Restaurant review: Eightysix North proves worthy of its reputation

Whether it's because it's been a regular haunt for the two of you in the past or because you know it's their favourite (and they're very vocal about that fact). In the case of this week's review, it was the latter and my friend will probably kill me when she finds out I went there without her.

I still remember the first time she went to Eightysix North, describing in detail her favourite dish of the night. It's been years since that first visit and yet she still talks about how good it was - and has been since.

And I know she's not alone. When I mention to others that I'm heading to Eightysix's Braddon restaurant, I'm met with looks of envy.

Such is the reputation of this Canberra institution that even the mention of dinner conjures memories of how good it was.

This evening we opt for the tasting menu ($90 per person) for the simple fact that the friend I'm dining with has a philosophy when deciding between the set and à la carte menu.

"I always pick out what I need to have on the à la carte menu before I look at the tasting menu. If it overlaps, I know which one I want to get."

The menu kicks off with an organic hot dog with pico de gallo and halloumi. Made with meat from the Griffith Butchers, I'm sorry to anyone who didn't get to try this delight before it was taken off the menu in the couple of weeks since sitting down to this meal.

I was apprehensive when I first saw it on the menu because I know other restaurants who have tried to turn a casual snack into fine dining and it didn't work out. But this was not your average hot dog. Yes, there was nostalgia turned up to 11 but it was also sophisticated in flavour, with the pico de gallo giving an acidic kick and the generous topping of cheese playing off the charred exterior of the meat.

It has since been replaced with a hoisin duck bun, which I'm going to have to go and try because it must be good if it has replaced this winner.

Next out is the kingfish, mandarin, fennel and fermented chilli. One of the restaurant's raw offerings, this dish is bright and playful. The flavour of the kingfish is still there, with the sweet citrus of the mandarin taking centre stage, the fermented chilli and fennel a perfect side act.

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The spiced cauliflower with dates, herbs and coconut yoghurt lands on our table next. The curry flavours of the cauliflower pair great with the creamy coconut yoghurt but it's the sweet pops of the dates that I love about this one. It feels unexpected every time you get one, and if anything, I would have loved more of them.

Then out comes the pumpkin and mascarpone tortellini with sage burnt butter. This will always be a winning combination. The smooth filling of the pumpkin and mascarpone oozes out as you bite into the perfectly al dente pasta parcels, which are coated in the richness of the sage butter. With a sprinkling of roasted hazelnuts adding a nuttiness and crunch to the dish, this is not one to go past.

Lastly, for our savoury dishes, we have the black chicken with buttermilk coleslaw - a familiar dish to anyone who has dined at Eightysix. I think if they ever took it off the menu there would be uproar.

Coated in a sticky marinade that has been caramelised under the grill, it gives a beautifully dark finish that is sweet and jammy. The meat pulls away easily from the bone and when paired with a simple but flavourful slaw, you can see why it has the gained such a reputation.

The tasting menu comes with two desserts - the banoffee pie with pretzels and strawberry cheesecake - and while we're offered the option to swap them out for any of the others on the menu, we settle on those two (after much discussion).

I fought for the banoffee pie when ordering (my friend is not usually a fan of the dessert) and it was good but not as showstopping as some of the other dishes on the night. The pastry crumbled nicely as you bit into it, and the pretzels added a nice saltiness to the dish, but it felt like the overall flavour balance was off. It needed something to cut through the denseness of other elements on the plate.

The strawberry cheesecake, on the other hand, had this beautiful lightness to it. Deconstructed in appearance, all the elements of a great cheesecake were there - the creamy, fluffy filling, the nutty warmth of the crumb base - while the strawberry flavour wasn't overly sweet.

Eightysix's reputation precedes it, and it's one that it has earnt. With a menu packed full of winners, it's only a matter of time before the restaurant lures you back for another meal.

Address: Corner of Eloura & Mode3, Lonsdale Street, Braddon

Phone: 6161 8686

Website: eightysix.com.au

Hours: Dinner, Tuesday to Sunday.

Chef: Lachlan Hunter

Dietary: Plenty of options

Noise: On the loud side

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