Food I Photographed Last Month: WILMA

Commanding attention on the iconic corner of Genge and Bunda Street, Wilma and The Pearl are a bit of a hub for Canberra foodies.

Relatively new on the scene, Wilma of course replaced the much-loved Kokomo’s – a sign of the ever-present need to reinvent your offering in this town where people constantly demand new.

And re-invent they have. Stepping inside, the first thing you notice about Wilma is the impressive fitout. Plush brown/orange circular bench seating creates a feeling of warmth and cosiness, with the green and checkered tile textures upstairs feeling more refined and distinct. The mood when the sun goes down is unmatched. I have as much fun photographing this space as I imagine I would sitting in it.

Of course, the food is what we’re here for – and Brendan is no chump in the kitchen. His energy is infectious, and it’s a pleasure to watch as he grills, cuts and delicately plates up each of the dishes I’ll be photographing. The hard part is to focus on getting the shots and not just admiring the Asian BBQ goodness he’s pumping out.

And let’s talk the kitchen for a sec – there’s something so striking about the ‘primitive’ brick fire pit grill. Open flames and wood smoke set the tone. I can’t stop apologising for getting in people’s way – but they don’t seem to care. Everyone flows through this kitchen with ease, there’s a real groove to it.

Something Wilma achieves really well is a collection of dishes that hit the trifecta - a) look gorgeous, b) taste freakin’ good, and c) are generously portioned. It’s food that shines, totally photogenic but also evoking that involuntary ‘phwooah’ when it’s placed down in front of you. That ‘phwooah’ of course is the universal noise for ‘geez I can’t wait to hook into this’.

Share plates are the vibe, and I think that’s my favourite kind of eating. The atmosphere and seating arrangement promotes this of course, it’s all been engineered really successfully to create a sense of cosiness and closeness. The restaurant flows so seamlessly into the bar area, but it doesn’t feel like you’re eating in a bar.

Food-wise, there’s something for everyone. The signature oysters look undeniably gorgeous, and everyone loves them – but I’ll tell you a secret; I’ve never grown to like oysters. Luckily there’s stacks of other options – the Smoked Kingfish Sashimi, Smoked Char Sui Pork Belly w/ peanuts + chili, Wood Grilled Wagyu, and the Snag Sanga are my picks.

So all in all, would I eat here on a night off? 100% - in fact, it’s like this place was made for me. This is the kind of spot where you settle in with a group, order plenty of plates and keep the drinks flowing. Eat with gusto, enjoy the atmosphere, and let loose a little. Come hungry.