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Ochre, Cairns
Right. Where do I start? I guess the beginning would be the best place. Sorry about the lateness of this post. I have been working out of phone range so I have literally been unable to post anything until now. The last restaurant that MS and I went to before I left was Ochre, formerly Red Ochre. A restaurant that you could probably describe as a Cairns institution since it has been here so damn long. Up until a couple of weeks ago I had never been there before, for two reasons: 1) Because I have never really been a fan of eating my coat of arms (that would be the kangaroo and the emu, and 2) because I always thought it was too expensive. Cue Table 52 card. Anyway after reading all about it on Trip Advisor (great website by the way) and hearing about it from a few other people MS and I decided (ok I decided) to go there for dinner.
I booked us a table the previous day and lucky I did because Ochre was quite busy for a Tuesday night. I would say about 2/3 full with a large majority of those diners being tourists. (Whoever does the marketing for Ochre is doing an exceptional job particularly in the overseas visitor department). Upon arriving we were shown to our table for two near the window amongst the other diners and the dim lighting where we ordered our drinks. Ignoring the descriptions of wine on the menu I was taken by the name of the wine and asked for a bottle of Stonefish Sauvignon Blanc for the two of us. Note to self: In future, don’t just choose it because you like the name of it. The waiter poured us a glass of water each and fetched out bottle of wine.
In the mean time we looked over the menu and each decided on an entree and a main. MS went with the Twice Cooked Pork Belly, seared Queensland Scallops with Davidson Plum Jam and Cauliflower Puree (AU$21) for an entree while I, going against my previous statement about eating Australia’s coat of arms, was hell bent on trying what Ochre is best known for… local tucker. I ordered the Australian Antipasto Tasting Plate which consisted of Kangaroo Terrine with Pickled Kakadu Plum, Crocodile Wonton with Red Pepper Jam, Lemon Aspen Ocean Trout Gravlax, Emu Carpaccio, Goats Cheese and Roast Capsicum Roulade (AU$23).
For a main, MS was torn between the pork and the lamb but ended up opting for the Lamb Short Loin with Preserved Lemon Risotto, Sunrise Lime, Date and Sultana Salsa and Harissa Glaze (AU$34), which if you ask me is very Australian of him. I chose the Tempura Bay Bugs on Lemongrass, Green Papaya Salad and Sweet Chilli Lemon Myrtle Dipping Sauce (AU$36). All of the items on the menu sounded absolutely delicious and I have to say I did have a hard time finally choosing that dish over the rest on the menu. While waiting for our meals to arrive we toasted our evening at Ochre and had a sip of our wine. Turns out that Stonefish wasn’t a particularly good choice of wine on my behalf as it was much too sweet, and sour. (I’m not a wine reviewer ok so don’t judge me on my wine description). We still drank it but it just wasn’t the best tasting wine I have had to be honest.
We waited about 15-20 minutes for our entrees to arrive which the waitress placed in the middle of the table so we could share. The presentation of the entrees was outstanding, though as I had expected there was a lot of vacant space on the plates and not really that much food present. We started with the Australian Antipasto Tasting Plate. MS and I split the Crocodile Wonton in two and each had a bite. It was nice but nothing fantastic. The flavours of the Red Pepper Jam overtook the flavour of the crocodile so you couldn’t really taste anything other than Jam. Next up the Kangaroo Terrine which I quite enjoyed. MS didn’t like it at all and let me eat his share. The Ocean Trout Gravlax was delicious and even MS with his “I don’t like seafood” attitude enjoyed it saying that it tasted much different to what he was expecting. Not sure what he was expecting but apparently that wasn’t it. And lastly was the Emu Carpaccio. Hmmm, I wasn’t a fan and neither was MS. I think it tasted a little like an old boot, not that I am prone to the odd boot but if I was I think that is what it would taste like. I think that the Australian Antipasto Tasting Plate is just a bit of a gimmick for the tourists who want to sample Australia’s unique wildlife and I’m not just talking visually here. I’m glad we tried it but I wouldn’t order it again.
Australian Antipasto with Kangaroo Terrine with Pickled Kakadu Plum, Crocodile Wonton with Red Pepper Jam, Lemon Aspen Ocean Trout Gravlax, Emu Carpaccio, Goats Cheese and Roast Capsicum Roulade (AU$23)
Next entree was the Twice Cooked Pork Belly, Seared Queensland Scallops with Davidson Plum Jam and Cauliflower Puree. We both really enjoyed this dish. The only problem with it was that it was too small and we were both left wanting more. MS gobbled up two of the scallops so quickly I was left wondering if he actually knew that scallops came from the ocean. Apparently he did and apparently he also liked them. Hmmm I am beginning to think that this whole “I don’t like seafood” thing is a bit of a sham. Underneath the scallops was a cauliflower puree which was light, fluffy and oh so tasty. The pork belly was delicious and tender and the Davidson Plum sauce that was underneath these tender morsels was beautiful and rich. The Davidson Plum Jam was so good that I nearly licked remainder clean off the plate.
Twice Cooked Pork Belly with Seared Queensland Scallops, Davidson Plum Jam and Cauliflower Puree (AU$21)
Next up were our mains, which after our entree plates were cleared took easily less than 15 minutes to arrive. Again, the presentation of the main dishes was exceptional but I was left with meal envy when I saw what MS had in front of him. Don’t get me wrong my bugs looked amazing but his lamb looked insanely good and tasted as good as it looked. The pieces of lamb were super tender and cooked to perfection (slightly rare) along with the delicious date and sultana salsa that matched it so well. It was quite a decent serve for a main. Not at all what either of us were expecting after the size of the entrees. MS really enjoyed his lamb and so did I.
Lamb Short Loin with Preserved Lemon Risotto, Sunrise Lime, Date and Sultana Salsa and Harissa Glaze (AU$34)
My expertly cooked bugs were fantastic. They were not at all overcooked and were plump and juicy with crispy tempura on the outside that was not overly oily. MS had a taste and decided that not only did this non seafood lover like scallops but apparently he liked bugs too. The sweet, tender bug meat was a perfect match for the papaya salad which it was placed on top of. I loved this dish because it was cooked so delicately and even though it was fried it wasn’t too heavy. The serving size was also quite decent and not lacking in any respect.
Tempura Bay Bugs on Lemongrass, Green Papaya Salad and Sweet Chilli Lemon Myrtle Dipping Sauce (AU$36)
Both MS and I enjoyed our main meals at Ochre along with one of our entrees (the scallop and pork belly one). You can keep the emu and crocodile as it seems that eating Australia’s coat of arms just isn’t my thing. Still I am prone to the odd Kangaroo steak at home but we won’t go into that. The service at Ochre was fantastic, the food just one step down from outstanding and the prices were very reasonable for a fine dining restaurant which is why Ochre has certainly stood the test of time in what is a struggling Cairns economy. Having finally had a chance dine at Ochre I have to say it that it wasn’t everything that I had hoped that it would be. It didn’t blow my socks off. After reading some reviews I was expecting Ochre to be my new number one restaurant in Cairns but it didn’t quite make it to that coveted position. What is my number one restaurant in Cairns you ask? Well, sadly I am yet to find a restaurant that ticks all the boxes, and ticks them well. In the meantime, I’ll keep you posted.
Ochre
43 Shields St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4051 0100
Website: www.ochrerestaurant.com.au
Watch House Restaurant, Cairns Courthouse Hotel
A couple of weeks ago I went out for dinner with my good friends and brothers LL and AL. Taking a step aside I asked LL to choose a place to go for dinner on this fine Monday night. Much to my dismay he chose the Watch House Restaurant at the Cairns Courthouse Hotel because he has ‘always wanted to try it’. Apparently. I have been to the Courthouse for lunch maybe about a year ago and found it to be very ordinary and overpriced but since LL agreed to pay (ok I did have my Table 52 card) I agreed to give it another go. We grabbed a drink at the bar and took a seat in the restaurant where the friendly waitress brought us some menus to look at. For a Monday night I was surprised at how busy the restaurant was being about half full and with a couple of large groups too. It certainly seemed pretty popular. Maybe a little more popular than I had expected. The menus are huge and that was before I realised that they were double sided. They do have AU$9.99 specials on from Monday to Friday, this particular night being Pasta but neither of us were keen on that option so we all chose something from the menu. Sticking with a relatively light and healthy option for myself I chose the Crispy Skin Atlantic Salmon served with a not too sharp Balsamic Glaze for AU$27.90, which also comes with chips. I swore to myself that I would not eat the chips and leave them on the side of the plate. Yeah, sure keep telling yourself that…
Seems LL and AL both had a penchant for meat (haha) so they ordered the Rack of Pork Ribs served with Fries and Salad for AU$28.90. You have to order your meals at the counter which I think is a little steep considering they are nearly AU$30 each. Apparently I wasn’t the only one that thought this because an American girl that sat down at a table next to us had a similar opinion. So off we went to the counter to order our meals, or should I say LL and AL went to the counter to order the meals while I closely guarded our table and drinks.
We waited about 20 minutes for our meals to arrive which was pretty good considering how many people were in the restaurant. As with poached eggs at a cafe, I like to see how well or more importantly not well my salmon is cooked. On this occasion it was certainly well done and even though LL had stressed for the kitchen to cook it medium rare I had expected as much. I’m not quite sure what happened to my Balsamic Glaze but there was hardly any on the fillet of Salmon. The meal was ok but I was pretty disappointed with my overcooked Salmon. Still I did manage to eat every single one of the chips on my plate. I’m just a total sucker for chips and BBQ sauce (the BBQ sauce that I had to go and fetch from the kitchen to go with the chips that I wasn’t going to eat mind you).
Crispy Skin Atlantic Salmon served with a not too sharp Balsamic Glaze (AU$27.90)
The Racks of Ribs were big decent serves as you would expect with Racks of Ribs however neither of the boys were particularly impressed with them and after tasting them myself I would have to agree. The ribs tasted like they had been cooked the previous day and just reheated because they were pretty dry and the BBQ type marinade that they had been basted in was very bland and tasteless. AL gave his ribs a 7 out of 10 while LL decided on a 6. (Sorry about the super crap photo below – I was trying to be sneaky.)
Rack of Pork Ribs served with Fries and Salad (AU$28.90)
Seems that the food at the Watch House Restaurant at the Cairns Courthouse hasn’t really changed since I went there over a year ago. It’s still very ordinary food and if you are expecting to go there for a cheap meal think again (unless you are going there for one of their AU$9.99 meals of course). I believe that their prices are a little high considering their lack of table service and for what they serve since they are pub meals after all but it seems that a half full restaurant on a Monday night proves differing opinions.
Cairns Courthouse Hotel
38 Abbott St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4081 7777
Opening Hours: 7 days 12pm till late
Website: www.courthousehotelcairns.com
Koh-Ya Japanese BBQ Restaurant, Orchid Plaza *CLOSED DOWN*
I have been meaning/wanting to go to Koh-Ya for some time now and last weekend I finally stepped up to the plate so to speak and gave it a go. Koh-ya is a Yakiniku Japanese BBQ restaurant upstairs at Orchid Plaza that has been there for since 2003. According to www.yakiniku.com.au Yakiniku is an eating style in which fresh, seasoned ingredients such as meat, seafood and vegetables are cooked on a mesh over a direct flame. Each individual booth at Koh-ya has it’s own grill for you to cook your food on. This is exactly the reason why one of my friends declined my invitation to join ST and I for dinner on this particular night. In his own words… ‘Why the hell would I want to pay to cook my own food?’ Each to their own I guess but I wanted to try it out.
Booth with Individual Grill
At Koh-ya there is an a-la-carte menu as well as two buffet options. There are 44 dishes to choose from on the AU$39.90 buffet menu including dishes like prawns, octopus, mussels, chicken, beef, miso soup, mushrooms and sliced onion. The more expensive buffet option of AU$49.90 includes all these dishes plus a few more such as sashimi, intenstine and tripe. Although both ST and I love sashimi neither of us is keen on the latter so we just went for the AU$39.90 buffet. There are a few ‘Terms and Conditions’ that one needs to be aware of when dining at Koh-ya. These ‘Terms and Conditions’ are listed at the bottom of the menu and state that the buffet is 90 minutes long and this time begins from when you order your first dish. No problem there… 90 minutes is pretty long time to eat for and I think we were only eating for about 40 minutes in total. The second important condition is that any excess uneaten food must be paid for, i.e. if you order a sh*tload of food and don’t eat it all then expect to pay for it when you leave. Having said that, I had a quick look at the food left behind by the table next to us that paid just before us and they had quite a lot of food leftover that they weren’t asked to pay for.
The Mesh Grill
On arriving at Koh-ya the friendly Japanese waitress showed us to our booth where we both ordered the buffet and she promptly lit up our grill to allow it to preheat while we waited for our first orders to arrive. She then brought us each a dipping sauce that was like a light soy sauce accompanied with a wedge of lemon and some chilli powder (I’m pretty sure that’s what it was).
Dipping Sauce with Lemon and Chilli Powder
On arriving ST was most excited to see one of her all-time favourite dishes on the buffet menu – Yukke. According to Wikipedia Yukke is made from raw minced beef seasoned with various spices or sauces, usually with a raw egg cracked over the top. The most tender part of the beef is used, the fat is removed and the beef is julienned and then mixed with the seasoning. The seasoning is soy sauce, sugar, salt, sesame oil and a few other bits and bobs. ST ordered a Yukke for herself and decided that I had to have one too. I was a little dubious about eating raw beef. I have absolutely no qualms about eating raw seafood but meat is a little different. I gave it a go, breaking my egg yolk with my spoon and mixing it into the red mince. Once I got over the texture of the raw mince it was delicious, and I mean REALLY good. In fact I could go another bowl right now just thinking about it! The meat was almost sweet from the various seasoning that had been mixed into it and unfortunately I got into it so quickly I didn’t even get a picture of it so you will just have to go and have one for yourself. We ordered about 10 dishes all up including Shake Gohan (Salmon Rice), prawns, squid, octopus, mussels and beef rib.
Shake Gohan
Prawns
Octopus
Squid
We ordered about 3 plates of beef rib between us just because it was so juicy and tender.
Beef Rib
ST ordered a bowl of edamame to nibble on whilst we were waiting for our food to cook on the grill. I love those yummy little pods of salty goodness and they are also good for fidgeters like me since they keep your hands busy.
Edamame
Each item comes out on a small serving plate with 2 or 3 pieces each, depending on what you order. If you like a particular item you can just keep ordering more and it’s better this way because you don’t have hardly any waste. The food at Koh-ya is pretty basic, not at all fancy however it’s pretty healthy (as long as you control your portion size) and it’s tasty too. I’m no butcher but the meat that they serve you is really lean and good quality. The wait staff are also very friendly and helpful albeit a little hard to understand. Disappointingly, as is the case all too often, the seafood at Koh-ya is imported which wasn’t a surprise to me. You need to take a bit of a systematic approach to cooking your food otherwise you sit there and wait too long and that’s no good for an impatient person like me (that’s what people tell me anyway). The best way to do it is to have something on the grill while you are eating and have something on order as well, that way you always have something to eat and everything flows nicely. It’s a good and bad thing that you have to cook your own food depending on which way you look at it. I thought it was kind of fun and and you can just chat with your company while you work your little BBQ and tongs. The best thing about doing the cooking at Koh-ya is that you don’t have to clean up the mess afterwards.
Koh-Ya Japanese BBQ Restaurant
Orchid Plaza Shop 50 12-14 Lake St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4041 6006
$15.95 Sunday BBQ Ribs @ Dunwoody’s, Cairns
If you are driving along the northern end of Sheridan St it’s a little hard to miss the large ‘$15.95 Sunday BBQ Ribs’ sign out the front of Dunwoody’s. If you love ribs as much as I do then your mouth waters every time you drive past. Well last weekend I couldn’t take it anymore so some friends and I went to The Steakhouse at Dunwoody’s for dinner. Now I have to say I’m definitely a lover of ribs (isn’t everyone) and I’m on the hunt for a rack of ribs to beat or even just come close to the ‘Best Ribs of My Life’ from a few years ago at a little restaurant called Rippy’s Smokin’ Bar and Grill in Nashville, Tennessee. These ribs were so damn good that I just had to get the t-shirt as a memento. Now there are a few little things that I judge a good rack of ribs on… Firstly, the ribs must be tender enough to literally fall off the bone. I don’t carry dental floss in my handbag so I don’t want to be gnawing the meat of my ribs and then having it stuck in my teeth for the next two hours (that’s gross I know but it’s the truth). Secondly, there must be lots of marinade on the ribs. If I’m not going to get sauce all over my hands and face then forget about it. And lastly, there must actually be meat on the ribs. No one wants a rack of ribs from an emaciated pig that has no meat on it. I want meat! (Sorry to all you vego’s but this isn’t a post for you.) This particular Sunday Dunwoody’s was also serving a twist on their usual rack of ribs… Coca Cola Ribs. Sounds a bit weird huh? I ummed and ahhed about it and finally decided to order the standard ‘House Special Ribs’ since that is what I had come to Dunwoody’s for in the first place and it would be wrong to get anything else. I was in fact the only one at the table that ordered the ribs.
It didn’t take long for our meals to arrive but we were one of only two occupied tables in the restaurant. I ordered the regular serving and I was glad that I didn’t order the large serving for $28.95 because the regular serving with the chips and salad was more than enough for me. My family and I used to dine at Dunwoody’s regularly back when it was called Matilda’s (about 6 or 7 years ago) and for pub meals the food was suberb. I mean really good meals and consistently good but that was until the head chef there was poached by another restaurant. After that Dunwoody’s was never the same so we stopped going there. Until now. I have say it’s still not the same. The ribs were ok. The sauce was pretty bland and the ribs were quite fatty but for $15.95 you can’t really complain.
Regular BBQ Ribs (AU$15.95)
Let’s just say my meal at The Steakhouse at Dunwoody’s was mediocre at best and I probably wouldn’t go back for the ribs having now satisfied my curiosity. According to the rest of the table my friends meals were also pretty average and by the look of them, I tended to agree. The regular Supreme Pizza that JC ordered looked hmmm shall we say ‘less than gourmet and more like McCains’ and I wish I had gotten a picture of it. So it seems my search for ribs to match or even come close to the ‘Best Ribs of My Life’ is ongoing and ideally I’d like to find somewhere a little closer than Tennessee.
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The Steakhouse at Dunwoody’s
317 Sheridan St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4051 6822
Website: www.ourhotels.com.au/dunwoodys
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs from 11.30 am till 2.30 pm, 5.30 pm till 9 pm, Fri – Sun from 11.30 am – 9 pm
Driftaway’s On The Water, Yorkeys Knob Boat Club
I’m just a regular person that enjoys food, enjoys eating out and enjoys writing about it. As an anonymous diner I do not, nor do I want to, get any benefits or perks from the places that I dine at. It must also be said that all restaurants that I review do not know that I am going to be writing about them. As a local that wants to support the cafes and restaurants of Cairns I don’t particularly want to write bad reviews but sometimes it’s deserved and the experience just can’t go untold. A few days ago I had the unfortunate experience of having dinner at Driftaways On The Water at Yorkeys Knob Boat Club. It was not my choice (I wanted to go to the new Indian restaurant at Harbour Lights) however my friend that chose to dine there soon regretted it also. I have dined at Driftaway’s once before for the $10 a dozen oysters on Saturday’s and found it to be pretty good but then again how hard is it to stuff up natural oysters? You really just have to put them on a plate with a bit of lemon and away you go. This time however we were there on a Friday night so there were no $10 a dozen oysters to order. We perused the dinner menu and my friend ST opted for the Salmon Pasta described as Penne Pasta with Atlantic Salmon, Capers, Spanish Onion, Cherry Tomato and Baby Spinach in a Light Cream reduction (AU$24), while I opted for the Tiger Prawn Spring Rolls as a main (AU$19). We decided we would share a Traditional Bruchetta Bread (AU$9.50). I’m pretty sure it’s spelt ‘Bruschetta’ with an ‘S’. We asked for all the meals to be brought out together which they were and in good time too but the food was terrible. The Bru(s)chetta Bread was stale and I mean REALLY stale. They had used stale bread and tried to toast it to hide the staleness of the bread. They didn’t toast it nearly long enough to do this. I took it back and they brought out ‘fresh’ bread (or was it just different pieces from the same loaf toasted longer this time?) ST thought her Salmon Pasta was horrible and asked me to taste it to see if it tasted ok. Ok is an overstatement. Let’s just say the Salmon Pasta wasn’t what either of us expected it to be especially for the price. My Tiger Prawn Spring Rolls, well in my exact words ‘tasted like food poisoning’. We ate half a spring roll each and left the rest. I’m surprised I didn’t get an upset stomach from them. I don’t think I need to say anymore on the matter or Driftaway’s. The service I must admit was pretty good despite having to order your meals at the counter but the food is atrocious and no restaurant should serve food of such poor quality, ever.
Driftaway’s On The Water
Ph: (07) 4055 7711
Opening Hours: Dinner 6pm – 9pm daily
Website: www.ykbc.com.au
El Mundo Tapas Bar, Edge Hill *CLOSED DOWN*
By complete coincidence I was invited by friends (BC, JuC and JoC) to dine at El Mundo Tapas Bar in Edge Hill on the same day that they made the front page of The Cairns Post and voted by Trip Advisor to be the number 1 restaurant to dine out in Cairns out of a whopping 177 restaurants. Do we really have that many restaurants in Cairns? Sheesh! I was certainly in luck to be going to El Mundo and also lucky that my friends had booked a few days prior because the place was absolutely packed out. I have noticed that when El Mundo first opened mid last year there was a couple of tables inside and a couple of tables outside. Since then that number has grown and now they simply cannot fit anymore tables outside. The entire sidewalk is now taken up by tables and chairs full of happy diners enjoying their tapas. I have dined at El Mundo previously and even attempted to review it but the pictures I took were so damn dodgy (even more so than usual) due to the poor lighting where I was seated that I decided it wasn’t worth doing a post. On this occasion however I had ample lighting to take pictures of the delicious plates of tapas that were arriving at our table. Now for those that haven’t been to El Mundo Tapas Bar before every month they feature a different type of cuisine. This month (December) is Turkish Month, while a few months ago when I last dined there it was Sri Lankan month. Along with their regular menu of mouth watering tapas they feature a selection of dishes from that particular country and instead of having waiters coming around and taking your order (they do take your drink order in a very timely fashion and regularly replace your water bottles) each table gets a little blackboard and some chalk to write down a selection of tapas of their choice from the tantalising menu. The waiter then comes and retrieves the blackboard from your table and ‘VOILA’! Your order has been placed. The blackboard ordering system is a fun and unique way of ordering your dishes.
Ordering via blackboard
Now the restaurant was packed this particular Thursday night (I even saw them turning people away) but the food still arrived in ample time and we weren’t waiting long for our first batch of blackboard choices to arrive. First up we went with a mix of both Turkish themed tapas and some of the usual thoroughfare that they have every month. Ever the chilli lovers BC and I both gushed about the ‘Chilli Rellenos’ on the menu, having tried them previously and I have to say they are my favourite item on the menu. First to come out was the C & L Garlic Beef, Soy marinated tender chunks of bite sized beef served with zesty lime and peanut dipping sauce (AU$7.50). The beef was tender and juicy and although JoC had a bit of trouble getting the pieces onto her fork she certainly enjoyed this dish. JuC announced that having previously tried this dish it was in fact one of her favourites.
C & L Garlic Beef – Soy marinated tender chunks of bite sized beef served with a zesty lime and peanut dipping sauce (AU$7.50)
Next came the Chilli Rellenos, Jalapeno Chillies stuffed with Cheddar and Bacon and lightly fried in Tempura Batter (AU$6.90). These are a little bit spicy but OMG they are amazing and I could eat them, as my mum would say ’till the cows come home’. Apparently they are one of the favourites on the menu with customers. These were so good that we just had to order another plate because one chilli was not enough! I could have even gone a third plate! YUM just doesn’t cut it!
Chilli Rellenos – Jalapeno Chillies stuffed with Cheddar and Bacon and lightly fried in Tempura Batter (AU$6.90)
The vegetarian Gozleme, Crispy Turkish Style Pastries stuffed with a Fresh Spinach, Herb and Fetta Centre (AU$7.90), was the next item brought to our table. These were simply delicious and everyone at the table commented on how tasty they were. You could taste the fresh herbs that were enveloped in the crispy pastry and they tasted authentically homemade.
Gozleme – Crispy Turkish Style Pastries stuffed with a Fresh Spinach, Herb and Fetta Centre (AU$7.90)
After round one of our tasty tapas we were ready to order some more. Our resident scribe JuC neatly wrote down some more dishes that we collectively chose and sent the blackboard off with the next available waiter. Soon after the first dish of our second round of tapas arrived, The Turkish Dips, described as a Trio of flavoursome Turkish inspired dips: Roasted Red Pepper and Fetta Hummus, Eggplant and Black Olive and Spinach and Yogurt served with Grilled Flatbread (AU$7.90). There was eight pieces of flatbread all up, enough for two each which was handy because I’m not the best sharer. The dips were delicious but the spinach and yogurt one was definitely my favourite.
The Turkish Dips -A trio of flavoursome Turkish inspired dips: Roasted Red Pepper and Fetta Hummus, Eggplant and Black Olive and Spinach and Yogurt served with Grilled Flatbread (AU$7.90)
Following closely after this dish was the Pistachio Crusted Trout described on the menu as ‘Fresh trout pieces coated with a crispy pistachio and thyme crust, served with spicy herbed yogurt (AU$8.90). One of my pet hates is overcooked seafood , whether it be at a friends place or out at a restaurant some people just can’t get it right (not me of course because I AM a fantastic cook) but here at El Mundo they certainly got it right. The trout was cooked perfectly, not overcooked, not undercooked but just right. It literally melted in my mouth and my dinner buddies who sometimes aren’t too fond of seafood ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ about how yummy the bite sized morsels of trout were.
Pistachio Crusted Trout – Fresh Trout Pieces Coated with a Crispy Pistachio and Thyme Crust served with Spicy Herbed Yogurt (AU$8.90)
Keeping with the seafood theme we continued on with the Calamari (AU$7.90) and the Coconut Prawns served with Mango and Lime Salsa (AU$9.90). The Calamari was cut into strips and lightly fried with a salt and pepper coating. A very simple dish but again so many places stuff it up. Not El Mundo though, their Calamari was superb and a really generous serving (still I was glad we chose to order two plates).
Calamari – Tender Calamari Strips Lightly Fried with a Salt and Pepper Coating (AU$7.90)
The Coconut Prawns were nice and big with crunchy coconut on the outside and juicy and tender prawn on the inside, accompanied perfectly with the zesty Mango and Lime Salsa. These little babies were snapped up pretty damn quickly and even after the prawns were long gone I was eating the salsa on its own because it was so yummy and I just couldn’t let it go to waste!
Coconut Prawns – Crispy Coconut Prawns served with a fresh and tangy Mango and Lime Salsa (AU$9.90)
Our last savoury dish of the night was the Camembert, bite sized pieces crumbed and lightly fried, served with Roasted Pepper Sauce (AU$7.90). Well, what more can I say because who doesn’t love cheese and even better… melted cheese? Perfect melt in your mouth morsels of cheese! BC even finished off the Roasted Pepper Sauce after the cheese was gone so that didn’t make me feel so bad for finishing off the Mango and Lime Salsa.
Camembert – Bite sized pieces of Camembert, crumbed and lightly fried, served with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (AU$7.90)
Having finished our tapas selection for the evening (I still could have eaten some more of those Chillis) we looked towards the dessert menu which was personally brought out by the man of the moment co-owner of El Mundo Tapas Bar Mark. He had a bit of a joke and a laugh with us and thanked us for coming along before introducing us to the dessert menu and giving us a bit of a rundown of what was what. There was five options to choose from on the menu including Pavlova, Creme Brûlée, Sticky Date Pudding and Affogato. While BC opted for the ‘I will have a taste of everyone else’s and not order my own’ approach, the remaining three at the tabe including myself ordered two Plum Pudding Ice Creams and a Chocolate Brownie (that was me).
It didn’t take our desserts long to arrive and when they did our mouths all watered at the size of the warm Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream that was placed in front of me. I did have this Brownie on my previous visit to El Mundo and it was mouthwatering. This time was no different except this time I am sure the serving was much bigger. The Brownie literally melted in my mouth and it was light and fluffy and not too rich. Everyone else at the table had a taste and agreed it was delectable. Needless to say despite the portion size I finished the entire dish spurred on by the huge effort I had put in at the gym earlier that day (hey I deserved it!).
Choc Brownie (AU$9.90)
JuC and JoC both tucked into their Plum Pudding Ice Cream, which again was a nice big serve and they most certainly enjoyed it. I’m not the biggest fan of currants and the like so I had a small taste but it wasn’t for me (probably because I was way too distracted by the giant Brownie). Since its so close to Christmas it was nice to have a little bit of festivity on the menu along with the other yummy but classic dessert options.
Christmas Cake Ice Cream (AU$9.90)
While eating my dining companions and I discussed our current Mayoral situation, BC’s new stereo system and T-Box and the risks associated with opening a new restaurant in Cairns particularly in a residential area. Owners of El Mundo Tapas Bar Mark and Carlie have obviously overcome any hurdles that may have stood in their way by creating a fantastic owner run establishment with a homely, friendly and laidback feel to it. Mark chatting with us while he took our dessert orders gave our dining experience that nice personal touch and its easy to see that although he is a very busy man he still takes time out to show appreciation to his diners. The food is delicious, the service is personal and the prices are reasonable as are the serving sizes. The people have spoken and if the packed tables of happy customers are anything to go by El Mundo is soon to become a Cairns institution. Well done to Mark and Carlie on your little gem of a restaurant in the heart of Edge Hill!
El Mundo Tapas Bar
3/124 Collins Ave, Edge Hill
Ph: (07) 4032 0550
Opening Hours: Wed – Sun 5.30pm till late
Website: www.elmundotapas.com.au
2-4-1 Locals Meals @ Green Ant Cantina, Bunda St
As a regular driver along Bunda St I can’t help but notice the hive of activity at the Green Ant Cantina on any given night. The Green Ant (as it is more commonly referred) is a gathering place for backpackers and locals alike. I first dined at the Green Ant Cantina a couple of years ago for a friends birthday and didn’t rate the place. I found it too noisy, the food took a very long time to come out (at least 45 minutes) and when it did it wasn’t very good. However, a few years down the track after reading a few positive Facebook status updates from friends I decided to give it another go.
Tuesday nights are 2-4-1 locals night on presentation of I.D so this seemed the perfect time for M.S and I to check it out. The whole place was seemingly overflowing with people both out the front, inside around the bar and out the back in the beer garden, still we managed to snavel ourselves a booth outside in the beer garden after ordering our meals (a grand total of AU$26 thank you 2-4-1!). My expectations weren’t very high I must admit and after seeing the amount of people that were at the Green Ant I thought we would be waiting a long time for our meals. I was wrong. We waited 15 minutes maximum and were both very surprised when the girl arrived at our table carrying our meals.
I ordered the Enchiladas, soft flour tortillas stuffed with mexi marinated chicken oven baked and topped with tasty cheese and fresh salsa served with fresh green salad and sour cream (AU$26). I tend to find Mexican food very rich and cheesy which is why I don’t eat it very often (maybe rich and cheesy is the point?) but I didn’t find this meal too rich at all, in fact I quite enjoyed it and have been looking forward to going back ever since.
Enchiladas (AU$26)
MS ordered the Chiquita Chicken Quesadilla, grilled 12″ tortilla folded and stuffed with mexi-marinated chicken, tasty cheese, spanish onion and roasted red capsicum served with sour cream, fresh salsa and homemade guacamole on the side (AU$23). I think his expectations weren’t very high (that may have been my partly fault) but MS really enjoyed his meal and when he finished it there was nothing left except for a couple of pieces of cheese and some salsa. Like me I think he is also looking forward to going back again soon.
Chiquita Chicken Quesadilla (AU$23)
The 2-4-1 locals special on Tuesday night makes for a cheap, yet tasty dinner. Having said that I probably wouldn’t dine at the Green Ant if the meals weren’t 2-4-1 because I think 26 odd dollars per meal is a little bit expensive especially considering you have to order your food at the bar and it is a backpacker hangout (aren’t those places supposed to be dirt cheap?). Still I’m happy to pay AU$26 for two very tasty meals and although the food at the Green Ant is not your true Mexican fare it is close enough and having tried the other two Mexican restaurants in town (that will remain unnamed) I think it’s by far the best in Cairns.
Green Ant Cantina
183 Bunda St, QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4041 5061
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat 4pm till late
Website: www.greenantcantina.com
Bobby’s Vietnamese and Chinese Restaurant, Cairns
Ok so last Monday night curiosity got the better of me much to MS’s dismay and we ventured on down to Bobby’s Vietnamese and Chinese Restaurant since neither of us had the energy to cook. We had one of those 2-4-1 vouchers from The Cairns Post so I figured ‘yeah why not it can’t be all bad’. I have heard from a few other people that the food isn’t very good but this is one of those instances where I had to try it for myself. And you know what? The food isn’t very good. The service was, well, pretty good. The staff, even though a couple didn’t speak English, were attentive and served us with a smile. I ordered a Pho Tai – Vietnamese Beef Rice Noodle Soup (AU$13.90) and MS ordered the Crispy Skinned Chicken with Lemon Sauce and Fried Rice (AU$19.40). I have only had Beef Pho once before and this was at the Mindil Beach Markets in Darwin at a stall that was reputed to sell the Best Pho in Darwin or the NT or something like that. And let me tell you it was amazing (see my previous post ‘Mindil Beach Markets’). This Pho at Bobby’s, however was not quite as nice as my previous Pho. Yeah it was big, there was lots of noodles, I had fresh chilli and herbs to garnish my Pho with but the broth just tasted like beef stock. It wasn’t anything special. No delicious aroma wafting from my bowl of Pho. I couldn’t taste the yummy sweet and sour flavours in my broth. I was pretty disappointed.
Pho Tai – Vietnamese Beef Rice Noodle Soup (AU$13.90)
After MS’s initial mistake of thinking that the chicken was boneless, he spent the next 20 minutes or so (the time that it took him to eat his meal) picking bones out. I might add that it was his own fault for not reading the menu properly. Still, he said the meal was good.
Crispy Skinned Chicken with Lemon Sauce and Fried Rice (AU$19.40)
Again, nothing special or anything to write home about (definitely something to write a post about however). The restaurant itself had about 8 tables occupied with both locals and tourists in the mix. The atmosphere wasn’t very inviting and it was more like dining at the Night Markets rather than a restaurant as stated in the name. Needless to say I have satisfied my curiosity. I can make my own Beef Stock at home and call it Pho. I wouldn’t have gone there had we not had a 2-4-1 voucher and now I probably won’t be going there if I do, at least not to get noodles anyway. Sorry Bobby but your claim to having the ‘Best Noodles in Town’ just doesn’t stand with me.
Bobby’s Vietnamese and Chinese Restaurant
Ph: (07) 4051 8877
Address: 5 Aplin St, Cairns City
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm 7 days
Website: www.bobbysrestaurant.com.au
Iyara Restaurant and Bar, Cairns Esplanade
Another Friday night and another attempt by my friends and I to stay away from the pubs and clubs. This time we decided to go to Iyara Restaurant and Bar upstairs at what used to be (back in the day) The Chapel. I dined at Iyara about a year ago and found the food delicious so I thought it was worthy of another visit. On arrival we were greeted by the owner Feng who we chatted with about the mysteries of the universe while we ordered some drinks from the Drinks Menu. JM and FM decided to stick with the risque jug of water while myself and HH went for an alcoholic beverage each (beer and wine). As is typical when dining with HH we go ‘the whole hog’ as the saying goes, no expense spared and its always a pleasure. We asked our host to choose 4 entree meals for us followed by 4 mains. He asked if there was anything that we particularly wanted to try and I mentioned a Chicken and Lemongrass dish that I had spied on the list of mains that sounded particularly tasty, other than that Feng had free range to choose our dishes for us.
One of the best things about Iyara Restaurant and Bar is the decor and the view. We were seated out on the balcony, overlooking the esplanade. The city was alive with people strolling along the foreshore and the full moon rising against the mountain backdrop. Inside, the atmosphere in the restaurant is relaxing yet classy with candles flickering, comfy couches, oriental vases and sleek wooden floors. It didn’t take long for our entrees to arrive and it wasn’t just my camera (ok iPhone) that emerged to take photos of them. The entrees looked and tasted delicious. Feng gave us a rundown of the entrees that he has selected for us paying particular attention to the Mieng Kham – Betel Leaf Served with Shrimp, Coconut, Ginger, Peanut, Chilli and Fresh Lime (AU$15). He told us that this entree either needed to be eaten first or last to truly taste the dish. Since it looked so good, it got eaten first. Everyone thought it was divine and I found myself a little sad that we only got one each. Oh well, onto the other entrees.
Mieng Kham – Betel Leaf Served with Shrimp, Coconut, Ginger, Peanut, Chilli and Fresh Lime (AU$15)
Next entree was the Pla Hoy Shell – Thai Spicy Salad, Warm Scallop, Fresh Herbs, Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaves and Mint (AU$18). Each was served on a white porcelain appertizer spoon (i.e. just one mouthful) and the flavours of sweet, sour and chilli along with the plump, juicy scallop was the perfect blend for this delectable entree.
Pla Hoy Shell – Thai Spicy Salad, Warm Scallop, Fresh Herbs, Lemongrass, Kaffir Lime Leaves and Mint (AU$18)
Next entree was the Goong Hom Pha – Prawn Wrapped in Rice Paper Served with Homemade Chilli Sauce (AU$16). The prawns were nice and big and the rice paper wrapped around them was golden and crisp. These entrees were so crispy I even ate the prawn tail (yum). Again I found myself wishing that we didn’t just get to eat one each.
Goong Hom Pha – Prawn Wrapped in Rice Paper Served with Homemade Chilli Sauce (AU$16)
The last entree of the night was the Tod Mun Pla – Fish Cakes with Snake Bean, Lime Leaf, Crushed Peanut and Sweet Chilli Sauce (AU$17). The fish cakes were, well, they tasted like any other Thai Fish Cakes that I have had. Not to say that they weren’t yummy but compared to the other entrees they weren’t particularly exciting.
Tod Mun Pla – Fish Cakes with Snake Bean, Lime Leaf, Crushed Peanut and Sweet Chilli Sauce (AU$17)
Now onto the mains… They arrived in good time as we were only left waiting for about 20 minutes. Along with my Chicken and Lemongrass dish (Gai Takroi) Feng had chosen us the Gaeng Massaman Neur – Rich Massaman Curry of Chuck Beef, Potato, Peanut and Shallot (AU$28), Pla Sam Rod – Boned Fried Whole Barramundi with a Hot, Sweet and Sour Sauce Garnished with Thai Basil (AU$34), Pad Pak – A Fresh Stir Fry of Green Asian Vegetables with Thai Basil (AU$19). Feng served us each a portion of steamed Jasmine Rice each and we all tucked into the mains in front of us (sharing of course). The Gai Takroi was placed closest to me so naturally I tried that one first. The chicken served in bite sized pieces was succulent and tender. Everyone enjoyed this dish.
Gai Takroi – Marinated Grilled Chicken with Lemongrass, Peanut and Tamarind Sauce (AU$26)
I’ll be honest, I didn’t try the Stir fry vegetables for two reasons. It was placed at the opposite end of the table so it was a bit out of reach (yeah, ok I could have asked FM to pass it up) and secondly because I just don’t like bean sprouts. Again everyone else seemed to enjoy it but there was a little over half of it left by the end of the meal. I can only guess this is because the other non-vegetarian dishes were well, non-vegetarian.
Pad Pak – A Fresh Stir Fry of Green Asian Vegetables with Thai Basil (AU$19).
The Massaman Curry was probably my highlight of the dishes that Feng chose for us. The meat was tender, the potato nice and soft and the sweet sauce was fantastic drizzled over my Jasmine Rice. This dish was delicious but I do have a massive weak spot for Massaman Curry at the best of times. HH and JM, however were also digging into this dish and enjoying it immensely so I guess it wasn’t just me.
Gaeng Massaman Neur – Rich Massaman of Chuck Beef, Potato, Beef and Shallot (AU$28)
Lastly, was the Whole Barramundi and wow did it look good. Once again everyones cameras or phones came out to take a picture of the meal. The Barramundi had been deep fried whole with bite sized pieces of fish fillet for us to share around. Once that was gone however the crispy fish was broken into pieces and eaten skeleton and all by the four of us. I asked Feng where he sourced the Barramundi from and he said that it was farmed Barramundi from Australia. The reason that he bought farmed Barramundi to serve at Iyara is because of its bred to plate size (something I did actually already know but I thought I would ask anyway).
Pla Sam Rod – Boned Fried Whole Barramundi with a Hot, Sour, Sweet Sauce Garnished with Thai Basil (AU$34)
We all enjoyed our meal at Iyara Restaurant and Bar so much so that my friend FM was raving about the Barramundi for the next week until she went back and ordered it again. The atmosphere is fantastic and would be a good choice for a romantic dinner on the balcony for two. The service however was lacking in some areas and while our waters and drinks were topped up at the beginning of the night it seems we were forgotten about after that. It was also very difficult to get anyones attention if you wanted another drink. Feng however was a gratuitous and friendly host, it was more the rest of the staff that let down the service. From the entrees to the mains the food was delicious but paying upward of AU$28 for a Thai dish is (I think) a little steep, especially when the service is lacking. The restaurant was quite full on this particular Friday night but there was still plenty of room down the back for more diners. If more people had come the three wait staff would not have been able to keep up at all considering they were struggling with the number of people already there. If the service was improved I would have no problem paying the higher price for these meals but as it stands hmmm I think I might stick to the cheaper Thai restaurants in town. But then again, that Massaman Curry was pretty damn good.
Iyara Restaurant and Bar
91 Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4041 4748
Opening Hours: Open till late for dinner 7 days
The Bavarian Beerhouse, Cairns
Got a craving for sauerkraut? Then maybe you should try out the relatively new German restaurant opened up on Spence St so aptly named The Bavarian Beerhouse. Two of my friends and I tried it out last Thursday night and found the place to be well worth the visit. The service was fast, enthusiastic and authentic with all of the wait staff being fluent in German and dressed in the traditional lederhosen. My two friends CM and MJ ordered a 1L stein of beer each, which the waiter told us is imported from Munich in barrels. I opted for a risque glass of water rather than the beer since I’m not really a beer drinker and I was driving.
Stein of Imported German Beer
Only two other tables were occupied by diners on this particular Thursday night but I have driven past many times and noticed that it has been very busy mostly on the weekends. CM and MJ both ordered straight from the specials board – an XXL Schnitzel with Chips, Mushroom Sauce and 1L of beer for AU$29 (that would be their 2nd litre of beer for the evening) while seeking to satisfy my odd craving for sauerkraut I ordered the Kilsekransky, a Grilled Cheese Kransky served with authentic German Sauerkraut, Mashed Potatoes and Bavarian Mustard (a bank breaking AU$9.50).
We didn’t wait long for our meals to arrive and when they did we were all pretty staggered at the size of the schnitzel. Well, the special board did say XXL! CM managed to polish off the entire thing as well as 2L of beer minus a few stray chips left on his plate while MJ struggled to finish it all. They both reckoned it was a pretty good deal and enjoyed it although they did say that the schnitzel was a little bit tough and chewy in parts and they also suspected that the mushrooms in the mushroom sauce may have been tinned.
XXL Schnitzel with Chips, Mushroom Sauce and 1L of beer (AU$29)
I managed to more than satisfy my craving for sauerkraut since my meal came with a massive pile of it! I was pretty wrapped about that and pretty happy with my meal in general as it was super tasty. It was quite a big feed and I couldn’t finish it all as much as I tried. Great value for $9.50!
Kilsekransky, a Grilled Cheese Kransky served with authentic German Sauerkraut, Mashed Potatoes and Bavarian Mustard (AU$9.50)
My two friends and I enjoyed our hearty meals and we were all very impressed with the attentive service and the authentic staff. I have only heard good things from other people that have dined at The Bavarian Beerhouse. It’s difficult times to be opening a restaurant in Cairns especially considering the fate of the last restaurant that occupied this corner (Wink) but I am really hoping that this restaurant does well and by the amount of people that I have seen dining here over the last few weeks I think The Bavarian Beerhouse will be here to stay. I’ll be back.
The Bavarian Beerhouse
Corner Grafton/Spence St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4041 1551
Opening Hours: Lunch Mon – Fri 11am – 3pm, Sat – Sun 10am – 3pm, Dinner Mon – Sun 5pm – 12am
Website: www.bavarianbeerhouse.net
foodvixen 