The main drag in town reminded us of a cheap part of town in Bali.
Lennox Head, on the other hand, seemed nice and tranquil.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Byron Bay
We are so glad we didn't stay in Byron Bay. We made a brief stop and decided to keep going. The beach was crowded and noisy...the place had just got that scruffy feel to it. Think topless sweaty hairy guys in flipflops. Yuck!
The main drag in town reminded us of a cheap part of town in Bali.
Lennox Head, on the other hand, seemed nice and tranquil.
The main drag in town reminded us of a cheap part of town in Bali.
Lennox Head, on the other hand, seemed nice and tranquil.
Ballina
Ballina is a funny little town. We totally enjoyed our brief stay at the hotel and the meal at a local restaurant was excellent - what else could we ask for?
The romantic Ballina Manor. I like staying in historic buildings when they are recently refurbished haha.
We thought the place was odd cos you get very nice manor houses and waterfront properties in town but at the same time there are places like this one. We almost ate in there just to see what the giant prawn is all about.
Sunset by the river front.
The romantic Ballina Manor. I like staying in historic buildings when they are recently refurbished haha.
We thought the place was odd cos you get very nice manor houses and waterfront properties in town but at the same time there are places like this one. We almost ate in there just to see what the giant prawn is all about.
Sunset by the river front.
Australia Zoo
One of the reasons for this trip was to touch a wombat (don't ask me why but I love them). We were told to go to Australia Zoo where interactions with animals are encouraged. Home of the late Steve Irwin the place is pretty casual and fun, just like him.
We didn't get there on time and as a result we missed the patting registration. :-( We got to watch someone else touch one instead. It sucked!
Now which one is the wombat?
The fur looks a bit like beaver fur.
I got to touch a roo and a koala instead. Better than nothing I guess. They both felt very weird..nothing like I had imagined. Unlike dogs and cats roo fur grows from tail to head! Strange. And koala fur actually felt like a sheep.
A curious (perhaps a little nasty) emu.
A fellow visitor at the zoo entrance.
We saw tigers, elephants, birds, leopards...the usual zoo stuff. Wished we had more time cos we had to skip the dingo pit!
Australia Zoo
Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah, Queensland 4519, Australia. Tel: 07 5436-2000
We didn't get there on time and as a result we missed the patting registration. :-( We got to watch someone else touch one instead. It sucked!
Now which one is the wombat?
The fur looks a bit like beaver fur.
I got to touch a roo and a koala instead. Better than nothing I guess. They both felt very weird..nothing like I had imagined. Unlike dogs and cats roo fur grows from tail to head! Strange. And koala fur actually felt like a sheep.
A curious (perhaps a little nasty) emu.
A fellow visitor at the zoo entrance.
We saw tigers, elephants, birds, leopards...the usual zoo stuff. Wished we had more time cos we had to skip the dingo pit!Australia Zoo
Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah, Queensland 4519, Australia. Tel: 07 5436-2000
Koala Hospital
All the koala bears in this hospital have been rescued from around the Port Macquarie area. Yearly admissions are between 200 to 300, mostly caused by bulldozing of koala habitat. Poor little creature!
They all seemed rather sleepy...maybe it was the heat.
To adopt one go to the website.
Koala Hospital
Lord Street, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444, Australia. Tel: 02 6584-1522 (free entry)
They all seemed rather sleepy...maybe it was the heat.
To adopt one go to the website.
Koala HospitalLord Street, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444, Australia. Tel: 02 6584-1522 (free entry)
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Hunter Valley sights
I was the perfect designated driver while my husband drank himself silly in Hunter Valley. I have to say the wines are not as nice as the ones from Margaret River but it's a good and easy getaway from Sydney.
Wyndham Estate. We learned that only 40% of the grapes they use come from Hunter Valley. the rest are brought in from other regions anyway. It's cheating if you ask me!
One of the vineyards in the area.
Bonus! The place was full of kangaroos!
Wyndham Estate. We learned that only 40% of the grapes they use come from Hunter Valley. the rest are brought in from other regions anyway. It's cheating if you ask me!
One of the vineyards in the area.
Bonus! The place was full of kangaroos!
Sydney sights
As usual we walked around downtown Sydney eating ourselves silly for 3 days. This time we decided to check out the fish market and we wished we were there with empty stomaches. Everybody else was gorging on fish and chips and sashimi we were too full. Dang.
Trouts.
The 2.5 kilo lobster kicking and fighting for its life.
More local fish.
We wandered along Darling Harbour and decided to check out Cook's boat Endeavour. We had an interesting tour on board but I couldn't even see myself living on board for more than a week.
Trouts.
Too bad we aren't oyster fans.
The 2.5 kilo lobster kicking and fighting for its life.
More local fish.
We wandered along Darling Harbour and decided to check out Cook's boat Endeavour. We had an interesting tour on board but I couldn't even see myself living on board for more than a week.
Capalaba seafood shop
We finally made it to the legendary seafood shop in Capalaba. We heard so much about it (from our best friends K and N) the highly anticipated trip to the shop did not disappoint. The place was packed with customers and here's just a corner of all the wonderful seafood on offer.
K's mom was very nice to have prepared us a salad spread to go with the seafood.
The extremely ugly Morton Bay bugs. I didn't want to touch them but I had to try them since we were almost in Morton Bay.
My husband was very nice to have peeled the bug for me. It tasted better than a lobster tail! Sweet and more delicate then lobster meat it was like eating a giant tiger prawn.
Then of course we had to have mud crab. This one was under a kilo and I have to say I prefer the one I had in Sydney.
K's butt-kicking BBQ set up in the atrium. Makes BBQ so much easier.
Clockwise from top: blue cod, scallops, mango salsa and barramundi. The seafood was wonderful and I especially enjoyed the barramundi. We made the mango salsa from scratch with a huge local Australian mango K's mom picked. It was simply divine. I need to go back for more!
And strangely there were some junk food as well...we have no idea what pluto pups are but they looked like corn dogs. They looked like cloggers no less.
K's mom was very nice to have prepared us a salad spread to go with the seafood.
The extremely ugly Morton Bay bugs. I didn't want to touch them but I had to try them since we were almost in Morton Bay.
My husband was very nice to have peeled the bug for me. It tasted better than a lobster tail! Sweet and more delicate then lobster meat it was like eating a giant tiger prawn.
Then of course we had to have mud crab. This one was under a kilo and I have to say I prefer the one I had in Sydney.
K's butt-kicking BBQ set up in the atrium. Makes BBQ so much easier.
Clockwise from top: blue cod, scallops, mango salsa and barramundi. The seafood was wonderful and I especially enjoyed the barramundi. We made the mango salsa from scratch with a huge local Australian mango K's mom picked. It was simply divine. I need to go back for more!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Noosa - Cafe Le Monde
We have yet to figure out why Noosa is getting so popular these days. The stretch by the river and the beach is quite pretty but the town itself is nothing special really. I guess it is a convenient weekend getaway for people/surfers living in Brisbane.
Now back to the food. We were warned of the big portion but we simply did not want to listen. Typical of us. Here's my husband's mezze plate (A$14.9) with hummus, salami, roast veggies, feta and baguette. Enough to feed 4.
My steamed mussels with wine and tomatoes (A$21.9) came with bread too, it could be a meal on its own. Quite a few of the mussels stayed shut but the rest were zingy and nice with the tomato broth.
Reef fish of the day (A$27.9). I forgot what it was though - could be barramudi. Too full to enjoy it.
My hickory smoked baby ribs with spicy BBQ sauce, fried and salad ($A21.9). There must have been at least three pigs on the plate. Then I realised I don't like hickory smoke at all. How silly. I chowed it down nonetheless, all the time wondering where the spicy BBQ sauce was.
Overall we enjoyed our meal. Service was good and friendly, and it's right by the beach with parking!
52 Hastings St., Noosa Heads, Queensland. Tel: (07) 5449-2366
Ballina - Pelican 181
Ballina turned out to be a very nice surprise all in all: nice accommodation (we stayed at the Ballina Manor), beautiful river, and wonderful food!
Set right by the river front Pelican 181 serves mainly seafood - and we were not complaining. To start my husband had the deep fried prawns. While he liked the batter and seasoning (very nice prawns too) we were not sure about the pile of Thai sweet sauce they were sitting on. It would have been much better if they served it on the side instead.
My calamari was very nicely cooked indeed: all the pieces were big and juicy.
My husband's surf and surf (haha) with king prawns and snapper. He said it's rather average unfortunately and not worth talking about to be honest.
My pasta with kind prawns with chili oil was a lot more successful. Loved the sauce and I couldn't even count how many prawns there were with so many of them.
Too bad we didn't have room for desserts!
Pelican 181
12-14 Fawcett St., Ballina, NSW. Tel: (02)6686-9181
Set right by the river front Pelican 181 serves mainly seafood - and we were not complaining. To start my husband had the deep fried prawns. While he liked the batter and seasoning (very nice prawns too) we were not sure about the pile of Thai sweet sauce they were sitting on. It would have been much better if they served it on the side instead.
My calamari was very nicely cooked indeed: all the pieces were big and juicy.
My husband's surf and surf (haha) with king prawns and snapper. He said it's rather average unfortunately and not worth talking about to be honest.
My pasta with kind prawns with chili oil was a lot more successful. Loved the sauce and I couldn't even count how many prawns there were with so many of them.
Too bad we didn't have room for desserts!
Pelican 181
12-14 Fawcett St., Ballina, NSW. Tel: (02)6686-9181
Coffs Harbour - some market cafe
Coffs Harbour, dubbed the sunniest place in Australia (and there might be some truth in it), was one of the places we stopped during our coastal drive. We settled in one of the cafes which line a shopping street and ordered from the simple but no-nonsense menu.
Chicken wrap - pretty healthy and substantial.
My burger. Loved the serious stack of "stuff" - that's what I'm talkin' about!
Chicken wrap - pretty healthy and substantial.
My burger. Loved the serious stack of "stuff" - that's what I'm talkin' about!
Coffs Harbour, NSW.
Port Macquarie - Fusion 7
A small seaside town, Port Macquarie has a fair number of restaurants on the main drag. I don't like fusion food to begin with but since Fusion 7 was highly recommended by our hotel we decided to give it a try.
Pan fried haloumi salad. It was my husband's first time having haloumi cheese and he liked it. A little salty and it's got a nice texture.
My scallops with ginger and black bean sauce was OK. It was nicely cooked but it reminded me of how much I hate black bean sauce!
Pan-fried fish - I don't remember what it was. My husband said it was average. I think he was bored since it was too much fried stuff after his salad.
My roast duck on fried couscous I believe. The duck was chewy and I didn't really like that sweet and sour duck sauce at all. So fusion, so cliche.
I did like my dessert although they were not homemade. My first time trying coconut ice cream and I actually liked it (meanwhile my husband stole the raspberry sorbet off me)!
Fusion 7
124 Horton St., Port Macquarie, NSW. Tel: (02) 6584-1171
Pan fried haloumi salad. It was my husband's first time having haloumi cheese and he liked it. A little salty and it's got a nice texture.
My scallops with ginger and black bean sauce was OK. It was nicely cooked but it reminded me of how much I hate black bean sauce!
Pan-fried fish - I don't remember what it was. My husband said it was average. I think he was bored since it was too much fried stuff after his salad.
My roast duck on fried couscous I believe. The duck was chewy and I didn't really like that sweet and sour duck sauce at all. So fusion, so cliche.
I did like my dessert although they were not homemade. My first time trying coconut ice cream and I actually liked it (meanwhile my husband stole the raspberry sorbet off me)!
Fusion 7124 Horton St., Port Macquarie, NSW. Tel: (02) 6584-1171
Aussie pies
A typical meat pie from a fast food pie shop. I got chunky beef (instead of minced) and onion and mushy peas on the side. Loved the peas and the pie is OK - I do prefer Cornish pasties .
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