I was beginning to loose heart and think that the whole rest of the world existed on chicken nuggets, wing dings and dim sims after a day of calling in to many smaller businesses like takeaway shops up the Tasman Highway from Orford to St Helens.
Then there was St Helens itself!
To backtrack - yes - Swansea DOES have Ebb and Banc which I think more than hold their own in the gourmet food stakes, but apart from them (and possibly Scorchers) I found there to be a huge gap in the food chain up East.
To give Bicheno its due, I haven't done a thorough 'eat around' in that town yet, so let's leave Bicheno out for a while here...... but
Generally, the food scene up the coast is pathetic. The scenery is amongst the most spectacular in the world, and what are we offering up to our hungry visitors? Crappy defrosted and refried frozen food. If you've never paid any attention to exactly how many little takeaways there are up the Tasman Highway, next time you drive up there, keep an eye out and maybe play a car game with your 'spot the greasy' competition.
So I finally reached St Helens, feeling rather depressed (and hungry!). And what did I find there? A few of the best little eateries round.
The first is a place called Something Fabulous. It is in the same building as the Forum Cinema, and right next to it. It is actually quite easy to miss as even though it's on the main street, as it's sited well back off the street frontage, so you really have to concentrate to find it - but it's worth it. If you're up there over Xmas or any other time, I really want you to go there please.
It is run by a gorgeous woman called Judy, one of those women we have discussed previously on the blogs who cook with their hearts, and the results truly show. The menu is adequate, but Judy will cook whatever you desired if you asked her and if she had the ingredients, I'm sure. She also has daily specials. After a few hundred k's of yucky takeway shops, I was absolutely over the moon to find Judy's cafe where her proud boast is that she makes pretty well everything there herself.
The other place of note there is a place called C57, a funny little cafe run by Steve and Jackie. They have beautiful pies there, like Lamb Shank, Scallop and Fennel, which are served with a chutney specially made by David Siepen. Good to hear that's what David is now up to!
All in all, an interesting and thought-provoking trip, but, as ever, I'm glad to be home.
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
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3 comments:
Sound like you weren't left dispirited by your visit Rita.
In my short time here I have felt that the East Coast is a marvel but it must be dammed hard to make a living in the food game up there.
About a year ago it seemed that every food business was for sale. I also heard that it wasc a nightmare to get & retain staff.
We think its tough here in Hobart & surrounds, up there, it's apparently bleak.
Is this still the case? If so why do think it is?
Yes Rita, I agree about the grease spots.
We used to break our journey to Swansea etc with fresh fish and chips at Orford. Don't know if shop's still there...it was humble but compared with the baine marie deep fried nightmares around, heaven.
I suppose you can't have it all. To get good food ``outlets'' you need population.
Then you get all the shit that comes with too many people and the nature of the place gets lost.
I'd need to cook at home and load up once a month from Hobart with goodies!
Gobbler - The staffing still remains a problem but is compounded by the lack of accomodation there for potential staff. Most young hospitality people want to stay within the city precincts. It's a relatively rare person who will take the plunge and work in one of those more outlying properties.
It seems like you have to be a certain kind of person to be even willing to look at these jobs. The ones who do work in the outer areas seem quite happy to do so as long as they can get back every now and then for an injection of city life.
It has its pros and cons - working out of the city. According to business owners, many get jobs in the more remote areas with the plan of taking themselves away from whatever temptation is their vice - whether it's alcohol, drugs, relationships.
Unfortunately life tends to catch up with you at some stage, so there are probably no guarantees about that, but it's an interesting theory.
The wise employer in those country towns will supply accomodation as part of the employment package, and I reckon the added bonus which I reported a few months back that Cradle Mountain Lodge were offering their staff: of Austar in the staff quarters, as well as free food, would work for me!
Sir G - I don't think your fish & chip shop in Orford is still there as you remember it. They DO have the new Gateway though. Opinion on it appears mixed. It is sited in Orford right on the corner, next to Scorchers, and directly in front of you as you turn onto the bridge to continue up towards Orford Golf course.
It's a new bakery/cafe owned by Michael & Judy Kent. It does a brisk trade, & has all day breakfasts and other assorted goodies for the travel-weary.
It's not really MY kind of place, but don't let that put you off for a minute. They retail all kinds of different Tassie food and souvenir products as well as cafe food, so it's a mish-mash of a shop.
I found some really interesting things on the shelves there which I promised myself I'd call in for on the return journey, but was racing to get home for Spicks and Specks, so didn't.
If you're going up the coast, do pop in there & check it out.
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