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Swiss Inn, Cairns City *CLOSED DOWN*
Last Friday night while trying to avoid the usual Friday night town affair two of my good friends and I ventured into the city in search of somewhere to go for dinner. As we wandered aimlessly along Spence St tossing up a few places in and around that area to dine at someone suggested the Swiss Inn. The Swiss Inn is actually a restaurant that I regularly drive past and continue to say ‘I must go there one day’ so on this particular day we went there.
On arrival we were greeted by a gentleman by the name of Peter who ushered us into the restaurant area and told us we could have the pick of all the tables since we were the only ones there. I thought it was a bit of a disappointing turnout for 7pm on a Friday night but as we ate our meals a few more people did turn up. Peter gave us our menus and we ordered some drinks. Ever the wine drinker with dinner I ordered a glass of Giesen Sauvignon Blanc while LL stuck with a glass of coke (in preparation for OctSober) and AL asked for some recommendations for a bottle of red wine. Peter recommended a bottle of Cimicky Shiraz from the Barossa Valley which AL promptly ordered. We looked around at the decor of the restaurant which is rather dated with white lace curtains that could only be described as vintage and the fake plants hanging in baskets in each of the corners. But all this along with the candles burning on each of the tables and the booth in the corner added to the overall atmosphere and made the whole restaurant feel really warm and cosy (in a non-temperature kind of way).
As we perused our menus LL was delighted that snails were on the entree menu and I too was just as delighted that he decided to order the 6 De-Shelled Snails Covered in Garlic Butter, Grilled and Served with Garlic Toast (AU$12.50). This is another case of ‘I have always wanted to try snails but never gotten around to it’ but at the same time I wasn’t game enough to order snails for myself. For his main LL ordered the San Dominican Rabbit which is White Rabbit, Artichokes and Black Olives cooked with Herbs and White Wine (AU$29.50). Seated in front me AL skipped the entree and went straight for the main ordering the Crumbed Pork Fillet Filled with Swiss Cheese, Lean Leg Ham and Pan-Fried ($29.50) or as its more commonly known ‘Cordon Bleu’. Peter also recommended a side of Spaetzli (small egg-noodle dumplings) to go with AL’s Cordon Bleu.
Spaetzli – Small Egg Noodle Dumplings
I was almost sold on the duck until I turned the page and spotted the Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue described on the menu as a Combination of Imported Swiss Cheeses, melted in Dry White Wine and served with Cocktail Onions, Gherkins and Crusty Bread (AU$37.00). On ordering our mains Peter informed us that all main meals received a complimentary salad bar and bread.
While waiting for our mains LL and I ventured over to the Salad Bar and helped ourselves to the selection of, um, salads. There was a nice little array of salad type things to choose from – a bean sprout salad (not my cup of tea), beetroot salad, boiled eggs, cucumber salad, a type of Greek salad, marinated artichokes and green salad. The boiled eggs and artichokes got my attention and I ate them while I awaited my fondue.
Complimentary Salad Bar
It didn’t take long for our meals to arrive, LL’s snails came first in a ‘purpose built’ porcelain snail dish and Peter told LL that because the snails were a little small he got 12 snails instead of 6. We were all happy with that explanation as AL and I reached over for a snail each to try. They were very nice and I really couldn’t taste much of a difference in the taste and texture between a garlic snail and a garlic prawn. I decided that I would order them if the opportunity ever arose again. LL ate the rest along with all garlic butter sauce mopped up by the garlic toast.
Schnecken Montreux – 6 De-Shelled Snails Covered in Garlic Butter, Grilled and Served with Garlic Toast (AU$12.50)
My fondue arrived almost at the same time as LL’s snails because I guess it is kind of a mixture between an entree and a main, although I had made it my main. The fondue came out with little squares of toasted crusty bread, as well as cocktail onions and gherkins.
Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue – Combination of Imported Swiss Cheeses, melted in Dry White Wine and served with Cocktail Onions, Gherkins and Crusty Bread (AU$37.00)Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue accompaniments – Cocktail Onions, Gherkins and Crusty Bread
In hindsight I probably should have ordered the Beef Fondue Bourguignonne which includes beef tenderloin because my dish was really just melted cheese with bread. It was nice but not really worth the $37 that I paid for it, still there was plenty for the three of us to munch on and I was pretty full afterwards. Having said that the cheese wasn’t too heavy even as I was scraping the bottom of the dish for the very last bit.
Traditional Swiss Cheese Fondue accompaniments – Cocktail Onions, Gherkins and Crusty Bread
Peter bought out the two remaining meals – LL’s rabbit and AL’s Cordon Bleu. LL was extremely pleased with his rabbit and even shared a bit with his dining buddies to try since I have never tried rabbit and well AL just wanted some. I didn’t mind the rabbit but I found the colour of the meat a little bit off putting. It had the texture of chicken but didn’t taste like chicken. It was however plump and juicy and as I have been informed rabbit tends to be tough and gamey.
San Dominican Rabbit – White Rabbit, Artichokes and Black Olives cooked with Herbs and White Wine (AU$29.50)
AL however has given me a blow by blow account of his encounter with his Cordon Bleu, enough so that I feel it is necessary to let him extend his creative flair over his Swiss Inn experience on this post. ‘The first bite was succulent enough to know I was in for something special. Each layer of the Cordon Bleu was perfected in the amounts used, the way it was used and the combination of the ingredient with the other ingredients. The Spaetzli had it’s own unique flavour that didn’t overpower the original dish and created a perfect side dish that stood on it’s own merit. We enjoyed tucking into it long after the main dishes were finished’. There you go. Speaks for itself really.
Cordon Bleu – Crumbed Pork Fillet Filled with Swiss Cheese, Lean Leg Ham and Pan-Fried (AU$29.50)
To conclude our Swiss Inn experience we shared a Creme Brulee for dessert with ice-cream on the side. The Creme Brulee dotted with clearly visible vanilla beans was fluffy, decadent, not too eggy as you can find with some Creme Brulee’s and presented oh-so beautifully.
Creme Brulee
When we first sat down at our table I asked Peter how long the Swiss Inn had been open for because it seems to have been around ever since I can remember. He informed me that the Swiss Inn had been open in Cairns for over 34 years and in that time it had had 4 different owners. It’s most certainly a restaurant that has stood the test of time. The service provided by our host of the evening Peter was exemplary even though we were the only people in the restaurant but his fantastic service still did not faulter when more diners arrived. Peter happily chatted with us and his suggestions from the wine to the best side dish to have with a main meal proved excellent. The restaurant is cute and cosy and the food is both flavoursome and satisfying. I might just have to go back for that Beef Fondue.
Our gratuitous host Peter at the Alpli Bar
Swiss Inn Restaurant + Bar
45 Grafton St, Cairns
Ph: (07) 4051 6020
Opening Hours: Open for lunch and dinner Tues-Fri, dinner Sat
Website: www.swissinn.com.au
Dinner @ Wink II Restaurant and Wine Bar, Cairns Esplanade
A few months ago AA and I met some friends for a couple of drinks at Wink II upstairs at the Mantra Esplanade. As we arrived a little earlier than expected our friends were still eating their main course of Slow Braised Beef Cheeks with Pumpkin and Brown Onion Puree, Garlic Mustard Seed Mashed Potato, Topped with Orange Roasted Carrots and Port Wine Red Sauce, which they insisted we try. Last week AA and I were contemplating just where to go for a ‘classy’ Friday night dinner with friends when I suggested Wink II. Both AA and I instantly recalled the Beef Cheeks that we had tasted on that memorable night a few months back and agreed that this was where we should go. On arrival at Wink II we were greeted by a friendly waitress who escorted us to a table for four that we had booked on the balcony. Most of the balcony was taken up by other diners however the restaurant did seem a little ‘unoccupied’ for 7.30pm on a Friday night. Water was poured and drinks were ordered, however this did take a little longer than usual as there seemed to be a little bit of confusion as to just which one of the four waitresses was actually in charge of our table. In the end it seemed that in fact all four were in charge of serving our table which was a little overkill as I would prefer just to have one waitress to deal with since it does help to personalise the whole overall dining out experience. Moving on….
At Wink II they have a set menu for dinner to choose from as well as an a-la-carte menu but since we noticed that a lot of the menu items that are on the a-la-carte menu are also availabe on the set menu we all opted for the two course set menu for $39.50 per person. Pretty damn good deal I think, plus the Beef Cheeks were featured of the list of available mains for the set menu so I was ‘in’. We ordered our entrees, mains and desserts in one hit and anxiously waited for our first meal to arrive however before our entrees came out we were each brought a ‘palate cleanser’ consisting of a morsel of Chicken and Avocado Puree beautifully presented on a white porcelain spoon. It was small, delectable and really set the mood for the entrees to come.
Palate Cleanser: Chicken with Avocado Puree
Impressing my friend PM with the elegant but somewhat minimalistic food at Wink II (as would be expected at a fine dining restaurant) was going to be a problem considering his rather impressive appetite at local buffets in and around town (I mean it, this guy can eat). However tonight was not about eating as much as you could eat, much to his dismay, but more about a chic dining experience with friends. PM ordered the Wink Oysters Kilpatrick style and since PM doesn’t tend to say a whole lot the fact that he gobbled all four oysters down in record time and then proceeded to eye everyone elses entrees goes to show that he certainly enjoyed his entree.
Wink Oysters – Kilpatrick Style
On my left AA ordered the Local Gazpacho with Avocado Mousse Drizzled with Smoked Oil and Crispy Crouton. On ordering the Gazpacho the waitress asked AA if he was aware that Gazpacho was actually cold soup. As I had expected, AA being a knowledgable friend with a plethora of both useless and useful information stored in his cranium, was fully aware of this. He enjoyed his cold Gazpacho very much and I do remember the words ‘Oh wow, this is really good’ escape from his mouth in between mouthfuls quite regularly.
Local Gazpacho with Avocado Mousse Drizzled with Smoked Oil and Crispy Crouton
To my right LL ordered the Stuffed Avocado with Spicy Creole Prawns and Pickled Watermelon, Carrot Ginger Puree and Wink Salad, which he was most pleased with. Enough so to declare that he had in fact ordered the best entree out of everyone at the table both prior to tasting our dishes and after.
Stuffed Avocado with Spicy Creole Prawns and Pickled Watermelon, Carrot Ginger Puree and Wink Salad
I ordered the Lightly Curried Lemon Scented Goat Cheese Served with Crispy Crouton and Pickled Beetroot Puree and Salad, as I am ever the cheese lover and the description of the Pickled Beetroot Puree on the menu really sold me. The goats cheese was delicious and light, matched perfectly with the Crispy Crouton and the brightly coloured Pickled Beetroot Puree. It was a suberb entree and also a very good sized serve, not too little and not too big.
Lightly Curried Lemon Scented Goat Cheese Served with Crispy Crouton and Pickled Beetroot Puree and Salad
Before the arrival of our mains another palate cleanser was brought to our table but this time it was a shot glass with a small mouthful of Orange and Mango Sorbet. No one at the table was expecting these little palate cleansers but they were certainly a nice little surprise which everyone enjoyed very much.
Palate Cleanser: Orange and Mango Sorbet
For the mains PM, AA and myself finally got to fulfill our dreams and ordered the Slow Braised Beef Cheeks with Pumpkin and Brown Onion Puree, Garlic Mustard Seed Mashed Potato, Topped with Orange Roasted Carrots and Port Wine Red Sauce. The Beef Cheeks were just as good as we remembered except to our delight the serving size was larger than our friends had been a few months ago when we had sampled theirs. The Beef Cheeks were so tender that they melted in my mouth and the Pumpkin and Brown Onion Puree was heavenly and hearty. Beef Cheeks verdict = simply delicious!
Slow Braised Beef Cheeks with Pumpkin and Brown Onion Puree, Garlic Mustard Seed Mashed Potato, Topped with Orange Roasted Carrots and Port Wine Red Sauce
LL ordered the Chargrilled Angus Rump with Crispy Potato Skins, Sour Cream and Red Wine Sauce and on tasting some of my Beef Cheeks declared ‘Your’s is really good but mine is better’. The steak was ‘amazing’ and cooked medium rare just as he had ordered it and although that should be a given at any restaurant anyone that dines out even once a year knows that steak cooked to order is hard to find.
Chargrilled Angus Rump with Crispy Potato Skins, Sour Cream and Red Wine Sauce
One thing that must be noted is that when your food first arrives you notice that it really is like art on a plate. Head Chef Leon has truly and admirably mastered the skill of both aesthetically pleasing and delicious food. As the saying goes… ‘It’s almost too good to eat’. My friends and I really enjoyed our ‘classy’ dinner at Wink II and we were not let down by our mouth-watering memory of the Slow Braised Beef Cheeks. The palate cleansers that were bought out between courses was both a delightful and tantalising touch to our memorable Friday night meal.
Wink II
53-57 The Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4041 6346
Dinner Menu: 6pm – late Mon – Sat
Website: www.wink2.com.au
The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe, Edge Hill – Take 2 *CLOSED DOWN*
My family and I first went to The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe about two weeks after they began their dinner menu in May of this year and although the food was exceptional, the service that we received on the night was somewhat of a let down. To quote a previous post about dinner at The Edge… “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.” I had finally found the time to return to see if this was the case. We booked a table outside the restaurant up on the platform next to the road as last time we sat inside and found it to be quite noisy and to sound a bit strange, well, I don’t like the shape of the tables they have inside the restaurant.
Our booking was for 7pm but we arrived at 7.15pm as seems to be the norm for my family. The restaurant was about half full and the waiter informed us that everyone had arrived at once and we needed to “bare with him for the moment”. About 10 minutes later he came back with the drinks and dinner menu and proceeded to tell us that they had sold out of a few things on the menu. There was no steak, no fish of the day (salmon fillet) and no osso bucco. So out of the nine or so dishes available for main meals, three were unavailable and this was at 7.30pm on a Saturday night. We were flabbergasted and almost got up and left the restaurant in search of somewhere that did have all the food mentioned on the menu. We did, however soldier on and ordered our drinks and meals 25 minutes after we arrived. It didn’t take long for our drinks to arrive but the waiter forgot to pour the red wine and instead bought out an empty cup, returning midway through serving our drinks to get the bottle of red. We also ordered a beer and a bottle of Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc which was left in the cooler and we had to pour the wine ourselves along with the beer. Our entree was Grilled Turkish Bread with Herb Confit Garlic Oil and Local Spiced Dukkah (AU$6.50) and that arrived about 15 minutes after we had ordered. It was quite a big serve, good for the price of only $6.50 and quite tasty too.
Grilled Turkish Flatbread with Herb Confit Garlic and Local Spiced Dukkah (AU$6.50)
Our mains arrived approximately half an hour after our entree but we couldn’t help but notice that the four people seated next to us that had actually arrived before us were left waiting long after our mains turned up and they didn’t look happy about it. Dad ordered the pasta of the day which was a Fettucine Seafood Marinara full of mussels and prawns. It was a good sized serving and dad said that it tasted great but he was surprised to find a prawn head in it. The prawn head didn’t appear to be for dish presentation as it was buried underneath the pasta and mussels. My mum and sister both ordered the Caramelized Ribs – Pork and Beef with Vietnamese Salad and Taro Chips (AU$27.50), which they also ordered last time we dined at The Edge. Last time the ribs were plentiful and succulent however this time around they were disappointed by the fact that there appeared to be no pork ribs, only beef ribs and the serving size was about half of what it was last time. Mum even had a large rib bone that had been placed on her plate without even one sliver of meat on it. Not only that but the meat that was served was extremely fatty and most of it got pushed to the side of the plate.
Caramelized Ribs – Beef and Pork with Vietnamese Salad and Taro Chips (AU$27.50)
Lastly, I ordered the Herb Braised Field Mushroom with Cacciatore Sausage and Goats Cheese on Wilted Rocket with Green Olive Puree and red wine caramel (AU$28.00) as a main dish. We had ordered this dish as an entree last time we had dined at The Edge and it was fantastic in fact I said that I would come backjust for a main of that dish. So it seemed I was true to my word! The second time around I very disappointed and althought it was tasty it was no where near as tasty as the last time we had shared it as an entree. The portion size was that of the entree and upon asking the waiter if what I was served was a main size, the waiter counted the mushrooms (I had three on my plate) and I was told that entrees have one while mains have three. About five minutes later the waiter returned and said that after a discussion with the chef in the kitchen he was only going to charge entree prices for my ‘main’ because I was supposed to have five mushrooms instead of three. He said he could arrange for the extra mushrooms to be served to me but I refused as I was actually a bit full by that stage. Having said that it would have been nice to have received all five mushrooms upon the intial serving of my ‘main’. The waiter also informed us that the usual chef for the restaurant was in fact sick on this particular evening and that was attributing to the slight confusion in the size of the dishes as well as what was actually being served to the customers.
Herb braised field mushroom with cacciatore sausage and goats cheese on wilted rocket with green olive puree and red wine caramel (AU$28.00)
To finish off our meal we perused the dessert menu and ordered the Elegant Persian Sweet Plate (AU$13) to share amongst us while I ordered a long macchiato since I had a long night ahead of me and was feeling a bit flat. The sweet plate consisted of Persian fairy floss, nougat, biscotti, turkish delight, affogato and a few other odd sweets that we forgot to ask about. Mum delighted in the turkish delight which she claimed was delish and scoffed the lot. The sweet plate was yummy and good for sharing amongst the table.
Elegant Persian Sweet Plate (AU$13)
So the verdict: I had said that I would return to give the The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe another chance after dining there previously. The second time around the service was better than last time but then again the waiter didn’t have all that much to work with and obviously didn’t work well under pressure. To run out of ‘big’ main meal items such as the fish of the day, steak and osso bucco at 7.30pm on a Saturday night is pretty poor and certainly disappointing for diners especially when the dinner part of the restaurant is only open three nights a week. I understand that the usual chef for the restaurant was sick on the night and this only added to the overall bad dining experience. As the popular saying goes ‘If you can’t handle the heat, then get out of the kitchen’. The Edge Fruit and Vege Cafe? You’ve had your second chance.
Ganbaranba Noodle Colosseum, Cairns
One of Cairns’ hidden gems is the authentic and super cute Japanese noodle restaurant on Spence Street, Ganbaranba Noodle Colosseum. It’s a little hole in the wall place that is almost too easy to walk straight past and when you ask somene if they have been to the Noodle Colosseum and they haven’t they look at you like you have gone mad. I took SF and MF to Ganbaranba one Tuesday night and when we arrived there was the typical fare of Japanese and locals ‘in the know’. When you step inside you almost feel like you are in Japan. All the staff here are very friendly and when you walk in you are greeted in unison with the usual cheery ‘Irasshaimase’ by the chefs behind the noodle bar while the equally cheery waitress greets you and asks you where you would like to sit. We took our seats and browsed over the menu’s while our waitress poured us some glasses of ice cold Oolong tea.
To start we ordered some of the very tasty gyoza that Ganbaranba followers rave about. They are made fresh daily too! The gyoza came out quickly and steaming hot but since we ordered two lots of five (AU$4 for 5) we had to decide who got the extra one. I got it. We all commented on how good they were and SF reckoned she could eat 80 of them she liked them that much.
Gyoza made fresh daily (AU$4 for 5)
While waiting for your mains you can help yourself to the Homemade Mustard Leaf Pickle, Pickled Ginger and Pickled Bean Sprouts next to the noodle bar. I think these are condiments that are actually supposed to go in your noodles but I can’t help but eat them while I am waiting for my noodles since they are pretty damn tasty.
Homemade Mustard Leaf Pickle and Pickled Ginger
The noodles can be ordered three different ways: soft, medium or hard, which assumedly refers to the cooking times. I always order them medium but to tell you the truth I probably wouldn’t know the difference either way. Opting for something different and a bit more adventurous to my usual choice I ordered the Yusen described as Sio Ramen in Seafood and Vegetable Based Soup with Milk and Cheese Flavour with House Made Salmon Flakes (AU$11.80) from the Season Special menu.
Yusen: Sio Ramen in Seafood and Vegetable Based Soup with Milk and Cheese Flavour with House Made Salmon Flakes (AU$11.80)
Milk and cheese flavours in a bowl of Asian noodles, well any old noodles for that matter, was a bit different but like I said I was being adventurous. The salmon flakes went well with the dish and I ordered an extra spoon of chilli for AU$0.50 to add to my bowl of noodles.
House Made Salmon Flakes
MW ordered the Ikemen which is Tonkotsu with a hint of Delicious Crushed Garlic, Special Garlic Oil, Egg and BBQ Pork (AU$11.80). He seemed to be a bit concerned about it since the only noodles that he eats are the Cup of Noodle kind, we can’t all be adventurous with eating out like me but I get the feeling he may have preferred macca’s.
Ikemen: Tonkotsu with a hint of Delicious Crushed Garlic, Special Garlic Oil, Egg and BBQ Pork (AU$11.80)
SF ordered the Kurobama which is Tonkotsu with Special Garlic Oil infused for over two hours (AU$8.90) with extra noodles on the side. After a sideways glance from me she wondered if she should have done that as the noodle bowls are pretty filling with the broth. She could barely eat her extra noodles so lucky MW had brought his appetite with him. We all enjoyed our noodles and with SF declaring she would definitely be back.
Kurobama: Tonkotsu with Special Garlic Oil infused for over two hours (AU$8.90)
Ganbaranba Noodle Colosseum is a great place to dine when you are looking for somewhere quaint and unassuming. The noodles are cheap (all bowls under AU$12), the staff are friendly, the service is good and the noodles are tasty. What more could you want? If you haven’t been down to the Noodle Colosseum on Spence St yet I suggest you get your butt down there quick smart to see what you are missing out on.
Ganbaranba Noodle Colosseum
12-20 Spence St, Cairns
Ph: (07) 4031 2522
Opening Hours: Everyday from 11.30am till 10pm
Char Restaurant, Darwin
When you are in Darwin it is hard not to notice all the advertisements for the hugely popular Char Restaurant. I have walked past it many times as I have walked down the Darwin esplanade so I figured that its only fair that I give it a go. Char Restaurant has received many awards for their food, wine list and a range of other things. The most recent awards received from the Australian Hotel’s Association include the 2010 Best Steak Restaurant and 2010 Best Stand Alone Restaurant. My five acquaintances and I made a booking for Tuesday night and went along. It was surprisingly busy for a Tuesday night so it was lucky that we booked. The first thing you notice about Char, even if you are just walking past, is the atmosphere – it’s great. The lantern and tree filled grounds of the heritage listed Admiralty House provide the perfect backdrop for a special dinner.
On entry we were greeted with great enthusiasm by the maitre d, so much so that myself and MF turned to each and said “Wow, he was nice”. We were given a restaurant card with the booking name on it take to the bar area for the tab while while we waited for our friends to arrive. I had a glass of Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc (WA) while MF had a Heineken. The wine list was quite comprehensive with the cheapest glass of wine being $13, I thought this was a bit steep. We sat on one of the comfy lounges under a large tree and drank our beverages while we waited. When our other friends arrived the attentive maitre d came over with menu’s in hand and asked if we would like to move to our table. On arrival at our table we took our seats and were introduced to our waiter for the evening who I found a little hard to understand but then again I am terrible with accents. The waiter was very knowledgeable with the menu and told us the specials for the evening without any prompting, something you would expect from an award-winning restaurant like Char. I have to admit the menu did sound delicious, particularly the items on the Jellyfish menu, however since I was at a steak restaurant that had won awards for its steak I decided I should probably have a steak. Again, we pretty much skipped the entrees apart from the bread which a few of us ordered. Char corn Rolls with Moo Jus Dipping Sauce, Pistachio Dukkah and Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil (AU$5). Sounds good huh? It was really just a bread roll with butter and sauce, it wasn’t even warm.
Pistashio Dukkah and Cold Pressed Olive Oil with Moo Jus Dipping Sauce, for the Char Corn Roll
Everyone except one person at the table ordered the same thing and we pretty much chose that item as soon as we spotted it on the menu. Being squid lovers we chose the 250gm Scotch Fillet with Chilli salt squid, roast tomato, green olives and watercress salad (AU$35) while MF ordered the 200gm Eye Fillet with Potato Puree, Broad Bean, Crispy Prosciutto and Horseradish Cream (AU$37). The sauces were all extra ($AU5) and we all ordered the green peppercorn sauce while MG ordered the Red wine jus. I ordered a side of Roast beetroot, Goats Cheese and Orange with my steak (AU$8).
Roast Beetroot, Goats Cheese and Orange (AU$8).
The meals came out very quickly and the first thing that my friends noted was the small portions on the plate. I wasn’t surprised since I do dine out quite regularly and it seems these days the more expensive the restaurant, the less food you get so I was expecting none the less from Char Restaurant . The steaks were cooked to order although I think mine may have been medium, rather than medium rare. I also noticed that the roast tomato was cold, not just ‘it had been left on the plate cold’ but more like ‘just been taken out of the fridge cold’. That was pretty disappointing, and the olives were well, nothing special and I think that olives from the deli section at the local supermarket may have tasted better than these ones. The scotch fillet was nice, not fantastic, and I have to admit that MF, who just happened to be sitting right next to me, actually frequently cooks the best steak I have ever had. The squid, albeit imported, was delicious and this was reiterrated from the other four that ordered the same meal as I did.
250gm Scotch Fillet with Chilli salt squid, roast tomato, green olives and watercress salad (AU$35)
MF’s eye fillet looked delicious and tender and he said that it was cooked just right, he didn’t however like the horseradish cream that came with it and left that on the side.
200gm Eye Fillet with Potato puree, broad bean, crispy prosciutto and horseradish cream (AU$37)
Overall the atmosphere was great, the service was good and so was the food but nothing to write home about really. Char Restaurant? Meh.
Char Restaurant
Cnr The Esplanade and Knuckey St, Darwin NT 0800
Ph: (08) 8981 4544
Open: Mon-Sun 12.00pm-11pm
Website: www.chardarwin.com.au
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.
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
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
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 