The Good Life An under-par restaurant (that’s a good thing!)
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By: Vivienne Pearson For a restaurant high on a hill with sweeping views over the ocean, Albatross is a great name. For one that serves a golfing community (as well as a bowls one), it has the extra meaning of being three-under-par. For non-golfers, hearing something is under par might indicate that it is no good, but golfers know that a low score is sought after, so being threeunder-par means you are way above average.
Jo on the deck at Albatross with an antipasto board – photo by Vivienne Pearson.
Albatross is the new restaurant at the Ocean Shores Country Club. Open since mid-March, the owners and many of the crew have moved across from the Bangalow Dining Rooms. Coowners Jo Maiden and Adam Thornton
say they are looking forward to the challenge of running a bigger venue. ‘Most importantly though,’ Jo adds, ‘we will be closer to home.’ Having lived in Ocean Shores for nearly 15 years and with kids at Ocean Shores Public School and Billi Lids childcare, they are true locals. Adam will be head chef, combining this role with teaching cookery at TAFE. He will be ably supported by a young, local sous chef Bruce Daniel. Front of house will be run by Claire Kirkman (who is also a TAFE teacher and will be well known to Bangalow Dining Rooms’ regulars). The menu sees bistro meals (most priced under $20) available all day from 11.30am – ranging from a good old schnitzel burger through to pulled pork on Burringbar blue-corn tacos. A heartier restaurant menu is available for both Butterflied salmon fillet. lunch and dinner, with items from the grill including giant portobello mushrooms, butterflied salmon fillet and Angus beef. House specials include a rolled pork Country Club’s great facilities for meetings and events. The Kidz belly, green-tea-smoked duck breast and chickpea-and-pumpkin Club will continue for Friday night diners. tagine. ‘You can have hearty, larger, well-cooked lunches as well as The main change for locals to be aware of is that breakfast on the dinners,’ says Jo. deck will only be available on weekends. On weekdays, food kicks off from 11.30am. You can choose between the front deck (for ocean views), the back deck (for hinterland sunset views) or inside the restaurant, That’s plenty of time then for a game of bowls or a round of golf with new brightly coloured paintings. before lunch. If golf is your choice, let’s hope seeing the restaurant’s new name brings you as much luck as sighting an albatross The team are already well underway with functions, including did for mariners – then you can enjoy an under-par round before weddings, and catering for groups who take advantage of the a well-above-average lunch.
New elements in Byron The local culinary scene has been bolstered with the arrival of Simon Jones to the position of executive chef at Elements of Byron resort. Jones’s pedigree is impeccable, having trained under Raymond Blanc in Oxfordshire, England, and with later roles including restaurant chef at The Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and three years as head chef at Marco Pierre White’s infamous one-Michelin-starred L’Escargot in London. ‘I looked at Elements of Byron and saw the huge potential,’ says Jones. ‘It’s independent and the owners are seriously invested in it. Without a heavy hotel corporate structure we really have the chance to set our own unique course.’ Jones lived for a couple of months in Mullumbimby when he first moved to the area and has recently settled in Suffolk Park. ‘Eating out is fantastic,’ he says. ‘There are obviously great chefs around here.’ He cites The Roadhouse, Izakaya Yu, Milk and Honey, Harvest and the local market traders as his favourites. ‘One of the things that attracted me to this role is that there is scope for Elements of Byron to be honestly sustainable,’ said Jones. ‘We’ve got market gardens coming online and locals and guests will be able to experience food production at the Eco Education Centre.’ Opening in October, the Eco Education Centre will be 100 per cent Simon Jones, Executive Chef powered by the sun and have its own rainwater harvesting; 500m2 of market gardens Grilled Ballina prawns, burnt anise butter, foraged sea succulents, finger lime will provide food for Graze restaurant.
includes a management team of restaurant sous chef Simon James and executive sous chef Sam Garde. ‘I want the kitchen to be a real educational experience,’ says Jones. ‘I come from classic kitchens where things can be a little heated but I’m done with old-school screaming chefs; there have to be other ways to get the best out of people. I want my chefs to grow and enjoy making the food better and better. It’s all about doing new things and pushing forward including learning from mistakes. I am very aware I’m by no means a finished product as a chef. And if we want to appeal to the local market we need to constantly change and create. We have some very good restaurants locally in our marketplace and we don’t want to appeal only to people from out of town.’ The challenges of being a chef are well documented. Yet Jones is circumspect on the matter. ‘I just love cooking for people,’ he says. ‘It brings pleasure to people – well, most people!’ More info: Graze at Elements of Byron resort, at the end of Bayshore Drive in the burgeoning North Beach precinct, is open to the public seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. Fire Pit Fridays are held at 5–7pm weekly with live music, complimentary nibbles and $1 oysters.
Ph 6639 1550. www.elementsofbyJones describes the food at Graze as ‘really Pot Plant Tiramisu ron.com.au. casual fine dining’. ‘It’s super fresh, lively food,’ he says. ‘The produce available here is exceptional so it To work with Simon email careers@elementsofbyron.com.au. makes sense to handle it as little as possible.’ His team of 20+ chefs
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Albatross Restaurant and Bistro: Ocean Shores Country Club: weekdays 11.30am–9pm, weekends 9am–9pm. www.albatrossrestaurant.com.au
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