Re:hab

When one of my friends suggested going to a burger place for lunch in Cairns, I was a bit hesitant – why eat a burger when there’s such good Japanese and Korean food in town? But he insisted this was no ordinary burger place, and so I found myself at re:hab. The first thing that strikes you is that re:hab could fit in quite easily on Lonsdale St – it’s got chalkboard walls with art on them, wooden floor boards with shipping brands imprinted on them, and an ecclectic mix of chairs and tables. We went for the leather armchairs, and I decided to order the tropical burger (being in Queensland and all). The burger was massive, a thick, well-cooked patty topped with tomato, lettuce, aioli and pineapple on a soft and slightly floured bun. Yum-o. It came with re:hab potatos on the side, a bit heavy in the warmth but very tasty. Finally, as if re:hab hadn’t ticked enough boxes, there was a plate of cronuts sitting on the counter, calling out my name (ok, not really calling, more like whispering). Such a great find, a definitely not your average burger place.

Re:hab, 46 Lake Street, Cairns QLD, no website

The Merchant

Sometimes picking just one thing from the menu is really tricky, and this was definitely the case at The Merchant, which has recently opened on the Kingston foreshore. I was sorely tempted by the chicken liver parfait, the braised lamb papardelle and the lamb skewer, but after much procrastinating  – mostly spent admiring the pretty tiles on the back wall – I went for the skewer, because there’s nothing like big chunks of lamb at lunchtime! I was struck by the huge portion size when the plate came out and delighted to see a wedge of lemon to drizzle over the lamb; surely ‘lamb & lemon’ are the ‘apple & cinnamon’ of the savoury world. The salad was tasty and substantial, with large pieces of fetta and pitted olives (hooray!). The lamb was a bit variable – perfectly cooked and soft on the outside, but a bit undercooked and chewy inside each piece. There also could have been a bit more yoghurt for dipping. I was, however, very impressed with the iced tea, which was lovely and sweet, and had fresh orange and lemon juice in it. Mmm. Yes they’re still finding their feet, but The Merchant has a lot of promise.

The Merchant, 3/2 Trevillian Quay, Kingston ACT         http://www.themerchant.com.au (under development)

Local Press

Getting up for breakfast in a Canberra winter is hard. You know it’s sub-zero outside, you know your car is going to be a touch colder than that and you know you won’t be able to feel your fingers by the time you arrive at your breakfast venue. But in this case, totally worth it. Local Press is on the Kingston foreshore, and actually colder than other places, being so close to the water. But the cafe is so light and airy and, the staff so welcoming that you don’t notice the frostbite setting in. The breakfast menu has some exciting points of difference and I couldn’t resist trying the ‘smoothie bowl’ – muesli served with a strawberry smoothie instead of milk or yoghurt – genius! The muesli had whole macadamias and the most beautiful crispy toasted bits, and the smoothie had a strong berry flavour. I ordered the kale, spinach, mint, celery and apple juice (yep, I was feeling adventurous!) and it was lovely – well balanced, with apple and mint being the dominant flavours. Bonus – the waiter told me I could keep the jar it came in (which I now use as a flower vase)! Worth braving the cold for.

Local Press, 128 Trevellian Quay, Kingston ACT     http://www.localpresscafe.com.au/

Ochacha

When you Google ‘best Japanese in Cairns’, Ochacha is the first place to come up on the listing, and for good reason. I went on a Monday, which is lucky because they are closed on Tuesdays, for both lunch and dinner. I dined alone at lunch, and had a lovely chat in Japanese with the waitress who was visiting on a working holiday. It was a particularly hot day, so I opted for the zaru udon, cold udon noodles in a dipping sauce. The meal was so refreshing – the noodles were beautifully chewy and the flavour of the sauce took me right back to Japan. Having had such a nice lunch, I took my friend back there for dinner, and we feasted on sushi and sashimi. The aburi salmon nigiri sushi was the highlight, although I was impressed by the relatively large pieces of salmon and tuna sashimi on the two plates I ordered. The miso soup was hot, flavoursome and not too salty. My friend also ordered the chicken katsudon and we were both stuffed full of delicious Japanese food by the end. A must-visit for Japanese food fans.

Ochaha Modern Japanese Dining, 34 Lake Street, Cairns QLD, no website

Spring St Grocer

I tend to need snacks to keep my energy levels up, and mid-afternoon is peak snack-time. In Melbourne, I was pretty spoilt for choice, and wandering down Spring Street, my friend and I came across this providore/corner store complete with gorgeous flowers for sale out the front, it’s own cheese room and a cornucopia of delicious, imported goods. But what drew my eye was the gelato/sorbets for sale out the front. The sign advertised it as from Gelato Primavera, with a menu that changes daily. I was excited to see that some of the best flavours were sorbets – mandarin, chocolate/orange and raspberry/coconut. Adhering to the best ’til last policy, I started with the raspberry/coconut, which tasted a bit dull compared to the other two. It was a tough choice between the chocolate/orange and the mandarin, but in the end chocolate/orange won out – it was so luxurious and it was the better taste to finish with, rather than the slightly bitter mandarin (which was probably the truest of all the flavours). We sat inside, although plenty of people were sitting on a cute bench out the front, and were able to relax for a good half hour recharging the batteries.

Spring St Grocer, 157 Spring Street Melbourne             http://www.springstreetgrocer.com.au/

Mikla

Thank you, thank you, thank you Lonely Planet. This is in contention for the best bar I have ever been to. On a balmy summer evening, emerging onto the 17th storey rooftop and being met with 360 degree views of the city was breathtaking. So too was the line up at the bar – there is no cocktail or spirits menu, the bartender comes over to your seat and just asks what you feel like. I was definitely in the mood for a mojito, but I imagine that if you didn’t know what you wanted, they would happily guide you in the right direction. Having said that, the wine list was actually a book – there was more choice than I’ve ever seen anywhere! My mojito was well-balanced and utterly refreshing. I was given a small dish of warm, spiced almonds to snack on while I waited, although I spent more time taking photos and admiring the skyline of Istanbul. When an accoustic version of Swedish House Mafia’s ‘Don’t You Worry Child’ came on, I turned to my left and saw the man sitting there propose to his girlfriend – I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to become engaged.

Mikla bar, Cafe Marmara Pera, Meşrutiyet Cd No:1, 34430 Beyoğlu, Turkey http://www.miklarestaurant.com/en/mikla-restaurant/bar

The Potting Shed

I promised part two, here it is! Before the delicious pistachio cake, Dad and I had lunch at The Potting Shed – part of The Grounds of Alexandria.  The greenery here is spectacular, and there were delightful decor elements everywhere – little ceramic gumboots on the counter, trowels attached to the menu, beautiful glazed plates and even a live macaw! On to the food. We ordered the buttermilk popcorn chicken, pork belly sliders and pork & fennel mini hot dogs. And that was the order we ranked them in, from best to last. The chicken was without a doubt the most delicious deep-fried thing I’ve ever eaten, tasty mouthfuls dunked in mustard-spiked mayonnaise = bliss. I would have devoured this three times over if I could have! Next were the sliders, which came out in black buns (squid ink?) – the pork belly was tasty and the coleslaw worked well, but they were very small. Finally the hot dogs, which sadly had far too much bread relative to filling so were a bit disappointing. We were lucky to be here on a weekday to get a table – go and eat some chicken for me if you can!

The Potting Shed, 4143 Bourke Road, Alexandria       http://groundsroasters.com/