The Best Around Australia

In case you’ve been wondering why you haven’t received the usual barrage of newsletters from me in the last two weeks, I should mention that I’m currently travelling from Sydney via the Flinders Ranges to Darwin and the Kimberleys, then on to Derby and the west coast of WA, down to Perth, Margaret River, Esperance and back to Sydney. This trip will take until the end of October and my Internet access is rather sporadic.

So far these are the highlights of the trip:

In the Flinders ranges: the Sunset Cabin at Angorichina Village and Pork Armagnac at the inimitable Blinman Hotel in Blinman.

In the ‘Red Centre’: the Wallaby Shanks at Umberto’s restaurant at the Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy were real ‘fall off the bone’ stuff, gamey and terrific. And, the food highlight of the trip so far, the Trumpet Mushrooms topped with minced prawns and pork, served in a giant terracotta snail dish at the beautiful Hanuman’s, inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Alice Springs. The service in this place is absolutely tops!

In the top end: breakfast at Cinema Café in Katherine is better than average and if you ask for a double espresso then the shortish black is great. In Darwin there is no better place to watch the sunset than Stokes Wharf, at the end of which you’ll find Crustaceans on the Wharf, a large restaurant with plenty of outdoor seating, and admittedly catering largely for tourists. The sunset view however is hard to beat and the Barramundi with Lime Beurre Blanc and Steamed Vegies is the best example of wild-caught, fresh barra you’re likely to find. Buzz Café in Cullen Bay is another Darwinian institution (atmosphere’s best during the day), I created my own dish from various other menu items and the Pan-fried Barramundi with shoestring chips and hollandaise was excellent.

The most wonderful place to stay in Darwin has to be Feathers Sanctuary, a place unlike any that I have stayed before. Peter and Susan McGrath graciously let us share their billabong and myriad birds and other wildlife. The guest huts are fantastic; you could be on safari in Africa, and I especially love the outdoors shower! 08 8985 2144 info@featherssanctuary.com

When in Darwin, please take the time to eat at the newly relocated Hanuman’s. It’s every bit as good as the one in Alice Springs and Jimmy Shu overseas the whole operation with knowledge, passion and a love of food. Try the Okra dish and the Kang Kong! 08 8941 3500

Jimmy’s mobile: 0412 402 019

PR Mark Marcelis: markmarcelis@octa4.net.au

In the Kimberleys: Lake Argyle is a huge body of water; the whole Ord River Irrigation Scheme defies imagination. Interestingly when catfish took over this huge manmade freshwater lake they had trouble selling them, until they named them Silver Cobbler. Now it’s a hit and the Fish & Chips at the Lake Argyle Hotel couldn’t be any fresher (or crunchier). Fantastic! You can really taste that the catfish here is king of the waters, as it has evolved into a top-feeder (instead of the muddy-tasting bottom feeder). And finally, if you’re passing through the clean and friendly town of Kununurra eat at The Boab Bookshop and Café. Good food, good coffee and Internet access!

Derby

Derby is a lovely sleepy hollow, infamous for its tides (the largest in Australia). Although Derby has a lively mud crab industry and export significant amounts of lead and zinc, it is not known for culinary prowess. So to find a restaurant, right at the tip of the town, with glorious sunset views that serves good food was unexpected and a real bonus. The Rack of Lamb was absolutely superb. Fabulous meat, cooked perfectly pink, rested and glorious. When in Derby, go to: The Point Restaurant at the Derby Jetty

Contact them on: 08 9191 1195 thepointrestaurant@bigpond.com

Broome

Broome is booming. Real estate is seriously expensive and the town is permanently overrun by tourists, pearling technicians and local mining and survey personnel. To find a place to stay can be a challenge and The Court House B&B, 10 Stewart Street, Broome lives up to it. This is a beautiful, old 2-storey house, converted to a 3-room B&B with a lovely pool and a relaxed country manor atmosphere within walking distance of the town centre and Chinatown. Have a look at: www.thecourthouse.com.au or ring them on 08 9192 2733

If you want to eat something a bit different then Broome, with its pearling industry, is the place to find pearl meat. There are only a couple of places where you can buy it (frozen) and very few restaurants who have it on the menu. Chef Amine Bouhaddau at Zanders on Cable Beach knows all about pearl meat. He serves it as part of an entrée tasting plate for two, on Chinese soupspoons. Finely diced raw pearl meat is flavoured by Spanish red onions, shallots, soy and sesame seed oil and it’s terrific, showing off the peal meats’ inherent chewy texture without killing its natural sea flavours. Ring Zanders for a booking on 08 9193 5090

Carnarvon

What do I miss most on this trip? Good coffee! As soon as you’re west of Leichhardt it is almost impossible to find a good cup of coffee and I have wandered the coffee desert now for nigh on twenty days. You can imagine my delight when I found the Galleon Café, a hip and happening destination in Carnarvon, specializing in organic produce and serving coffee that is simply superb. Helen Lange, the proprietor, decided that Carnarvon deserved something more special and opened Galleon Café. Thank God she did! You can eat inside or on one of the many tables on the footpath and watch life pass you by. When in Carnarvon, don’t miss the Galleon Café, 26 Robinson Street, Carnarvon. Tel.: 08 9941 2531 – galleon@westnet.com.au (They even know what a macchiato is)

Denham (Shark Bay)

The Old Pearler is a small cottage (seats 34) built from blocks cut at Shelly Beach consisting of thousands of little shells. This lightweight construction method looks good and has extraordinary acoustic properties that cocoons each table into its own little world. It is no longer permitted to use this material (World Heritage Conservation Area) but the two existing buildings, the Old Pearler and the local church) may be repaired the authentic way if the need arrises. The Sand Whiting here is wonderfully fresh, sensitively handled, just lightly floured and pan-fried. This is a real treat. If you visit Shark Bay (or nearby Monkey Mia) try the Sand Whiting at the Old Pearler, 71 Knight Terrace, Denham. Ring Wayne Viney for a reservation on 08 9948 1373

Kilbarri

Kilbarri lies at the ocean end of the Kilbarri National Park with all its wonderful gorges and shady pools. It’s a holiday town, consisting of services for the tourists with a good surf beach and a quiet, safe body of water, separated by a substantial sand bar. There are numerous restaurants here and the Tasmanian Smoked Salmon served on Roti Paratha with Horseradish Cream stands out. This is a terrific light lunch and I can highly recommend it. For more information contact: The Grass Tree Café and Restaurant on 08 9937 2288 or have a look at the town information on http://www.kalbarriwa.info

Mingenew

I can’t really think of any particularly good reason to visit Mingenew with the possible exception of travelling from Geraldton to New Norcia where the Midlands Highway becomes the best route. If you however make it to Mingenew, then I suggest you visit Ken and Michelle Boyland’s ‘Boyland’s Bakery’ where you will find the best Steak, Cheese and Onion Pie I have ever tasted. In fact it is so good you might want to drive there just for the pie! You can’t miss them; they’re in the centre of town on 56 Midlands Road, Mingenew and contactable on 08 9928 1104

New Norcia

If you visit the only monastic town in Australia, be it for the monks’ famous bread or for their Abbey Ale, don’t miss the Sweet Lip Snapper with Lime Crust and Beurre Blanc at the New Norcia Hotel. It’s a satisfying lunch. They’re on the Great Northern Highway, New Norcia. Contact them on 08 9654 8034 or have a look at: http://www.newnorcia.wa.edu.au/hotel.htm