I'm a big lover of sweet and short weekend getaways; they give you something to look forward to leading up and many fun-filled memories long after. They can be super inexpensive, especially when you're splitting the costs between a car full of people and usually always include lots of cheese and even more wine.
Having done Hunter Valley already, my girlfriends and I wanted to explore another wine region of NSW. So, after 4 hours of driving through mountains and fog, and karaoke in the car to No Scrubs, we arrived at the beautiful Mudgee, a charming country region around 260km north-west of Sydney.
Our first stop after a quick rest in our country cottage was morning tea at High Valley Wine & Cheese Co. The menu was simple with a prevalent 'hand made' theme, including homemade scones and sweet potato shepherd's pie. They also offered wine tasting, but we skipped this and went straight for the cheese tasting instead. We picked up wedges of brie for some pre-dinner snacking and I also got the Stephen blue cheese to take home as well. If you're a fan of feta, they also do a mean marinated olive feta - it's so good on toasted sourdough!
Beautiful red hues of autumn at Ernest Schuetz Estate
After lining our stomachs with food we were excited to finally try out some wines, but it was hard to pick and choose where to go since there were over 40 family owned cellar doors in Mudgee. Our first stop was at Ernest Schuetz Estate, not too far from High Valley, where we had a lovely conversation with woman behind the counter who gave us a map and a suggested list of places to go (I've included the full list at the end!).
Arya - part time dire wolf, part time sheep dog @ Short Sheep Micro Winery
One of the stops were Short Sheep Micro Winery. This was one of my favourite wineries - as by the name, they use a breed of sheep called Southdown Babydoll to help long term sustainable management of vineyards. This breed of sheep have shorter legs and graze underneath the vines, which help reduce the need for herbicides, slash in between the rows for maintenance and diesel fuel. They're also SO DAMN CUTE. All their wines are low preservatives (no nasty hangovers) picked from low hanging fruit, but they also make a preservative free shiraz you should try out.
Front lawn olives ready to be harvested @ The Olive Nest
If you want a break from wine, head to The Olive Nest for some EVOO tasting. They do wine here as well, but the EVOO is much more superior. The lemon and garlic infused one was my favourite and their best seller (sold out by them time we got there) but the truffle one was also a winner.
Prancing in between rows of grape vines
Guard dog with an IDGAF attitude. Stella @ Peterson Wines
You'll find that there's no short supply of amazingly adorable dogs in Mudgee. Stella here is a 3 year old labradoodle who will scare away foxes and roll on her back for a belly rub.
When you want to do random jump photos and your bff wants to do them with you #bffgoals
Vantage point from Lowe Wines
We definitely saved the best for last, coincidentally so. The cellar door was just about to close up as we walked up, but the lovely host Shane at Lowe Wines still greeted us with a warm smile and invited us to sit whilst he grabbed a few glasses. The cellar door itself was a pretty sight, with large outdoor wooden trunk tables, soft cushions and a view that overlooked into the distant mountains. The winery is a certified organic facility and produced some preservative free wines with the ethos of lifting the quality and strength of plants to build resistance to issues that might eventuate - and I promise it's not a placebo effect, I can actually taste the difference.
Lowe Wines 2013 Organic Sparkling Merlot
Mudgee has been such a pleasant surprise, from it's good food, to it's great wine, and even better people. Whether we were speaking to the owner of a winery or just a worker at the cellar door, everyone was so hospitable and actually took the time out to talk to you and explain the wines - something I feel that Hunter lacked a bit, most likely due to the crowds of people that come through the doors daily.
It was a long day of driving, eating and drinking, and nothing could have made it more perfect. As I watched the sun slowly begin to set across the picturesque mountains with my closest girlfriends, I thought, "Is there anything more romantic?".
As promised, here's the list of wineries we hit up:
- Bunnamagoo Estate Wines
- Ernest Schuetz Estate
- High Valley Wine & Cheese Co - brie and the stephan blue if you enjoy strong cheeses. The marinated fetas are also amazing, especially the pesto and olive ones
- Logan Wines
- Lowe Wine - so many good ones. If you like whites, try the pinot gris and riesling (not too sweet and dry). We also enjoyed the organic shiraz and sparkling merlot
- Peterson Wines
- Robert Oatley - might sound familiar? They have many estates around Aus and overseas, each region with a different wine speciality
- Robert Stein - my favourite place for reds, try the 2013 Merlot!
- Short Sheep Micro Winery
- The Olive Nest + 1838 Wines - The garlic olive oil was so delish
Cornersmith, Marickville
Saturday, 2 July 2016 14:39
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Farm to table, paddock to plate, whatever you choose to call it, it's a movement here for the long run.
The idea to be self-sustainable through each process of the food production chain is something that truly resonates with me. To know where food comes from at the start, the history, the farmers and growers who made it all possible... this is the food worth knowing and eating.
I had the amazing chance to dine at Ethos Eat Drink in Hobart late last year, and their practices on food blew my mind, with a herb and vegetable garden out front, and in-house curing and picking. It makes me so grateful to find Sydney souls with the same ideals and spreading the awareness of conscious eating.
Cornersmith does not support factory farming!
I first found out about Cornersmith a couple of months after it opened in 2011 and have been a few times since. There was an immediate attractiveness to it even then, before the concept of forage and ethics of food became familiar to me. It is a quaint little family owned and run cafe, based on the belief of sustainable and ethical food production and business practices - honestly, how does that not warm your heart?
The menu is seasonal, of course, with produce source locally from small-scale makers and growers - just look at the blackboard on the wall when you walk in, you might find persimmons from Lucy's backyard or cheese made from their workshop, the Picklery!
Regular latte $3.50 and soy latte $4
Get there extra early, cause the lines start early. If you sleep in on the weekends and find yourself waiting in line, kill some time by checking out the oven fresh treats on display, or the fridge for some home-brewed coffees and pressed juices.
Poached eggs with white sourdough toast $9 and heirloom tomatoes, ricotta $6
If you've never been, order the eggs & sides. You get two beautiful soft poached eggs (from Archerfield Farm) with white sourdough and smoked onion relish, and a choice from usually 4 sides. Choice 2 on the day were these intensely red, juicy heirloom tomatoes and fresh ricotta with summer herbs and apple balsamic. A bit of tang, a bit of sweet, a lot of delish.
Poached eggs with white sourdough toast $9 and pasture raised ham $6
As tasty as the vegetarian sides sounded, I opted for a side of protein. This small bit of smoky shaved ham was packed with lots of meaty flavour - just leave the ham in your mouth and let your taste buds soak it all in. I was also super impressed with the small but adequate serving of house-made onion relish, which completely tied together the few ingredients on the plate needed for a perfect breakfast.
The ever-expanding Cornersmith also run a heap load of workshops at the Picklery, including; preserving pickles and chutney, preserving sweets (jam, marmalades), miso & tofu, kombucha, cheese making, producers night (bees), and lots more! They also run a couple of free talks a year (stay in touch through their Facebook page) to spread the knowledge about the ethics of food. Phew, I felt like I was a salesperson there for second, but it's hard not to talk about all the incredible things Cornersmith is passionately doing for the ecosystem of food.
I'm excited to see more places like Cornersmith in Sydney and Australia promoting sustainable food. We definitely have a long way to go, but this feels like a great first step.
Know more places doing incredible things? Let me know by hitting the comments button!
Know more places doing incredible things? Let me know by hitting the comments button!
Side note; if you Netflix and chill a lot, watch Chef's Table episode 2 with Dan Barber, chef, owner and proprietor of Blue Hill NYC and Blue Hill Farm. - a talented man with aspirations beyond what is dreamable.
Labels: food
Hobart Eats: Jackman & McRoss, Daci & Daci Bakers, The Standard Burgers
Friday, 25 March 2016 19:49
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This post ends the last of my Hobart series and reflection of a wonderful weekend away. Separate from the rest, this post focuses on a few eats around town that were not mentioned in Part 1 and Part 2. As a guide, I've posted from least favourite to must visit.
Jackman & McRoss:
We walked past this place on day 1 after exploring Battery Point but had breakfast here the next day. Outside were small tables of people with their dogs and coffees - this seems to be the trend everywhere! - and inside were these magnificent displays of cakes and pastries.
It always baffles me when cafes charge more for eat-in, I guess they have to make profit some how.
We ordered coffee, and though mild in flavour, it was still better than expected. While the cafe itself is not particularly large and all the food seems to be premade and reheated anyway, we still waited a good 35 mins for food; best not to come here if you were planning to catch a ferry to Bruny Island early in the morn...
Soy Latte $4
I don't even remember what this was, some sort of poached eggs with wiltered spinach, corned bread(?) and a meatball(?). Oh, and it had beans on the bottom! I definitely don't recommend this...
Choriozo, gruyere and carmelised onion wrapped in puffed pastry $7.80
After waiting half an hour I expected a bit more, but I guess for the price I should've known better. It was pretty much a pig in a blanket with some chutney and rocket salad (no dressing).
Lemon Meringue Tart $6.00 (TA)
While the savoury dishes were a let down, have to give props to this meringue tart. It's huge for the price, around the size of my palm as you can see! Soft peaks of meringue on top with a good citrus hit from the lemon curd and buttery short crust pastry.
Verdict: Come here but don't stay, grab a few pastries or maybe a pie to go.
Daci & Daci Bakers:
Silly us tried to come here on the Sunday morning before realising they were closed (which consequently lead us to Jackman & McRoss) so we it made a mission to hit this place early Monday morning before our flight home.
Even at just before 7am, this place was busy with a couple of suits and a few people in their sportswear buying loaves of bread. The place had a warm and friendly vibe, mirrored in the service of their staff.
Silly us tried to come here on the Sunday morning before realising they were closed (which consequently lead us to Jackman & McRoss) so we it made a mission to hit this place early Monday morning before our flight home.
Even at just before 7am, this place was busy with a couple of suits and a few people in their sportswear buying loaves of bread. The place had a warm and friendly vibe, mirrored in the service of their staff.
Even in the early morning I was craving a sugar hit, the rows upon rows of beautiful pastries were so hard to resist. I got a couple of small tarts and croissants take away for my colleagues, at a really affordable price of $4 each and for myself a huge slice of this pear tart ($7). It was a bit of a struggle carrying them home in one piece so it didn't look too pretty by the time we landed, oops.
Pork and Fennel Sausage Roll $10 (TA)
Late apologies to the lady sitting next to me on the plane while I was eating this sausage roll, I bet the smell made her mouth water and tummy hungry. I loved the ratio of meat to pastry, and it was quite filling for the size. The pork filling was so flavoursome and the chutney that came with gave it a bit of spicy kick. This was super tasty and could definitely give Bourke St Bakery a run for its money.
One of my colleagues actually recommended for me to try Daci & Daci before my trip, especially for the savoury french toast or the Croque Monsieur with huge bread slices. While I would of love to try them both, was happily satisfied with my departing presents from Hobart.
The Standard Burgers:
This was lunch on the first day, and I would have made it dinner as well if we didn't have reservations at Ethos. I have such a deep seeded love for burgers; it's a representation of all things I love about food. It can be so uncomplicated, but executed with such perfection that the first bite makes you take gratitude for simpler things in life.
The Standard, by definition, IS the simple, but done to the next level (which sounds a bit like an oxymoron). Owners Christian and Sam, who worked together serving fine food at MONA's The Source, took the concept that after a long day of work, you just want to sink your teeth into a juicy burger and not go make yourself a 4 course meal. And ta-da, The Standard was born with BYO booze and opened till 10pm.
The Standard Burgers:
This was lunch on the first day, and I would have made it dinner as well if we didn't have reservations at Ethos. I have such a deep seeded love for burgers; it's a representation of all things I love about food. It can be so uncomplicated, but executed with such perfection that the first bite makes you take gratitude for simpler things in life.
The Standard, by definition, IS the simple, but done to the next level (which sounds a bit like an oxymoron). Owners Christian and Sam, who worked together serving fine food at MONA's The Source, took the concept that after a long day of work, you just want to sink your teeth into a juicy burger and not go make yourself a 4 course meal. And ta-da, The Standard was born with BYO booze and opened till 10pm.
Double Standard $10
The killer must-order: a simple combination of double patty, double cheese, lettuce, and pickles. The buns, which are baked fresh daily, were also amazing. Slightly toasted but soft and holds all the juice in it. The meat is also freshly grounded on site - do not expect it to be slightly pink in the middle or the gourmet angus/wagyu kind you'll find in Sydney or Melbourne.
The Godzilla $12
We ordered this upon recommendation from the staff member. A combination of crumbed chicken, bulldog sauce, sesame dressing, cabbage, tomato, pickles and mayo. Like seriously, look at the size of that chicken!! The panko crumbled chicken was still moist and not too oily and the spicy 'bulldog' sauce and sesame dressing lifted this burger to new flavour territories. Could have prob done without the tomatoes and just have cabbage but that's very minor.
Nori Fries $5
We knew we wouldn't have had enough stomach space for the animal or chupa (pulled pork) fries, but just had to get some kind of potato. The simple alternative were the shoe string fries dusted with nori, or seaweed, powder that gave it a salty and smokey taste. We also ordered a malted Oreo milkshake ($8), that was a bit too thick to drink at first, but still hella good.
Even the location and overall aesthetic of the place gives justification for its simplicity. It is located within an alleyway in central Hobart and there are no tables and chairs, more of a platform on the side if you wanted to sit. These burgers are definitely in my top 5 and I hope they open, at least a pop-up, in Sydney soon!
***
For a small city, Hobart is doing big things with their food. There are so many other places in Hobart, and Tasmania in general, I want to try and this trip barely hit them. From farm to table and fine dining, to street snacks in markets and beautiful pastries, and finally the invasion of American burgers done effortlessly; this city is standing out by its own merits.
You've been great, Hobart.
Hobart Diary, Part 2
Sunday, 14 February 2016 09:48
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Our second day in Hobart began with breakfast at Jackman & McRoss in Battery Point - post soon to come on Hobart eats, as well! I had been highly anticipating our itinerary today as it's pretty much what got me so excited to come here in the first place.
If there is something you must do in Hobart, then it is definitely a visit to The Museum of Old and New (MoNA). Located within a winery, we drove to the top of the hill and made our way pass acres of vineyards to discover beyond 'just a museum'. It's a landmark on its own comprising of a hotel, restaurant and cafes, a brewery, library and, of course, the winery. If you get a bit lost trying to find the museum entrance, look out for the small single-story building with reflective walls, surrounded by a giant tennis court, trampoline and decorative construction trucks made of rusty rods.
We got there in the nick of time before the MoNA MR-1 Fast Ferry arrived with a ship full of tourists, not unlike ourselves. Once you pay $25 admission fee (free if you live in Tas) and receive your iPod guide, descend down three flights of stairs into the windowless building to begin your exploration. It's a dark, ominous vibe with everyone plugged in to their headsets, keen to discover the weird.
**WARNING GRAPHIC PHOTO BELOW**
The Great Wall of Vagina by James McCartney
Wandering through the dark and disorientated labyrinth, it's a path of self-discovery where there are no plaques or signs telling you which direction to go. The art and displays take a peek into societal history with controversial pieces like the Great Wall of Vagina - OCD spaced clay moulds of hundreds of vaginas to spark the topic of "they are all different, they are all normal." The centrepiece of the exhibit was definitely Sidney Nolan's Snake, a rainbow serpent mural made of 1,620 individual paintings. It is an enormous feat and you just have to stand back, stare, and say "wow" out loud. It is simply fun art that grabs your attention, a strong reflection of founder David Walsh's indifference for fashion and famous names. If you get a chance, also check out the James Turrell Amarna outdoor piece, only after dusk or before dawn, and understand that seeing is not believing.
After a whirlwind spin with no idea how time went so quickly inside, we dashed to the ferry port and make our way to Bruny Island (cue excitement).
An abundance of apples at a pitstop
We were second in line for the ferry and had a moment to browse around the port and harbour that was dotted with sail boats and peaceful living. It was quite an adventurous moment when we drove our little Hyundai onto the massive ferry - who can say they've done that? - and were then allowed to roam around the top deck while our cars were soundly waiting to arrive.
Kettering to Bruny Island Ferry Port
The long winding roads with speed limits that no one abided to made getting from point to point such a breeze. With a map in hand and a list of places to check off, we set out for our first stop at the famous Get Shucked Oyster Farm. Bloody Mary oyster shooter for lunch, why not?
It was a thrilling feeling to see oysters get shucked at a faster speed than I could eat by Joe, owner and Bruny Island's faster shucker (he has won competitions to prove it!). Oysters here were also not washed or shucked under water to retain a slight salty brine taste to be eaten the way it should. We had to sample all they had on offer so the platter was perfect; with a mix of wontons, kilpatrick, Asian fusion (panko crumbed topped with rice noodle salad), shooter and half a loaf of sourdough. We also ordered another half dozen more after as we couldn't just pass up on the $9 price tag- so, so cheap! The natural oysters were 11/10 our fav, juicy and plump meat that was fresher than a pillow with a mint on it. Next level compared to Sydney Fish Markets.
Get Shucked Platter $42, Oyster Pate served with sourdough $14
After our delightful lunch, virtually next door was the famous Bruny Island Cheese Co. aka HEAVEN. Sah. much. cheese. People eating cheese boards outside, wheels of cheese being aged, cheese tasting; this was my happy place. Didn't take too many photos here sadly, but walked out with two different types of soft white cheeses and a happier belly.
One of the only reasons I was so keen on Bruny Island was to bask in the picturesque views at the top of 'the neck', the isthmus of land connecting north and south Bruny Island. Not realising where it was, we discovered the location by complete accident at a small opening with cars parked the left with and small signage indicating a beach and penguins nearby. "We have time (to look at penguins)!" was the fateful response that lead us to the steady incline of timber steps with rewards of a stunning 360 view.
We set our hearts out for one more pitstop before heading back to make the last ferry to Hobart, all the way to the most southern point of the island to check out Cape Bruny Lighthouse. After a long, somewhat scenic, off terrain and a missed turn drive, we saw the signs that pointed out our correct location - here, at last!
Pathway to the bottom with simple and sweet cottages for romantics to stay in
Cape Bruny Lighthouse
This was the first time I've ever seen a lighthouse and all that was going through my head was the theme song for 'Around the Twist.' We just sat on the bench at the top surrounded only by an endless horizon and a big, blue body of water for a while; this was the definition of tranquility.
After coming back to reality, we sped back to make it in time for the ferry and there was already a long queue of cars. Luck would have it that our little Hyundai was second last to make the cut since we were so small! We took a quiet and simple dinner of fish and chips (literally just googled 'best fish and chips hobart') because cannot just leave Hobart without trying out their famed fish and chips.
Fish and Chips from Fish Frenzy $21
We both ordered the Fish Frenzy, which included two pieces of crumbed fish, scallops, calamari and chips. Loving that fish is crumbed not battered, which was very light and crispy with some fresh, juicy ocean fish. Also props to the huge paper cone it comes in and they even gave us aioli and chilli mayo sauces for free! The highlight of the night was sitting in the friendly restaurant while watching seagulls pinch food from the people eating outside and taunting the them with chips by pretending to throw it from the inside and watching try chase after it; us 1, seagulls 0.
Our quick weekend away trip to Hobart concluded on a high; I am a complete Hobart advocate now! While was quick, it was neatly done, covering many places to see and, more importantly, to eat. The things they do with food and culture are just that bit different to the big cities and that's something to really appreciate. I'm excited to see so much more of what Tasmania has to offer, but for now will just sit back and admire snaps from their Instagram.
**Disclaimer: This was not a sponsored post. Entire costs of trip was paid for by me.
Ethos Eat Drink, Hobart
Sunday, 6 December 2015 23:25
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Ethos Eat Drink has a simple belief; food tastes that much better when you know the lengths taken to get it on your plate. It mirrors the behaviour of many of the World's 50 Best, with owner and Executive Chef Iain Todd designing the day's menu using fresh local ingredients sourced on the day from a handful of artisan suppliers. Every dish placed in front of you has been carefully crafted with the story of the produce and provenance shared, and the reward is most definitely worth the effort.
The biggest show off is the large industrial vibe space, with the oldest part of the building was constructed around 1820 and still intact is Tasmania's oldest plumbed toilet! Another to boast is the charming garden in the courtyard, growing herbs and other edible plants they use on a daily basis. My favourite though is the giant sparkling chandelier hanging in the centre made from recycled glass bottles. There's to be prideful about when guests dine in a 190+ year old space, eat food from sources of integrity and experience something that is truly an unique expression of Tasmania.
The menu, much like the space and friendly staff, was far from complicated. Only the 'surprise' set menu is offered for dinner, so you only have to decide whether you'd like six or eight courses, and if you'd like them to match wine to your courses or select from their wine list. We went all out and decided eight courses and picked a 2013 Clarence House Estate Pinot Blanc from Cambridge, Tasmania ($36 for a carafe) and the rest was up to them.
That production line though
The pre-starters for the night were potato gratin (top) and quail eggs (bottom). The gratin was layers of thinly sliced potato with a cheese/sauce, topped with nori and salt. The quail eggs sat on top of fresh goats(?) cheese and charcoal leek ash. The latter was the preferred choice, with the cheese alone being a standout. Never have I ever had cheese so FRESH before, a distinct taste but not too strong. The ash added a pretty element but no real taste.
Our first course was leek, black garlic, king george whiting, corn, bean and diakon. The leek on its own was buttery, and the layered textured paired well with the raw slippery whiting. The black garlic added a caramelised taste.
Part of the extra two courses was the charcuterie board, with 4 types of pork and 2 types of lamb from different cuts of the animal, all aged and cured with various techniques and lengths of time. Condiments (mustard), house made pickled onions and daikon accompanied it. I loved the lamb, which had a really strong smell that would turn a lot of people off, but just a small stripped packed so much punch. It is MEATY with the strips of fat slowly melting in your mouth as the umami flavour deepens - carnivore heaven tbh.
I get so giddy as one dish comes after the other, and this one was an interesting to look at kingfish with lemon, buttermilk, lovage and chives. The solid cuts of kingfish were served raw, heightened by the tangy buttermilk. The lovage had a taste similar to celery that worked together with the onion flavour of chives. Though not a crowd favourite, it was an interesting and refreshing dish.
You all know I'm all about carbs. We saw fresh loaves of bread by front of house when we got in and wondered if we were going to be served any, and was THIS close to asking before they told us they were bringing out the house churned butter with house baked rye next. Smiles all around ^_^! The butter has got to be one of the best I've tasted - must be that Tasmanian milk! It's creamy but still very light, almost air-like that I could lick off the knife like icing. I'm usually not a big fan of rye as it can be quite dense, but this was soft and fluffy still, and was key for the next dish...
Taste buds get real now for this dish: asparagus, sesame, thyme and sabayon. There were two types of asparagus used for this dish; one the grows closer to water so it has a saltier taste, and the other inland to give a earthy contrast. The sabayon was an egg-based creamy mixture, with a custard-like texture and a tangy taste of mayo. Have never tasted anything that I could compare it to, but it was outstanding, especially with the bread to mop up! FYI we got more slices of bread :3
Finally, a meat dish! First thing first, that magenta spreen is SO DAMN PRETTY! Just look at the flecks of purple on the plate! Though the serving seemed quite small, we were surprisingly getting full by this stage but can never say no to crackling. A perfectly slow cooked piece of pork belly with a crispy cut of crackling, delicious deep fried cauliflower, and subtle jelly cubes of apple. Impeccable to fault.
The second part of the extra dish to our eight course meal was cheese (!!!). Chelle is not a picky eater, but the one thing she requested that night was to have cheese and who am I to say no to cheese hehe. We thought it would be similar to the charcuterie and be a board of cheese, but sadly it was just a wedge. Today's choice was a Flower Bay of Fires 18 month old cheddar with poached pear and muesli. The cheddar itself was quite mild, but surprisingly the sweetness of the poached pear heightened the strong flavour you usually get with cheddar.
I really enjoy the sort of pre dessert palate cleansers you get with a full degustation meal. For tonight we had whipped parsnip cream with coffee and it was HANDS DOWN, FAVOURITE OF THE NIGHT. It looked so simple and I'm not even sure what parsnip tastes like tbh but the lightly whipped cream had a mild sweet flavour, with this tastefully bitter coffee syrup thing? I DON'T EVEN KNOW, JUST TRUST ME ON THIS. Low key still dream about this :'(...
First (yes, there was more than one) dessert for the night was elderflower and rice bubbles. The elderflower cordial had been sitting for months to develop a very rich sweetness to it. The airy elderflower foam contrasted nicely with the toasted rice bubbles and reminded me of a dessert soup. Everything after that pre-dessert seemed not as exciting tbh, but still a stand up memorable dessert
Very different from the first; this was fig leaf creme patisserie, house made puff pastry, almonds and lemon. The creme patisserie was so silky smooth, with this gorgeous light fruity taste to it so wasn't too heavy to end the courses. The puff pastry was a bit hard for me, but had this subtle honey taste to it that reminded me of baklava, especially with the almonds that were done three ways (honied, toasted and raw).
Big cheers to the awesome team at Ethos Eat Drink who took care of us all night. We were running late but they were so chilled about it and each dish was well timed after one another, unlike those exhausting 3 hour meals - especially great when you've had an early morning flight and a whole day of exploring. The dishes were presented beautifully, with the story and origin of every produce explained by the floor staff who had better memory than I could dream of.
The total price was on the higher end for Hobart, but expected nothing less for the genuine care and effort that was put in. A more than worthwhile experience and fulfilling to know we were supporting a restaurant and a chef, as well as local farmers and growers, with high sustainable practices, while still being delivered a five star meal and service. Amazing to see restaurants like this happening in Australia, truly hope to see more follow suit.