First Look: Terra
Posted on
No Name Lane is quickly becoming a serious foodie destination.
From a once-quiet somewhat in-between part of town, City West now offers a diversity of offerings unmatched across Civic, with options for city workers, brunchers, uni students, caffiends and dinner guests alike.
Cue the opening of Terra, the area’s newest resident.
When we mentioned Terra in our most recent new places to eat, all we could discern from its mysterious website was its address. Now, however, we can bring you the full story.
Offering visitors everything from full meals to serious coffee to grab-and-go options, Terra is a “canteen-style, produce-driven food destination”, which can only mean good things.
Adding to the area’s enviable options for city dwellers and workers, Terra will offer an “ever-changing” breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, featuring smoked and charcoal meats, gourmet lunch rolls, roasted vegetables, salads and juices.
Reading the above, it comes as no surprise that the team behind Terra are veterans of the produce sector, with taste, seasonality and freshness their utmost priorities.
Brothers Anthony and Marcus Iannelli of The Food Forum (locally owned and family run purveyor of quality fresh food) and Sung Son (ex-sous chef at Hartsyard in Sydney) are the three co-owners, and Anthony explains that Terra’s menu was inspired by their combined passion for produce.
“The Terra menu was a collaboration, stemming from what we enjoy eating, and would like to see more of in the Canberra food scene,” he says. “It’s about utilising the produce when it’s at its best and letting the natural flavours do the talking. If it looks great at the markets, it will be on our menu.”
Having spent their younger years growing up on a farm and working in a fruit shop, the Ianelli brothers opened The Food Forum, a fresh produce shop and butchery and, seeing a break into the restaurant industry, they approached long-time customer Sung Son to come on board as a co-owner and Head Chef.
“We are all foodies who love to experiment with flavours and host people for a great meal,” explains Sung Son. “We’ve made our own pickled vegetables, jams and chilli sauce fresh in-house and ready to serve. We want to create food that’s healthy enough to eat a few times a week, and delicious enough to want to.”
The space itself is light, open and inviting, with communal style bench seating as well as tables, with lush green and concrete finishes. The food will be served ‘canteen-style’ and there will also be a “four-and-a-half metre island bench displaying an abundance of fresh market produce.”
For coffee, Marcus Ianelli turned to Dukes Speciality Roasters, and as for breakfast you can expect everything from healthy takeaway bowls with chia and coconut to a ‘bacon sanga’ on ciabatta bread with cheddar cheese, hash brown, house-made cucumber pickle and Terra BBQ sauce.
Smoothies, juices, grab-and-go options and an in-house a la carte menu of both breakfast and lunch round out what is truly a comprehensive offering.
There will also be wines and beers available, with Sam Carlini (formerly of Molly Bar and Highball Express) on board to bring an exciting twist to the “continuously rotating selection.”
the essentials
What: Terra
When: Monday-Friday, 7.30 am – 4 pm for breakfast and lunch, Saturday, 10.30 am – 4 pm for lunch, Thursday-Saturday 5.30 pm – late for dinner
Where: Shop G2, No Name Lane, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, City West, Canberra
Web: terracanberra.com.au
Photography: Ashley St George. Supplied.
Leave a Reply