First look at Compa: Matt Moran’s Italian experience

Posted on 8 April, 2024

While Matt Moran is nervous about opening his flagship Canberra restaurant Compa tomorrow, he is buoyed by the fact that last week’s opening of sister sandwich bar &Sando saw queues not only snake out the door but continue down the street.

“Canberra is a city that I am not that familiar with and we are opening a new restaurant. So I’ve got every right to be nervous, scared in fact!,” he says.

It’s kinda nice that someone so high profile doesn’t land in the capital and assume he knows everything.

The calm before the storm, Matt Moran at his new Canberra restaurant Compa

With a culinary career spanning three decades and including some of Sydney’s most iconic restaurants such as ARIA, Chiswick, North Bondi Fish, Barangaroo House and Opera Bar, Matt brings high expectations, and Canberrans are undoubtedly excited to see him here.

Yet the vibe of Compa promises to be less Sydney glitz and more relaxed Italian with a paddock-to-plate ethos.

Lovers of all things Italian (and beef) will be pleased with Compa’s menu.

Compa (which means friend in Italian) will hero beef and show off some of Australia’s best producers including Westholme Wagyu and Brooklyn Valley, as well as product from the Moran family farm—all cooked on the custom Montague grill.

And in charge of that grill will be head chef Nick Mathieson. Nick’s culinary career kicked off in Sydney with an apprenticeship at Balmoral’s Bathers Pavilion (2010). A few years later, he moved to Emirates One and Only Wolgan Valley, where he served as pastry chef de partie for three years before heading back to Sydney and joining Otto Restaurant as pastry senior sous.

Head chef Nick Mathieson.

Mathieson transitioned back to savory cuisine and joined the team at famed Sydney steak house, Bistecca. Here, as senior sous chef, he honed his skills in meat preparation and grilling techniques. Most recently (2023-2024), Mathieson served as head chef at Misc Parramatta. At Misc, where things of ‘mixed character’ are celebrated for making the most memorable experiences, Mathieson was provided a platform to showcase his innovative approach to cuisine.

Now, he is settling in to lead the team at Compa, which will be a shining light in the city for unabashed carnivores.

“I grew up eating at Matt Moran’s venues and reading his books – the fact that I have now been appointed head chef of his latest personal ventures is not lost on me,” said Nick.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with some fantastic people and businesses throughout my career to date, and I can’t wait to bring those learnings to Canberra. There’s a lot going on in the nation’s capital and we are really keen to take part in it!”

Compa’s drinks offering is headed up by general manager and sommelier, Tasso Rovolis a Canberra local with over 26 years in the industry—most recently launching Brunello—coupled with 17 years as a practising sommelier. The drinks list includes a comprehensive selection of Italian wines alongside drops from local growers and wines hand selected from Matt Moran’s private cellar.

While Compa will be doing a whole Snowy River trout with preserved lemon and caper burnt butter, a roasted spatchcock with tarragon salsa, a gnocchi con funghi and a prawn casarecce with chili, garlic, lemon and pangrattato, it’s hard to see past the meat menu. There will be “on the bone” sirloin, ribeye, and Bistecca Fiorentina.

“Off the bone” cuts include eye fillet, Angus scotch fillet, Wagyu rump cap, and Scotch fillet. Provenance, marbling scores, grain and pasture fed status and size are all listed so you know exactly what will be arriving on the plate.

You can pick a sauce and then there is a stack of sides to decide on (and to ensure you get some vegetable matter into your system).

Compa opens tomorrow.

All images by Buffet Digital.