Fresh User Reviews for Seafood in Canberra

2.8 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  1     

So far as I can tell, and my partner says the same thing, the meat at this place is chemically aged. It certainly tastes that way. I can only guess at the maturation method, but chemical aging seems the most obvious. The place isn't really different from Hog's Breath except the crowd is quieter.

The service was on the line of 'don't bother me, do it yourself.' I know that these guys spent a lot of money on the decor. It would be better spent on the food and getting a decent staff.

May 19, 2012

3 Below Average

Food  4      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  1     

This was a business lunch. Sad food, no service. I don't know why they don't switch over to a fast food franchise. Not Recommended.

May 19, 2012

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  10     

We went to Con's on Anzac Day because there wasn't anyplace else nice available around Woden. I had no expectations. My mom and dad said that we should all try it because they used to eat there 20 years ago!

It was a super pleasant meal. The service was outstanding. The food, all of us had steak, was only gorgeous. It reminded me of meals we used to get in the US when I was studying medicine. It's the best beef I have had in years. It came with a plump baked potato, some coleslaw a couple of button mushrooms and the nicest mushroom sauce I have ever had.

They charged 10% for a service fee because of the holiday, but the entire meal for 4 people including a bottle of wine was $231. I don't know what their fish is like, but I would bet it is probably very good.

Apr 25, 2012

5.5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  5     

This was the second "seafood" place that I visited in the last two weeks. It was at the behest of my good friend, and I went along quietly despite my preference for about any kind of food other than seafood.

We started with garlic bread. It was covered with a drool of buttery garlic mess. We did not finish it, despite being hungry. My friend had a fishy entre and I skipped. I voted for steak as my main course. Wherever they buy their meat, they should try a new supplier. The steak was tough, veiny, and clearly cow meat. It was, however, cooked to order and nicely placed on the plate.

The overall effect of the restaurant was that it was a commercial venture without any soul. The prices were too high for the class of food and service. I would not want to repeat my visit in the near future.

Apr 16, 2012

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  10     

I was dragged along by a friend. I do not eat seafood. Voila, they changed the name to Con's Steak and Seafood, and the steak was marvelous. The waitress hovered nearby--not too close, but observant.

The cooks produced the best piece of tenderloin I ever had in Canberra. My host laughed at my enthusiasm. Considering that I had to be draggged to the place, I suppose my reaction was over the top.

I recommend the steak. My friend said the seafood (snapper) was delightful. Top marks for this place.

Apr 16, 2012

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  9     

Such a great hidden restaurant. I was very skeptical when my boyfriend began driving away from the city on valentines day, but had a lovely dinner with fresh lobster (with an amazing mornay sauce!).

The service was great, and our waitress even wrote the date on the champagne cork for us as a keepsake. I went back more recently and enjoyed a great steak and noticed that they had updated the decor, very cute red and white tablecloths like a scene from a movie.

Apr 16, 2012

5.3 Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  7      Value  2     

This rating may come up as a little lower than I would probably have given the experience overall - so I shall explain.

I didn't much appreciate the ambience but I could see where they're trying to go with the whole steakhouse thing. The service was nothing spectacular but the person who put through our payment was very friendly (possibly the manager it seemed?) and took on board our comments regarding the sauce we'd taken with our steaks and chatted with us a little about the night which was great.

The food I thought was quite good, our steaks were sized well and cooked to perfection. Our side sauce (something garlicky I think) was not very nice but the manager seemed to take on board our comments and had said they're actually putting in place a new one and that he'd recently tasted that sauce and did not like it either. The side salad with beetroot in it was amazing and it was good to have a few different sides that you don't see at every old steak house.

In saying that, however, I think the steak were far overpriced (as is the case with many steakhouses) and couldn't rate it well on value. If you're willing to pay the cash though, this is a steakhouse we'd go back to.

Feb 15, 2012

2 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  1     

I took my wife to Cape Cod Deakin for the advertised $119 a head seven course dinner for Valentine’s Day 2012. We arrived at the advised start time of 7pm and the only table left available was against the front window with one having to sit on the window bench which was higher than a chair so the seat cut into the thighs. We did not notice any Valentine’s day decorations in the restaurant.

The free glass of champagne on arrival was about 50 mls of Ninth Island NV Brut Sparkling in half of a small champagne glass. The stingy serve was not a good start. When we drank the complimentary drink the waitress served our bubbly and filled the glasses.

There were eight courses on the menu. The first course was ‘Potato and Leek soup with crab and prawn wonton’. It was served cold in a spoon and the wonton looked like the contents fell out during cooking as it was empty pastry about the size of the nail on a small finger. The soup was cold and not enjoyable so being a tiny serve was fortunate. Maybe this should have been a taster but was never identified as such and when I enquired the waitress advised it was ‘the Potato and Leek soup’.

The second course was ‘Trio of freshly shucked oysters – wasabi, cointreau and natural’ There were two of each on a plate of six for us to share. The wasabi oyster was tasty and the oyster natural was nice. We could not taste any Cointreau on the other oyster so do not know if it was missed or too small to be tasted. After we finished the dish the waitress brought out the oyster forks. We later found there were two forks under the menu that the waitress had placed the plate upon.

The third course was ‘Yellow fin tuna sashimi, green papaya salad with tamarind and vodka vinaigrette’. Unfortunately, the tuna was heavily coated with lemon which spoiled the tuna taste and the sprinkled dill also spoiled the taste. The green papaya salad was nice.

The fourth course was ‘Kingfish with prosciutto and rocket salad’. The kingfish was dry and would have benefited from a sauce such as tartare. The prosciutto and rocket salad was excellent.

The fifth course was ‘Raspberry poached salmon with baby vegetables’. Unfortunately, poaching salmon in Raspberry does not work and this was exacerbated by then placing the salmon in a bowl of runny white juice. The vegetables were a very small baby carrot, a very small stick of something green (maybe bean or pea side) and a segment of bitter parsnip. The vegetables were cold and undercooked.

The sixth course was ‘Rose water sorbet’. Rose flavour was an unfortunate selection as it tasted sickly and was not cleansing as intended and as lemon or orange flavour would have provided.

The seventh course was ‘Chef’s cheese selection’. This was a plate to share of three thin slices of blue vein, camembert and tasty cheddar cheese with water crackers and a very small but decorative and tasty serve of fig and ginger. It was an enjoyable and tasty course.

The eighth and final course was ‘Trio of chocolate and strawberry tian’. I don’t understand why it was called tian as it was not layered. There was one plate to share with a round mound of strawberry jelly and two slices of very ordinary tasting cake with a dash of cream sauce. It seemed like us most diners did not eat it.

The meal took three hours to be served and the waitress did ensure that the water glasses were kept full. The cost for corkage was $10 so the bill was $248. We certainly did not give a tip and will not go back to Cape Cod until there is a change of management.

Feb 14, 2012

3.3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  3      Service  5      Value  2     

I have been to Con's once in the past and I really enjoyed, I rated it to all my friends how good it was. I took my boyfriend there for valentines day and was so ashamed of picking that place, our platter for two was $145.00, when it came out the top half looked amazing with lobster, although the bottom half looked like they had raced to the nearest take away and got deep fried everything!

When eating the lobster thought it tasted and smelt rather funny, when we had a better smell it smelt as though it was doused in bleach it was so strong it made our eyes water and even tasted the same. We told the waiter and they cooked us another one which mind you was half the size of the first and still had a funny smell, by that stage I was over it and very disgusted, when we went to pay we still got charged full price for something I could have cooked better and for cheaper! I don't recommend this place to anyone anymore.

Feb 14, 2012

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

Although they don't have a tasting menu, we ordered the Seafood platter for two. This beat all Tasting Menus. It came in two layers, hot and cold and was laden with a half fresh lobster, oysters, king prawns, mussels, Moreton Bay bug, blue swimmer crab, crumbed and deep fried prawn cutlets, barramundi pieces, calamari rings, scallops, served with cocktail and tartar sauces.

I know all this because I asked to take away the menu. Afterwards, despite being totally full, we ordered freshly made chocolate mousse and Crepes Waldorf. We washed dessert down with a glass of the house sparkling. This place has apparently not changed its recipes since the 1970s. I hope it continues. I want to go back. It was a truly great eating experience. A friendly staff and a price within our budget.

Feb 10, 2012

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  10     

Went for dinner with a friend. Ordered a lobster from the huge salt water tank. 800 grams. Cooked perfectly in Mornay style. Reminded me of nights in Marseilles two years ago while teaching.

Price is high, but local lobster is heavily Protected and costs a lot in shops. My friend tried WA lobster (smaller but tasty). We shared Chocolate Mousse for dessert. It was fresh, incredibly chocolaty and delicious. Top value. Will return!

Jan 14, 2012

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  7     

Great oysters and I go back there regularly for them but this time I had the seafood platter with my friend and it was heaven! One of the best I have had considering we are a 2 hour drive from any ocean it was fresh vibrant and yummy.

Jan 11, 2012

4.5 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  8      Service  2      Value  2     

The service was poor, the value wasn't good and for bragging to have the best steak it was dangerously under cooked. The medium rare looked like ble steak, if that.

Jan 06, 2012

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  3      Ambience  3      Service  2      Value  1     

We had a good meal but upon leaving I realized we had been over charged. I submitted an enquiry expressing that I felt I had been over charged only to receive an impolite response stating that I had been charged for what I had been served. There was no apology offered and I was made to feel that the mistake was entirely my fault when it was clearly not. A good lunch turned into an over priced disappointment.

Dec 21, 2011

5 Average

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  2      Value  3     

We had a great steak but once our table was cleared the service ended, we waited for 30 minutes to place our dessert/coffee orders, but gave up. Person taking the bill didn't seem to care when we voice our opinion. Will think twice about returning.

Dec 19, 2011

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

Superb restaurant in the suburbs. Food is great as is the service and atmosphere. If you like seafood this is the place to go!

Dec 08, 2011