A fine dining degustation in a dome at the Water’s Edge

Posted on 1 August, 2022

When you think of special occasion dining, there could be few more special occasions than a fine-dining degustation within your own private Dining Dome by the edge of Lake Burley Griffin.

For the next eight weeks, Dining Dome is collaborating with Water’s Edge to bring a very special experience to the lakeshore—a unique and limited experience where you can feast in the sunshine, watching the sun set or staring at the stars.

All of this takes place in a cosy, climate-controlled clear dining dome with a table seated for two, four, or a small group of under 10 and a dedicated waiter. Fancy!

Each dome is weather-proof, heated and twinkles with fairy lights and candles.

Head Chef at Water’s Edge, Avtar Singh, has prepared a five-course degustation befitting the occasion including dishes such as confit of salmon with celeriac remoulade, free-range chicken breast with smoked aubergine puree, five spice and mustard-coated kangaroo fillet, lamb backstrap and an orange pudding with nut crumb and raisin icecream.

Lamb backstrap is served with truffle potato cake, parsley and pistachio pesto and paired with a Sergi Estate Basket Pressed Seductive Shiraz.

Each dish is carefully considered and beautifully presented, and comes with the option of matching wines.

You may need to skip lunch that day if you have a dinner booking as courses are supplemented with a number of complimentary extras from Chef Av—including a truffle and mushroom tart and bowl of delicately spiced carrot soup to start and a tangy calamansi sorbet as a palate cleanser prior to dessert.

The food is next-level special.

Av Singh is behind the menu which can also cater for meat-free, dairy-free and nut-free diners.

Since Canberra’s first Dining Dome appeared at The Dock in Kingston last year, the intimate igloos have been sprouting up in other places, from the Rocks in Sydney, to Circular Quay to the Snowy Mountains.

Almond and Thyme Frangipane with coconut icecream, lemon grass and ginger syrup. Paired with a Cookoothama Limited Release Botrytis Semillon.

And keep your eyes peeled when you’re watching a prime-time TV show next year as Dining Dome makes its small-screen debut.

The domes have been a passion of Tim and Elaine Purser who set up the business after experiencing them in Switzerland and Scandinavia.

They thought Canberra would be a perfect setting for Dining Domes as it allows diners to enjoy 360-degree views from their own private dome without having to brave the elements. And while our winters may be biting and bitter, it hardly matters when you are enjoying one of our spectacular sunsets in a heated dome.

It doesn’t matter what the weather is like when you are in your own climate-controlled bubble (there is even “snow” on the floor of the domes).

Water’s Edge is keen for diners to experience distinct vantages from their dome—offering lunch sittings (from 12pm), sunset sittings (5:30pm – 7:30pm) and starlit sittings (8pm – 10pm).

With three different sized Dining Domes to choose from, you can reserve a romantic dinner for two up to a corporate event for 10. Packages start from $140 per person including the five-course degustation and a drink on arrival.

While the idea of providing a permanent mooring for these domes on the water’s edge is under consideration by the National Capital Authority, at this stage, the experience is strictly limited to the next eight weeks, providing a truly one-off dining, wining and viewing experience of the best the city has to offer.

This is one not to be missed.

Main image by Michael Franz.