Situated along the waterfront strip, that lakeside vibe always makes things feel relaxed.

The eatery is quite large and caters to groups and functions of all sizes. Downstairs you'll find dining tables, lounges for coffee and cake (or cocktails), high bar tables and bench seats in the window. There is also an outdoor area with plenty of tables. Downstairs has a great view of the bustling kitchen, complete with wood-fire pizza oven, as well as the bar. Upstairs is the ideal spot for larger groups or for private functions with an upper level balcony boasting lake views.

Canon is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. It's a busy place and through the week, you can enjoy breakfast all day if you so desire. Each of the menus are big and cover dairy-free, gluten-free and vegetarian diets.

The bustle of the patrons provides a buzzy atmosphere, enhanced by the projection of old films onto the brick wall downstairs. We rock up on a Saturday night and everyone from families, to couples on dates and big groups of friends is there.

Canon menus are by no means small, and this includes their beverages. There are craft beers on tap, which happily includes some local heroes, plus cocktails and plenty of wines by the glass and bottle.

A glance around and I can see the meals are going to be big. Keen to see what the wood-fire oven produces, a few scallops flash-cooked in the beast seems like a good place to begin. They come in a bacon and garlic butter and you can order as many as you want. The scallops are great, the butter is salty and rich - slurp the extra juice up if you want that hit.

A sky-high pile of chicken wings arrives with smokey, zingy buffalo sauce as well as creamy aioli. They are crumbed and fried to give a touch more texture and are still juicy on the inside. This is a big bowl so there's plenty to share.

If there are more than two of you, you could try one of the grazing platters to sample a few items from the entree list - cheese, olives, pork and veal terrine, dips, chorizo and so on. Many choices will really come into their own with the cooler weather, such as the slow cooked pork belly and the duck and cognac pate.

When you're ready to move onto mains, there are hearty salads, pizza, pasta dishes, schnitzels, chargrill offerings and a whole bunch of mains such as burgers, salmon fillets, pot pies, fish and chips, the eight-hour slow-cooked lamb shoulder and more.

Pizza seems to be popular so I try a Florida - marinated chilli and garlic prawns with gooey mozzarella on a tomato base. The base is fairly thin and crispy and watch out - that chilli has bite. Shallots, shoots and lemon balance it off and the pieces are big - plenty for a doggy bag and lunch the next day. If you're in the mood for schnitzel, you can pimp your ride with a range of crazy toppers.

The dessert list is long and all are made in house. The usual suspects are here: cheesecake; pecan pie; creme brulée; pavlova; sticky date pudding and more. If you're in the mood for more sharing, try the dessert share plate with brownies, churros, ice-cream and dipping sauces to really finish with a bang.