The art of dining in Canberra
By VisitCanberra
May 22, 2019
Ahead of the National Gallery of Australia's Monet Truffle Dinner experience (20 July) as part of the Canberra Region Truffle Festival, we’ve paired some of the Gallery’s most beloved pieces of their permanent collection with their dining equivalents at cafes, restaurants and bars across Canberra. After working up an appetite exploring the range of artworks spanning the globe and centuries, tuck into a bite inspired by each of the artworks. After all, fine art deserves fine dining.
If there's two things Canberra does exceptionally well, it’s dining and an appreciation for arts. Combine your love for the finer things in life with an eat-itinerary of the dishes around Canberra (we think) could’ve been inspired by the masterpieces housed at the National Gallery of Australia.
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Ned Kelly – Sidney Nolan
A quintessential Australian artwork needs a quintessential Australian meal to match. After you’ve had your fill of one of the most predominant Australia painting series of the 20th century, enjoy the most Australian breakfast of them all with an avocado on toast with Vegemite ricotta, courtesy of Highroad. To the Vegemite sceptics, we highly encourage you to give this one a taste.
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Blue Poles – Jackson Pollock
Contentious at the time, and now interwoven in Australia’s political and artistic heritage, Blue Poles is one of the most frequented artworks at the National Gallery of Australia. Enigma’s chocolates have recreated this style of art in edible (delicious) form and is available from the Gallery’s gift shop, or pop into Enigma’s chocolaterie in Braddon.
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Francesco – Urs Fischer
A huge candle by Swiss-born artist Urs Fischer is lighting up the National Gallery of Australia, as one of 2019’s most recent additions to the permanent collection. Over several months, the constant heat of candle flame reduces this sculpture to debris to be recast and burnt again. If you’ve got flames on the brain after seeing this work in its resplendent glory, take the 20 minute walk from the Gallery along Lake Burley Griffin to Brodburger in Kingston. After their flame grilled burgers have satisfied your cravings, pop next door to the Canberra Glassworks’ hot shop to see more fiery action at work.
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The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descend into the Heavens – Yayoi Kusama
Kusama’s works are known to help transport you to another world, and The Spirits of the Pumpkins Descend into the Heavens is no exception. This addition to the permanent collection has seen many an Instagrammer ascend on the National Gallery to take part in this immersive installation. Be inspired by the many, many pumpkins you’ll spot inside this infinity room by tucking into eightysix’s pumpkin ravioli. Unfortunately eightysix's truly delightful ravioli aren’t infinite, but you’ll wish they were.
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Nymphéas [Waterlilies] – Claude Monet
As the leader of the French impressionist movement, Claude Monet was continually inspired by nature. See his works at the Monet: Impression Sunrise (7 June – 1 September) exhibition, then continue to embrace nature with a botanical themed cocktail at Akiba. Try a Geisha’s Kiss, a delightful concoction of plum wine, sake and a hint of rose. Marvel your dining company with your knowledge that Monet collected Japanese woodblock prints.
