com.au
SAGRA, Organic & Biodynamic @ Italian & Sons
A menu inspired by seasonal ingredients, matched to organic and biodynamic wines from Italy.
What will be on the menu for the event?
Without giving too much away, the theme for the menu will be Pig and Apple.
We are looking at using local pork, suckling pig, house made pork and fennel sausages with new season apples, and a strong focus on the wood fired oven.
Key Information about event:
Where: 7 Lonsdale St, Braddon
Cost: $105 includes meal and matching wines
When: March 31
Phone: 02 6162 4888
Website: http://www.italianandsons.com.au