A former government canteen that once served roast beef sandwiches and sausage rolls to public servants will be reborn as a "world-class" Japanese restaurant by one of Canberra's leading restaurateurs.
The group behind prominent Canberra restaurant Raku - Soho Hospitality Group - has purchased the former West Portal Cafeteria in Parkes from developer Amalgamated Property Group.
Raku owner and head chef Hao Chen said plans are well underway for the group's second restaurant.
"The pavilion is perfectly matched with our style ... the design and the food philosophy is going to be east and the west combined," he said.
The pavilion-style building at 44 Constitution Avenue opened in 1969 to service federal government workers in the nearby Anzac Park East and West buildings.
The cafeteria has since been added to the Commonwealth's heritage register for its signature 1960s architecture and free-standing design.
The Raku team are working closely with the National Capital Authority, developer TP Dynamics and Amalgamated Property Group to ensure the restaurant is in keeping with its heritage status.
Olivia Shih of Studiolive is behind the interior design, which will include materials shipped out from Kyoto, Japan.
Mr Chen said while the outside of the venue will retain its "authentic Japanese, Kyoto style" the inside will boast a high-end, modern feel, like walking into a restaurant in "New York or Paris".
An à la carte menu will be on offer with a focus on sushi and dishes cooked on a robata grill in the centre of the restaurant.
A premium wine list is being curated by a renowned sommelier out of Sydney, Mr Chen hints.
The venue will seat around 200 people, including booths and three private dining rooms.
"Canberra needed something [they could be] proud of, [something] world-class. So that's the reason we purchased this one and we're spending the time and effort to build it up ... give people a different experience," Mr Chen said.
The team has already begun the recruitment process and expects to hire about 80 staff in time for the restaurant's opening in mid-2023.
JLL senior executive Mitch Frail, who managed the sale, said the property attracted more than 85 inquiries and five bids, mostly from local buyers.
"We definitely had a lot of interest especially from Canberra people, I suppose just because everyone knows the site," he said.
"It's pretty rare to have a heritage site in Canberra that is so prominent ... that was definitely attracting a lot of people from office to indoor [recreation] to hospitality and some medical as well."
The free-standing building has a floor area of about 534 square metres, plus just under 500 square metres of surrounding land and carparks.
Amalgamated Property Group are currently developing a mixed-use precinct next to the former cafeteria, slated for completion in the third quarter of 2022.
The Griffin will include 254 apartments and penthouses, plus commercial units on the ground level.
The developer also owns the Anzac Park East building on the other side of Anzac Parade and is currently in the planning stage for the site.
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