Carlotta is now open: What can Canberra expect from its Mediterranian menu?

What is Mediterranean dining? Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue It's a definition that is so broad that it's hard to get a coherent collection of dishes, without relying too heavily on one cuisine. That was the challenge Lucas Restaurants set for its new Canberra restaurant, Carlotta, ahead of its opening on Monday.

Inspired by the restaurant group's founder Chris Lucas' travels to the region, Carlotta's head of culinary Mark Glenn said there were plenty of conversations trying to nail down exactly what Mediterranean dining is - from the point of view of the new restaurant - and develop the menu in the process. "We see Mediterranean food through the lens of quality and simplicity," Glenn says. "We have been inspired by the best the Mediterranean has to offer - ripe tomatoes, silky pasta, really good quality beef and plenty of really good seafood.



Mediterranean fare at Carlotta. Picture by Michael Pham "We will have pretty heavy Italian leanings, and we'll be making everything as much as possible in-house. Freshly made bread will all be done every day on site.

" Meanwhile, the pasta will be handcrafted in-house with a program overseen by Simone Giorgianni, the former senior sous chef at Grill Americano in Melbourne, who has made the move to Canberra to join the Carlotta team. The menu features unmissable pasta dishes including ravioli caprese, mafaldine with slow-cooked beef ragu, and crab spaghettini with lobster oil and chilli. Inside the newly opened Carlotta.

Picture by Pew Pew Studio For mains - or as the Italians say, secondi - highlights include John Dory with a herb crumb and gribiche sauce; lamb cutlets alla scottadito; and a seared tuna nicoise salad with anchovy sauce. A custom wood-fired oven from Naples extends its influence through much of the menu including a range of house-made focaccia, as well as shared specials such as the lobster a l'Americaine. "The lobster a l'Americaine, which for a special night, is definitely unmissable.

We're hand-cutting campanelle pasta with market fresh lobster that we've woodfired," Glenn says. "The big Murano pizza oven - we'll be doing lots of different things through there. Not pizza, but we'll have three different types of bread that we'll be cooking [in it] .

.. and lots of sides - some nice greens and things like that.

And then obviously lobsters and things like that as well." Crostini, anchovy and tomato at Carlotta. Picture by Michael Pham Perhaps the most surprising thing about the menu is the lengths that Carlotta has gone to get its mozzarella.

Sold exclusively in Australia at Carlotta, the buffalo mozzarella from Italian producer Podere dei Leoni will be showcased via a variety of different preparations. "It's pretty special. And obviously using the best produce is at the centre of everything that we do at Carlotta," Glenn says.

We have been inspired by the best the Mediterranean has to offer - ripe tomatoes, silky pasta, really good quality beef and plenty of really good seafood. - Carlotta's head of culinary Mark Glenn "From the very best flour out of Italy to make our own pastas and breads, through to the DOP mozzarella that's sourced from Campania in Italy. "And DOP is the Denominazione d'Origine Protetta, which literally means the protective designation of origin.

This certification ensures that products are locally grown and contained to that area. "It makes a promise to our guests as a guarantee that the food was made by local farmers and artisans using traditional methods." Carlotta's menu is complemented by a curated cocktail program, plus a concise and confident wine list that celebrates the local winemaking scene alongside an eclectic mix of Italian wines, with a strong selection available by the glass.

The restaurant's signature cocktail, the Sorrento Fizz, features a refreshing blend of limoncello, yuzu and elderflower. The centrepiece of Carlotta's 120-seat dining room is a long, marble-topped bar and open kitchen flanked by front-row seating, with two adjacent private dining spaces accommodating up to 26 guests. And spanning the full length of Carlotta's frontage is a Euro-inspired al fresco terrace with space for up to 35, offering the perfect spot to enjoy Carlotta's Mediterranean-accented offerings through the warmer months.

Carlotta is now open at 20 Scotts Crossing, Canberra. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy Amy Martin Canberra Times lifestyle reporter As the lifestyle reporter, I love finding out what makes people tick and giving insight into the different ways that you can enjoy the city we live in. Email: amy.

[email protected] As the lifestyle reporter, I love finding out what makes people tick and giving insight into the different ways that you can enjoy the city we live in.

Email: [email protected].

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