After unwanted headlines, Mussillon lets Courgette's food do the talking

But in the case of Courgette, and James Mussillon, it's hard to ignore the headlines of the past few years.

The award-winning chef spent a total of 12 months behind bars, found guilty of money laundering, perjury, fraud, general dishonesty and making false evidence.

When our court reporter Tim Piccione interviewed him in the same dining room we're in today, just after his release back in October 2023, Mussillon was repentant and reflective.

"This restaurant is my life," he said then.

We didn't want to head to Marcus Clarke Street too early. One can't imagine the adjustments Mussillon has had to deal with since.

But it's time; for Courgette has always been one of our favourite Canberra institutions. It's not the kind of place you're going to head to every week, but who hasn't celebrated a special occasion there since it opened more than 20 years ago, significant birthdays, anniversaries and the like?

He's back in the kitchen and it's time to just think about that.

Courgette is a classic venue. Floor manager Georgina Horner takes our coats on arrival and leads us into the Garden Room, the main dining room where lunch is served. It's instantly comforting, velvets, proper linen, timber, and that window to the atrium seems so familiar.

There's a selection of private dining rooms, too, seating up to 30 people. We all know that many political lunches and business deals have been done here over the years.

Mussillon is doing set menus. Lunch starts at $88pp for three course a la carte, the degustations are $120 for five courses, with vegetarian options. At dinner it goes up a little to $99 and $130. In the grand scheme of Canberra set menus, three courses for $88 is pretty good value.

And the choices are exciting, too. It's always been a bit fancy here. No simple chicken + potato menu items. Here it's a full descriptor.

Entrees are a Hiramasa kingfish with garlic prawn, aromatic coconut curry, kaffir lime, buffalo yoghurt, tomato and micro coriander. It's a mouthful. And a tasty mouthful. Two plump prawns, a delicate fillet of kingfish, the curry smooth and full of flavour.

On the other side of the table are some seared Hervey Bay scallops, with cubes of Berkshire pork belly, black garlic, cauliflower, boudin noir and nashi pear. You can't go wrong with unctuous pork and scallops, and this dish works well. The scallops are cooked to perfection with good caramelisation, the pork tender.

For mains we go for free-range spatchcock (love these little birds) with gruyere cheese, kipfler potatoes, a leek and chorizo veloute and a little chimichurri sauce. There's some brussels sprouts on my plate too today, crispy around the edges. The spatchcock is tender, a breast and a little bit on the bone. I want to pick it up and suck all the meat off it.

And speaking of meat, my companion calls her dish "meat two-ways". A melt-in-your mouth piece of Wagyu beef cheek, covered in a strip of Angus beef fillet, sharing the plate with creamed spinach, celeriac puree, baby turnip, dutch carrot and a red wine jus.

There does seem to be a lot of "things" on every plate, in every course, but it's classic fine-dining style. They could be smears or dollops, or dots. Do they add flavour? Sometimes not. Do they add colour? Sometimes yes. Many of us have grown used to dishes with more, if a casual generosity is the best way to describe it, but here everything is precise and there for a reason, I'm sure.

The desserts follow the theme. A medjool date and fig pudding with salted muscovado cream caramel popcorn and malted banana ice-cream; and a white chocolate cheesecake on burnt butter crumbs, autumn berries, lemon balm and a smooth and deeply flavoured chocolate sorbet.

If you had more time than you do at lunch, which you might if you're one of those people eating in a private room, you might spend more time on each dish, dissecting every element. The banana ice-cream is excellent, so too the chocolate sorbet. The date and fig pudding is light but rich in flavour.

It's been a great meal. Just the right amount for a lunch. I also love the selection of plates each dish is served on. No two are the same. I love the idea that there is still a place for a fancy lunch in this city full of deals.

And I love the idea that a man, for all his perceived shortcomings, may have found some peace back in the kitchen.

Address: 54 Marcus Clarke St, City

Phone: 6247 4042

Website: courgette.com.au

Hours: Lunch, Monday to Saturday, noon to 3pm. Dinner, Monday to Saturday, 6-11pm.

Chef: James Mussillon

Dietary: Some options on set menus. Check when booking.

Noise: Not a problem