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Il Convivio, Cairns *CLOSED DOWN*
A couple of days ago EG and I found ourselves looking for somewhere to get a cup of coffee after a few rounds on the Red Arrow (ok it was only two but hey) and we ended up at Il Convivio. Il Convivio is an Italian deli cafe run by the same family that ran Vanella Cheese Factory in Portsmith (now closed down). It’s conveniently located directly across the road from Cairns Central on the corner. Now even though EG and I only went in for a caffeinated beverage after spying the ridiculously mouth watering menu we simply had to order something! After a little umming and ahhing we decided on the Antipasto Rustico Della Casa for one (AU$15) to share since we weren’t that hungry but just wanted to try a bit of what they had to offer. The platter arrived with a trio of smallgoods (prosciutto, sopressa and mortadella maybe?), a trio cheese (goats cheese, mozzarella and a cheddary type one?), mixed marinated vegetables, olives and homemade bread.
Antipasto Rustico Della Casa for One (AU$15)
It came out on a wooden bread board with the bread sliced on a separate plate and OMFG I was in heaven. The bread! The marinated vegies! The cheese! The meats! The only thing that would have topped off the whole platter would have been some sort of homemade dip to go with it all, something that EG and I both agreed on.
Amazing Homemade Bread
The Antipasto Rustico Della Casa was delicious and great value for something to share between two people but you could always upgrade to the two person antipasto for AU$25 if you want a little more (of course you do!). Unfortunately the coffee at Il Convivio does however leave a little to be desired. Both our coffees were too hot and tasted like water. Pretty disappointing considering Italians are renowned for their coffee.
Disappointing Tasteless Flat White
I really want to go back and try more items from the menu like the other antipasto and the panini’s and the pizzas. Yeah pretty much everything to be honest. I think I’m definitely going to have to start doing more than two rounds of the Red Arrow.
Il Convivio
58 – 62 McLeod St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40521 7477
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 6am – 4.30pm, Fri 6am – 4.30pm & 6pm – 9.30pm, Sat 6am – 3pm
Salt House, Cairns
A friend of mine has been bugging me to make an appearance on foodvixen and be a part of one of my reviews. My friend EG accompanied me to the Salt House for a quiet Tuesday lunch. Now like I said in a previous post first impressions last for me and I do tend to hold a grudge so after a bad dining experience at the Salt House not last Christmas but the Christmas before I haven’t returned. That lunch turned into a debacle with meals being forgotten, apologies not being made and rude and inappropriately dressed wait staff so you can understand my apprehension in going back. On reading Trip Advisor it’s clear the reviews are many and varied. Some like it, some don’t. Some say it’s the best place to dine in Cairns, some say they will never go back. Well I had a Table 52 card in my little hand and I wasn’t afraid to use it.
Upon arrival EG and I were greeted by one of the waitstaff and shown to a table. That particular table was out in the middle pretty much in direct sunlight so we asked if we could move to another table that had four seats since there seemed to be no other two seater tables out of the sun. The reply we got was “I need to keep those tables for other diners but ok”. Which other diners? The place was empty and looking around Salt House is a pretty big restaurant with plenty of places to sit. If they could fill all those tables for lunch on Tuesday then I take it all back. Everything I have said. They do however have a new Chef so I have been told.
So we took a seat, the two of us at our table for four and had a look over the menu. The Salt House does have a two course lunch menu with a glass of wine but we decided to forgo that and went with the Main Menu. I have to say that the menu wasn’t exactly exciting and it sort of forced me to choose something to eat rather than have something stand out that I wanted to eat. It appears that EG had the same problem but in the end she went with the Fish of the Day which after consultation with the waiter was confirmed as Barramundi with Vegetables, not sure what the vegetables were but they were vegetables.
When I dined at Salt House those many moons ago I ordered the Seafood Platter, which was at the time a lot more expensive at AU$50. I remember this because I ordered with my $50 voucher that I won at a Trivia Night there only a few weeks before. Seeing that the Seafood Platter was now $14 cheaper at AU$36 I decided to go with the Seafood Platter again.
Looking around at the restaurant I noticed (it didn’t seem to phase EG at all) that the chairs and furniture were all covered with mould. Considering that the main theme for the furniture is white leather it was quite noticeable. I know that the Salt House is kind of an outdoor restaurant but the furniture looks tired and weathered. It would certainly do with a good scrub of Exit Mould (mind the fumes, they are lethal) or maybe even a refurbish? The Salt House has been around for a few years now and you can tell by the state of the furniture. Still I have to give it to them it is an impressive looking restaurant, particularly by night and somewhere that I always bring friends and family from interstate for a drink in the evening during their visit.
Mouldy Chairs
The waiter bought me out a bowl of water with some floating lemons for my fingers and another white bowl to put my shells and what not in. Even then I noticed that the bowls were old and stained and could really do with a good old blast in the dishwasher with some Finish Powerball tablets. It was a little bit disappointing for a restaurant as exy as the Salt House.
Scabby looking finger bowl
Our meals arrived in good time and after a bit of a photo shoot of the meals we tucked in. EG’s fillet of Barramundi was a very decent serve and was succulent and cooked to perfection. The greyish skin that was still on top was slightly crispy and contrasted well with the bright green asparagus on top. The asparagus was crisp and not overcooked, the way asparagus and any other greens for that matter should be. The only problem with E’s meal was the cold vegetables on the side. It looked a bit like Ratatouille to me and tasted like it. There was some zucchini, some capsicum and Tomato as well. It was cold and had been served pretty much straight from the fridge which kind of took away from the meal a little and E said that it would have been much nicer if they had heated it up a to match the temperature of the rest of the meal. I tended to agree with her.
Salt House Fish of the Day (Barramundi) AU$32
Next up was my Seafood Platter (for one) which consisted of a whole Moreton Bay Bug (halved), Glazed Tuna Tateki, King Prawns still in the shell (maybe 4?), two oysters, a red claw crayfish, some dipping sauces (Dill Marscapone, tzatziki and guacamole) and half a lemon. Last time I had the seafood platter there was a few extras on there like Smoked Salmon, Fish Roe, 3 oysters instead of 2, wakame seaweed and some squid, amongst a couple of other things that I can’t identify from the picture. But like I said the current Seafood Platter is AU$36 while the old one was AU$50. I am assuming that they got rid of the squid because it was horrible imported squid and no one should serve that least of all a fancy restaurant. I was pretty happy with my Seafood Platter although it was a little small and missing the wakame seafood that I so adore. Although the description of the Seafood Platter on the Salt House website does appear to be different to what I got All the items were cold, as I would expect from a Seafood Platter. That extra oyster wouldn’t have gone astray because the oysters were pretty small with not much meat in them. The dipping sauces were yummy especially the guacamole which which was nice and chunky. Um what else can I say? The presentation was good?
Seafood Platter for One (AU$36)
So where to from now? The food at Salt House was, how do I say this? Better than expected I guess. We both enjoyed our meals but had we paid full price (cue Table 52 card) I would have been a little disappointed. The service was better, not outstanding but at least the staff’s uniforms were clean this time. I tried to leave my expectations and past experience at Salt House at the door but it was a little hard to do that. I guess my beef with the Salt House is that for somewhere as high profile and as expensive as the Salt House I do expect just a little bit more from the decor, to the service, to the food. Love it or hate it, the Salt House is certainly a Cairns institution but I think I’ll just stick to ordering G and T’s from the bar from now on rather than go the dining option, after I try the new 2 course lunch menu of course.
Salt House
6/2 Pier Point Rd, Cairns QLD 4807
Ph: (07) 4041 7733
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 12pm – midnight, Fri – Sat 7am – 2am, Sun 7am – midnight
Website: www.salthouse.com.au
Lunch Specials in Cairns
Hey peeps if you are looking for somewhere to spend your hard earned cash on lunch then check out my Lunch page. It’s got heaps of deals in and around Cairns for every budget. Might have to check it out myself x
Happy 4 10 Cafe and Bar, Cairns
I have finally made it back to the land of the living and that of phone and internet range after what seemed like an eternity. Lucky for me now I have a few months off work (because I can) so it won’t be happening again for a little while. Before I went away I went to a few places that I didn’t get a chance to post about before I left. One such place that I wanted to write about is a new little place that I found tucked away on Sheridan Street that by all accounts appears to have been in operation since May but I didn’t stumble across it until late July. Half of you are probably like DER that place is old news but it’s not old news to me alright. Anyway this place that I am talking about is called Happy 4 10 Cafe and Bar. It’s pretty much located right next to the Shooters Bar (or First Choice for all you alco’s) or across the road from Montezuma’s, hidden away behind a yellow gate and down the pathway. I don’t actually remember anything being there in the past, to me it was always an abandoned garden full of weeds with a broken neon sign out the front but it seems that someone has taken over and turned it into a delightful little place to dine.
So after making amends with my good friend RS a few posts ago we decided to have lunch and catch up. She asked me for suggestions and I said there was this new place that I would like to try called Happy 4 10. She claimed that she had already walked past and looked at the menu, apparently it ‘Didn’t do anything for her’ and she said she didn’t want to go there. So I said ‘Fine, where would you like to go?’ To which she responded ‘Why don’t we just meet out the front and go for a walk’. Being the planner that I am this didn’t fly with me so I talked her into going to Happy 4 10 unless she could come up with an alternative. She couldn’t so off we went to Happy 4 10 and she fought be every step of the way (cue eye twitch).
We arrived and met at the front gate underneath the big Happy 4 10 sign. There is a sign below on the pathway with the menu on it so you can walk past and have a look. We walked inside and found a funky, brightly painted, cute as a button and cheap as chips, indoor/outdoor Japanese cafe with a bit of Korean food on the side. All the main meals at Happy 4 10 are AU$10! Winning! Upon arrival the friendly Japanese waitress (Japanese waitresses are always friendly) greeted us and gave us free reign over where to sit since there was no one else there. We chose a spot with a couple of lounges, one of those weird hanging chairs that just don’t seem stable enough to sit in and a coffee table and she bought over some menus. While I ummed and ahhed about just which dish I wanted (if I could have I probably would have ordered them all because they all sounded yummy) RS continued on with her ‘this menu just doesn’t do anything for me’ crap so I decided what I wanted and promptly went up to the counter to order. (Defence: I wasn’t being a bitch, she was just being difficult, you don’t know RS like I do). I even offered to pay for her lunch (big spender I am) but that didn’t quite seem to be good enough so I went ahead with my order of Seafood Udon (AU$10) and a Tofu and Seaweed Salad (AU$10) since I just can’t resist Wakame Seaweed (another food item that I could literally shower in).
RS ordered the Pork Katsu Don which she then cancelled and decided that she would just watch me eat. This confused the hell out of the poor Japanese waitress who ended up stuffing up our order as a result. Assuming that RS was trying to prove a point by not ordering anything I pretended it didn’t phase me and took a seat at the table outside. A couple more people arrived for lunch and sat inside followed by four business type people who took up seats at the table next to ours. We, okay well I, waited about 10 minutes and then the waitress bought out the Pork Katsu Don that RS had ordered, which she then cancelled. This was in no way the waitresses fault and entirely RS’ considering she couldn’t make up her mind as to what she wanted.
Then not long after that my Seafood Udon and Tofu and Seaweed Salad arrived, again confusing the hell out of the guy serving me. He couldn’t figure out why I had two meals and RS had a cup of water. So enough about that crap… Let’s get onto the food. My Seafood Udon had two large whole prawns floating around in it that by all accounts looked local to me (winning), plus half a mussel, some broccoli and a couple of other bits and bobs in there. It was steaming hot, almost too hot to eat but it was delicious.
Seafood Udon (AU$10)
Next up was my Tofu and Seaweed Salad. I know, I know, I can hear it now. Tofu? Yuck! Well, I happen to love it. When I am feeling very lazy and MS is at work sometimes I just eat Tofu and Ponzu Sauce. It tastes so good and despite all the health warnings about eating Soy I don’t eat it near enough to care. Moving on. The salad was drizzled with that really yummy brownish Japanese dressing that I have no idea what it’s called. I have bought it numerous times at the Asian Store on Grafton Street but the label is in Japanese. Anyone? Despite the obvious presence of Seaweed (wakame oh yeah) and Tofu, there was also fresh diced avocado, slivers of orange and lettuce. I really enjoyed it but couldn’t quite finish it all since my menu taste testing had got the better of me and I couldn’t fit any more in but all that for $20? Still winning.
Tofu and Seaweed Salad (AU$10)
Despite my obvious difficulties with my lunch date Happy 4 10 is a great little place to grab some lunch or dinner. Again, the fitout is cool and colourful and kinda reminds me of someones backyard but in a good way. I am looking forward to going back there again to try some of the other stuff on the menu. The Karage Chicken Salad sounds good. Wait. Maybe I’ll get the Prawn Tempura. No, I want the Teriyaki Chicken Don but then there is the Stir-fried Spicy Pork and the Salmon Salad. Ah what’s a girl to do?
Happy 4 10 Cafe and Bar
Sheridan St, Cairns QLD 4870
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat 10am – 11pm
La Porchetta, Cairns
It was Sunday night and MS and I were so damn hungover that all we really wanted to do was eat crap food (or as the professionals call it – Carb Load). The whole hangover thing really isn’t doing wonders for my self esteem especially when we end up at La Porchetta with our Table 52 card. No carbs as of next week I swear! So yeah like I said we rocked up at La Porchetta on the Sunday and we were greeted by an unfriendly lady at the counter that showed us to a table right next to another couple. Being the ‘you can’t tell me what to do’ type person that he is MS promptly moved us to another table a little further down and outside the 1 metre radius to other diners that was expected of us. I know that waitstaff do that so it’s easier to serve you but it just seemed a little close to everyone else considering we were pretty much in an empty restaurant.
The lady bought us some water since that was probably all I could stomach and it made me feel better about the content of the meal I was about to consume. We had a look over their extensive menu and I mean it is a pretty extensive menu from Parmigiana’s to Calzones to Salad. We both knew what we wanted (pizza and pasta) but it was just choosing which type that proved difficult. MS chose the Pollo Et Fungi which was Lean Chicken Pieces, Spring Onions, Mushrooms and Parmesan Cheese in a Cream Sauce with Fettucine (AU$19.40) and in the end true to form I chose the Mushroom Pasta also with Fettucine (AU$18.20) because how good are mushrooms in pasta? We also chose a medium Caprese Pizza with Tomato Base, Bocconcini, Fresh Tomato, Basil and Olive Oil to share for AU$18.80 (don’t judge us).
There was only two other occupied tables in the entire, extremely large restaurant and these tables were already eating or had finished their meals so I knew it wouldn’t take long for our meals to arrive. We chatted about our extremely large night on the town that ended up in, well lets just say some practical jokes being played and a fire hose being discharged in an alley way to ease chilli burns in the nether regions (note: no revellers were injured in our escapades but MS may have suffered a little blow to his huge ego). It was still a good night had by all despite the ensuing and cripling hangover that was continuing well into the evening for me.
Looking around the restaurant I noticed that the kitchen seems to be run by about 3 or 4 apprentice chefs. I mean they could have been qualified but they were very young. I didn’t care as long as my meal came out in good time and it tasted good. Our meals arrived in good time and by god I am pretty sure my hangover eased just at the sight of that pizza. It was cheesy, the base was crunchy, it had pesto on it and by all accounts I would have to say it’s one of the best pizzas that I have had in a long time. I know one of my readers commented a little while back that La Porchetta has the best pizzas in town and I did say I would get there eventually. Right you were my friend! Ok, so the only other pizzas that I have had in the last 6 months would probably be a AU$5 pizza at Bella Vista 2-4-1’s on a Friday or the 4 Cheese Pizza from Bel Paese that I raved about a couple of months ago. I’m going to have to break rank here and say that this La Porcetta Bocconcini and Tomato Pizza was better. Oh god it was good.
Caprese Pizza – Tomato Base, Bocconcini, Fresh Tomato, Basil and Olive Oil (AU$18.80 )
Next up, our pasta dishes. MS started out eating his. I asked him how it was and he replied “Yeah it’s ok” but by halfway through the dish he decided that it was delicious and apparently just what the doctor ordered. Since then MS’ review of his pasta dish has only improved and upon departure he confirmed that his pasta was in fact awesome. Not quite as good as his first experience at Bel Paese but it was up there for sure.
Pollo Et Fungi – Lean Chicken Pieces, Spring Onions, Mushrooms and Parmesan Cheese in a Cream Sauce with Fettucine (AU$19.40)
After I doused my pasta in Tabasco Sauce because lets face it, all pasta benefits from Tabasco Sauce, I dug in and I have to agree it was awesome in it’s carby goodness. There was plenty of mushrooms in there and the serving size was massive for little old me but I still put a fair dint in it with very little left in my bowl when I finally decided I was finished.
Mushroom Pasta with Fettucine (AU$18.20)
So it turns out the unfriendly lady wasn’t so unfriendly after all, MS won her over with his wit and charm throughout our meal and she loosened up a little and even smiled in the end. Seems to me that she had had a long week and was looking forward to closing time but she was nice enough. First impressions really do count for me but she came good in the end.
In the end, after finishing off two bowls of pasta and a medium pizza (I’m pretty sure we shared a kebab in the wee hours of the morning – again don’t judge us) we went home and only communicated through grunts and moans from reclined positions on the couch. But seriously, if you want a good feed of Pasta and (I’m gonna go out on a limb here) probably what some would consider to be the best pizzas in town (I’m an advocate) then head down to La Porchetta. Hangover or no hangover it’s still gonna be just what the doctor ordered.
La Porchetta
108 – 114 Grafton St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4031 6661
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun 11.30am – 10pm
Website: www.laporchetta.com
Lunch @ Bayleaf Balinese Restaurant, Cairns
Last post on the 21st of June? Geez I have been slack! Apologies again for I have been out of phone range and this is a post I was supposed to do before I was so rudely interrupted to go to work. So MS and I finally made it to the Bayleaf for lunch after many attempts to go there. We went there for a Friday afternoon lunch date with MS’ dad a couple of weeks ago arriving to a restaurant with only a few occupied tables. Sitting down outside near the line of trees along the pathway and the unlit bamboo torches (well it was daytime) we were given menu’s from the waitress and all identified the Balinese Set Lunch for $19.50 per person as what we wanted to eat. The Set Satu consists of Green Papaya and Vegetable Salad, Mixed Sates (that’s how they spell it on the menu), Balinese Chicken Curry, Pork in Sweet Soya Sauce and Fresh Tropical Fruits all served with Steamed Rice, Daily Vegetables, Peanut Sauce and Condiments. All that for AU$19.50 I hear you say? Sh*t yeah!
I could see the lonely chef busily working in the kitchen not far from where we were seated but despite how hurried he looked we didn’t wait too long for our meals to arrive. I did notice, however that the people next to us were served before us even though they arrived after us. The lady did say that they dined there often (I didn’t actually ask her she just felt the need to tell me) so it seems the staff may play favourites but I think she was on her lunch break from the hospital and since we had nothing in particular to do on this fine Friday I let it slide. Our food arrived on a large platter and I have to say it looked fantastic. We did get quite a bit of food between the three of us. Having never been to Bali (I don’t particularly want to go there) I can’t say whether this was genuine Balinese food but it tasted pretty damn good. We got three mixed sate’s each – beef, pork and chicken and they were grilled over their own little bed of hot coals. They had a really nice flame licked flavour and I particularly enjoyed the extra Satay Sauce that they give you on the side because lets face it, you can never get enough Satay Sauce.
Nasi Campur – Set Satu (AU$19.50)
The serving of rice was probably just a little bit small for the three of us but on reading a few reviews it seems that at Bayleaf they happily top up your rice at no extra charge. The Green Papaya salad was delicious. Not as good as my old Thai favourite Som Tum but it was nice and lucky for me MS didn’t seem at all interested in it, while I distracted KS with the Vegetable Salad that had bean sprouts in it. Yuck. Not a fan of bean sprouts. KS however loved the Vegetable Salad so that worked for me.
Green Papaya Salad
One thing that I wish we had more of was what I am assuming was the Daily Vegetables, which upon a bit of googling appears to be called Acar. It’s pretty much just a type of pickle that consists of chopped vegetables in Vinegar. It just reminds me of the good old days when my mum and dad used to get takeaway from Rahmah’s on Shields Street near the Grand Hotel. Does anyone remember that place? I don’t know if I was just too young to know any better but I’m pretty sure the food was amazing! Anyway Rahmah’s used to serve something very similar to the Daily Vegetables that they have at Bayleaf.
Clockwise from left: Daily Vegetables, Soy Sauce with Chili, Satay Sauce
We shared the little bowls of Balinese Chicken Curry and the Pork in Sweet Soya Sauce. I thought that the Chicken Curry was yummier than that Pork because it was really creamy and the chicken was so tender.
Balinese Chicken Curry
The pork pieces were a little overcooked in my opinion but that didn’t seem to bother either MS or KS who didn’t seem to notice. The only problem that I have with the little bowls of curry is that I’m not really that good at sharing, apparently something I have struggled with since I was very young. My mum claims that if you had given me a bag of lollies (no my mum was not in the habit of giving me bags of lollies when I was little but still) and you asked me for one I would whinge and cry for you to go away because for god’s sake I did not want to share those lollies. Whereas my younger sister would apparently give you the whole bag without so much as a tear. Seems I have carried this into my adult life and although you wouldn’t really notice it’s more of an internal struggle. I just get really sick of the same old conversation that I am sure everyone is familiar with… “You have the last piece.” “No I don’t want it, I’m too full. You have it.” “No I don’t want it.” “Ok I’ll have it then.” Let’s face it. You’re not too full and you really do want that last piece. Couldn’t we just save the hassle and give everyone a little bowl of their own?
Pork in Sweet Soya Sauce
To top off our meal (once our plates were cleared) we were served a fruit platter full of fruit including watermelon, honeydew, rockmelon, passionfruit (only two halves between three though), grapes, grapefruit and pomelo. It was a nice way to finish off our meal and the fruits were really juicy and fresh. There was quite a bit there and we couldn’t finish it all despite trying.
Fruit Platter
For those of you that aren’t too keen on spice, the food that we ate wasn’t particularly spicy and I can tell you that with confidence because even the slightest hint of spice has MS a complete sniffly mess. I know this because I cooked him a very mild Thai Green Curry when we first got together only to have him use half a box of tissues and down nearly two litres of milk to ‘stop the burning’ (so romantic). Lucky for the waitresses at Bayleaf there was no sniffly mess this particular Friday. Having dined at Bayleaf Restaurant for dinner I have to say that the atmosphere is a lot better at night. The presence of the lit bamboo torches certainly gives the place a very exotic feel whereas during the day it’s just a plain old restaurant with views of the hospital. Don’t let that deter you though because the Balinese Set Lunch is not only delicious but also good value for those of you who don’t mind sharing and even those of you that do (like me).
Bayleaf Balinese Restaurant
Corner of Lake and Gatton St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4051 4622
Opening Hours: Lunch Mon – Fri 12pm – 2pm, Dinner 7 days 6pm till late
Website: www.bayvillage.com.au/bayleaf
Xanadu On Collins, Edge Hill
Thinking of ideas for Friday lunch with MS’ dad this week I remembered a recommendation from a good friend of mine for the newish Chinese Restaurant opened up in Edge Hill, Xanadu On Collins. Who doesn’t love Chinese so off MS and I trotted (drove) to the leafy suburb of Edge Hill with his dad in tow. Xanadu, for those that haven’t been to Edge Hill lately, is just past El Mundo and Linga Longa as you are heading towards the airport. It’s positioned at the bottom of a truly hideous block of apartments on Collins Avenue. But hey I’m no architect it was the Chinese food we had come for!
Upon arrival we were greeted by the friendly Chinese waiter and took a seat at a table outside so we could enjoy the beautiful day (the weather is too good not to comment on). This is the reason that we live in Cairns! Am I right or am I right? The waiter asked us if we wanted some tea. I accepted as did MS and his dad KS. He bought us some menus with Xanadu’s lunch specials which contained quite a long list of things to choose from including two different Set Menu’s for AU$15.00 each, as well as Rice and Noodle Dishes for AU$9.90 and Dim Sum for AU$6.00. The waiter that was serving us was so authentic that I don’t think he actually spoke any English at all. I asked him if we could ‘order’ and he went to fetch us some ‘water’. I thought that was quite funny. He did however, understand the universal language that is ‘Coca-Cola’ when asked for a glass by KS. It was all good, I did want some water anyway and not long after that the owner of the restaurant (who speaks good English) came out and took our orders.
Chinese Tea
Typically, we all ended up choosing the same thing – Set Menu A (although the Honey Roasted BBQ Pork and Rice nearly swayed me). Set Menu A consisted of Steamed Pork and Prawn Dumpling (2 pcs), Steamed Seafood and Chive Dumpling (2 pcs), Golden Fried Crab Meat Ball (2 pcs), Pan Fried Shanghai Dumpling (2 pcs), Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup, Salad and a Dessert of either Almond Jelly or Coconut Sago (there was only Coconut Sago available). All that for AU$15.00. I had to wait till the food came out but I was pretty damn sure that was a good deal!
Set Menu A – Steamed Prawn and Pork Dumpling (2 pcs), Steamed Seafood and Chive Dumpling (2 pcs), Golden Fried Crab Meat Ball (2 pcs), Pan Fried Shanghai Dumpling (2 pcs), Salad, Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup (AU$15)
Turns out I was right. We didn’t wait long for our meals to make their way from the kitchen to our table but in the mean time we just enjoyed out leafy surroundings. After spending about 5 minutes defending my dumplings from MS’ dredded chopsticks I finally got to have a taste of what was in front of me. According to the article on the window from The Cairns Post all of the Dim Sum is made in house by the chef. The Dumplings and the Crab Meat Ball were super tasty especially dipped into the Chinese Black Vinegar on the side. I wasn’t too sure about the other side sauce that tasted a little like Seafood Sauce and I wasn’t too keen on it. Not to say that it wasn’t good but I was more than happy with my Chinese Black Vinegar to dip my Dumplings into. I particularly liked the Steamed Pork and Prawn Dumpling and the Steamed Seafood and Chive Dumpling because of their soft texture as opposed to the crunchy texture of the fried ones. It’s the soft and juicy dumpling goodness that I love!
Steamed Pork and Prawn Dumpling and Steamed Seafood and Chives Dumpling
The other two were good but just not as good as the steamed ones. My dining companions (MS and KS) appeared to have the opposite opinion and preferred the Golden Fried Crab Meat Ball and the Pan Fried Shanghai Dumpling. Each to their own.
Golden Fried Crab Meat Ball and Pan Fried Shanghai Dumpling
The side salad with lettuce, carrot and cucumber was only small and fairly standard but I have to say the dressing was awesome. Probably just bottled dressing but really good. I ate all of the carrots and cucumber out of my salad plus I snuck some of MS’ while he wasn’t looking. I’m not a big fan of Iceberg Lettuce (ok I just don’t bloody like it, I’m more of a Baby Spinach or Rocket kinda gal) so childishly I left it on the side of my plate.
The Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup was enjoyed by all of us although the other two did add a little bit of salt to theirs but they do tend to add salt to anything that they eat. I didn’t add any seasoning and enjoyed it just the way it was. It was thick, delicious and topped off my meal nicely, or so I thought.
After our meal we were chatting away when the waiter bought out the Coconut Sago desserts that I had somehow forgotten about. I was so excited I nearly fell off my chair. Anyone of my friends or family that knows me well knows that food surprises are my favourite surprises. I truly am a fat person trapped in a little persons body. That Coconut Sago ‘got in my belly’ and lucky for MS and I his dad decided that he had eaten enough prior to the dessert coming out so we finished ours and then shared his. The Sago wasn’t too sweet like many a Sago I have had before but more like Coconut Cream. It was decadent and I have to say the highlight of my meal at Xanadu.
Coconut Sago
At Xanadu On Collins their MSG-less food is memorable (in a good way), the service is attentive but not obstrusive and the atmosphere is Edge Hill’s finest. An online review I read says that Xanadu is too expensive for dinner and it may just well be but since I didn’t go their for dinner nor did I get a chance to read the dinner menu I can only vouch for the value of the lunch menu which by all accounts (the three of us) was excellent value for money. And here I was thinking that Xanadu was just a cringe-worthy 80’s song by Olivia Newton-John.
Xanadu On Collins
120 Collins Ave, Edge Hill QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4053 7303
Opening Hours: Lunch – Thur & Fri 11.30am – 2.30pm, Sat – Sun 10.30am – 2.30pm, Dinner – 7 days from 5.30pm till 10pm
Website: www.xanaduoncollins.blog.com
German Tucker Wursthouse, Kuranda
The amazing weather that we have been having the last few days reminds me of why I love and live in Cairns. Taking advantage of this weather MS and I decided to go for a drive up the range and head to Kuranda. Why oh why would I want to go to Kuranda you ask? To go to the German Tucker Wursthouse of course. I am one to avoid the little town of Kuranda since it is a bit of a tourist racket and nothing really interests me up there, except the food of course. Another card in the nifty Table 52 pack of cards, which I am absolutely powering through the GTW is across from the park in the main area of shops in the village and packed with people. There is a takeaway grill out the front of the restaurant for walkers-by but we chose to go inside and sit at a table to eat our tasty German Sausages. Being the big man that he is MS ordered two ‘hotdogs’ – one with a Kaseknacker sausage (beef/cheese/smoked/spices) and one with a Thuringer Bratwurst sausage (beef/pork/herbs/pepper/salt/spices). And me being the little person that I am ordered just one hotdog – a Kaseknacker sausage with sauerkraut. The more sauerkraut the better! I could shower in that sh*t it’s so damn good.
Controlled chaos seems to be right at home at the GTW however the owner Patric (the man on the grill) doesn’t miss a beat. Seems at the GTW they rely on the honesty system but if you are not honest don’t think he won’t notice. When you arrive at the restaurant you order your food from Patric (he writes nothing down just somehow remembers it all), grab your drink out of one of the fridges, take a seat and wait for him to bring the hotdogs to you, paying when you leave. MS and I observed a large group of tourists eating hotdogs at a table next to us each with a beer in hand. Upon leaving they went to the register to pay for their meals and ‘accidently’ left off a beer when reciting what they had. That didn’t fly with Patric. He was well aware of how many beers they had consumed and called them on it. And here I was thinking he was just a crazy German with a pair of tongs in his hand. He’s obviously a lot more attentive and good at this ‘running a restaurant’ stuff than I thought. That’s a joke.
Patric
Anyway back to our sausages… On each table there is a bottle of tomato sauce and a bottle of mustard because every good hotdog has to have mustard and tomato sauce on it. The two cheesy sausages (Kaseknacker) arrived first since the Bratwurst was still cooking. MS opted for onion since he doesn’t like sauerkraut and I skipped the onion since I don’t like onion. The hotdogs arrived on simple woven basket type plates served by Patric with a smile. The sausages were big, juicy and firm, the bread rolls were fresh and crusty and the sauerkraut was gooood. MS thought that the bread rolls were too crusty and claimed they were ‘sharp’ and cut into the inside of his mouth. Poor little lamb. I didn’t see a problem with the crustiness of the bread rolls but hey who I am to comment.
Kaseknacker (beef/cheese/smoked/spices) with Sauerkraut (AU$5.50)
Our little trip up to Kuranda solely to go to the German Tucker Wursthouse was well worth the visit and with our Table 52 card cost us less than AU$20 for the two of us. It’s a great little place with a lot of character, a crazy looking but super friendly owner called Patric, super tasty sausages and mountains of sauerkraut for all you sauerkraut lovers out there. But seriously who doesn’t love sausage in and around their mouth? Get to Kuranda STAT.
German Tucker Wurst House
Therwine St, Kuranda QLD 4881
Ph: (07) 4093 7398
Opening Hours: 7 days 10am – 2.30pm
Ever After Bookshop Cafe, Cairns City *CLOSED DOWN*
I had to write a quick post about a cafe that I had the pleasure of lunching at yesterday… Ever After Bookshop Cafe. Yes, I know it’s been around for ages and blah blah blah but I honestly haven’t had a chance to get there before now since my busy schedule only allows me to arrive there at closing time. Yeah ok if you call going to the gym at 9.30 am and then eating breakfast at 11.30 am a busy schedule then I’m flat out like a lizard drinking but enough about me lets talk about the Ever After Bookshop Cafe.
MS and I somehow managed to pop into this bustling little cafe for lunch on Wednesday and were both a little taken aback at just how many people were in there for lunch. It was flat out around the counter and the coffee machine yet the staff still managed to maintain their composure and control to a point where I was overly impressed at the situation. Pretty much as soon as MS and I walked into Ever After we were greeted by a friendly staff member behind the counter who then began to rattle off all the specials they had in the window, none of which I can remember because I didn’t even realise that she was talking to us. Due to the fact that I am shall we say vertically challenged I could only see the top of her head over the counter so it wasn’t until she was finished her speel that I realised that she was in fact talking to the two of us. Never mind that’s my own fault and although the rolls in the ‘window’ did look very inviting again I’m trying to limit my carbohydrate intake (I like to keep telling myself that anyway) so I decided almost straight away that I was going to have a wrap. Ever After has daily specials as well as more yummy items on their double-sided menu including salads, burgers and sandwiches.
The owner of the cafe, Nick I think his name is, took over while we placed our order and even though we ummed and ahhed and took something off one of the wraps he never seemed annoyed or tried to hurry us at all. Again, I’m impressed. MS ordered a Chicken Schnitzel Wrap with Golden Crumbed Chicken Breast, Cheese, Tomato, Salad Leaves, Aioli and Chilli Sauce (hold the chilli sauce) for AU$7.50 while I went with the Roast Beef Wrap with Tender Beef, Caramelised Onions, Cheese, Tomato, Salad Leaves, Red Onion and Chutney also for AU$7.50. I ordered a Chai Latte and we took a seat at the last available table which was outside in the arcade to read the latest edition of the Cairns Eye but not before one of the attentive staff made some room for us at the big table inside which we kindly refused. Even though we were concealed outside in the arcade away from the main thoroughfare of Ever After staff we still weren’t forgotten about and a waitress bought us a bottle of water and some glasses, even though we didn’t ask for it. Pretty soon my Chai Latte was presented to me in a tea pot with a glass and I do have to say despite my previous post about Jamaica Blue the Chai Latte at Ever After is pretty damn good. So good in fact I would have to say the second best Chai Latte in Cairns. Not long after my Chai Latte our wraps arrived. Freshly made, good size and full of tasty fillings we both really enjoyed our wraps, so much so we tried to go back for more today but we didn’t make it there before closing time. Out of the two wraps though mine was definitely the best and MS had a little bit of wrap envy when he tasted it not to say that his wasn’t delicious but I think the Caramelised Onions on my Beef Wrap ‘made it’ for the both of us.
Chicken Schnitzel Wrap – Golden Crumbed Chicken Breast with Cheese, Tomato, Salad Leaves, Aioli and Chilli Sauce (AU$7.50)
Not only were the wraps awesome but MS and I were both surprised at the short amount of time that it took between ordering our food and drinks at the counter and the time we were actually served. Not only that but the service that we received from not just one but all of the staff was impressive and without fault. Even with the hustle and bustle going on around them none of the staff missed a beat. They even smiled as they served us. It may not sound like that much of an impressive feat but if you eat out even half as much as I do in Cairns then you should know that good service like this is damn hard to find. I’ll certainly be back for another wrap and another serve of some good old fashioned service. The super cheap menu no doubt is another reason why the place was packed with lunch-goers when we turned up since surely these people like me get sick and tired of paying AU$15 for a wrap or salad at many other cafes around Cairns. Seems good service does still exist in the Cairns CBD. Ever After Bookshop Cafe you are a breath of fresh air!
Ever After
Shop 10, 85 Lake St Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4031 5955
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 7am – 2.30pm
Vibe Bar and Lounge, Cairns
Next stop on the Table 52 bandwagon was Vibe Bar and Lounge for lunch last week. I went to Vibe for dinner on a Tuesday night about a year ago when they had their 2-4-1 burger special. Back then their burgers were huge and I’d have to say one of the best in town. At present I can’t comment on the burgers because I haven’t had one since then. Unfortunately they don’t have their 2-4-1 burger specials anymore but according to the waiter that served us last week the ‘powers that be’ at Vibe decided to make their burgers cheaper everyday instead of just on Tuesday’s. Fair enough. So back to my post… When MS and I went to Vibe for lunch last week we were greeted at the counter by the friendly waiter who took our orders. MS went with the 350g Angus Rump Served With Grilled Vegies and Hollandaise for AU$25 while I figured if I was going to have steak I might as well have seafood too so I ordered the Reef and Beef – 250g Scotch Fillet, QLD BBQ King Prawns, Hollandaise Sauce, French Beans and Sweet and Kipfler Potatoes for AU$25. MS ordered his steak to be cooked Medium while I ordered mine Medium Rare. We opted to sit inside but then decided the atmosphere just wasn’t very pleasant (it is a nightclub) so we moved to an outside table where we could people watch and drool over a group of tourists eating bowls of noodles from next doors Pho ‘n Thai while we waited for our meals (just to clear things up we were drooling over the noodles not the tourists).
Our meals were ready pretty quickly and rightfully so since there was only 3 other occupied tables at this time of day. On bringing the meals out the Hollandaise that was so delicately placed on top of MS’ Rump slid off onto the side. The waiter apologised (no bigie, you can’t help sauce sliding off) and offered to bring out some extra Hollandaise to have on the side. Ever the sauce lover MS accepted the waiters apology and the extra sauce. The waiter also advised me that the chef had given me sirloin and not scotch fillet. He said that the sirloin was a leaner cut of meat than the scotch (what was he trying to say?) and he could have it changed if I so wished. I really couldn’t be bothered to wait for another steak to be cooked for me so I told him not to worry about it and stuck with the sirloin. Shame because I do much prefer scotch fillet.
MS’ enjoyed his steak although it was a little overcooked, probably closer to Well Done than Medium but he’s not one to care too much about that, unlike myself. It was a pretty big meal but then again the steak was 350g. The Grilled Vegies that it came with were exactly the same as what my meal came with (Beans, Sweet and Kipfler Potatoes) so pretty much the only difference was the steaks were a different cut and mine had the additional prawns. The Sweet and Kipfler Potatoes were really yummy and the beans were still crunchy (the way they should be).
350g Angus Rump served with Grilled Vegies and Hollandaise (AU$25)
My Reef and Beef came with three decent sized BBQ King Prawns, which I thought was pretty reasonable but I was horrified to find that they hadn’t been deveined. I’m sorry but you just cannot serve prawns that haven’t been deveined!!! Absolutely not! There is no excuse for it and I am sure that I can vouch for pretty much anyone and everyone that eats prawns when I say that I want my prawns to be cleaned when I eat them. I’m still horrified by the whole affair. You might think I’m being a little over the top but like I have said in a previous post my parents have owned a seafood business (not a Fish and Chip shop) for donkey’s years and I kinda know what I’m talking about. Moving on, the Hollandaise Sauce that was served with both of our meals was flavorless. It didn’t have the eggy/lemony taste that I so love about Hollandaise and instead it tasted like nothing. I was pretty disappointed and considered asking for a bottle of BBQ sauce to compensate.
Reef and Beef – 250g Scotch Fillet, QLD BBQ King Prawns, Hollandaise Sauce, French Beans and Sweet and Kipfler Potatoes for AU$25
I’m not trying to rain on Vibe’s parade because I know they have been putting a lot of money into their advertising particularly that of their cheaper meal deals they have throughout the week. Our meal wasn’t the best meal I have ever had nor was it the worst however I would be pretty pissed if I had paid full price for it. They just need to make a few minor changes to things, first and foremost the prawns need to be deveined and they need to change their Hollandaise Sauce recipe. I’ll be returning for a burger but right now I’m just not feeling the vibe at Vibe.
Vibe Bar and Lounge
39 Lake St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4052 1494
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri from 10.30am, Sat from 12pm, Sun from 5pm
Website: www.vibebarcairns.com
foodvixen 