The Good Life Food Wine Travel www.echo.net.au/good-life Advertising: adcopy@echo.net.au Editorial: goodlife@echo.net.au Phone: 6684 1777
Sustainability meets fantasy at Fins
The Good Life Snippets The Balcony
By Caz Parker
As luminary chef Steven Snow schmoozes with patrons on a balmy Friday night, I learnt that, although Fins has won ‘Chef Hat’ awards consistently for twenty years what really gets Steven tapping his hand on his heart with pride is the ‘Most Sustainable Seafood Restaurant’ award [SMH Good Food Guide 2015]. Steven’s quest for sustainable methods means prosperity from the Pacific Ocean must be line-caught, and he embodies a genuine ‘Pacificto-plate’ ambition. Steven is effervescent as he explains that virtually every wine at Fins comes from a sustainable wine producer. ‘It has to start in the vineyard,’ he says. ‘We research and check all their biodynamic methods. We don’t just take their word for it’.
Fins’ sustainable ideology translates to quality and flavour on our table. The fact that Fins’ service and atmosphere also ooze ‘fabulosity’ is icing on the cake. Renovated last June, Fins is a place you dream of discovering on an exotic adventure. Antique chandeliers, nautical lamps and candlelight shed a golden glow across the vintage timber. The pressedmetal and split-level ceiling panels hint at an oriental past life. Pre-loved plantation shutters and banks of bottle-green palms cloak the room in colonial charm. The wooden-pegged napkins reveal a welcome abandonment of stifling fine dining conventions and Steven’s ‘no rules’ approach to experimentation. As you sink into the
Fins Interior
From Pacific to Plate: Chef Steven Snow sourcing ingredients the old-fashioned way.
intimate booths you are transported to another world, where it’s easy to let your imagination run wild. Perhaps you’re dining in a notorious shop-house in old Saigon. The Yellow Fin tuna sashimi is rolled in nori dust, dressed with hot shallot oil, avocado and a harmonious blend of trimmings. The pretty pink glow of the matching French Rosé, resembling the colour of the tuna flesh, suggests a symbiotic sensitivity between the two. For a ‘low food miles’ fantasy that could only exist in the northern rivers, try this: char-grilled Brunswick king prawns and green papaya salad crown the top of sweet barbecue Bangalow pork and are all delicately towered onto rustic earthenware. Maybe you’re chillin’ in
a Caribbean hideaway with your hip-hop crew. The aromatic, slightly sweet Marcarini Moscato D’Asti white wine is da bomb with the lemon myrtle panna cotta whose wobbly-boob attitude, grapefruit and ginger syrup and apple crumble are an uplifting finale. The popularity of Moscato has skyrocketed since hip-hop elite [Jay Z and Nicqui Minaj] discovered the drop and Kanye, Drake and Lil’ Kim began injecting Moscato into their lyrics. The thirty-two page Wine Menu is indeed a First Class around-the-world ticket. Without the jetlag. After savouring the six degustation menu wines, from six different countries, there was no hint of a foggy head the next day – simply fond memories of a fantasyland feast at Fins.
The Balcony, an iconic location that had lost its lustre with locals over the past few years, has received a facelift at the hands of its experienced new owners, and chef Sean Connolly (profiled last week in Good Life) was in town last week to show off the new menu. There were a number of dishes straight from the menus of their other successful restaurants, such as The Morrison in Sydney, including an excellent vegetarian gnocchi with mushrooms that’s worth trying. Expect to see some more vegetarian dishes, and an increased use of local produce as the venue develops.
Lemongrass I’ve always been a bit put off by the simple tables of this budget, BYO Vietnamese restaurant at the end of the arcade off 17 Lawson Street, but we popped in for a casual meal last Friday night and were pleasantly surprised; this was good value for Byron. It’s a family-run place, the service was quick and friendly and the pho was particularly flavoursome, apparently owing to long nights spent tending to the stock.
Boomerang fundraising dinner Three Blue Ducks, Harvest Café and Indigenous hatted chef Clayton Donovan, among others, are joining forces at Coorabell Hall on Friday 18 March for ‘Ja Nghari’, a $180 per-head-dinner for 80 people only. All profits from the night will go to Boomerang Festival. To book, visit https://events.bizzabo.com/boomerang.
Ballina RSL Club River St, Ballina Phone 6686 2544 www.ballinarsl.com.au Open 7 Days from 8am Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks
Bangalow Dining Rooms
%DQJDORZ
GLQLQJ
URRPV
Bangalow Hotel Open 7 days Lunch: 12 – 3pm Dinner 5.30 – 9pm All day bistro menu
BYRON BAY
6687 1144
Warung Bagus 3/14 Bay St (opposite the surf club) 7.30am–9.30pm every day Dine-in and takeaway BYO
Hog’s Breath Cafe Open 7 Days, 11.30am-2.30pm Dinner from 5.30pm 9/4 Jonson St, Byron Bay 6685 5320 www.hogsbreath.com.au
20 March 9, 2016 The Byron Shire Echo
Dine in our fabulous waterfront location… it’s a combination restaurant, brasserie and bistro all rolled into one. Gourmet treats and daily chef’s specials guarantee a memorable experience.
Enjoy our balcony restaurant, intimate dining room and generous bistro food in the pub. With reasonable prices our menu reflects the wonderful local and fresh produce of the region. SMH GOOD PUB Large groups welcome. FOOD GUIDE We also offer off-site catering. 2013 AND 2014 www.bangalowdining.com
Indonesian-inspired cuisine in a casual setting on the beachfront. All-day breakfasts, nasi-campur style buffet lunch and dinner as well as snacks, mains and desserts, coffee, smoothies, juices and cakes. Indoor/outdoor seating with sea views.
O-Sushi
O-Sushi – Since 2004
Byron Bay Woolies Plaza, Jonson St 02 6685 7103 Coolangatta The Strand Marine Pde 07 5536 5455 Broadbeach The Oracle, 12 Charles Ave 07 5570 2166 www.osushi.com.au
An award-winning Japanese fusion cuisine Sushi bar, tapas, main meals and delicious chef’s specials
Legend Pizza Open 7 days 9am till after midnight Shop 1 Woolworths Plaza 90-96 Jonson Street 6685 5700 www.legendpizza.com.au
Cafe Novella OPEN 7–4 Sun–Tues OPEN 7–LATE Thurs–Sat BYO & TAKEAWAY Bay St opp Main Beach & Surf Club For bookings: 6685 7348
Eat in or take away, licensed, family friendly Outdoor dining area, easy parking, Open 7 days a week, 11am till late. FRESH PIZZA – BYRON STYLE Check us out on
BYRON BAY CONTINUED
BANGALOW
BALLINA
Good Taste Eating Out Guide
facebook.com/byron. legendpizza Scan code for our menu! BYO Home delivery 7 days
Nights from THURSDAY Locals specials Fresh Mediterranean inspired dishes Breakfast / lunch / dinner on the deck or TAKEAWAY
Hog’s Breath Cafe’s menu just got better with some mouth-watering new steaks, salad, pasta and an abundance of delicious dessert selections. As usual, the diverse menu also offers chicken, seafood, snacks, burgers, ribs, kid’s meals, a range of Lite Options, plus their famous Prime Rib Steak – slow cooked for up to 18 hours for maximum flavour and tenderness. Kids eat free Mon – Wed nights and you can grab lunch for just $9.90, so there’s something to please the whole family.
Byron Shire Echo archives: www.echo.net.au/byron-echo