LOCATIONAt the Ainslie shops, on Edgar Street.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAThe aptly named Restaurant 2602 has a prime location in the famous postcode of Canberra’s inner north. Situated in the heart of the Ainslie shops, Restaurant 2602 has become something of an institution with the locals. Packed every night, the restaurant draws a good crowd because of consistently excellent service and cuisine. The emphasis is on seasonal dishes, cooked to perfection, using only the freshest and finest organic produce money can buy. On top of this, Restaurant 2602 admirably specialises in seafood – a rarity in our landlocked capital.
By day Restaurant 2602 serves up delicious cafe-style breakfast and lunch to its ravenous customers. For breakfast, served until 11.45am, choices range from the usual suspects, such as the seasonal fruit salad (served with piquant mint yoghurt), to the more substantial smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on ciabatta toast, served with piping-hot grilled tomato. For those who like a challenge in the morning, try and finish the 2602 big breaky: two eggs, lashings of bacon, toast, chipolatas and grilled mushrooms. For dinner, though, Restaurant 2602 really shines. Start with the delicious ocean plate: fresh oysters, sourced from Tuross in the south coast and served with lime chilli dressing, grilled sea scallops cooked in garlic butter, and Cajun king prawns. If that isn’t enough, keep going with some salt and pepper calamari, or a tasty seafood curry of scallops, prawns, potatoes, mussels and the fish of the day, nestled on a bed of jasmine rice. For the truly seafood-starved, it’s hard to go past the house special: the famous 2602 seafood sampler for two. Piled high with seafood hand-selected and cooked to perfection by head chef Ben Eveille, this is just the ticket for those Canberrans who so seldom see the sea!
Russell Buzby