Rakkas — Restaurant in District of Canberra Central

I feel slightly pained to write this review as I was really hoping that it was going to be a knock out of the park like all the other reviews on here. We attended last minute as our very first time in Canberra on the recommendation of the article from ‘Hercanberra four new bars in Canberra to check out’. We were craving some exception cocktails and amazing food and ambience, as we’ve been county-side for a few months but we are big foodies and very well travelled and have spent a chunk of time in Istanbul. We were very excited by the presentation of the food but sadly disappointed on tasting the food. It was quiet… average. The scallops were probably the best as the oil was delicious although I think wrapping bacon around scallops means it should be thinner as scallops is such a delicate meat you don’t want to overpower the delicate flavour of the scallop. The borek on the other hand was super average. We didn’t like it at all as it was well under flavoured, which is quite unusual for Turkish food. We ended up dipping it in all the yummy oil and hummus) which was the best part of the whole meal, from the scallops to be able to eat it. The cokertime kebab was a huge disappointment, as it was just ho-hum. The basil foam was not balancing the dish.. it should have gone with the tomatoes side dish and the potato floss is actually just small potato frites. Ok in taste but nothing great. It was a Tuesday night so maybe it was not the best night and the main chef was not on, but all I can say is that we were hugely disappointed. It looked like there was so much effort put in to the dishes as well and that is why it’s so sad to say this review is heart breaking to write as well but as for the only night we got to spend in Canberra we were a bit gutted as we expected...

This place is fabulous. I went here this evening (30/10) for a birthday dinner for myself with two family members and we all agreed we’d shared the nicest meal and service we’d had in years.

The food was fabulous, everything was perfectly balanced and flavoursome. Flavour pairings were complementary to the others in every dish. I can’t stop thinking about the melon with whipped feta. The feta was so silky and not too salty. The lamb backstrap was tender and beautiful and perfectly paired with smoked eggplant and apricot purée.

When making the booking I selected birthday for the occasion as it asked not thinking anything of it. I was brought a complimentary dessert with a candle which was a complete surprise and so thoughtful of the staff. It really topped off the evening. My uncle who has spent quite a bit of time in Turkey remarked that the food was as good as any he’d had in Istanbul.

The service was quiet, attentive and thoughtful. Staff have struck the perfect balance on that front.

Thanks so much Rakkas. We will definitely be back, and telling...

The most memorable part of my visit was that the staff accommodated me with indoor sitting even though my booking was for outside (nothing else was available). Excellent ambience. I was looking for more traditional Turkish cuisine but as i found out this was more contemporary menu with a nice twist of the original Turkish dishes. I respect that but was a bit surprised (as the menu titles may lead you to think this is traditional authentic dish). I ordered the burek, Domata salad and the kufte and they definitely looked different than what i know about these dishes. The service seemed little overwhelmed with only one person really running the orders from the kitchen to tables (my order sat for 10 minutes under the heat lamps). I never had a chance to order another drink as no one came to my table after the food was served to ask if i need anything else (until i was all done eating). Overall, i recommend this place if you are looking for something more modern and elegant, but definitely not authentic traditional...