Top Long Lunch choices

Cucinetta is in its 12th year of operation, with Chef & Restaurateur Vincenzo Mazzotta at the helm, serving up some great Italian fare. If the rustic decor with elegance doesn’t get you, perhaps the multi-million-dollar views of Sydney Harbour will. Cucinetta’s mantra is about the revival of the old, classic and ancient, which makes the cuisine an exciting mix. Try the capesante for a wonderful start to your meal. The pan-seared Canadian scallops and cured trout boast their colours, shapes and flavours on the plate. Chef Mazzotta makes all the pastas, using Italian organic stone-ground wheat and organic eggs. Vincenzo’s signature dish is the handmade potato gnocchi, garlic, chilli soffritto, Western Australian hand picked crab meat, house tomato sugo, crustacean oil.

Serving arguably the best Middle Eastern food in Melbourne, Head Chef and television personality Shane Delia continues to impress with his authentic but contemporary menu. The revamp two years ago gave the underground den a sophisticated vibe. With subtle ethnic music in the background, formally dressed staff members and gold touches throughout, Maha blends sexiness and classiness in the one stunning venue. Year after year, the progressive menu of unique flavour and texture combinations never disappoints. Dainty slices of chemen-cured swordfish have potent but welcoming notes of Aleppo pepper and preserved lemon. Citrusy dollops of Kewpie mayo harmonise with the smokiness of the pepper. Saffron, chicken and white fig tagine with pearl couscous and almonds is a flavoursome stew with plenty of sweetness from the baby figs. Arriving at the table steaming hot, it’s a hearty dish for a cool day. PSST! If you love Chef Delia’s food, why not purchase one of his fabulous cookbooks from the Maha website?

Executive Chef Brooke Payne (ex-MoMo) and Head Chef Jarrod Smith are passionate and driven professionals whose experience and skill shine through each dish that they create. Located in a charming Victorian-era house, Epocha oozes comfort and style. Attentive service and a quiet atmosphere make this restaurant the ideal place for a special meal. Beautiful aromas, abundant flavours and stunning presentation are the hallmarks of this ingredient-driven European menu. Roast organic chicken is moist and more-ish. Parsnip, savoy cabbage, prune and brown butter give the dish great depth of flavour, and each element perfectly complements the others. Slow-roast lamb shoulder is cooked until it is super tender, and it comes with a hearty serving of broad beans, roast onion and heirloom carrots. It is a gorgeous dish for a cool day. PSST! Surprise a loved one with a gift voucher for Epocha. They will enjoy a wonderful dining experience to remember!

Head Chef Kah-wai (Buddha) Lo has come full circle. Chef Lo started out at Matteo’s before joining Raymond Capaldi at Hare & Grace, working overseas with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, and then returning to head up the kitchen at Matteo’s. Step through the door of this modern fine dining venue and soak up the indulgent decor. Hexagonal lighting illuminates the crisply dressed tables and soft leather seating. Chef Lo’s menu is a fabulous fusion of contemporary dishes and Asian flavours. Citrus-cured Ora King salmon belly is cleverly paired with a smoked eel dashi broth and salty miso-taramasalata puree. The fish has a delicate light pink colour and a great texture. Slow-braised beef short rib features delicious fall-apart meat. It is accompanied by crispy potato galette, an infused beef stock, colourful dabs of green parsley sauce and flavoursome anchovy mayonnaise. PSST! Check out the superb Express Lunch Menu – at $49 for two courses and a glass of wine, it represents excellent value.

Head Chef Laura Dale pumps out well-crafted and tasty Asian bar snacks that hit the spot. Located at ground level in the building of Canberra’s main energy supplier, the restaurant’s name refers to Akihabara, the ‘electric town’ district in Tokyo famous for computer games, anime and manga. At night, AKIBA lights up with the buzz of the after-work crowd. From sushi and noodles to salad, AKIBA has you covered. Agedashi fried tofu lounges in a lake of soy-dashi broth strewn with slivers of green onion, seaweed and the zing of togarashi spice. Japanese fried chicken is crisp and crunchy on the outside, and tender on the inside. A hint of smoke is unexpected for a Japanese-style dish, but is not unpleasant. Salt and Sichuan pepper squid pieces are crowned with an oozy dip of onsen egg yolk. PSST! If you can’t decide what to order, choose the Just Feed Me option – eight of the restaurant’s dishes for $49 per person.

The CBD sibling of fine dining restaurant Aubergine is in the capable hands of Head Chef Chris Darragh, who co-owns this nifty eatery with Ben Willis. The menu delivers inspired dishes that are strongly driven by the harmony between individual elements. The central bar, with its dark pressed-tin skirting, sits atop a distinctly Hispanic-style tiled floor and provides a focus of attention for the high bar stools and banquette seating. As its name suggests, Temporada is devoted to superb seasonal fare. Close your eyes as you eat a mouthful of the fried and scored calamari curls swimming in zingy gazpacho, and you’re in Andalusia on a hot summer’s day. Roasted duck breast is cooked to pink tenderness, and cosies up to a quenelle of rose-hued duck liver parfait. The dish is scattered with crispy fried perilla and poached muntries (native Australian cranberries). PSST! Temporada sources some of its more exotic garnishes from horticultural specialists located in and around Canberra.

Head Chef Ben Williamson (formerly of Cha Cha Char and 1889 Enoteca) brings his A game to Gerard’s Bistro. He excites his patrons with unusual flavours and creates a true gastronomic experience. Tucked away in an alley off trendy James Street, the restaurant is funky and fun. Pops of colour plus contrasting textures of wood, concrete and upholstery set the scene. The intriguing menu is based on the cuisines of the Middle East, North Africa and southern Europe. Suckling pig with caramelised blood pudding, roasted plum and smoked almond is executed with finesse. This is one of the best suckling pigs you will ever taste – the meat is moist and juicy, while the skin is perfectly thin and crispy. Grilled octopus with carrots cooked in black garlic does not disappoint. The octopus is tender and has a pleasant smokiness. PSST! Finish off your feast with a unique dessert, such as sheep’s yoghurt sorbet or pistachio, rose and barberry nougat.

Executive Chef and owner Andre Ursini made his name on MasterChef Australia, but his reputation has been well crafted in this Adelaide restaurant. Ably assisted by Head Chef Patti Streckfuss, Chef Ursini uses quality local produce in dishes that are simple yet exquisite. The atmosphere is bustling but surprisingly intimate. Wooden furniture, a newspaper-lined bar and shelves packed with cookbooks, jars and wine bottles add to the cosy ambience. This is authentic Italian food prepared with passion and served with love. Carpaccio of Black Angus beef with walnut, fresh truffle pecorino and balsamico looks splendid in the shallow terracotta bowl alongside edible flowers. Exceptionally thin beef slices are heightened by the flavours of the cheese and balsamic vinegar. Polenta con taleggio does not disappoint. The creaminess of the polenta is matched with the earthy flavours of sautéed mushrooms. PSST! The restaurant sources much of its fresh produce from its organic kitchen garden, which is located in the Adelaide Hills.

Yorkshire-born Toby Gush trained under many of London’s elite chefs, and he has been at the heart of the Chianti kitchen for the past 15 years. The restaurant works like a well-oiled machine: the staff members are knowledgeable, quick and friendly, and the food delivery is perfectly timed. Warm-coloured heritage bricks and crisp white tablecloths add to the modern and tasteful decor. The menu showcases the best of South Australian produce. An elegant dish, cervello d’agnello (pan-fried lamb brains with lemon and anchovy butter and fried capers) has a harmonious combination of elements that provides balanced flavours across the palate. Frutti di mare ai soffocato features South Australian blue swimmer crab, pipis, mussels, king prawns and oysters dripping in white wine and served with shallots, olive oil, garlic and herbs. The freshness of the seafood is evident with every bite. PSST! Enjoy a hearty Italian breakfast at Chianti. From toasted ciabatta to traditional scrambled eggs, there is something for everyone.

Tasmanian-born Cam Pincius is the Head Chef at Rockwall bar + grill, and his contemporary menu makes great use of the local produce and seafood for which Tasmania is famous. The restaurant is housed in one of the most iconic Georgian-style sandstone warehouses in Salamanca Place, Hobart. The interior design blends the rustic with the modern, providing a casual atmosphere in which to dine. Freshness and flavour are the hallmarks of Chef Pincius’ solid menu. Tempura prawns with nahm jim dressing is an exquisite and tasty entree. The tempura coating is light and crispy, and it balances beautifully with the sweetened nahm jim. Coffee-rubbed wagyu eye fillet is a winner, with an excellent combination of flavours and textures. The tender piece of beef has an amazing coffee-scented crust, which is well complemented by a dollop of rich café de Paris butter on top. PSST! The wine list features many Tasmanian gems, including 2009 Bream Creek Cuvee and Kate Hill Riesling.

The incredibly talented and innovative South African Chefs Brendan Wessels and Lindsay Dürr deliver the necessary substance on the plate to match the unique experience and style that is conveyed at the d’Arenberg Cube. This five-storey architectural masterpiece, which sits majestically juxtaposed against the vines, integrates a cellar door, world-class restaurant and Alternate Realities Museum. The extra-long ‘Pickwickian Brobdingnagian’ tasting menu celebrates local produce and is delivered with thoughtful wine pairings by Sommelier Josh Picken. Snacks like the forest mushroom tart and barramundi bush coal set the tone for technically perfect layers of scallop silk that are elevated by the acidity of sudachi and kosho. Similarly, the sublime texture of the locally sourced alpaca, with solidified tuna, delivers exceptional balance and harmony. However, the divine smoked eel with lardo, furikake, sea succulents and congee steals the show, along with the stunning wagyu with smoked mushroom and mountain pepper that follows. PSST! Start with a cellar door tasting on level four of the Cube, and then contemplate a move to the bar for a cocktail before lunch.