5 seafood dishes to seek out Canberra, Australia’s capital

2. South Coast sardines “in Saor,” pine nuts, currants & orange: Italian and Sons

Walking down the now trendy Lonsdale Street in Braddon, just off the main part of downtown, one has a choice of some of Canberra’s best food, bars, and coffee. It also offers one of the country’s best Italian trattorias: Italian and Sons. The Canberra Times accurately describes the food as “elegant simplicity,” and the Weekend Australia applauded their “dedication to good produce and wonderful service.”

The Trimboli family have a long history in Canberra’s Italian culinary scene, starting when the father of Italian and Son’s owners opened the city’s first delicatessen.

Hawkesbury River squid and a local fish of the day are always popular items. But it’s the restaurant's South Coast sardines with pine nuts, currants, and orange that many come just to enjoy alone.  The sardines are marinated “in Saor,” a Venetian preparation of vinegar and onion. This dish is simple elegance at its foremost, the rich salty sardines being balanced by the marinade and the freshness of the orange. 

According to John Susman, Australia’s seafood guru and owner of seafood consultancy Fishtales, “the South Coast sardines were once the staple for the largest fish cannery in Australia at Eden. Now long-closed, the sardines are relatively untouched, making them abundant, cheap, and highly sustainable.”

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