Tharwa now has a fine dining destination – and it’s located in a historic homestead

Posted on 29 May, 2024

Nestled on the southern outskirts of Canberra upon the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, a new heritage-listed fine dining experience awaits.

It’s the first time Cuppacumbalong Homestead has opened its doors to the public as a dining facility in over seven years.

On the first Friday of every month, Friday Night @ Cuppacumbalong will turn the beautiful homestead into a fine dining destination where Canberra foodie Cath O’Neill (known as ByCath) will showcase her cooking skills with an elegant five-course pre-fixe menu.

And with a cosy fire and seasonally inspired food, a long and leisurely dinner at the 170-year-old estate sounds like the perfect tribute to a location that has been a meeting place for thousands of generations.

The property had lived a myriad of lives – from a meeting place for First Nations people to a working farm, an exhibition space, a restaurant, a wedding reception centre, and a farm stay – but since 2017 it’s been operated by Karim Haddad and Ali Wass as heritage-listed accommodation with glamping and camping facilities and an event space focused on art, craft, community, and teamwork.

Preserving the history of the homestead, for seven years Ali and Karim have made a tranquil space and place where people can come, stay, and create. But while they’ve dabbled with the idea of adding in a dining venue, they knew that they didn’t want a traditional restaurant or café.

“We didn’t want Cuppacumbalong as a place of just coming in to consume, which is what you do when you eat something beautiful – you come in, consume, pay and go,” says Ali.

“We’re not restaurateurs and we didn’t want to have a restaurant running all the time because of the other things we do.”

As a longtime friend of Karim, Ali says it was Cath’s “synergy between her approach to her cooking and passion for giving back to the community” that inspired the collaboration with the cook. And after one dinner, they know they’ve made the right choice.

 

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Recently leaving her position as Chief Operating Officer/ Deputy Director General at Canberra Health Services, Cath says Friday Night @ Cuppacumbalong offers her the chance to do something she loves without the restrictions of owning a restaurant – something she has experience from running the Lunch Pack in Sydney’s Hunter Connection Arcade in the late 1980s.

And while her career has been focused on health, her passion for food has never faded, seeing her undertake a Certificate in Catering Cooking at TAFE in the 1990s.

“I have loved cooking for as long as I can remember. As a young child, I used to make menus for my family on the weekend and run a ‘cafe’…my love for food never disappeared,” she says.

“I undertook regular cooking functions for fundraising and over the last couple of years have run and participated in the MasterCook competition as part of the Canberra Hospital Foundation’s annual Can Give Day raising thousands of dollars and pitting myself against, and being judged by, Canberra Chefs.”

“I am now transitioning into my retirement. It was an opportune time for me to rekindle a cooking business and hence ByCath was born.”

Describing her cooking as ‘refined homestyle’, Cath says that diners will enjoy generous servings and flavours during Friday Night @ Cuppacumbalong. Taking inspiration from seasonal produce and what’s growing in the Cuppacumbalong, each monthly menu will change – ensuring guests will enjoy something new each time they dine there.

“I borrow from lots of cuisines and flavour combinations, but I tend to come back to my versions of the classics. As a caterer I’m very conscious of ensuring I understand the customer’s requirements – it’s not about cooking food I love but rather meeting their expectations and ensuring I can deliver the dishes to a high standard,” she says.

“I try to ensure my menus are accessible to all whilst extending customers’ ‘foodie’ experience. I don’t want it to be so elitist or aloof that it puts people off or makes them feel uncomfortable.”

Comprised of five courses in total – including an amuse bouche and petit fours and a choice of three options for each entree, main and dessert – Cath says she has also ensured there are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian options on offer for each course.

And while she can’t disclose exactly what will be on the menu for the coming months, you can expect to see flavoursome soups, slow-roasted meats and warm desserts featured on the June and July menus.

“We didn’t want to be open three five or three nights a week because Canberra has so many fantastic venues,” says Ali.

“I don’t want ByCath to be a full-time business. I want to have time to also pursue my other interests. I love celebrating the end of the week with friends on a Friday, and I thought monthly was regular enough to develop a loyal following without being too frequent,” adds Cath.

“I think there is nothing nicer than giving the gift of your time, skill and ingredients in preparing delicious food and sharing that with others.”

 

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BYO only (with no corkage fee), Cuppacumbalong is only a short 15-minute drive from Tuggeranong – ideal for anyone living in the south of Canberra looking for their fine dining fix.

And keep an eye out for other special dining occasions throughout the year – like Father’s Day and Floriade – because Cuppacumbalong is the place to meet.

 Images supplied.