Restaurant

[turtlemichael]

Hi Jane

 

Home in OZ again.

 

Seems strange to talk about a LA restaurant on this board but I thought Lucques was great. Modern Mediterranean food, great service and very nice muted setting on Melrose near La Cienega in West Hollywood. Very classy. Not cheap - for 4 of us with 1 good bottle of wine and 4 cocktails it was $460.00 inc tip and tax. If you try it let me know what you think.

 

On Port Douglas, I am probably telling you a lot of what you already know. Salsa is buzzy, a touch café like, medium priced with the usual Port Douglas emphasis on fish. There is not much a view but you look at the lovely St Mary's By the Sea through the Palm Trees. Had the best steak there I have had for ages.

 

Sassi's nearby I think is overpriced and overrated. Nautilus you would know. Although the food can vary a bit the Thai Coral trout is great. There is no view but the setting is spectacular under the palm trees which are cathedral like. Its top price and romantic. Bill Clinton ate there (no comment). On the Inlet has great fresh seafood and not too expensive. We also like Two Fish Restaurant - consistently good seafood. A special event which sounds touristy but is not, although it is several years since I did it is Flames of the Forest. Best to look at the web site which tells all. http://www.flamesoftheforest.com.au/

 

In Melbourne Ezard is my favourite. If you haven't tried Grossi Florentino it is again a signature place like Doyles but with absolutely classical Italian food in the most special place. Its rooms are very spectacular and date from 1900. Restaurants in Italy aren't that old! Gaylords for Indian, Vlado's for steak (though its a while), Mecca in Southgate for Middle Eastern are all worth the effort. Prices for all are medium to high by Aussie standards but still great value. You'll generally still get better value in an Australian restaurant than an American one dollar for dollar.

 

In Sydney we like Edna's Table which is central and uses ingredients like crocodile and is highly innovative, Sean's Panaroma at Bondi Beach is very innovative too but more Asiany. Fishface in Darlinghurst is tiny, certainly not romantic as you almost stand to eat but it has great fish and is worth the experience. Finally, I love Kingsley's Steak House in King Street. Service can be hit and miss but the food is universally good. They also have a separate (thank goodness) cigar lounge.

 

Hope that is helpful for a few different alternatives. Now Jane, tell me a nice place to eat in NYC midtown mid week lunch or pre-theatre dinner eating alone which I'll be doing one night in August. There's a challenge!

[Jane110]

Micheal,

 

Thanks for the Aussie food reveiws. I know most of the places you've mentioned and have eaten in many.

We'll be back in Oz in Feb. and I hope to get to Grossi Florentino. I've heard of it, but never got there. Been to Ezard and loved it, but not enough to go back. Momo's is my current Melbourne favorite and so we'll definitely go back there.

 

I'll have a look at the Flames in the Forest.

DH doesn't eat beef so Kingsley's steak house wouldn't be on our list. Besides, no ofense meant, but I live in one of the steak house capital's of the universe. I could walk to a half dozen of NY's finest steak houses and we still don't go. Nah........when I go to Oz, I want Mod Oz cuisine, whether it's asian, indian or european inspired. Besides, you guys have some of the most incredible fish in the world that's hard to pass up. If I eat meat in Oz, it's either lamb or kangaroo, usually the latter.

 

SOOOOOOOOOOOO, you're coming to my little neck of the woods and need a place to dine?

That's an easy challange....

 

Here are some choices:

 

TABLA - 25th St. & Madison Ave. http://www.tablany.com Indian inspired/continental infusion cuisine.

 

MESA GRILL- 5th Ave & 15th St. http://www.mesagrill.com Bobby Flay's South western at it's best.

 

ZOE - Prince & Mercer Sts, Soho Fabulous new american cuisine.

 

AQUA GRILL - 6th Ave & Spring St. in Soho. http://www.aquagrill.com Great fish place espcecially if you love a raw bar and oysters.

 

All these places are smart casual and the kind of place you'd be comfortable dining alone in.

 

If your schedule allows, have a late lunch at one of these places, then after the theatre, go have a snack, a drink, a dessert....whatever.

 

Fun late places for that................

 

Balthazar - Spring & B'way in Soho. http://www.Balthazarny.com Fab mojito's!

 

Pastis - Little W. 12th St. Meatpacking disctict. http://www.Pastisny.com Balthazar's sister, crowd is a bit younger. Fab french martini's.

 

Petrossian- 58th St & 7th Ave. http://www.Petrossian.com Sister place to the original in Paris. More formal and not a trendy scene, more elegance. However, you can sit at the bar and have chamapagne and caviar.

 

For one day, this is probably enough! :D

 

When you coming?

 

Jane

[turtlemichael]

Hi Jane

 

Many thanks. I'll try to come up with some more Aussie restaurants for you and anyone else reading. Thanks for your suggestions. I am in NYC this coming Thursday. Have Saturday free to see both Doubt (2.00pm) and Spamalot (8.00pm) so I'll get to at least one of your suggestions. Head out Sunday morning. Thanks again and good etaing!

[Jane110]

Micheal,

 

Have a fun time here. I'd like to see Spamalot - just been too lazy to go get the tickets.

 

Let me know where you ate after your return. If you have any other questions, let me know.

 

It's really HOT here! Bring lightweight clothes!

 

Jane

[KiwiIan]

Globaliser,

 

Thanks for the update on MG Garage and thanks for the links to the magazine articles. I'm in the process of making plans for our 6th trip to Australia in February and like to have some dining plans mapped out before I get there. I"ve already noted some very interesting finds in both Sydney and Melbourne and found a "Best" list that covers all of Oz. We'll be visiting Perth for the first time and see some nice choices for that area.

In Sydney, we usually stay at the 4 Seasons (fka The Regent) which is right next to the Shangrila, so I'll check out the places there. I tend to stay away from hotel restaurants, although Kables in the 4 Seasons is very good.

I love the buzz of the Sydney dining scene, though I actually prefer the Melbourne dining scene better, it's a little more mellow.

 

 

Boards,

 

I'm glad you're spending some post-cruise days in Oz. I hope you'll be getting to Melbourne which is my favorite city.

NZ is spectacularly beautiful and I hope some of your cruise shore excursions bring you to places like Rotorua and Napier. IMO, the food in NZ is quite disappointing and our best meals were in the ethnic restaurants where we found some very good thai and indian meals.

 

Happy Travels!

Jane

Hi Jane, sorry to but in on this thread but we saw that you were a little disapointed with the restaurents in NZ, sorry to hear that. We have lived in Tauranga/Mount Maunganui for the last 5 years and we have some great eating options for a regional town [pop. 100k] I know that many cruise ships visit here for the proximity to Rotorua and if you know where to go there are some good options. Auckland/wellington obviously has more choices and would be up there with some of the best in OZ [though i must say OZ probably does have a better standard overall] so next time your over this way or any CC'ers are visiting NZ then we would love to assist with suggestions for good places to eat. Oran y other info on what to do here. Reading these posts recently has been making my mouth watew to say the least. Regards Ian

[KiwiIan]

Thanks again Jane, my wife is looking forward to this trip, she has been trying to convince me to go there for a number of years. I know there is so much of interest, it is going to be a problem trying to determine just what to take it in the short period of time we will have there. We will be on the Statendam for a 14 day cruise which will give us a look at both NZ and Australia with an additional short week in Australia. We have lots of preparation (enjoyable) to do to prepare for it.

Hi Boards, if this is your first visit to NZ and you need any help or advice we would love to help. We are based in Tauranga NZ, one of your ports of call. There is a lot of choice re shore excursions and by doing your own thing rather than the ship arranged tours you can often have a better experience at lower cost. Here to help if required, regards Ian

[Janman]

Has anyone tried Casa di Nico or I'm Angus Steakhouse in Sydney? Their menus seemed to be in the moderate range.

Janet

[Aussie Gal]

I would like to second Globalisers recommendation of Aqua Dining at Milson's Point. It has a wonderful view overlooking the harbour and is set overlooking the Nth Sydney swimming baths. The food is good also.

 

In Melbourne I would also recommend Cecconi's which is set in the Casino complex overlooking our Yarra river. The food and service are A1.

 

We also like a few French restaurants which are situated in suburbs close to the city such as South Melbourne, Hawksburn and Armadale. We like La Madrague, Bistro Thierry and Chez Bob as well as France Soir in South Yarra and for a very special night, Jacques Reymond in Windsor.

 

Melbourne has so much to offer regarding dining that it is hard to recommend particular restaurants as they are so diverse.

 

Jennie