Address:  37 Montpelier Retreat, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Telephone number: (03) 6223 2511

Website: www.montys.com.au

Date of visit: 29 January 2011

Price guide: A$50 plus for 2 courses.

Comments on wine and beer: Very expensive list. Be prepared to pay $100 minimum for a bottle.

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Exchange rate: A$1 = £0.65

Summary:

This is another restaurant that is in several food guides.

The restaurant is housed in a bungalow on Montpelier Retreat – off Salamanca Place. They have bare wooden tables, strange paintings and dark ceiling with soft lights.

The menu is pseudo French using local ingredients.

Starters are all priced at $22 except the mussels at $28 and the mains around $35 plus.

I had the mussels to start with. It was 1kg of huge mussels – much bigger than the green lip mussels from New Zealand. It was cooked very nicely with dill, lemon, parsley and chardonnay wine. The bread that came with it was hot  ciabatta rolls.

I then had the narvin of lamb ($35) which was ok but in my view a con. It was lamb cooked 3 ways with a baby carrot, one new potato and one broccoli floret. The shoulder tasted of  slow cooked meat, the chop medium and the rolled loin also medium. The sauce a bit weak.

Narvin is supposed to be a stew cooked with spring vegetable.

I had a bottle of Parker 2004 Cabinet Sauvignon ($100) which was very good. However, it came as a screw top and had no sediment.

The cheese list was amazing but all the cheeses were kept in a cool cabinet which put me off – in my view, cheeses should be kept just below room temperature. There were over 30 types of cheeses, mainly local but they also had stilton, brie etc. It was $11 a portion and $30 if paired with wine.

This is the most expensive restaurant that I have eaten in – in Tasmania. The mussels were as good as I have ever eaten anywhere. The main course (for the price they charge ) was poor – only saved by the top ingredients that the chef used. By the way, service was excellent.

E

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Maldini

Address: Salamanca Place, Battery Point, Hobart, Australia

Price Guide: From $10

This is a great place for breakfast, coffee, lunch or even supper. The cooked breakfast is around $17 and is pricier than most cafes in Hobart. They do a wonderful beans on toast with poach egg for $17. The beans are home cooked with lots of vegetables (carrots, onions etc). I think that they use mirepoix and then blend tomatoes into it to make a chunky tomato sauce. Coffees are from $4, they are licensed and have outside table over looking Salmanca Place.

Salamanca Saturday Market

Address: Salamanca Place, Battery Point, Hobart

Special note: Saturday only.

This is a vast outdoor market and is probably the most interesting place to shop in Hobart – the town centre shopping is dire. Besides the usual bric-a brac, there are some very interesting stalls dispersed throughout the market (hundreds of stalls). There is a pie van, stalls that sell wine and olive oil, bread, vegetables (no butcher or fishmonger), Iranian and German fast food etc. The vegetables and fruits here are tip top. Absolute gem of a place.

There is also a Supermarket (Fresh Fruit) and a really good deli (Wursthaus) on Montpelier Retreat. Wursthaus offers a wide range of sausages and cure meats as well as cheeses etc.

The Fish Man

Address:  Constitution Dock, Hobart

Fishmonger on a boat (barge?). They are moored within Albert Docks and sell all sorts of fresh fish – mainly from their own trawler.

Flipper

Address: Constitution Dock, Hobart

Best fish and chip shop I have come across in a decade. Excellent crisp batter and chips – not dripping in oil. They serve it in a box so the fish and chips remain crisp and do not get steamed whilst you take it away. They offer a whole rang including prawns and calamari. There are also many combinations so you can have several different types of fish with your chips.

9/11

Address: Several Branches.

I went to the one on St George’s Terrace Not much to look at from the outside but upstairs holds the premium collection – from Penfold to Krug. Stay off the foreign stuff as they are sold at a premium in Australia. Go for bottles at $100+ that they don’t ship. Downstairs are some very good value Aussie at just under $20 a bottle.

Mako

Address: Constitution Dock, Hobart

Paul County – he wrote a book on Tasmanian Food (Tasmanian Table) – recommended this place for fresh fish. I met him at his stall (selling his books) on Salamanca Market.

AND IN LAUNCESTON

Delicious Bakery and Cafe Address: 12 York Town Square, Launceston, Tasmania (Between George St and Cameron Street)

Opening Time: From 7.30-16.00

Great cafe for breakfast and snacks. Excellent coffee. Pies a bit tasteless but cooked breakfast is great value at just over $10. Hot and cold sandwiches have thick fillings. Beers and wines available by the glass.

David Grand Central Address: 90 wellington Street, Launceston, Tasmania

This is the only 24/7 shop I came across in Tasmania. Well stocked with food items for a 24/7 shop. Most shops in Launceston close at 17.00 some even at 15.00!

Wursthaus at Olivers

Address: 16 Quadrant Mall, Launceston, Tasmania Branch of Wursthaus (Hobart).

Excellent range of deli goods.

Vineyards

Over 20 vineyards around the Tamar River. Most of them are on the east side – travel up the A7. Nearly all offer free tastings when open. Most are open Wednesday – Monday. Some are 7 days.Opening times generally are 10.00-17.00. Some have restaurants. Pick up a Tasmanian wine route guide for details (available in most hotels and tourist information offices)

E

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Address:  370 Relbia Road, Relbia, Tasmania, Australia

Telephone number: (03) 6335 8700

Website: www.josefchromy.com.au

Date of visit: 26 January

Price guide: From A$26.50  for a main course

Comments on wine and beer: Josef Chromy wines at ex cellar price

Cuisine: Australian

Special note: Tasting 10.00-17.00. Restaurant 12.00-15.00. All local ingredients.

Exchange rate: A$1 = £0.65

Summary:

Josef Chromy’s cellar door cafe is about 10 minutes drive south of Launceston.

The range of wines here are similar to Ninth Island – all cooler climate grapes. The difference is that they also have a cabernet sauvignon.

As you drive to the cafe (vineyard entrance is located 100m before the cafe), you can see two buildings – a tasting room with restaurant and a residential house. In the centre of the grounds is a large lake. The vines are planted in neat rows on the slope.

I tasted the chardonnay (3 vintages), riesling and the pinot gris. They were all unoaked and tasted of citrus. Very fresh. The chardonnay had no buttery taste. I tried 2 years of unoaked pinot noir and one oaked. The unoaked vintages were 2010 and 2009. Similar to the Ninth Island, they were ok but nothing special. Then came the 2005 (oaked) pinot noir and it had everything – fruit, complexity and tannin. It also lasted well over 30 seconds in the mouth. This just about confirmed my drinking and buying philosophy re red wines – buy only in a good vintage, make sure it used “new” oak and leave it for at least 5 years.

The menu at this restaurant was interesting. They offered the usual scallops, oysters ($18 for 6) and salmon. For meat, it was chicken, beef and lamb. I had a beetroot risotto($26.50) with lamb cutlets which to my surprise worked very well. The only downside was that it was too wet. Other dishes on offer were a beef pie and salmon with crispy skin etc all in the $30-$35 range. The menu also offer 2 tasting platters  – one with local cured meats and cheese and the other one – 4 courses of hot food off the menu at $59 including wine. The woman on the next table had the tasting menu and it was a large plate with 4 glasses and 4 square plates on it – the wines and food all came at the same time. The wines were all large glasses – at least 125mls.

The room I ate in is tastefully decorated and there are many tables outside. On reflection, this is a better place to wine and dine than Strathlynn. However it is about 10% pricier. Please note that Strathlynn is  good and is in all the guides. It is just that this place is better.

E

o

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Address:  153 Rosevears Drive, Rosevears , Tasmania, Australia (part of Kreglinger and Pipers Brook Wine Estates)

Telephone number: (03) 6330 2388

Website: www.pipersbrook.com

Date of visit:  25 January 2011

Price guide: Around A$30 for a main course

Comments on wine and beer: Excellent wine list – all their own wines – restaurant sells at cellar price

Cuisine: Australian

Special note: Tasting 10.00-17.00. Restaurant 12.00-15.00

Exchange rate: A$1 = £0.65

Summary:

Strathlynn Restaurant is a lone building attached to the Ninth Island Vineyard (just off the A7 and overlooking  the Tamar River.

As you enter the building, there is a tasting area which you can taste the (cheaper wines) of Pipers Brook, Ninth Ireland and Krelinger estates. However as the day wears on and the chap behind the bar realises that “you” know a bit about wines, he will bring out the more expensive stuff for you to try – all tastings are free.

They will ship all over Australia but not abroad.

I tasted the non vintage sparkling ($25) of Krelinger Estate – very much like a blanc de blanc and then went onto the pinor noir of Ninth Island. The 2010 was significantly superior to the 2009 and I was surprised to find the wines were very drinkable but not complex. Then, I discovered their secret. Apparently, all the cheap wines for immediate releases are matured in stainless steel vets and do not come into contact with any wood. Wines made like this have little or no tannin in it but have a short cellar life. I then tried the 2005($55) in new French oak (not Tasmania oak – apparently Tasmanian oak doesn’t impart the right taste). This has just been released and gave the normal complex “burgundy” taste. However at the current exchange rate, it is nearly £35 a bottle – you can get a decent burgundy at over £25 a bottle in the UK.

Next to the tasting and retail area is the Restaurant (Strathlynn). There are about 20 tables – no outside tables – and it is housed in a “hall with windows on all side. The place was packed and I had to wait 15 minuxtes plus for a table even though it was well past 2pm. Luckily, you can stay tasting whilst you wait for a table.

The menu was very simple and covered scallops, chicken, beef and fish. Some dishes are available in 2 sizes ($25 for entree and $35 for main course size). I had the entree size chicken which was enough for me – it came with new potatoes, mange tout and bits of salad with a light cream sauce. I enjoyed that. However, the star of the show was the Kaiser roll and olive oil that came with the meal. The olive oil (produced by them) was easily the best olive oil I have tasted for several years. I made enquiries and discovered that it was for sale at $35 for a litre!

Wines in the restaurant was available by the glass ($11) or bottle at ex cellar price – really good value. I had a glass and took the rest of my bottle home.

Desserts ($15.5) was available and I noticed that they offer panna cotta with Turkish delight -  I spotted the same dessert in the Black Cow – is this a Launceston invention? Local cheese is also on offer at $20.

This is a great place to come.

E

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Address:  70 George Street, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

Telephone number: (03) 6331 9333

Website: www.blackcowbistro.com.au

Date of visit: 25 January 2011

Price guide: About A$50 for 2 courses

Comments on wine and beer: Mainly Australian wine. Certain top Italians are also on the list. Penfols Grange 04 at A$700 a bottle. On the whole, pretty reasonable mark-up.

Cuisine: Tasmanian Beef Steakhouse. Vegetarian and non beef dishes available

Exchange rate: A$1 = £0.65

Summary:

This is a steakhouse and is in most of the guides as THE restaurant for Launceston. They specialise in  Tasmania beef.

The restaurant is sited on a corner and has around 40 covers . The inside has white walls with a modern bistro look. One side of the wall is devoted to words about the cow. On the evening I went, it was fully booked and many walk-in diners were turned away so booking in advance is recommended.

They offered the usual steaks : rump, porterhouse, fillet etc.  The steaks start at $29 and came with a small bake potato covered in a butter and Dijon mustard sauce. Sides are around $7. I started with the local oyster ($17 for 6). This was unusual as you get a creamy taste from the roe as well as the crunchy texture and the sea taste.

I then had the porterhouse (300g at $31) and broccoli ($7) which came as a heavily seared piece of meat. I ordered medium and it was well done. Within 10 minutes, I had another piece steak. This time it was medium.

The steak was a god piece of meat, lean, very little tendons and moist. The crust had a very savory texture which suggests that it had been marinated in a sauce. The meat was certainly fine. I then discovered that the Tasmanian Black Cow has been farmed as Wagyu meat.

The wine list here is very comprehensive. I discovered Ese, an award winning pinot noir for $55 a bottle. Tasmania is considered a cool climate area and so the best grapes are pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and sauvignon blanc. A few places grow cabernet sauvignon but cabinet is not a top wine in Tasmania.

For dessert, I spotted a Turkish delight panna cotta at $15.5. I was too full to eat dessert and I don’t have a sweet tooth.

If you like steak, this is the place! It serves better steak than most of the steakhouses in the USA – Prime, Mortens, Wolfgang etc. Only downside is that they do not do chips.

E

PS went back for a rump steak $29. It was just as tender. They use the centre piece and cut it like a fillet not a slice as in the UK.  I also had bread – ciabatte and olive oil at $4 a portion.

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Address:  Constitution Dock, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Telephone number: (03) 6231 2121

Website: www.mures.com.au

Date of visit: 23 and 24 January 2011

Price guide: A$9.90 for a cooked breakfast at the Lower Deck. A$30 plus for a main course on the Upper Deck.

Comments on wine and beer: Normal Aussie list at normal mark-up (200-300%). Beers around A$7.

Cuisine: Lower Deck, all sorts incl sandwiches, cooked breakfast and various fish dishes. Upper Deck mainly fish (fried, grilled and deep fried), also couple of meat dishes.

Exchange rate: A$1 = £0.65

Summary:

Mures Lower Deck is open from 7.30 am for breakfast. At around $10, you get bacon, eggs and toasts. Tomatoes, bake beans and hash browns are available as side orders from around $3.

On the day I went, the eggs and toasts were great but I found the bacon a big fatty and they have not been cooked long enough for the fat to render but then the portions were big and the prices very reasonable. The location is also great as it is right on the water front.

Outside breakfast hours, they do sandwiches and various fish based dishes including sushi. Think supermarket sushi – however, the fish is very fresh.

Dinner at the Upper Deck was another story. The menu is nearly identical to that at the Drunken Admiral. The difference is the location and the views (Drunken Admiral has an internal view whilst this place offers an external view over the docks).

I had prawns and scallops in panko (a Japanese bread crumb) deep fried with chips ($35.9). The prawns were huge Australian Tiger Prawns and you get 6 on the plate. The scallops were smaller – about the size of a 10 pence coin (5 times as thick). However, they had roes with them. I asked the waitress why lobsters are not on the menu and the answer was that it was out of season and only frozen ones were available – they try not to use frozen fish. They also offer a huge fish platter for one ($110) which include a bit of everything off the deep fried menu.

Well, my conclusion was that this place was just like the Drunken Admiral. The menu is similar – I even had the same wine a bottle of NV 42 degrees sparkling ($38) – fast becoming my favourite Tasmanian sparkling. They are good at what they do but it is just an up market fish fryer!

E

PS They have their own fishing fleet. Most of the fish they sell are from their own catch. They also have a fish retail area at the back.

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Location:Tankerton House, Basingstoke Road, Spencer’s Wood, Reading, RG7 1AE

Web site: www.miahs.co.uk/html/restaurant_spencers_wood.html

Telephone number: 0118 988 8394

Date of visit: 21/1/2011

Approx. cost per head: 30

Comments on wine list/beer: A good selection of wines and beers. The Chardonnay was lovely – fruity with a hint of oak.

Media link:

Review:

Miah’s Spencer’s Wood is one of four restaurants in this local chain that also includes Miah’s Saffron, The Garden of Gulab and Miah’s Pangbourne.

The restaurant provides a welcoming and intimate environment with contemporary styling. It’s always advisable to book a table – essential in fact on a Friday or Saturday evening. Reservations are accepted for either the 7pm or 9pm sitting. Ample car parking space is provided to the rear and nearby road-side parking is also possible. Miah’s is perfect for all occasions – a romantic meal, a business dinner or a family celebration.
The extensive menu includes a mix of classic and contemporary dishes, inspired by owner Jamshed Miah’s regular visits to India. Needless to say it caters well for vegetarians. The starters are excellent and well priced, averaging £4. Alongside the largest (tennis ball sized) onion bhajis we’d ever come across we also opted for the vegetarian-friendly mumta-e-zameen and a delicious sag ponir. Main courses hover between £7-£12. We opted for two of Miah’s own dishes – chicken kofta massala -Minced Chicken with spices and herbs fried and cooked in a medium sauce – and the vegetable kofta malai. Both were superb. Alongside the traditional deserts you will find an inviting collection of Miah’s own creations.

Aside from the mouth watering food, the service at Miah’s sets it apart from rivals. Efficient, polite and welcoming – female guests even receive a fresh red rose at the end of their meal. A popular touch from what I could see. An optional 10% service charge is included in the bill.

Reading and the surrounding area aren’t short of Indian restaurants and having eaten at most of them in recent years I was pleasantly surprised to find that Miah’s comfortably tops them all.

Dave Lamont

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Location: 10 Palace Gate Road, Harringay, London, N22 7BN

Web site:N/A

Telephone number: 020 8889 0384

Date of visit: 11/12/10

Approx. cost per head: £20.00

Comments on wine list/beer: An average selection of wines and beers.

Media link:

Review:

Easily missed and uninspiring from the road-side Bengal Berties is the hidden gem of the area.

Located on a quieter street close to the Centre of Wood Green, or a short bus ride from Muswell Hill, it provides a quiet and relaxing atmosphere perhaps best suited for a weeknight visit. Described on several popular review sites as ‘the best Indian restaurant this side of North London ’East London’s Brick Lane or several alternatives in central London are no doubt still worth the tube journey if inclined.

Following several visits we have now worked our way through a selection of the available dishes – and we’re yet to be disappointed. Simple, honest, lovely food, well priced and friendly service. The decor could be improved and unless it’s a full house the atmosphere can be a little lacking but on the flip side that’s part of Bengal Berties’ appeal. Starters average around £3-4 with mains around £7-8. We’re yet to try the deserts, priced around £4.

Dave Lamont

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http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/dragons-eye-hits-the-spot-as-world-discovers-chinese-wines-2192453.html

E

January 2011

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Restaurant Tucana

C/ Apuntadores 14, 07012 Palma de Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain

Telephone number: Spain  971 724 428

Website: www.chilimontes.com/tucana

Cost per head: From around €25

Wine list: Good selection of Mallorcan and other Spanish wines; reasonable mark-up..

Date of visit: 26 December 2010

Summary

We arrived in Mallorca in the early afternoon of Boxing Day and after checking into the hotel we went for a walk to stretch our legs after the flight.  We walked along the harbour for a while and then looked for somewhere to have dinner in the old part of Palma just behind La Lonja, a part of town with plenty of bars and restaurants.  The restaurant is fairly small and has a small bar area also. Many people go just for a drink and some tapas but we decided to have a full meal.

The wine list had good examples of the main areas of Spain and we opted for a wine from the Ribera del Duero region of mainland Spain; it was the El Quintanal Barrica 2007 which turned out to be a very fruity and slightly oaked Tempranillo, very typical, if a bit light, of the young wines of the region and very good value at below 15 Euros.

For starters we had 3 tapas (Patatas Bravas, Camembert crujiente and Pulpo estilo Gallego) all of which were very well presented and enjoyable, although one complaint was that the amount of sauce that came with the potato and the cheese dishes was very small.  Both of our main dishes , roast leg of lamb (Pierna de Cordero) and duck in a sherry sauce (Pato “Tio Pepe”), were very good and served in generous portions. We did not bother with desserts as they seemed industrial to us so on the way back to the hotel we stopped at a bakery for coffee and some special Christmas biscuits.

With a bottle of mineral water, the cost for 2 was just under 58 Euros which was reasonable for a good meal.

Demetris Savva

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