Isabella's Cafe and Bar, Hotel Kurrajong
Editorial
The Kurrajong Hotel in Barton is steeped in history; Prime Minister Chifley called the hotel home on and off for over twenty years. Although the site has had several lives in the past eighty years – some less glamorous than others – Hotel Kurrajong is once again a prime example of understated, classic Canberra style. And Isabella’s Cafe and Bar is a wonderful way to experience its atmosphere. Situated just past the hotel lobby, and also accessible directly off the streets on either side, Isabella’s has an airy, open feel with a mixture of indoor tables covered in starch white tablecloths, and outdoor terrace seating which overlooks a charming courtyard.
But Isabella’s is more than just a pretty face; the restaurant – indeed the whole of the Hotel Kurrajong – is run as part of the Australian International Hotel School, so attention to detail and quality service are pivotal. No flies will float in your soup and no orders will be forgotten – you can be sure that staff have been properly trained. Isabella’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week to a clientele primarily comprised of a mixture of hotel guests and business people who work in the parliamentary triangle. The food, fittingly, is best described as modern Australian, with menus tweaked to match the seasons and produce. The wine shows a similar level of sophistication and coffee is made with care and skill. Presentation is more than an afterthought here. Consequently Isabella’s is not a place for a greasy take-away lunch (there are plenty of other nearby cafes that satisfy this craving), but rather an excellent choice for a languid and peaceful sit-down breakfast, a working coffee break, a refined lunch or dinner or relaxed after-work drinks.
Elizabeth Hall, September 2009
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