Oliver’s, Cairns *CLOSED DOWN*
Oh how I am enjoying this whole writing about food journey that I have recently embarked on because it means that I can always have an excuse to go out for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. Last Thursday was no different so a couple of my close friends and I went to Oliver’s Australian Fine Cuisine restaurant on Spence St in the city. Now this was actually my first time to Oliver’s, not so for my friend HH and I was informed by Oliver himself that the restaurant will have been open for five years this August. Like many of the restaurants in Cairns business is tough due to the the lack of tourist numbers and locals dining out but hey we were there.
The restaurant was fairly empty with only about five tables occupied this evening. The service was spot on with the waitress pouring our glasses of water and taking our drink orders (we ordered a bottle of champagne). Oliver bought over some bread with eggplant dip to get our appetites going and then recommended a few dishes for entree that we might like to try. The entrees came out in good time and we weren’t waiting too long, which was a nice change from some of the restaurants I have been to lately. I ordered the ‘Queensland Sea Scallops, Green Mango and Sesame Seed Ceviche with Wakame Tempura and Passion Fruit Foam’. I think this is the first time that I have actually had foam on my food. Yes I have heard about it and read about it and all that but again this is the first time I have actually tried it. I quite liked it. It made for great presentation and it tasted good too. The three of us shared the three scallops on the plate and we certainly enjoyed them.
Queensland Sea Scallops, Green Mango and Sesame Seed Ceviche with Wakame Tempura and Passion Fruit Foam (AU$18)
For our second entree we chose the ‘Sautéed Tiger Prawns, Cashew Nuts and Crunchy Vegetables served with Prawn Crackers and Garlic Creamy Sauce’. When it came out I have to say that it wasn’t what I was expecting both in size and presentation. I guess it was just a little disappointing compared to the scallops which looked fantastic. It was a great tasting dish but the tiger prawns were chopped up and not exactly plentiful.
Sautéed Tiger Prawns, Cashew Nuts and Crunchy Vegetables served with Prawn Crackers and Garlic Creamy Sauce (AU$16)
The last entree was recommended by Oliver and also something a bit different to what I would normally order. Oliver recommended the ‘Macadamia Nut Crumbed Pig Trotters Salad with Glazed Beetroot, Tasmanian Double Brie and Dijon Mustard dressing’. It was quite a big serve and looked great despite my crappy photography but it certainly didn’t look like pig trotters. The trotters were crumbed as described on the menu and they were juicy and tender but maybe a little bit too fatty for my liking.
Macadamia Nut Crumbed Pig Trotters Salad with Glazed Beetroot, Tasmanian Double Brie and Dijon Mustard Dressing (AU$16
We finished our entrees, ordered another bottle of champagne and this time asked Oliver for some recommendations for our main. HH said that he wanted something juicy and meaty (typical male) while I said that I would like a fish dish. Our other dining companion TH decided she had eaten too much and stuck with the champagne. Oliver ordered HH the ‘Slowly Roast Lamb Back Strap in Thai Basil Crust, Steer Fried Green Vegetables, Kaffir Lime Sauce and Fluffy Pumpkin Puree’. The lamb was rare in the middle (the way it should be) and the crust was beautiful and crunchy. Now I have to say the fluffy pumpkin puree was divine and so damn tasty I could have drunk it straight out of the gravy boat that it was served in.
Slowly Roast Lamb Back Strap in Thai Basil Crust, Stir Fried Green Vegetables, Kaffir Lime Sauce and Fluffy Pumpkin Puree (AU$34)
Oliver ordered me the ‘Steamed Salmon Stuffed with Shitake Mushrooms and Wrapped in Seaweed Sheet served with Lemongrass Broth and Wasabi Butter Sauce’. The presentation was really pretty special and the piece of salmon looked enormous to me. Now I have to say this is one of the best salmon dishes I have ever eaten. So many places I have been to have overcooked salmon and its so disappointing when a lovely piece of fish is wrecked by bad cooking, however this salmon fillet was fantastic. It literally melted in my mouth and I think my friends actually had food envy when they tasted it. The seaweed sheet with the zucchini wrapped around it on the outside of the salmon was also delicious and again I would go back to Oliver’s just for this dish. It really was something else!
Steamed Salmon Stuffed with Shitake Mushrooms and Wrapped in Seaweed Sheet served with Lemongrass Broth and Wasabi Butter Sauce (AU$34)
After all this food we were pretty much stuffed and I really couldn’t fit anything else in but of course HH insisted that we try some dessert, so Oliver suggested that we try the tasting platter of desserts then we could try a bit of everything. The David Bres’ assortment of desserts came out with four small desserts each occupying a corner of the platter. The desserts included Vanilla Mousse and Crepes Layered Cake, Raspberry and Rosella Flower Coulis, Davidson Plum Tart with Caramelised Meringue with Pistachio Short Bread, Mareeba Fruit Salad with Red Wine-Balsamic Vinegar Syrup, Honey Ice Cream and Wattle Seed Crostini and Chocolate and Mango Delight: Coco Pops Biscuit, Chocolate Mousse, Mango Sorbet and Marmalade, Bitter Cocoa Waffles (P.S: David Bres’ is the head chef). Again the presentation was really something and I almost didn’t want to touch it, still it didn’t take long till we dug in. Oliver informed us that his chef was the only one in Cairns that could make ‘caviar’ out of dessert ingredients. These were sprinkled on the Vanilla Mousse and Crepes Layered Cake and although they didn’t really taste like anything they looked great. Without rambling on too much the desserts were great and even TH decided she could fit some in and bypass the champagne for a little bit.
David Bres’ Assortment of Desserts (AU$20)
So the verdict for Oliver’s… Great cosy, little restaurant, the food was very good, the service was exemplary and the personal touch and recommendations provided by Oliver on the night really made it a memorable dinner.
Oliver’s Australian Fine Cuisine
Located on the Cnr of Spence and Abbott St, Cairns
Ph: (07) 40 411221
Website: www.olivers.net.au
Opening Hours: Wed – Mon from 6pm (closed Tues)
The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe, Edge Hill *CLOSED DOWN*
Saturday night and looking for somewhere nice to eat out I thought I would try The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe in Edge Hill, which started doing dinners Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights only a few weeks ago. My sister works in Edge Hill and said they had passed some sample menu’s out to the nearby shops to drum up some support and she reckoned the menu looked pretty good. The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe isn’t exactly known for doing dinners however not long ago this cafe was hosting sushi nights a few nights a week with ex Head Chef from Yama Sammy Kawano. Don’t know what happened to that…
The sign inside claims the restaurant to have ‘Rustic World Food in the Heart of Edge Hill’. Sounds good to me. So we arrived and I informed them that I had made a reservation. The girl claimed that I had said it didn’t matter if we sat inside or outside and asked if it was ok if we were seated inside as there was no room outside. I had actually asked for a table outside but never mind, inside it was. We took our seats and waited and waited and waited for someone to come to our table and even just offer us drinks. Granted it was a bit busy but the waiters and waitresses seemed to just not notice us sitting right in front of them. It took over 20 minutes before someone came along and poured us some water, took our drink orders and gave us a menu each to peruse. There are quite a lot of specials mention on the menu but the waitress didn’t tell us the specials. We did however ask someone what the specials were and we were met with a “Oh, hasn’t the waitress told you the specials yet?” No she hadn’t. So he said he would sent her over. The waitress came over and told us the specials but I got the feeling that she had no idea what she was talking about or even what half the food on the menu was. We ordered some artisan bread to start with as suggested by the waitress. The bread platter came out with 3 types of rye bread on a bread board: rye bread with walnuts, rye bread with caraways seeds and a rye bread roll with some little packets of butter on the side. The bread was cold and hard and there was nothing special about it at all.
Artisan Bread Board ($2 per serve)
Next up we ordered two entrees to share between the five of us (we had eaten to much bread by that stage). Despite the waiting around to be served earlier the entrees did actually come out in a timely manner. The first entree was Herb Braised Field Mushroom with Cacciatore Sausage and Goats Cheese on Wilted Rocket with Green Olive Puree and Red Wine Caramel (entree AU$3.90, main AU$28). This dish was absolutely fantastic and it was certainly enjoyed by everyone at the table except for my sister since she claimed that the sausage was too spicy for her. The portion size was great and the flavours really were wonderful, particularly the green olive puree. I would come back to The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe just for a main of that dish, YUM!
Herb Braised Field Mushroom with Cacciatore Sausage and Goats Cheese on Wilted Rocket with Green Olive Puree and Red Wine Caramel (entree AU$3.90, main AU$28)
Next up our second entree was Lamb Shank Soup with Careme Puff Pastry Closure and Lemon Gremolata (AU$15.90). It was quite a decent serve for an entree and it certainly was rustic. This dish was nice, however the pieces of lamb shank underneath the pastry weren’t very big, I guess it wasn’t chunky enough but one could be mistaken for thinking that its a pie and not a soup because of the presentation. Having said that the Careme Puff Pastry on top was light, flaky and delicious.
Lamb Shank Soup with Careme Puff Pastry Closure and Lemon Gremolata (AU$15.90)
Our mains followed soon after finishing our entrees. I ordered the Confit Duck Leg with pommes sarladaise, rocket and pistachios, red wine poached pear and port fig jus (AU$28.90). The duck was cooked just right, crispy skinned on the outside and just pink on the inside, the pear melted in my mouth and the potatoes were lovely and crisp.
Confit Duck Leg with pommes sarladaise, rocket and pistachios, red wine poached pear and port fig jus (AU$28.90).
Two of the people I was dining with ordered the same dish and when it came out I got a bit of food envy and kind of wished that I had gotten their dish, not to knock mine in any way but it did look and taste delicious! They ordered the Caramelized Ribs – Pork and Beef with Vietnamese Salad and Taro Chips (AU$27.50) and it was a huge serve. The ribs were piled high on the plate and were falling off the bone. They really did melt in your mouth and my two fellow diners couldn’t even finish their meals, even with the other three at the table trying to help! Now I really tried to get a good picture of these ribs before my family hoed into them but alas it didn’t happen so the one below is all you have to work with.
Caramelized Ribs – Pork and Beef with Vietnamese Salad and Taro Chips (AU$27.50)
And lastly, the my other two family members had also ordered the same thing on the menu. They ordered the Sicilian Veal Osso Bucco with House Spaetzle and Green Beans in Beetroot Vinegar and pan fried almond flakes (AU$24.50). The veal was very meaty with heaps of succulent marrow (that’s what osso bucco is all about isn’t it, sucking the marrow out) and the beans were crisp and not overcooked.
Sicilian Veal Osso Bucco with House Spaetzle and Green Beans in Beetroot Vinegar and pan fried almond flakes (AU$24.50)
Not too sure about the House Spaetzle, it kind of just tasted like little chunks of batter with roasted garlic. I looked it up and apparently that is what it is supposed to taste like. Meh.
House Spaetzel (accompaniment to the Osso Bucco)
Ok so the verdict: The meals were reasonably priced with fairly big portions and I do have to say I was pretty impressed by the food. Like I said I would be back just for the mushroom entree. The service did let the whole experience down a bit. When we finally did get our water that is all the water that we got. No jugs, no refills and we even had to refill our own wine a couple of times. The food was great however the service was not. This may be because the restaurant had only been open a couple of weeks and the staff were still learning the ropes and hopefully this will smooth over in the next few weeks because I will be back.
Mama Coco, Westcourt
If you are looking for somewhere nice to go for a quick, light and healthy lunch then Mama Coco on the corner of Mulgrave Rd and Aumuller St is a good place to check out. Located next to the butcher’s Mama Coco is a cosy little cafe that my friend HH introduced me to a few months ago. They do both breakfast and lunch and are open Monday to Saturday.
So I haven’t tried the breakfast menu yet but I will certainly get to it because if there lunches are anything to go by then theirbreakfasts should be pretty good. Their lunch menu is made up of 10 different types of sandwiches all under $15 and you can choose from ciabatta, foccacia, white, wholemeal, multigrain or a wrap. There is also 6 different types of salads to choose from on the menu as well as a few things to choose from in the cabinet next to the counter such as quiche or a tart and a delicious selection of cakes and muffins.
BLT
LL ordered the BLT while I ordered the Rocket and Parmasen Salad avec Pear, Parsley, Artichoke and Balsamic Reduction (I put a hold on the parsley because I find its too overpowering) and a Cappucino. The service was friendly but the waitress forgot to bring over a glass with ice for LL’s coke that he had requested and then she took my cappucino to the wrong table even though she had only just served me a couple of minutes ago. Oh well maybe she had a big weekend or had something on her mind? The coffee was pretty good however and we only waited about 10 minutes for our food to come out. LL reckons that his BLT was really good and he was happy that they weren’t stingy on the bacon. My other friend HH reckons their Steak Sandwich is a winner also. My salad was delicious and the ingredients went really well together especially the shaved parmesan and the thin slices of pear. YUM! It’s making me hungry just thinking about it.
Rocket and Parmasen Salad (AU$12)
When we were finished the waitress cleared our plates and replaced them with a litte dish with two little Apricot and Almond mini muffins for us to try. They were freshly baked that day and sooooo yummy!
Apricot and Almond Mini Muffins (AU$1.50)
Mama Coco, it’s great, check it out.
Mama Coco:
Shop 4, 196 Mulgrave Road Westcourt QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40521227
Website: www.mamacoco.com.au
The Raw Prawn, Cairns
Oh how I love my lunches in town on the weekends and again I thought I would take advantage of another one of the lunch specials going in the city but this time at The Raw Prawn on the esplanade. The Raw Prawn is a local seafood restaurant situated in a great spot on the esplanade that has been open for over 10 years. I have been here for lunch a few times and always enjoyed it. There is $22.50 lunch specials which includes two courses plus a glass of wine, beer or soft drink. There is also a $14.90 lunch special which is just for a main but my friends and I opted for the more expensive one ordering an entree and a main along with a couple of glasses of white wine and a beer. There are 9 entrees to choose from, 10 mains and 3 desserts. Again, its not all just seafood and there is a couple of non-seafood dishes for the non-seafood lover. AL ordered the Soft Shell Crab with Crisp Garlic Flakes and Sweet Chilli on a Thai Salad for entree and for a main he ordered the Chicken Pasta thigh pieces tossed with garlic and olive oil, since he isn’t that much of a seafood lover.
- Soft Shell Crab with Crisp Garlic Flakes and Sweet Chilli on a Thai Salad
LL went for the Natural Oysters for entree and the Pacific Fusion Reef Fish, Prawns, Calamari and Mussels poached in coconut basil sauce with rice and bok choy for main.
Natural Oysters with Cocktail Sauce
I order the Mussels in homestyle napoli sauce for entree and Tempura Prawns with salad and chips for main (I tend to get these everytime I come here because the prawns are pretty good).
Mussels in Homestyle Napoli Sauce
I asked the waiter if the seafood was local and he assured me that the mussels and the oysters were from Tasmania. We didn’t wait very long for our entrees to come out and they all came out at once which is always a good start. All the servings were of a good size for an entree and we were all very happy with them. The mussels weren’t very big but apparently its hard to find big mussels these days. The soft shell crab was crispy and the oysters were juicy. Next up our mains came out, again all at once and we only waited about 10 minutes. My prawns were big and the tempura was extra crunchy just the way it should bewhile AL seemed pretty pleased with his pasta, so much so that he hooked into it before I got a chance to take a photo of it.
Tempura Prawns with Chips and Salad
LL said that his Pacific Fish was really good but he got a bit of food envy when he saw my main. The only problem with Luke’s dish is that the prawns were small and imported which was a little strange considering that my prawns were big and local. A little disappointing but he didn’t mind too much.
Pacific Fusion Reef Fish, Prawns, Calamari and Mussels poached in coconut basil sauce with rice and bok choy
The Raw Prawn = good atmosphere, good service, great price. I’ll be back.
The Raw Prawn
101 Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40 315400
Website: www.rawprawnrestaurant.com.au
Mondo Cafe Bar and Grill, Cairns
It was a Friday night and HT and I decided to go out for dinner somewhere that wasn’t too expensive and had good atmosphere where we didn’t have to book. We ended up at Mondo Cafe Bar and Grill down near the waterfront and right next to the Hilton. I have been to Mondo many times over the 15 or so years it has been open and quite often I have been very disappointed with the food and service, however it had been a few years since I had been there last so I figured I might as well give it another go and see if anything had changed. One thing I must say about Mondo is that is has great atmosphere and it is one of the only restaurants in Cairns that is right on the waterfront.
I am pretty sure that nearly every Cairns local has been to Mondo at least once and I did a quick scour of the internet before writing this post to see if I could find any reviews. I found a mixture of reviews, some good, some bad, so I figured I would add mine to the mix. When we arrived we managed to get a table outside pretty easily since there was only two of us. There was quite a lot of people at the restaurant mostly sitting outside. We perused the menu’s and ordered our food at the counter. HT ordered the Beef and Chicken Fajita’s for $21 while cheese was an extra $2 on top of that. I have heard good reports about the Fajita’s from a lot of different people so I think that was a good choice on her behalf.
Beef and Chicken Fajita’s
I was considering ordering the Caesar Salad with Squid but when I asked at the counter if the squid was imported the waitress didn’t know. She went off to ask the chef’s and she got two different responses from them, that is was and that it wasn’t so I decided to opt for something else. I ended up ordering off the specials board located above the counter. I ordered the Shaved Lamb Salad with Crispy Fried Polenta and SmokeyEggplant Dressing since it sounded pretty tasty. We got a glass of wine each and waited over half an hour for our dinner. I wonder if maybe the restaurant is too big to be able to fill orders in a sufficient time since there are so many mouths to feed. So we received our meals and HT’s fajitas looked pretty good and it was a pretty decent sized meal too. The totilla’s were soft and warm and there was salsa, sour cream, guacamole and cheese to go with the meat. I noticed that the cheese came out in a little dish that was hardly worth its while and I really don’t think it was worth an extra $2. Surely cheese should come standard with fajitas? And what ever happened to home made guacamole? Besides my obvious gripes HT said that the fajitas were really good and she was pretty well stuffed by the end of it and couldn’t finish it all.
Shaved Lamb Salad with Crispy Fried Polenta and Smoked Eggplant Dressing
My lamb salad however was very disappointing. The lamb was cold and the ‘Crispy Fried Polenta’ was also cold and had just been taken out of the fridge and put on my plate. I should have taken it back but since we waited over half an hour for our meal I was pretty hungry. The dressing was nice but there wasn’t enough and the salad was mostly really stalky endive leaves, I couldn’t finish it.
Well Mondo, you do have quite a large local following and you have got great atmosphere on your side but I won’t be back. Seriously, I mean it this time.
Mondo Cafe Bar and Grill
34 Esplanade Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40 526780
Open Mon-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 9.30am-10pm
Splash Seafood Restaurant, Cairns
Today my mate LL and I decided to take advantage of some of the many lunch specials that are available in Cairns. We ended up at local seafood restaurant Splash, located on the esplanade just down from Barnacle Bills and Villa Romana. For $14.90 you can choose from 7 lunch specials which change regularly. There is even a couple of dishes on the menu entice the non-seafood lover however being avid seafood lovers LL and I opted for a seafood dish each. Luke, being a typical male, ordered the Fish and Chips. The fish was lightly battered coral sea bream direct from the restaurants own fishing vessel (very impressive) with Beer Battered fries and tartare sauce.
Lightly battered coral sea bream with Beer Battered fries and tartare sauce.
I ordered the Chilli Squid and Cucumber Salad with Spanish Onions, Shallots, Mesculin and Passionfruit Dressing. On ordering I asked the waitress if the squid was imported and I was assured that it wasn’t however I wasn’t entirely convinced with her assurance, she seemed a bit unsure.
Chilli Squid and Cucumber Salad with Spanish Onions, Shallots, Mesculin and Passionfruit Dressing
Splash has great atmosphere and it was a beautiful day to enjoy a bit of lunch on the esplanade. One of the things that I think is pretty cool about Splash is the Australian Charts that are laminated to the table tops. Its something different and gives you something to look at and point to while you are waiting for your food to arrive. We didn’t wait long for our mains at all, probably only about 10-15 minutes which was good. My salad was very eye-catching with the passionfruit dressing drizzled around the plate and it tasted pretty good too. The squid was cooked nicely and the serving size was just right. LL’s Fish and Chips was a good size and the fish pieces looked, well just as the menu said ‘lightly battered’ but delicious also. The chips were crunchy and he seemed pretty satisfied by the end of it. Delicious lunch at Splash! I’ll be back for sure.
Splash
103 Esplanade Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40 319300
Il Lido, Darwin
Hmm well where do I start? Il Lido is a relatively new Italian restaurant in Darwin having only been open for a few months now. It has a funky feel to it with cool couches and bright red chairs to sit on and drink cocktails in the outside area. It’s located in a great spot, right down near Stokes Hill Wharf with views of the Darwin waterfront. I have walked past and perused the menu a few times so I thought it was only appropriate that I go there for dinner. Looking at the menu I noticed a few dishes that were strikingly similar to dishes on the menu at one of my fave Cairns restaurants Perotta’s At the Gallery (the Chilli Salt Squid Salad with Spiced Popcorn, the Warm Duck Salad and the Red Wine Braised Octopus with Watermelon Salad). These dishes are very similar if not almost the same as dishes at Perotta’s. On further research I found that Italian Chef Ivo Perrotta from Perotta’s At the Gallery is actually a Consultant Chef for Il Lido. Now this all makes sense. So I have heard mixed reports from people that have dined at Il Lido with some saying it was good and some saying that it was bad. Only one way to find out right?Il Lido is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and it was quite busy for a Wednesday night with most of the outside tables occupied. The inside was quite bare with hardly anyone in there but on such a lovely night why would you want to sit inside? We had a few drinks at the Cocktail Bar next door first off. I had a Green Tea Mojito, which was very nice and then we moved to our table.
Green Tea Mojito (AU$15)
There was 9 of us dining this evening and as we sat down I noticed that the lighting was very dim and it was actually quite dark for the people sitting outside. We didn’t order entree’s and went straight for the mains. Three of the people at my table ordered the 250g Porcini Dry Rubbed Churchill Sirloin with Garlic Roast Potatoes, Balsamic Red Onions and Gorgonzola Butter (AU$34), all cooked medium rare. The waiter informed them that their Sirloin didn’t come with many veges and so asked if they would like a side of Spiced Broccolini (AU$8) to with their main. They consented to the Broccolini. RW ordered the Roasted Barramundi with Peperonata, Olives, Zucchini and Salsa Verde for $32. He also went with the Iceberg Wedges drizzled with Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing and Pinenuts (AU$8). Across from me, MG ordered a main of Linguini with Tiger Prawns, Cherry Tomatoes, Fetta Cheese, Chilli and Fresh Lemon (AU$26).
Linguini with Tiger Prawns, Cherry Tomatoes, Fetta Cheese, Chilli and Fresh Lemon (AU$26)
CM ordered the Il Lido Caesar Salad, which came with all the things you would expect to come with a Caesar Salad as well as white anchovies, grissini and chicken. Nick ordered the Warm Duck Salad with Mango, Candied Spiced Pistachio, Baby Beets, Endive and Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette (AU$23), while last but not least I ordered the 8 Hour Roast Lamb Shoulder with Three Wheat Salad, Date, Almonds, Pancetta and Spicy Cumin Yogurt (AU$33). The mains took about 20-30 minutes to arrive at our table and when they did come out they were staggered and we left waiting a good 5 to 10 minutes for some people’s dishes to arrive. The three with the steaks were surprised at how small the dish was and were glad that they had ordered Broccolini on the side, however one of the steaks came out well done when it was supposed to be medium. The waiter was informed of this and nothing was ever done about it. No apologies, nothing. That was pretty disappointing. The Broccolini however was delicious and crisp.
Il Lido Caesar Salad (AU$15)
CM’s Caesar Salad was according to him “nothing special” and “my wife makes a better Caesar Salad”. Marcus’ Tiger Prawn Linguini was apparently very tasty and was a good serving size however, disappointingly the prawns were imported and on a closer look at the menu quite a lot of the seafood was imported. With the availability of high quality fresh seafood in Darwin there is no excuse for a new and pricey restaurant such as Il Lido not to have all Australian seafood on the menu. The Coral Trout had by Ray was cooked nicely but again it was a very small portion with hardly anything else on the plate and in RW’s words “there was nothing special about it”. The Warm Duck Salad ordered by NL went down well however he did comment on there only being one piece of mango on top of the salad and not through the salad as one would think.
8 hour roast lamb shoulder with 3 wheat salad, date, almonds, pancetta and spicy cumin yogurt (AU$33)
Lastly, my Lamb Shoulder was very tasty. It came out in a sort of salad form though which I wasn’t expecting and was quite a small portion. It was delicious and the Almonds and crunchy Pancetta with the Spicy Cumin Yogurt complimented the dish nicely. So for my verdict and this was reiterated by the rest of the people at my table. The food was overpriced and the portions were too small. Again it’s disappointing to see imported seafood on the menu in a place like Darwin particularly prawns. And the ‘non-response’ from the waiter when told about the steak being well done was pretty poor. I probably won’t be back. Sorry Il Lido you have a great atmosphere but the food and service let you down.
P.S: Sorry about the dodgy photos, I blame the dim lighting (or it could have been the mojito and 3 glasses of wine).
Il Lido
19 Kitchener Drive, Darwin NT 0800
Ph: (08) 89 410900
Website: illidodarwin.com.au
Mindil Beach Sunset Markets, Darwin
When you are in Darwin one of the things that you must do is visit the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets. They are open every Thursday and Sunday evening during the dry season and well worth the trip even if you just go for the food (like I do). The markets are normally packed to the brim with locals and tourists alike and it can get a little argy bargy at times, especially after sunset when everyone who has been down on the beach verges on the food stalls for something to eat and drink. There isn’t just food at these markets there is local aboriginal art, local crafts, the odd junk shops and live bands and entertainment but again like I said, I really just go for the food. There is so much food to choose from at the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets that I get a little overwhelmed and don’t really know what to eat first. Choices include a myriad of Asian food (Thai, Chinese, Sri Lankan, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Cambodian, Indian, yeah you get the picture), Aussie food, Greek, Italian, heaps of stores selling juices and smoothies and Mexican just to name a few.
Firstup, I can never go past my old favourite Thai dish, Som Tum or Papaya Salad. I went to the Ra Cha Asian Kitchen for this one. I have been there a few times and you can’t go wrong paying $5.00 for a large Som Tum. I always ask for chilli but not too much chilli because they do make it super hot sometimes and I have gotten to a point where I just cannot continue eating and have to give up eating my Som Tum halfway through due to it being inedible. Don’t get me wrong, I can eat chillibut I do have a limit. This Som Tum however was just right and judging by the line of people at this stall I think I was onto a winner. There are a few different stalls that sell Som Tum at the markets but I have found this one to be really good so I’l admit I haven’t tried any others however I have had a shitload of them in my time from other places as well as Thailand.
Som Tum from Ra Cha Asian Kitchen
Next up, I couldn’t go past a half dozen of oysters from the Sunset Oyster Bar, natural of course with a squeeze of lemon. They do have variations of oysters on the menu including the usual Kilpatrick, and a few others such as Mornay, Thai and Japanese. The oysters are live from South Australia and shucked on site by a team of very quick shuckers.
Shuckers at the Sunset Oyster Bar stall
This place does a roaring trade and I had to line up for about 10 minutes before I got served. The oysters are big and juicy and after I finished my half dozen for $8.50 (pretty good I reckon) I decided that I should have another half dozen because they were just too good to stop at 6. I am seriously surprised that this stall doesn’t run out of oysters since they are always flat out. They also serve things like prawn cocktails and mussels but the oysters win hands down since the prawns are imported and they don’t look that appertising.
Natural Oysters
So last but not least I went to try the Pho that I read about in the NT News a few weeks ago. According to the NT News this stall (the name is foregoing me at the moment but I will find out) has the best Pho in Darwin. I have to admit I haven’t been to Vietnam nor have I had Pho before but I read about it, then I visited the store and saw the queue and smelt the Pho aroma and so I decided that I wanted some Pho too. Well let me tell you, it was the best damn Pho I have ever had. Ok, ok it was the first but it was amazing. The broth was delicious and flavoursome and again for $8.50 you can’t go wrong! I got the Special Beef Pho, but there was Beef Ball Pho, Chicken Pho and Vegetarian Pho for those that like that kind of thing. I will definitely be back for more Pho next time I am in Darwin, I might even remember the name of the stall next time…
Special Beef Pho
P.S: Ok so it does sound like I am major fatty eating all this food but it must be noted that all this food was consumed over two visits to the markets.
Mindil Beach Sunset Markets
Maria Livens Drive, Mindil Beach, Darwin NT 0801
Ph: (08) 89 813454
Website: www.mindil.com.au
Opening Hours: Thursday 28th April to Thursday 27th October; Thursday 5pm -10pm, Sunday 4pm -9pm ( Sunday is a smaller market 3/4 of the Thurs)
M Yogo, Cairns
My friends and I thought we would make the most of the weather that Cairns has been having so we went for a bit of waterfront atmosphere with our lunch on Saturday. We ended up at the Pier at M Yogo, formerly Mature Yogo (I much prefer the new name). They have a lunch special for $20 which includes garlic bread, a glass of beer, wine or softdrink or instead soup of the day and a main. Pretty damn good value I think! I decided on the soup of the day which was Cauliflower Soup instead of the drink while my friends opted for the drink. Boy were they bummed when my soup came out and they were sitting there sipping on their soft drinks 🙂 First we had the garlic bread and then my soup came out. The soup was rich and creamy and just the right size. Then came our mains… I ordered Sauteed Prawns with Balsamic Sauce and Potato Salad (left). I was a bit sad be
cause I was truly intent on ordering the Slow Cooked Duck in Red Wine and Seasonal Vegetables but the waiter informed us that it wasn’t on the menu that day so I was severely disappointed about that but I soldiered on. Moving right along, Sophie ordered the Tiger Prawn, Marinated Salmon and Squid on a bed of Green Salad with a fresh Tomato Dressing and Luke ordered Grilled Salad and Squid Provencal Sauce with Crush Potato and Mesculin Lettuce. We were all pretty satisfied with our dishes and the presentation was fantastic. So after a bit of a food photo session we dug in and it was delicious. The prawns were cooked perfectly (as you would expect prawns to be at a restaurant) but my favourite was the Balsamic Sauce around the edge. It was truly delicious, fantastic value, awesome atmosphere and I think the pics speak for themselves!
M Yogo
Shop G9 Ground Floor “Pier Shopping”
Pier Point Road, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4051 0522
Website: matureyogo.com
Opening Hours: Open 7 days; Lunch: 11.30am – 2.00pm, Dinner: from 5.30pm
Ocha Cha, Cairns
Last night I went to dinner at one of my old favourites in the city… Japanese restaurant Ocha Cha in Palm Court on Lake St. This place has been here for at least 10 years because I used to go to it with my family every Friday night. I took my friend LL who had never been before and didn’t even know that it existed. Since Blue Sky Brewery moved in down below it, Ocha Cha is quite tucked away and only those in the know would even know that its up there. As usual the girl at the counter (seems to change every few months) knows very little or no English at all but you can still get by with a bit of pointing and the good old ‘smile and nod’. It was actually quite empty for a Tuesday night since I regularly find it packed to the brim during the week with Japanese as well as locals.
I do have to say it is one of the most authentic Japanese places in town offering Bento Boxes and Noodles at very reasonable prices and if you have a local’s discount card like I do then they are even more reasonable. I went with my old favourite Chicken Teriyaki because it really is very good here while LL went for the Deep Fried Pork Fillet. With both of the dishes you get tofu, miso, rice and your main but I always get the Vinaigrette Seaweed on the side because its just so damn tasty! And you can’t beat the Barley Tea there also served in those little blue plastic cups and then you can take a seat on the elevated floor area around the tables and wait for your Bento Box to arrive. Don’t forget your second bowl of rice is free too! I can never help myself with that second bowl…
foodvixen 