Blog Archives
$10 Dozen Oysters @ Yorkeys Knob Boat Club
I have a huge appetite for oysters, natural and kilpatrick, they’re both amazing! Every Saturday for a limited time Driftaways Restaurant and Bar at Yorkeys Knob Boat Club are serving natural and kilpatrick South Australian oysters for just $10 a dozen from 10am. The oysters are super tasty and yeah, ok, they aren’t enormous but who cares? Are you listening to me? They are $10 a dozen! Get to Yorkey’s Knob Boat Club on a Saturday and enjoy the views and the oysters!
Yorkeys Knob Boating Club
25-29 Buckley St, Yorkeys Knob QLD 4878
Ph: (07) 4055 7711
Opening Hours: Mon – Thur 10am – midnight, Fri 9am – 2am, Sat 8am-2am, Sun 8am – midnight
Website: www.ykbc.com.au
Worst Salt and Pepper Squid EVER @ Trinity Beach Tavern
Yesterday I was unlucky enough to have the worst Salt and Pepper Squid I have ever tasted at the Trinity Beach Tavern. The menu described it as ‘Salt and Pepper Squid with Pickled Cucumber Salad and Dipping Sauce’. Sounds pretty damn good but it tasted like it came straight from a frozen packet, which I suspect it did. I have eaten a lot of Salt and Pepper Squid in my time and I know my sh*t when it comes to seafood. I would even go as far to say that my parents actually make the BEST Salt and Pepper Squid I have EVER tasted (NO KIDDING) but this was absolutely foul and even dousing it in the dipping sauce made no improvement. Sorry I didn’t get a picture but it really didn’t warrant one, just thinking about it makes me feel sick. I ate two pieces and left the rest. There is NO EXCUSE for serving crappy, imported seafood! That is my second and last disappointing meal at the Trinity Beach Tavern. Yeah, ok, the atmosphere is good, but I ain’t coming back for a third and most likely disappointing round!
Kanpai, Cairns
If you are looking for a cheap Japanese lunch in town during the week and don’t really feel like the usual Sushi Train then check out Kanpai (means ‘cheers’ in Japanese) on Shields St. They have a $12.90 Eco Lunch special available Monday to Friday with over 10 items on the menu to choose from, including sushi, sashimi and teriyaki chicken.
LL and I walked through the restaurant and took a seat in the alfresco dining area at the rear so we could enjoy the beautiful weather that Cairns has been putting on lately, and also because all the booths inside were full. The waiter poured us a glass of water. I ordered the sushi platter while LL ordered the Teriyaki Don with sushi on the side. We were informed by the waiter that because the restaurant was busy it would take a little bit more time for the sushi platter to be prepared. I asked ‘How long?’ and was told ‘about 20 minutes’. We decided that was ok as we weren’t in a hurry and it was good to be forewarned. However, considering that the lunch specials are only during the week and city workers on their lunch break probably don’t want to be waiting around too long maybe Kanpai should employ some more sushi chefs. LL’s meal came out about 10 minutes before mine did and even though I was told that I was going to have to wait it would have been better if they had bought the meals out together, since LL has little to no manners he had finished his meal before mine had even arrived.
Chicken Teriyaki Don
Having said that when mine finally did arrive with many apologies from the waiter it was delicious, good value for money and also a good size meal for lunchtime.
Sushi and sashimi platter
Again I was met with apologies from the waitress who I gave my $12.90 to at the counter as we left. Kanpai has good, cheap food and friendly service, just don’t go there for lunch on a Friday and expect a quick meal.
Kanpai
64 Shields St, Cairns QLD 4870
Open: Lunch 11.30 – 2pm (Wed-Fri), Dinner 5pm – 11pm (Tues-Sun)
Ph: (07) 4041 6084
Website: http://www.kanpaicairns.com
Lunch Thali’s at Marinades Indian Restaurant, Cairns
With the plethora of Indian Restaurants available to dine at in Cairns its hard to know just which one to go to these days but one that has truly stood the test of time in our grand city is Marinades on Spence St. A few friends and I rocked on into Marinades last Thursday for lunch after a series of ‘blockies’ in an attempt to find a parking spot in the vicinity. It wasn’t even market day! At Marinades the lunch set met is a meat or vegetarian thali. The Vegetarian Thali consists of three vegetarian curries, raita, jasmine rice and dessert for AU$10 while the Meat Thali consists of a meat dish (either lamb or chicken), two vegetable curries, raita, jasmine rice and a dessert all for AU$12. On top of that if you are really hungry you can get the Deluxe Thali and that includes both the chicken and the lamb for AU$16. We each ordered a Meat Thali except for my ‘man-friend’ MS who ordered the Deluxe Thali because, well, he’s a big, hungry man. We also got some naan bread on the side because you just can’t resist the naan bread here it’s so damn good!
Meat Thali with Lamb Curry, Two Vegetable Curries, Raita, Jasmine Rice and Dessert (AU$12)
According to the waitress the curries available in the Thali change daily and on this particular day they were Chicken Korma and Lamb Rogan Josh. Pretty standard curries for this type of dish but then again you don’t want to get too imaginative with diners coming in for the lunch special especially odd people like my man-friend MS who seem to think that all curries have raisins in them. I, for one, am completely horrified by this thought. I ordered the lamb curry which was well, lamb curry but it was pretty good. Call me simple but my favourite dish in the Thali is the raita. I could literally ‘shower in that shit’ it’s so good! Wrapping up, the lunch set menu at Marinades is great value for money, a good size, super tasty and the large table of Indian’s dining next us has got to say something as to the quality of the Indian food here.
Marinades
43 Spence St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4041 1422
Opening Hours: Tues – Sun 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm-10pm (closed Monday’s)
$15 Bento Box @ Hanuman, Hilton Cairns Hotel *CLOSED DOWN*
Another lunch special available in the Cairns CBD during the week is the $15 bento box at Hanuman at the Hilton, overlooking Trinity Inlet. Myself, FW and TT went to check it out last Friday and were pleasantly surprised. The $15 bento box includes rice, salad, two curries and a chutney/sauce. The waiter informed me that the curries change daily so you never know what you are going to get. On this particular day however our’s was a Thai Indian Bento Box with Green Curry of Chicken in a Classic Thai Curry with Sweet Basil, Kaffir Lime Leaf and Chilli, Seasonal Vegetables Steamed and Served with Oyster Sauce, Garlic and Soy, Fresh Green Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Carrot Ribbons, Mango Pickle with Cumin, Coriander and Mustard Seeds and Jasmine Rice. The Green Curry was absolutely divine, so much in fact I was desperately trying to mop up and leftover sauce with my rice. I also really enjoyed the Seasonal Vegetables as they were fresh, crunchy and dressed in a delicious oyster, garlic and soy sauce. The one thing we all found a little odd was the Fresh Green Salad included in the Bento Box as its not really a Thai Indian type salad and just seemed to be out of place with curries, pickle and veges.
Thai Indian Bento Box with Green Curry of Chicken, Seasonal Vegetables, Fresh Salad, Mango Pickle and Steamed Jasmine Rice
Hanuman is a great place to go mid-week for a cheap, quick and super delicious lunchtime meal in a really beautiful and quiet setting with Trinity Inlet just outside the floor to ceiling windows. If time is limited you can inform the waiter for an extra speedy meal so its perfect for the office execs who just want a quick bight to eat. With the curries on offer changing daily you never really know what you are going to get but in my opinion that sort of adds to the whole appeal of it.
Hanuman
34 The Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4052 6786
Opening Hours: Lunch Mon – Fri 12pm – 3pm, Dinner 7 nights 6pm till late
Website: www.hanuman.com.au
Ibiza Beach Bar Cafe, Cairns
Some friends and I went to check out the recently opened but not ‘officially’ opened Ibiza Beach Bar Cafe on the Cairns Esplanade for dinner. It’s taken over from where Cocoa Amour used to be, right next door to La Pizza. The girl at the bar told me that they have been open for a couple of weeks now on the sly but haven’t officially been announced as open which I am assuming will happen in the next few weeks. It’s a very funky looking bar with a few tables out the front and inside a dancing area, some booths, comfy couches and neon lights to complete the overall bar feel. We were after a cheap meal on this particular Wednesday night and the Ibiza Beach Bar Cafe seemed like the perfect option with its menu consisting of a selection of reasonably priced wraps, burgers and old favourites like Chicken Parmigiana, Steak and Fish and Chips.
My three friends and I ordered at the bar and then took up a table out the front near the footpath so we could people watch. We probably only waited about 15 minutes for our food, which was a nice change from some other restaurants I have been to lately. All wraps and burgers come with chips and your choice of Garden Salad or Caesar Salad. SM ordered the Portugese Chicken Wrap with Peri-Peri Tenderloin, Grilled Onion, Feta, Avocado and Roasted Peppers (AU$12.90). In her words it was ‘pretty good’ and she gave it a 7/10.
Portugese Chicken Wrap with Peri-Peri Tenderloin, Grilled Onion, Feta, Avocado and Roasted Peppers (AU$12.90)
Next up LL ordered the Double Bacon Cheeseburger with a Grilled Beef Patty, Two Bacon Rashers, Double Cheese, Dijon-Aioli and Salad (AU$13.90). In his words it was a ‘good’ size, the meat was ‘good’, the chips were ‘good’ and the salad was awesome (we all ordered the garden salad).
Double Bacon Cheeseburger with a Grilled Beef Patty, Two Bacon Rashers, Double Cheese, Dijon-Aioli and Salad (AU$13.90)
On my right AL ordered the Peri-Peri Chicken Burger with Special Chilli Sauce, Chicken Tenderloin, Peppers, Salad and Avocado (AU$14.90). In AL’s words the bun was nice and soft, the chips were good, the size of the meal was ‘just right’ and the salad was dressed just right (that’s very important with salads). He enjoyed it but apparently would have preferred it as a wrap instead of a burger.
Peri-Peri Chicken Burger with Special Chilli Sauce, Chicken Tenderloin, Peppers, Salad and Avocado (AU$14.90)
Lastly, I ordered the Greek Lamb Wrap with Marinated Lamb, Sundried Tomatoes, Olives, Rocket, Fetta, Yogurt and Garlic (AU$12.90). Ever the kebab lover I was taken with the words ‘yogurt and garlic’. The wrap was delish and I really like that they had rocket on it instead of plain old lettuce and the chips were super yummy!
Greek Lamb Wrap with Marinated Lamb, Sundried Tomatoes, Olives, Rocket, Fetta, Yogurt and Garlic (AU$12.90)
Restaurants that have set up in this location haven’t done particularly well in the past but considering Ibiza Beach Bar Cafe’s good food, funky fitout, friendly staff and good service they might just stand the test of time. With competition like Grill’d just down the way Ibiza Beach Bar Cafe’s owners have obviously recognised the need to serve tasty but cheap burgers and the like. My friends and I will be back without a doubt (in fact I know my friends already have). The only thing for this funky bar/cafe to do now is open (officially).
Ibiza Beach Bar Cafe
91 The Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870
Opening Hours: 7 days 10am – 2pm
Coco’s Restaurant Business Lunch, Cairns
I am currently attempting to trawl through the enormous amount of lunch specials that are on offer in Cairns during the week. Coco’s Restaurant at The Sebel (formerly the Cairns International Hotel) is one of those places, offering a three course lunch with a glass of wine for a mere $30 a head. Sounds too good to be true! I have dined at the Sebel many times over the years usually for their highly regarded Sunday Brunch, which is said to be one of the best in town. We chose The Sebel because it was pretty windy and cold outside so we went for a nice indoor setting and Coco’s Restaurant certainly provides that. We were greeted by a waitress who ushered us to our seats, right next to a couple dining in the restaurant. Since there was only four tables of two occupying the restaurant I thought it was bit strange to seat us all on top of each other. Maybe she was trying to plan ahead for the rush of people at lunch time? Alas, this was the not the case as no one else turned up.
The waitress handed us our menus and poured us a glass of water and a glass of Goodwyn Semillion Sauvignon Blanc. The wine wasn’t very nice but then again I’m not a big fan of semillion at the best of times. FW and I perused the menu and made a selection from three entrees, three mains and three desserts. We both commented that the menu was a little bit heavy for lunch especially one termed the “Business Lunch” with the assumption being that those business and executive types can come and have a three course lunch and go back and not fall asleep at their desk with a ridiculously full stomach. Still, we didn’t have to go to work after. For entree FW ordered the Sweet Potato, Kessler Bacon Arancini and Tomato Salsa with Rocket and Parmesan Salad. It looked delicious when it came out and FW said it was ‘nice’ and that’s all well and good but it seems that the chef forgot to put the tomato salsa on the plate.
Sweet Potato, Kessler Bacon Arancini and Tomato Salsa with Rocket and Parmesan Salad
I ordered the Tempura Soft Shell Crab with Fennel and Citrus Salad and Smoked Paprika Aioli. The crab was nice and crispy and it was delicious. I asked the waitress if she could find out where the crab was from and she looked at me like I was from another planet, tottered off into the kitchen and came back and said she couldn’t find the chef. Bit strange considering he was supposed to be in there preparing our mains. The fennel salad was tasty but consisted mostly of very woody endive leaves that I found difficult to eat. I would have preferred if it was just fennel and citrus as stated on the menu.
Tempura Soft Shell Crab with Fennel and Citrus Salad and Smoked Paprika Aioli
For main FW ordered the Vegetable and Tofu Spring Roll with Baby Bok Choy, Peanut Sauce and Steamed Rice. It seems the presentation for the meal took more effort than the actual preparation of the meal because the spring rolls certainly looked appetising but FW claimed they tasted horrible and ended up only eating the bok choy and the rice and leaving the spring rolls on the side.
Vegetable and Tofu Spring Roll with Baby Bok Choy, Peanut Sauce and Steamed Rice
For my main I ordered the Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic Mash, Root Vegetables and Shiraz Jus. The entire meal was delicious and the mash was nice and creamy, the lamb shanks were just a little bit tough and didn’t quite fall off the bone. A little bit heavy for lunch but like I said I wasn’t working after our meal so no skin off my nose.
Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic Mash, Root Vegetables and Shiraz Jus
Now last but not least were the desserts, FW ordered the House Brie, Walnut Bread, Apple and Drunken Muscatel. This was by far her favourite dish of the three, it was simple yet effective (and yummy too). FW said she would have preferred more walnut bread as opposed to the assortment of water crackers but then anything with brie in it usually has FW’s seal of approval.
House Brie, Walnut Bread, Apple and Drunken Muscatel
I chose the old favourite Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. You really can’t go wrong with sticky date pudding. It was light and fluffy and there was a plethora of butterscotch sauce to mop it up with. Yum!
Sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce and vanilla bean ice cream
Business lunch at Coco’s Restaurant, would I go there again? Probably not, no. The food wasn’t very exciting nor special, with the desserts being the highlight of the three courses. The choices on the menu for the three courses could have been a bit more imaginative and also a bit lighter and on top of that the waitress was extremely disinterested but maybe she was just having a bad day. Sunday brunch at Coco’s Restaurant is pretty spectacular (for Cairns anyway) but the business lunch during the week is no more than mediocre at best.
Coco’s Restaurant
The Sebel 17 Abbott St, Cairns
Ph: 1800 079 100
Website: www.sebelcairns.com.au
Opening Hours: 11.30am till 4pm daily
Mama Coco, Westcourt
If you are looking for somewhere nice to go for a quick, light and healthy lunch then Mama Coco on the corner of Mulgrave Rd and Aumuller St is a good place to check out. Located next to the butcher’s Mama Coco is a cosy little cafe that my friend HH introduced me to a few months ago. They do both breakfast and lunch and are open Monday to Saturday.
So I haven’t tried the breakfast menu yet but I will certainly get to it because if there lunches are anything to go by then theirbreakfasts should be pretty good. Their lunch menu is made up of 10 different types of sandwiches all under $15 and you can choose from ciabatta, foccacia, white, wholemeal, multigrain or a wrap. There is also 6 different types of salads to choose from on the menu as well as a few things to choose from in the cabinet next to the counter such as quiche or a tart and a delicious selection of cakes and muffins.
BLT
LL ordered the BLT while I ordered the Rocket and Parmasen Salad avec Pear, Parsley, Artichoke and Balsamic Reduction (I put a hold on the parsley because I find its too overpowering) and a Cappucino. The service was friendly but the waitress forgot to bring over a glass with ice for LL’s coke that he had requested and then she took my cappucino to the wrong table even though she had only just served me a couple of minutes ago. Oh well maybe she had a big weekend or had something on her mind? The coffee was pretty good however and we only waited about 10 minutes for our food to come out. LL reckons that his BLT was really good and he was happy that they weren’t stingy on the bacon. My other friend HH reckons their Steak Sandwich is a winner also. My salad was delicious and the ingredients went really well together especially the shaved parmesan and the thin slices of pear. YUM! It’s making me hungry just thinking about it.
Rocket and Parmasen Salad (AU$12)
When we were finished the waitress cleared our plates and replaced them with a litte dish with two little Apricot and Almond mini muffins for us to try. They were freshly baked that day and sooooo yummy!
Apricot and Almond Mini Muffins (AU$1.50)
Mama Coco, it’s great, check it out.
Mama Coco:
Shop 4, 196 Mulgrave Road Westcourt QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40521227
Website: www.mamacoco.com.au
The Raw Prawn, Cairns
Oh how I love my lunches in town on the weekends and again I thought I would take advantage of another one of the lunch specials going in the city but this time at The Raw Prawn on the esplanade. The Raw Prawn is a local seafood restaurant situated in a great spot on the esplanade that has been open for over 10 years. I have been here for lunch a few times and always enjoyed it. There is $22.50 lunch specials which includes two courses plus a glass of wine, beer or soft drink. There is also a $14.90 lunch special which is just for a main but my friends and I opted for the more expensive one ordering an entree and a main along with a couple of glasses of white wine and a beer. There are 9 entrees to choose from, 10 mains and 3 desserts. Again, its not all just seafood and there is a couple of non-seafood dishes for the non-seafood lover. AL ordered the Soft Shell Crab with Crisp Garlic Flakes and Sweet Chilli on a Thai Salad for entree and for a main he ordered the Chicken Pasta thigh pieces tossed with garlic and olive oil, since he isn’t that much of a seafood lover.
- Soft Shell Crab with Crisp Garlic Flakes and Sweet Chilli on a Thai Salad
LL went for the Natural Oysters for entree and the Pacific Fusion Reef Fish, Prawns, Calamari and Mussels poached in coconut basil sauce with rice and bok choy for main.
Natural Oysters with Cocktail Sauce
I order the Mussels in homestyle napoli sauce for entree and Tempura Prawns with salad and chips for main (I tend to get these everytime I come here because the prawns are pretty good).
Mussels in Homestyle Napoli Sauce
I asked the waiter if the seafood was local and he assured me that the mussels and the oysters were from Tasmania. We didn’t wait very long for our entrees to come out and they all came out at once which is always a good start. All the servings were of a good size for an entree and we were all very happy with them. The mussels weren’t very big but apparently its hard to find big mussels these days. The soft shell crab was crispy and the oysters were juicy. Next up our mains came out, again all at once and we only waited about 10 minutes. My prawns were big and the tempura was extra crunchy just the way it should bewhile AL seemed pretty pleased with his pasta, so much so that he hooked into it before I got a chance to take a photo of it.
Tempura Prawns with Chips and Salad
LL said that his Pacific Fish was really good but he got a bit of food envy when he saw my main. The only problem with Luke’s dish is that the prawns were small and imported which was a little strange considering that my prawns were big and local. A little disappointing but he didn’t mind too much.
Pacific Fusion Reef Fish, Prawns, Calamari and Mussels poached in coconut basil sauce with rice and bok choy
The Raw Prawn = good atmosphere, good service, great price. I’ll be back.
The Raw Prawn
101 Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40 315400
Website: www.rawprawnrestaurant.com.au
Splash Seafood Restaurant, Cairns
Today my mate LL and I decided to take advantage of some of the many lunch specials that are available in Cairns. We ended up at local seafood restaurant Splash, located on the esplanade just down from Barnacle Bills and Villa Romana. For $14.90 you can choose from 7 lunch specials which change regularly. There is even a couple of dishes on the menu entice the non-seafood lover however being avid seafood lovers LL and I opted for a seafood dish each. Luke, being a typical male, ordered the Fish and Chips. The fish was lightly battered coral sea bream direct from the restaurants own fishing vessel (very impressive) with Beer Battered fries and tartare sauce.
Lightly battered coral sea bream with Beer Battered fries and tartare sauce.
I ordered the Chilli Squid and Cucumber Salad with Spanish Onions, Shallots, Mesculin and Passionfruit Dressing. On ordering I asked the waitress if the squid was imported and I was assured that it wasn’t however I wasn’t entirely convinced with her assurance, she seemed a bit unsure.
Chilli Squid and Cucumber Salad with Spanish Onions, Shallots, Mesculin and Passionfruit Dressing
Splash has great atmosphere and it was a beautiful day to enjoy a bit of lunch on the esplanade. One of the things that I think is pretty cool about Splash is the Australian Charts that are laminated to the table tops. Its something different and gives you something to look at and point to while you are waiting for your food to arrive. We didn’t wait long for our mains at all, probably only about 10-15 minutes which was good. My salad was very eye-catching with the passionfruit dressing drizzled around the plate and it tasted pretty good too. The squid was cooked nicely and the serving size was just right. LL’s Fish and Chips was a good size and the fish pieces looked, well just as the menu said ‘lightly battered’ but delicious also. The chips were crunchy and he seemed pretty satisfied by the end of it. Delicious lunch at Splash! I’ll be back for sure.
Splash
103 Esplanade Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 40 319300
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