Grazing at Gundaroo: it’s really just up the road

Posted on 29 October, 2019

Most people in a capital city wouldn’t bat an eyelid at travelling half an hour to get somewhere, be it to work, the shops, to see friends, or to grab a bite to eat.

But there seems to be something about crossing the ACT border that makes us unwilling to travel more than 10 minutes to get somewhere. Or even cross the lake, for that matter.

We’re lucky enough to have everything at our fingertips, but it’s a factor us Canberrans should be embracing—a 30-minute drive could take us to practically any pocket of the city, even interstate.

Believe it or not, a 30-minute drive from the centre of town will land you right smack bang in the middle of the gorgeous country town of Gundaroo, and right at the door of award-winning restaurant, Grazing.

Sitting inside the 1865 national trust Royal Hotel, the restaurant has been open for 15 years, with current head chef Kurt Neumann and his wife Tanya taking over around eight years ago.

As well as being well-known for beautiful functions and weddings, the restaurant serves lunch Friday to Sunday and most public holidays, and dinner Thursday to Saturday.

It’s a building that’s had quite the history, with several incarnations over the years, including as a coach house and a private residence.

In the 1970s, it was owned by Murrays Coaches owner Ron Murray, who would run a coach out to the property, where guests would dine on kangaroo tail soup in damper.

Fast-forward to today, and the menu is a tad more finessed, with Grazing serving up what Kurt calls, “refined country fare”.

“I think that sums up what we are and how unique the venue is,” says Kurt.

“Like with anything, your style evolves and matures over time, but we’ve always focussed on keeping food as local as possible, with good size portions and a contemporary feel.”

For spring, that means fresh and flavour-filled dishes, like a kaffir lime cured salmon gravlax, which pops with citrus and the slight tartness of grapefruit, or the eye-catching steamed zucchini blossom nestled with a prawn atop a prawn mousse, drizzled with a sweetcorn and crustacean bisque.

Or the more hearty deboned quail and Toulouse sausage roulade, or Black Angus beef flank, topped with a vibrant garden herb butter and carefully arranged thick-cut Pont neuf potatoes.

It’s cosy food for a cosy venue, and Grazing’s understated decor allows the historical features of the venue to shine, which have been refurbished and given plenty of love over the years.

The main dining area still feels like you’ve been warmly welcomed into someone’s home, with tables scattered across interconnecting rooms, plus four big heritage fireplaces. And glance out the back windows and you may even spot the Chef’s Garden, where some of your dish may have come from.

“We grow what we can on-site, and we have a new gardener who’s bringing some new inspiration to the garden. So that’s always an ongoing project,” says Kurt.

It seems natural that there’s a strong focus on local wines, given Grazing’s location right in the middle of the ‘triangle’ of Canberra’s wine regions—between Bungendore, the Lake George area and Murrumbateman—and the fact they share a property with the cellar door for Gundog Estate Wines. In fact, the entire wine list is made up of drops from the Canberra district.

“We were one of the first restaurants to only serve Canberra wines back when we first opened. Initially, people complained, ‘oh you don’t have a New Zealand Sauv Blanc?’ But now it’s celebrated,” laughs Tanya.

The same can be said for beer, with an almost completely local list, including BentSpoke and Capital Brewing Co beers on tap, and Grazing is also the only licensed venue to stock the Gundog Estate Hunting Ale.

Not that many people need encouragement, but there’s well and truly a reason to keep room for dessert at Grazing in the form of the salted hazelnut caramel parfait, which Tanya says, “has been on our menu since day dot. It’s so popular, I don’t think anyone would let us take it off the menu.”

The silky parfait sits on a bed of caramel, and is generously sprinkled with a toffee and cookie crunch, which combines into slightly chewy and oh-so-satisfying mouthful. No one’s judging you if you lick every last bit up off the plate.

And while you may feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, it’s a pleasing end to the meal knowing it’s only half an hour’s drive back home. Or if you’re keen to indulge in the local wines a little more, The Nest at Gundaroo is just a short stumble up the road, boasting luxury cottages oozing with country charm.

But let’s all be honest—it’s really not that far. Even if you stayed overnight for a cheeky Thursday getaway, you could still manage a fairly leisurely rise and make it to your desk back in the city on time the next morning. It’s only 30 minutes after all.

the essentials 

What: Grazing
When: Thursday 6–9 pm, Fridays 12–2 pm and 6–9 pm, Saturdays 11.30 am and 6–9 pm, Sundays 11.30 am–3 pm
Where: 42 Cork Street, Gundaroo
Phone: 6236 8777
Website: grazing.com.au

Photography: 5foot Photography

This editorial was created in partnership with Grazing. For more information on sponsored partnerships, click here.