WINNERS REVEALED: AUSTRALIA’S 50 BEST HOTELS

Yotam Ottolenghi,
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MIDDLE EAST A celebration of food, culture & community

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JUNE 2018 AU $9.99 NZ $10.99

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Food
GO NUTS PITA MASTER ROUND TABLE OF MIDDLE HOMELAND
Whether in dips or Feasting and Greg Malouf, EASTERN TRADITIONS
baked in baklava, fun are the key our home-grown APPEARANCE Reem Kassis’s The
nuts are a crucial ingredients to godfather of It’s Lebanese, but Palestinian Table is
component to Eyal Shani’s Middle Eastern not as you know a collection of her
Middle Eastern rock-star approach fine-dining, it at Bar Saracen, family’s recipes
dishes. Time to to Israeli street balances tradition the new spot from and an ode to
get cracking. food at Miznon. and modernity. Melbourne’s Rumi. her heritage.

84 92 102 110 118

Features
SUBURBAN PAPER TRAIL AN ATHEIST’S BREAD OF LIFE
SPICE ROUTES Claudia Roden FIRST IFTAR Baking 400 loaves
The history of takes us back to Candice Chung of flatbread a
Middle Eastern when she first put experiences the week is more
food in Australia pen to paper to fasting, feasting than a labour of
is one of people, craft the definitive and hospitality that love for Lebanese
movement and A Book of Middle go hand-in-hand matriarch Salwa
smuggled spices. Eastern Food. with Ramadan. Moubarak.

68 72 74 78
Travel
SCENTS CULTURAL AUSTRALIAN
OF PLACE CAPITAL HOTEL GUIDE
From high desert The new Louvre is The complete
passes to the lush the ultimate trophy guide to Australia's
Arabian coast, for Abu Dhabi, and 50 best hotels,
Toni Mason follows a taste of the city’s plus all our award
the frankincense grand designs for winners. Turndown
trails of Oman. its future. service included.

126 136 149

 The
Middle
Eastern
issue

Scents
of place

p 126
PHOTOGRAPHY SHARYN CAIRNS (OMAN) & BEN DEARNLEY. COVER: BRASS SPOON FROM WATER TIGER. ALL OTHER PROPS STYLIST'S OWN. STOCKISTS P192

Regulars
12 EDITOR’S LETTER 37 ANATOMY OF A DISH 145 STYLE ON THE COVER
Clockwise from left:
Halal snack pack. Keep your cool with chickpea salad with tahini
14 CONTRIBUTORS desert shades of sky, dressing (p38); beetroot kebabs
38 EATING CLEAN sand and camel. (p115); prawn börek (p112);
16 FOUR DISHES Tahini. eggplant & walnut dip (p86).
Our favourite plates 192 STOCKISTS
this month. 48 DRINKS Plus our cook’s notes
The Middle East may and privacy notice.
19 NEWS seem an unlikely source
The latest from the food for a good drop, but this 193 RECIPE INDEX
and travel scenes. is where wine was born.
194 FARE EXCHANGE
26 OBJECTS OF DESIRE 51 MELBOURNE REVIEW Chefs’ recipes you’ve
Gem-coloured accessories. Former Rockpool chef requested.
Phil Wood’s talents are
28 HOW I EAT front and centre at his
Founder of Speed Date a new fine-diner, Laura.
Muslim, Hana Assafiri, on
the power of shared food. 55 SYDNEY REVIEW
Hartsyard 2.0 rifs on
30 HOW I TRAVEL its previous form, but
Photography Ben Dearnley
Styling Liz Elton & Lisa
Israeli-born chef and food with a lighter, more Featherby Food styling Lisa
writer Yotam Ottolenghi up-tempo rhythm. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Featherby Merchandising
on losing his glasses and OF COUNTRY Geraldine Muñoz Food
finding inspiration. 59 QUICK MEALS Gourmet Traveller preparation Nick Banbury
Midweek meals in no time. acknowledges the Gadigal
32 MASTERCLASS people of the Eora Nation
SUBSCRIBE
A step-by-step guide to 142 TRAVEL MEMOIR as the traditional custodians
of the place we now call magshop.com.au/
making hummus at home. In Cairo, the city’s Sydney, where this magazine australian-gourmet-traveller
past and future are is published. Gourmet
34 THE EXPLAINER embodied in very Traveller also pays respects
Middle Eastern sweets. diferent eating spaces. to elders past and present.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 9
 Editor Sarah Oakes
Managing Editor Pat Nourse
Creative Director Liz Elton
Travel Editor Helen Anderson

Food
Food Director Lisa Featherby
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Words
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WE MAKE UNCOMPROMISING CHOICES, ONE AFTER

ANOTHER, TO BRING YOU EXCEPTIONAL COFFEE.

AFTER ALL, WE ARE THE CHOICES WE MAKE

AREN’T WE?

K
Editor’s letter
Hummus
bi calamari
p 114
I
’ve only lined up for hummus once,
but it was well worth the wait. It was
a hot morning on the waterfront
in Tel Aviv and the crowd that had
gathered around Abu Hassan made it
look like they were giving it away for
free. I struggled to the front, fought for
a spot at a shared table and had my first
taste of musabaha, morning hummus,
still warm and textured with whole
chickpeas, served with ful, raw onion,
hot sauce and bread. In that mouthful
I understood that hummus is a meal,
the star of the table, not just a side dish
or a final resting place for limp crudités.
The theme of this issue is the
Middle East, but the broader theme is
how, along with people, recipes travel,
immigrate, evolve and keep culture
alive. The history of how Australia
fell in love with food from Lebanon,
Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Iran and the
region isn’t well documented. As
historian Alecia Simmonds explains
in Suburban Spice Routes (page 68),
“It’s a secret history that can only be
gleaned through peering over backyard
fences, inviting ourselves into family
kitchens and uncovering the lives of
those whose survival once depended
on concealing their aromatic herbs
from delicate Anglo-Saxon nostrils.”
EMAIL ASKGOURMET@BAUER-MEDIA.COM.AU // FOLLOW @ GOURMETTRAVELLER // ONLINE GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU
12 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Where we’ve been
Congratulations to
Paramount House
Hotel in Surry Hills,
our 2018 Hotel Helen Anderson, travel editor;
of the Year. Thanjavur, India
For all the award Just when you think you’ve seen the
winners and the most spectacular temple in Tamil Nadu,
complete list the southern Indian state with some
of Australia’s 33,000 ancient temples, an older, more
50 best hotels glorious one appears. @handersonglobal
turn to page 149.
From hummus to the halal snack
pack, this issue is a celebration of the
people, places and dishes that helped
food from the Middle East carve out
a special place in our culinary culture.
It would be remiss of me not to
mention the very real and devastating
impact of ongoing violence and Lisa Featherby, food director;
conflict in the region. Like all Byron Bay, NSW
Australians, our hopes and thoughts We were up in Byron covering a story
are with all those whose lives are for GT and I just had to make a stopover
affected by these tragedies. I want at the Atlantic guesthouse in Byron Bay.
to mention in particular that we are It’s been on my wish list of places to stay
for a long while. The downside? The stay
passionately supporting #BakeForSyria,
PHOTOGRAPHY ALANA LANDSBERRY (PORTRAIT), MARK ROPER & TOM ROSS (PARAMOUNT)
was way too short – I’m already planning
#CookForSyria and the Ration
my return. @lisafeatherby
Challenge, all happening over the
next few weeks. All the details are
in our news section on page 19.
Follow
@ SARAHALICEOAKES
Sarah Oakes, editor
Beijing, China
A quick and sparkly trip to China
for the opening of the Van Cleef
& Arpels Patrimonial exhibition at Today
Art Museum in Beijing. @sarahaliceoakes
 S U P P O R T I N G C O M M U N I T I E S T O FA R M S U S TA I N A B LY

PROTECTS THE CONSISTENT QUALITY OF YOUR COFFEE,

AND THE LIVELIHOODS OF OUR MASTER BLENDERS.

N SPR O H ICE W E
Contributors
Jackalope
p 153
CLAUDIA RODEN
writer
Paper trail, p72
Claudia Roden was drawn to
the subject of food through a
desire to evoke a lost heritage.
Her classic A Book of Middle
Eastern Food, published in
1968, revolutionised Western
attitudes to the cuisines of the
Middle East and North Africa.
“When I look into the book,
I see the faces of the people
who gave me recipes and hear
their voices and I feel as I did
when I spoke to them more
than 50 years ago.”
14 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
MICHAEL RANTISSI
chef
Masterclass, p32
Israeli-born chef Michael
Rantissi grew up in Tel Aviv
where there was hummus
on the table at every meal.
“If Mum had the time she’d
make it for us, otherwise
we’d take it in turns to go to
the local hummus shop,” he
says. “I enjoy hummus the
way Australians love their
Vegemite.” Although hummus
probably has a wider appeal
for breakfast, lunch and dinner
than the Aussie spread.
KENDALL HILL
writer
Australian Hotel Guide, p149
Having just wrapped up his fifth
Gourmet Traveller Australian
Hotel Guide, project manager
Kendall Hill confesses he’s
looking forward to spending
some quality time at home in
Melbourne. “It’s a great privilege
to check in at Australia’s best
hotels while researching the
country’s leading hotel guide,”
he says. “But eventually I start
craving my own bed.” Among
GT’s top 50 hotels are nine new
entrants and 11 award winners.
GREG MALOUF PHOTOGRAPHY BARBARA STEINBAUER-GROETSCH (CLAUDIA RODEN) & SHARYN CAIRNS (JACKALOPE)
chef
Round table, p102
Chef Greg Malouf’s influence
on contemporary cuisine has
transformed the way diners in
the West enjoy Middle Eastern
food. Formerly of Melbourne’s
MoMo restaurant and the UK’s
Michelin-starred Petersham
Nurseries, his recent launches
include Clé Dubai and Zahira.
“In the Middle East, food is a
gift and an expression of love,”
he says. “With family it’s about
comforting and healing; with
friends it’s about welcoming.”
Four dishes

What we’re
eating
Gourmet Traveller regulars share
their favourite plates of the moment.

SHAWERMA, Shish Shawerma

Abu Dhabi’s Shish Shawerma revs
up the shawerma for a modern
audience, taking wood-fired pita,
stuing it with spit-roasted meats,
salad and sauces and toasting it on
the grill before serving. The clincher?
Australian beef, caramelised to the
point known as perfection. Shish
Shawerma, behind Corniche Towers,
Corniche Rd West & Al Khaleej
Al Arabi, Abu Dhabi LARISSA DUBECKI,
CONTRIBUTOR

CHARCOAL CHICKEN AND

GARLIC SAUCE, El Jannah
Come for the smoky charcoal chicken,
stay for the garlicky goodness that is
the toum. Throw in bright pickles, dips
of your choice (the baba ghanoush
and creamy hummus are essential),
good bread (and, if you must, chips)
and the reasons behind the Jannah’s
mighty reputation are mighty clear.
El Jannah, 4-8 South St, Granville,
NSW, (02) 9637 0977 HARRIET DAVIDSON,
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

MURRINDIE FREW (SHISH SHAWERMA), PAT NOURSE (SHUK)

& RAVI SHANMUGANATHAN (VERY GOOD FALAFEL)
PHOTOGRAPHY HARRIET DAVIDSON (EL JANNAH),

FALAFEL, Very Good Falafel

Louisa Allan and Shuki Rosenboim
weren’t kidding with the name. ISRAELI BREAKFAST, Shuk
How good? Order the falafel plate, If this be breakfast, let’s hope
a banquet of four superb falafels Israel takes it easy at lunch.
(made with chickpeas grown in A paella pan groans under the
the Mallee by Allan’s dad), hummus, weight of two eggs, Israeli salad,
zhoug and tahini, pickles, and salads. olives, labne, hummus, butter,
Let’s hear it for truth in naming. jam, avocado, tahini, yoghurt
Very Good Falafel, 629 Sydney and granola. And now for a nap.
Rd, Brunswick, Vic, (03) 9383 6479. Shuk, 2 Mitchell St, Bondi, NSW
MICHAEL HARDEN, VICTORIA EDITOR PAT NOURSE, MANAGING EDITOR

16 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Why not have both!

Convenient 2-in-1 design!

 JUNE

NEWS
Edited by HELEN ANDERSON & LEE TRAN LAM

Fatayer
sabanech
and jibneh
pastries by
Dalia
Dogmoch

p 20
PHOTOGRAPHY SUKAINA RAJABALI

East is East
Bake for Syria, the new Dubai hotels
and the noisiest pastry in town.
News
Helping
hands
Turning food and
cooking into support
for children at risk
with the Cook for
Syria movement.
The Syrian civil war is more
than a distant conflict for
Carol and Sharon Salloum.
The sisters, proprietors of
Sydney’s Almond Bar, grew up
visiting family in their father’s
village in western Syria, and
many of the family members
still live in Syria. Since 2011,
the war has made refugees of
5.5 million Syrians and
exposed 3.3 million children
to explosives. “It is vital for
us to ensure that all Syrians
are aware that we have not
forgotten them,” says Sharon.
It’s why the sisters are part of
Cook for Syria, a movement
that began in London in
2016 as a fundraising supper-
club paying tribute to Syrian
cuisine. It has since become
a global effort and has raised
more than $1 million for
UNICEF’s work in the region.
The Salloum sisters are part of
the #CookForSyria dinner at
Three Blue Ducks in Sydney’s
Rosebery on 18 June (which
includes more than 20 chefs,
Kylie Kwong and Matt Stone
among them) and they’ve
shared their sfouf turmeric
cake recipe in the soon-to-be-
published #BakeForSyria book.
“It’s amazing to see the
support grow from all around
the world... to help children
affected by the Syrian crisis,”
says the book’s editor, Serena
Guen. cookforsyria.com
20 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
1 Add yeast and 1 tbsp sugar
to 60ml warm water and stand
for a few minutes. Place flour,
2 tsp salt and remaining sugar
in an electric mixer fitted with
the dough hook. Knead for
30 seconds, then add yeast
mixture, milk and oil. Knead
until thick and glossy (about
5 minutes), adding a little more
flour or oil if necessary. Knead
until smooth, then transfer to a
bowl, cover with a tea towel and
leave to prove for 30 minutes.
2 For the cheese filling, use a
fork to combine the cheeses,
parsley and mint. Add the egg
and oil and combine well.
3 For spinach filling, heat
vegetable oil in a frying pan
over medium heat and sauté
onions until soft and translucent.
Add spinach, walnuts, sumac,
lemon rind, nutmeg and ½ tsp
Carol (left) salt and pepper and mix well.
and Sharon
Salloum. Cook until spinach wilts, then
transfer to a bowl and allow to
cool briefly. Add egg and olive
FATAYER SABANECH AND JIBNEH oil, and stir to combine.
4 Divide dough in half. Roll out
Spinach and cheese pastries one piece on a lightly floured
MAKES 20-24 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 20 MINS surface to a 30cm round. Cut
#BakeForSyria features sweet and savoury recipes from chefs
into rounds with a 10cm cutter,
around the world, including Syrian-German cookbook author Dalia re-rolling if necessary. Repeat
Dogmoch, who shares these savoury pastries. “Keeping Syrian with remaining dough. Press
recipes alive has become a personal wish of mine,” she says, “and each round gently into an oval
this initiative strikes a very personal note for my entire family and shape and place on 2 lightly
me. These oval open-faced fatayers are my favourite variation.” greased non-stick baking trays.
Place 2 tbsp cheese filling in the
1 tsp dried yeast 1 beaten egg centre of half the ovals, and
400 gm plain flour 2 tbsp olive oil pinch opposite sides together
2 tbsp caster sugar SPINACH FILLING into a boat shape to contain the
150 ml lukewarm milk 1 tbsp vegetable oil filling. Repeat with spinach filling
60 ml olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped and remaining pastries.
Melted butter, for brushing 200 gm baby spinach, coarsely 5 Preheat oven to 170°C. Brush
CHEESE FILLING chopped edges of pastries with a little
50 gm Akkawi or kashkaval 50 gm chopped walnuts butter and bake until edges are
(cow) cheese (if unavailable 1 tsp sumac slightly golden (18-20 minutes).
use more of cheeses below) Finely grated rind Serve warm.
50 gm mozzarella of 1 lemon
100 gm feta ¼ tsp grated nutmeg This extract from #BakeForSyria
25 gm flat-leaf parsley, ½ tsp white pepper (Suitcase Media, hbk, £25) has
finely chopped 1 beaten egg been reproduced with minor
15 gm mint, finely chopped 2 tbsp olive oil GT style changes.
 Soft landing
Skipping the arak? The Middle East
is rich in booze-free options.

Flower power
This colourful “Raised Tulip” platter
is hand-painted in Turkey in the
south-western town of Denizli.
The striking floral pattern will brighten
any party-sized serve of meze. $70,
thedancingpixie.com.au.

Persian salad and

saffron chicken are on
Beer provided the fuel Sydney Turkish After water, tea is the the Iranian menu at
for the workforce in restaurants Efendy and most consumed drink
ancient Egypt, but in Anason, has fond in the Middle East. Four Brave Women –
Cairo today, you’re memories of first dates Michael Rantissi’s for now. Refugees run
more likely to enjoy over sips of fresh Hummus & Co. 2017 pop-up eateries at the
karkadeh, a sweet, yet lemonade in Istanbul. book features 20 pages
sour tonic of dried Then there’s ayran, of hot and iced drinks,
Sydney site, with new
hibiscus. With alcohol a salty yoghurt drink. reflecting what his operators taking over
(FR0M HUMMUS & CO. BY MICHAEL RANTISSI AND KRISTY FRAWLEY, MURDOCH BOOKS, HBK, $49.99)

forbidden by Islamic It was declared the team serves at Sydney’s every eight weeks.
tradition, it’s no national beverage Kepos Street Kitchen thetradingcircle.com.au
surprise that a vibrant in 2013. Gazoz, and Kepos & Co.
PHOTOGRAPHY MATTHEW ABBOTT (CAROL AND SHARON SALLOUM) & ALAN BENSON

non-alcoholic drinking meanwhile, is a genre “Westerners treat

culture has flourished of carbonated fruit drinks as a reason
in the Middle East. drinks in Turkey that, to socialise,” says
It’s a place where the at its pre-Coca Cola the Israeli-born chef,
sommelier at The heights, numbered “but where I come
Ritz-Carlton or at regional varieties in the from, drinks symbolise
The St. Regis might hundreds. (If you’d like hospitality. They’re a
suggest Ceylon to to do a Turkish take part of the occasion,
celebrate rather than on the Pepsi challenge but not the occasion
Champagne. (In for yourself, you’ll find itself.” With top
2017, incidentally, both drinks on offer at restaurants around the
Anfal Fekri of Anason and Efendy.) world expanding their
Bahrain’s Silver Tea Turning back to tea, non-alcoholic drink
Leaf Consultancy, trade brought masala options, teetotalling
became the Middle chai to the Persian Gulf might be reason Take the Act for Peace Ration Challenge
East’s first master tea where karak chai, as it’s enough in itself and live on the same rations as a Syrian
sommelier.) Somer known in the region, to celebrate. refugee living in a camp in Jordan
Sivrioglu, chef of become a daily ritual. MATTHEW HIRSCH during refugee week, 17-24 June, to raise
money, raise awareness and help change
minds. actforpeace.rationchallenge.org.au

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 21
News

This new Portofino 126-litre-capacity oven from Smeg channels the

glamour of the Italian Riviera, imbuing it with high-tech on its way to your
Add Greg Malouf into your cooking by the
kitchen. It has a Thermoseal cavity, triple-fan interior heat distribution
EURO

perfumed spoonful with the chef’s signature

STAR

and is the most energy-eicient model of its size. Its 16 cooking functions
range of spices and pastes at The Essential
and 20 set-and-forget menus will make the after-work dinner rush
Ingredient. It includes chermoula ($14.95),
a lot easier. The only tough question: will it be sunshine yellow, olive
Turkish baharat ($8.25), Jordanian za’atar
green, coral red or burnt orange? smeg.com.au/portofino
($8.95), ras el hanout ($6.75) and red harissa
($12.95). essentialingredient.com.au

THREE OF THE BEST

Downtime in Dubai

PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL BOUD (BANGARRA DANCE THEATRE), CHRIS JANSEN (SPICES) & ALICIA TAYLOR (KNAFEH)
These new hotels focus on design, wellbeing and rooftop views.

Form Hotel Dubai Need a private yoga
session? A sneaker-cleaning kit? Guests have
access to a range of handy items and services
– from babysitting to skydiving – at this new
136-room hotel in Al Jadaf Culture Village,
on the bank of Dubai Creek. The hotel’s stark
white façade references traditional Dubai
architecture, while guestrooms are sleek and
contemporary. A rooftop pool and gym have
views over Al Jadaf boatyards, and guests
can explore the neighbourhood on a range
of special-interest tours. designhotels.com
The Retreat Palm Dubai View the Gulf
and Dubai’s glittering skyline from an
airconditioned beachfront cabana at this
“holistic wellbeing” resort on Palm Jumeirah’s
East Crescent. Guests in 255 rooms and suites
can follow customised programs in the hotel’s
wellness centre, stafed by nutritionists, lifestyle
coaches and a “wellness chef”. There’s a fitness
centre, too, and a spa featuring a hammam and
treatments such as the Arabian 1001 Night Ritual:
a desert-sand scrub, massage and camel-milk
and date-extract facial. theretreatpalmdubai.com
Zabeel House Mini by Jumeirah This is
the smaller of two sister hotels in Al Seef,
a two-kilometre promenade of shops, cafés
and pop-ups along the south bank of Dubai
Creek. The no-frills mini version (pictured)
has 150 brightly coloured “pocket”-sized rooms
with Pop-Art maps of Dubai on ceilings, street
food-inspired restaurants and free bikes.
Next door is the more upmarket Zabeel House
by Jumeirah, which opened last month with
200 rooms, four restaurants and bars, and a
rooftop infinity pool. zabeelhouse.com

22 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Guy Grossi (Grossi
Florentino) has a Roman
Holiday moment with
his menu for Gourmet
Institute’s Melbourne
event on 11 July. Expect
braised oxtail with cime
di rapa and toasted
wheat tonnarelli with
pig’s cheek and pecorino.
harveynorman.com.au/
Knafeh’s gourmet-institute
knafeh.

Knafeh
Pastry as performance. Plus some serious beards.

THE PRODUCERS

When unprecedented demand for their
knafeh overwhelmed the family business,
two brothers decided to take the show on
the road, and life took a sweet turn.
WHO You’ll hear them before you see
them: brothers Ameer and Joey El-Issa
bake (and dance) to a booming playlist
of Middle Eastern beats, the blast radius
emanating from a shipping container
turned pop-up bakery, the mobile home
for their Knafeh: Jerusalem Street Food
business. The signature pastry that has
powered Knafeh since its 2014 start in
Sydney still holds its own against the noise.
WHY When the pair’s mother, Nabila,
debuted a “lighter, creamier version” of
the knafeh at their family business,
Shisha Bar & Grill, in Sydney’s Croydon
Park, it was a runaway hit with customers
– so much so that it nearly crippled the
restaurant. So Ameer, a former architect,
drew on his creative expertise to turn a
shipping container into the Knafeh food
truck to better handle demand.
WHAT Ameer likens knafeh to crème
brûlée. The family version is made with
a mix of sweet cheese and semolina and
cooked twice for an oozy, cheesy centre
and a brûlée-like finish on top. It’s finished
with pistachio nuts and sugar syrup.
WHERE Knafeh’s mobile status means
it turns up everywhere – from suburban
parks to old biscuit factories. The
original pop-up has led to appearances
in Melbourne and New York and the
pastry will make occasional cameos at
The Mechanic & Sons, the family’s
newest eatery and a tribute to Ameer’s
father, who was a mechanic for Dale Ford
in Chullora. The first location opened
last month in Penrith, in Sydney’s west.
knafeh.com.au
“I never expected Dark Emu to become a
dance, it was a real surprise,” says Bruce
Pascoe. His award-winning book,
which rejects the notion that Indigenous
Australians were hunter-gatherers, and
argues that they were instead practising
sophisticated agriculture, has been
transformed by Bangarra Dance Theatre
into a new work. Do you like your dance
with a side of dinner? The show will be
matched with a special menu at
Bennelong during the Sydney Opera
House season (14 June to 14 July), before
it tours Canberra, Perth, Brisbane and
Melbourne. bangarra.com.au

In a hurry in Dubai? Emirates passengers can, for a fee, use a new “home check-in”
service to check luggage and pick up boarding passes at any location in the city.
And for new arrivals, the airline offers a service that retrieves and clears luggage
at customs, and delivers gear anywhere in Dubai. emirates.com/au

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 23
News

ON THE PASS

Shane Delia What’s a Middle Eastern ingredient

MAHA AND BIGGIE SMALLS, MELBOURNE
you’d like to see used more in
Australia, Shane?
Aleppo pepper. It’s like a capsicum
that has been dried and ground;
it’s subtle but has a great depth of
flavour. It’s from the border of Turkey
and Syria and is a spice that I fell in
love with a long time ago. You can
add it to fish, meat, vegetables,
chocolate. I have to stop myself
from using it on everything.
What’s your most memorable food
experience from the Middle East?
In Oman, I sat in the desert with a
Bedouin family eating camel that was
cooked in its own fat – it was sickly
fatty, but beautifully tender. It was
cooked on rocks which had been
heated up in the sand. So stunning,
humble and simple.
How has the Middle East influenced
the Australian palate?
Food preservation has always been
a huge part of Middle Eastern
cooking, from preserved lemons and
fruit, to slow-cooked meats and
fermentation. It’s exciting to see

PHOTOGRAPHY BROOK JAMES (SHANE DELIA), CHRIS JANSEN (HERMÈS), NIKKI TO (A1 CANTEEN) & SIMON SHIFF (CADDIE)
Australian chefs embracing these
techniques that have been used
since Biblical times.
You’re a big fan of toum. What’s the
appeal for you?
Garlic is the base of Middle Eastern
fare: it should be sticky inside, it
should be so pungent. Pound it up
with olive oil, salt, a touch of lemon
juice and just keep pounding it until
it resembles cream. That, as a base,
is unbelievable.
As a friend of the Mercedes-Benz
brand, you’ve cooked at Grand Prix
events, including the Ladies Day
Luncheon. Any memorable stories?
Putting a vegan meal together for
Lewis Hamilton mid-lunch was a
Travellers can choose surprise. The racing legend put a call
out on social media asking where in
from 16 fragrances town he could get some great vegan
in Hermès’ new food. We put together a few dishes
Hermessence collection using elements from the Ladies Day
Lunch and sent them over, including
to create a set of four an aged Persian rice dish. Maha,
travel-sized scents to 21 Bond St, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9629
match any destination. 5900, maharestaurant.com.au; Biggie
Smalls, 86 Smith St, Collingwood, Vic,
Four 15ml bottles, $220. (03) 9417 3531, biggiesmalls.com.au.
hermes.com HARRIET DAVIDSON

24 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

A1 Canteen’s
sandwiches. Top
right: kangaroo
jale from Biota
Chippendale.
Below right:
Caddie’s kingfish.
SYDNEY It was originally slated
to arrive in early 2018 but A1
Canteen is finally opening in
Chippendale. A spin-of of
Automata across the laneway, it
will be casual, but chefs Clayton
Wells and Scott Eddington are
determined that here casual
won’t mean complacent.
Inspired menu items include
roasted celeriac with mushroom
caramel and pumpkin crème
brûlée, while the salt beef
bagels are a throwback to
Wells’ Auto.lab pop-up at
Silvereye. You won’t want to
miss Eddington’s fried eggplant
sandwich with provolone and
romesco. Speaking of Silvereye,
the defunct restaurant’s site
upstairs at the Old Clare
Hotel will play host to a Biota
Chippendale pop-up, from
11 June to 7 July. James Viles’
inner-city version of his
Riedel’s new crystal-glass “Margaux” decanter has a minimalist design that allows for elegant pouring. Part of
range, it’s inspired by antique Cognac and whisky bottles that date back a century. The “Margaux” is ideal for young
white wines as well as those vintage reds you’ve been saving for a special occasion. From $279.95. riedelglass.com.au
RESTAURANT NEWS
Southern Highlands restaurant
will feature a kangaroo jale
and salt-and-pepper mud crab,
matched with pairings and
experiments by Biota sommelier
Ben Shephard (such as a beer
made from weeds, brewed for
this residency). Expect cameos
from chefs who recently
travelled with Viles (Longsong’s
David Moyle, perhaps, or
Firedoor’s Lennox Hastie).
MELBOURNE After doing
time at top-flight international
restaurants (Noma, Alinea,
Manresa among them), chef
Jacob Evans has opened his
own venture, Caddie. Settling
in Richmond in the former
Meatmother site, he’s serving
beetroot with marigold vinegar,
salted plum and almonds as
well as kingfish with burnt
butter and capers.
BRISBANE After launching
three sites in NSW, the Three
Blue Ducks team flies north
to launch its first Queensland
spin-of at the W Brisbane
hotel. The menu replicates the
brand’s successful template:
think produce-flaunting dishes
that minimise food waste, like
porchetta with roast apples,
mustard, spent lettuce and
lentils and burnt-orange bread
and butter pudding with
espresso mascarpone. The
wines on tap also keep the
food miles down and the Ducks
will collaborate with Green
Beacon Brewing to produce
a craft beer as a tribute to
the new location.
LONDON Keeping things
sustainable is also the driving
force of Rovi, the new
restaurant for Yotam Ottole enghi
o the “M”
and chef Sami Tamimi. Used
cofee grinds will turn up in
hasselback kair lime beetroot,
leftover wine will become
chilli-top and tomato-skin
vinegar and the shellfish will
be caught by hand, so there’s
no waste or bycatch.
DUBAI After launching Dinner
by Heston in London in 2011,
and then a Melbourne outpost
in 2015, Heston Blumenthal will
unveil his first Middle Eastern
ofshoot at the Royal Atlantis
Resort in 2019.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 25
Objects of desire

Jewel purpose
1 Serve guests in Middle Eastern style with
gem-coloured vessels, glassware and bowls.

3
2

9
8

5
10
1

6 11
15

12
14

1 Zaferano Veneziano carafe in Amethyst, $130, from

Jardan 2 Zaferano Veneziano glasses in Amber,
$234 for six, from Jardan. 3 Resin medium Liquid vase
PHOTOGRAPHY ROB SHAW. STYLING AIMEE JONES

in Emerald Swirl, $145, from Dinosaur Designs. 4 Seed

glass vase in Sepia, $285, from Jardan. 5 Denise 13
McDonald bowl in red/teal, $40, from Chinaclay.
6 Agate coaster in Natural, $79 for four, from West Elm.
7 Zaferano Veneziano glass in Amethyst, $234 for six,
from Jardan. 8 Round copper tray, $75, from The DEA
Store. 9 & 10 Nikki Dowdell medium bowl in red, $40, and
small bowl in red, $18, both from Chinaclay. 11 Gold cutlery,
$59 for five-piece place setting, from West Elm. 12 Copper
rectangular tray in blue, $82, from The DEA Store. 13 Trey
brass tray, $360, from Jardan. 14 Copper tray in blue,
$75, from The DEA Store. 15 Orange glass tealight
holder, $10, from Parterre. Stockists p192.

26 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 BORN
TO PIONEER

Overseas model shown.

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 EATING WITH

Hana Assafiri
The chef and founder of Speed Date a Muslim on the
power of shared food and her chickpea bake.

M
eet Hana Assafiri. Over the last 20 years, the
Melbourne chef and activist has proved that
cooking can empower the vulnerable — first
through Moroccan Soup Bar, the North Fitzroy
restaurant that garnered a cult following for its chickpea
bake, and most recently with Speed Date a Muslim, a monthly
event that aims to confront stereotypes of Islam through food and
conversation. Here, she shares her formative culinary influences,
the dishes she returns to again and again and why she thinks
restaurants can break down boundaries.
You moved back to Lebanon from Melbourne when you were five.
What were your earliest memories of eating there? The reality
is that upon our arrival in Lebanon everything became scarce
almost immediately. The fondest meal that comes to mind is
bread with a bit of mint, a drizzle of olive oil and a little salt –
if you were lucky!
Who has had the biggest influence on the way you cook? For me,
food has always been synonymous with the intimacies between
women. My mum, initially, was the person who influenced
me, and then my eldest sister, who’s 17 years older and was
like a mother to me. I developed my perceptions about life
in kitchens and around food.
What’s diferent about cooking and eating in the Middle East?
In the Middle East, men source the ingredients and bring it
to the women, who often put meals together creatively. There’s
also a lot of thought put into what a family is going to eat,
whether there’s enough protein or enough variety. The other
big difference is that we usually eat a bigger meal during the
middle of the day, not at the end of the day.
Your first restaurant, Moroccan Soup Bar, celebrates its 20th
anniversary in June. How did it first come about? It was founded
to provide a safe space for women. I came from a 15-year
INTERVIEW NEHA KALE. PHOTOGRAPHY JULIAN KINGMA
background in crisis intervention. The limitations of the
system I was working with meant that the most vulnerable
members of society were the least likely to be supported.
I then realised that cooking could bring Muslim women
together and validate their expertise. There was no funding
and nobody thought it was a good idea. Friends, family and
siblings all asked, “What are you doing?” We went against all
the conventions in the hospitality industry at the time: it was
vegetarian, there was no alcohol, people had to bring their own
takeaway containers, we had a spoken menu. Now with social
media, the more peculiar you are, the more people like you.
You have to back yourself, no matter how afraid you are.
It’s a lonely space, but by God it’s much more rewarding.
How I eat
What do you cook at home for comfort? There’s this weird dish
I make with spaghetti and yoghurt. It has yoghurt, tahini, garlic,
pine nuts, almonds, butter, spaghetti and salt and you eat it with
a green lettuce salad with lemon and olive oil. It’s so easy to make
and great when you just need a full belly and sense of satisfaction.
Where in Melbourne do you eat? I’m simple, I’ll eat anything,
but I think when a place has integrity the food tastes better.
I go back to Punch Lane, and I like The European and Blue
Chillies. Otherwise, a falafel is good or a salad at home.
In 2015, you launched Speed Date a Muslim, a free monthly event
that invites the public to ask Muslim women questions about their
lives. What’s it all about? Speed Date a Muslim is built on the
belief that human beings are decent, no matter how bigoted
or ignorant our perceptions may sometimes be. When you peel
away those layers by engaging with people and you watch people
become curious rather than prejudiced, that’s amazing.
What’s next for you? We’re living in a time in which society is
fractured and disengaged. I’ve seen a sense of departure from
the things that make us human: our capacity to reason, to have
empathy, to be curious about one another. The next chapter
for me will be to re-engage community, to continue to empower
women and shift disadvantage. But it’s also about the wisdom
of knowing your limitations. This year
I want to bring everything I do back
“You have to to Moroccan Soup Bar, extend our
opening hours, and run some events
back yourself, and conversation salons.
no matter
how afraid Moroccan Soup Bar is known for
its chickpea bake. How did you
you are. It’s
come up with such a hit? Constant
a lonely improvisation. I love textures and
space, but crunch and taste, and the more I
by God it’s offered my version of it, the more
the community had a hunger for
much more
it. People think it’s a dessert, or it’s
rewarding.” lasagne, or nachos. Some have said
it’s like an orchestra in the mouth –
I think it’s the unusual combinations
of flavours. When I wrote my cookbook I was asked if I had any
trepidation about putting my signature dish in there but I said,
“No, the community made this dish, it’s theirs to have!” ●
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 29
 TRAVELLING WITH

Yotam
Ottolenghi
The Israeli-born chef, restaurateur
and food writer on losing his
glasses and inding inspiration.

Where did you go on your first trip abroad?

It must have been to my grandparents’
house outside Florence. The Italian
produce must have cast its spell because
I’m still obsessed with lemons, olive
oil and tomatoes.

What sort of traveller are you? I like to

plan ahead. I need to make sure that
I eat in all the best places because for
me going on holiday is about learning
new things and coming back with lots
of new dishes to cook. One time I got
the wrong information about a place
in Bangkok that I was told served the
best oyster omelette. It took me hours
to find it, and when I got there I found
out that it was closed on Mondays. Now,
I do my research.

How do you combine work with travel?

I have to go abroad on book tours, and
although it’s always a packed schedule,
sometimes with an intimidating number
 How I travel

of interviews and events, I make a point of searching for exciting

new places to eat, and I have a quiet dinner and unwind.

Who has been your best travelling companion? The co-author

of my last book Sweet, Helen Goh. We travelled together in
Malaysia about 10 years ago and, more recently, on a book
tour in America. We make each other laugh a lot, sometimes
deliriously so, and we both eat obsessively. I can’t think of a
better companion.

What do you write in the occupation box on forms at Customs?

I used to write “chef” but then, a decade ago, I visited
Morocco and the Customs’ officer wasn’t happy because
he thought I wasn’t being very serious. In French, chef simply
means a chief or a leader and needs further explanation.

How do you deal with eating and air travel? I have to admit I’ve
“I’ve learned to had some decent food mid-air on some long-haul flights – I
pack two pairs of even got an idea for a recipe once – but usually pre-boarding
snacks are essential.
glasses in case
I visit a theme What’s your ideal sort of trip? Anything that combines relaxing,
park with my eating and spending time with my family. I’m always on the
lookout for new inspiration, so local markets with ingredients
boys and lose
I’ve never heard of are a big plus in my book.
my only pair on
a roller-coaster Which of your travels has left the greatest impression on you?
and then have I’ve been hooked on Malaysian cuisine ever since I travelled
to Kuala Lumpur and Penang 10 years ago. My tastebuds
to drive back discovered hot acar pickles, roti canai and tau foo fah (a velvety
practically blind.” soy-milk pudding topped with sugar syrup) – flavours that still Just back from…
influence my cooking to this day. Cape Town. I had
fabulous food in
What are your packing essentials? Lots of snacks, not all the most beautiful
necessarily good for me (gummy bears, on occasion). Lots setting. The highlight
of adaptors to charge everything. Trainers, in case I find was Liam Tomlin’s
the urge to go running, which I hardly ever do. food at Chefs
Warehouse. The
What have you learned the hard way about travelling? To pack smoked trout with
PHOTOGRAPHY THOMAS BUTLER/THE GUARDIAN/HEADPRESS

two pairs of glasses in case I visit a theme park with my boys Cape Malay dressing
and lose my only pair on a caterpillar roller-coaster ride and and curry emulsion
then have to drive back practically blind. was a triumph.

What sort of traveller do you aspire to be? I want to be that Next up…
Northern Ireland.
person that still looks fresh and put together after a long
My husband Karl’s
flight. Alas, I’m still working on that.
family lives in
County Down
Does travel broaden a person’s horizons? Has it broadened yours? and it’s a great
Absolutely, I continue to draw inspiration from the places opportunity for
I travelled to and they inform so many of my dishes. North our children to
Africa, the US, Malaysia and India have all contributed to hang out with
my recipes. My world would have been a lot more boring their grandparents
without them. ● and cousins.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 31
 Red dish (with chickpeas) and
black dish (with paprika), both
from The Essential Ingredient.
Opposite: Staub cast iron
casserole from The Essential
Ingredient. Food Processor
from KitchenAid. Avanti mortar
and pestle from Peter’s of
Kensington. All other props
stylist’s own. Stockists p192.

Hummus
They say hummus takes mere minutes
to make but years to perfect. Get the jump
on it with these hard-won tips from
Kepos & Co’s MICHAEL RANTISSI.

32 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Masterclass

To o l k i t
Rantissi’s restaurant Kepos

T
he word hummus in Arabic means “chickpea”. Older & Co, in Sydney’s Waterloo,
cookbooks list the dish as “hummus bi tahini”, covering is known for its rustic hummus
its two key ingredients. It’s an ancient invention, the recipe pounded tableside with a
first recorded in Cairo in the 13th century. Seen far and wide mortar and pestle. On the otherr
in the Middle East and Mediterranean, hummus is made in many hand, over the road at Kepos
different ways, some served hot, some served cold, and, of course, Street Kitchen, Rantissi keeps itt
everyone thinks their version is the best. Classically it was pounded in smoother with a food processor.
a mortar, which will give you a more rustic (and, yes, grainier) texture “There’s no right or wrong
rather than the smoother food-processor version most of us are more hummus,” says Rantissi.
familiar with today. My version here is made with a food processor, the “Only your preference.”
garlic and lemon kept on the subtler side. I hope you enjoy it.

5 6
Step by step
1 In a large saucepan or bowl chickpeas are hydrated; I
PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR. STYLING ROSIE MEEHAN. FOOD PREPARATION PETA DENT

liquid, discarding the puréed teaspoon of salt and a pinch of

soak 150gm chickpeas in
cold water (at least 4 times the
quantity of the dried chickpeas)
for at least 12 hours – overnight
is good. I like to change the
water a few times to get rid
of any impurities or odours
produced by soaking to keep
the flavour of the hummus clear.
believe they soak up more
water when they’re not salted.
3 After 2 hours, if the
chickpeas have softened,
add ¼ teaspoon of baking
powder. (If not, continue
cooking until they soften up
more.) The baking powder
helps soften the outer shell of
garlic pulp. This method gives a
smoother result with a gentler
garlic taste.
5 Drain chickpeas. Reserve a
few for garnish, and blend
the rest in a food processor until
they’re reduced to a smooth
paste; this will take about 7 to
10 minutes. Add 400gm tahini,
cumin and blend well, scraping
sides occasionally and adding
more water if necessary.
6 Transfer to a large bowl and
whisk in 100ml lemon juice
(be gentle; you don’t want to
over-aerate the hummus and
lose its dense consistency).
Hummus will keep covered

2 Drain the chickpeas and

rinse well. Transfer to a
large saucepan with a lid. Cover
the chickpeas to give a softer
and creamier hummus without
lumps. It also helps to soften
the reserved garlic water, a in the fridge for 5 days.

with at least double the quantity
of water to the chickpeas and
bring to the boil. Simmer briskly
for 2 hours, topping up the
water as necessary. Some
cooks salt the water, but I have
never added salt to the soaking
or cooking water. I don’t like
any interference in the way the
the inner part of the chickpea.
Cook for a further hour or until
chickpeas start to break down
but are not mushy.
4 Blend 5 garlic cloves in a
food processor with 200ml
water until very smooth. Pour
through a sieve and keep the
Heavenly hummus Canned chickpeas never have quite the same
flavour or silkiness, but simmering them for 20 minutes before
blending improves their texture. Good dried chickpeas are the key;
I use Kabuli chickpeas, from a grower in Toowoomba. Good tahini
also makes a diference. I find hulled tahini creamier and less bitter
than unhulled; the Durra brand is my favourite. To garnish, use olive oil,
cumin, paprika, toasted pine nuts or chopped parsley, or make a meal
of it with sautéed minced meat, or mushrooms and onion. Topping
hummus with burnt butter makes for next-level lusciousness. ●

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 33
The explainer

the Middle E
of a s
et
8
s t
e

1
Sw

7 3
5
6

2
1 4
KOL WA SHKOR
/ kolsh-kor /
Often served on special
occasions, and traditionally
made with layers of fillo pastry
wrapped around ground cashew,
kol wa shkor, translates as “eat
and be thankful”. It’s made with
much less sugar than regular
baklava, with orange blossom
syrup bringing the sweetness.
2
LADIES’ FINGERS
/ lay-deez fin-gers /
There are a number of
variations of this finger-shaped
STYLING ROSIE MEEHAN. ALL PROPS STYLIST’S OWN. SWEETS FROM ABLA’S PASTRIES
baklava. Greece and Cyprus,
for instance, have daktyla,
a deep-fried version filled with
almonds, cinnamon and sugar.
In Lebanon they’re called znoud
WORDS HARRIET DAVIDSON. PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR.
el-sit and are filled with ashta,
an Arabic clotted cream.
3
M A’A M O U L
/ ma-mool /
Pressed by hand in a
wooden mould, the ma’amoul,
which means stuffed in Arabic,
differs depending on the time of
year or the celebration. Date paste
is the most common filling for this
biscuit, though nuts may make an
appearance at the end of fasting
or on festive occasions.
BAKLAWA
/ bak-la-wah /
A Middle Eastern classic,
this pastry has many variations,
whether its in the nuts used
(pistachio nuts, walnuts or
almonds) or its shape, be
it diamond, cigar or floret.
5
OSH EL BULBUL
/ ush-el-bul-bul /
Osh el bulbul gets its
name from the Arabic for bird’s
nest, after the shape of the
pastry. The nest is filled with
pistachio or pine nuts then
baked and doused in syrup.
6
BASMA
/ bas-mah /
Fragrant with orange
blossom water, the basma is made
with knafeh pastry that has been
dried, crushed and then bound
together. A sticky layer of crushed
cashew, pistachio or pine nuts sits
between the two layers of knafeh.
7
BALURIE
/ bal-law-ri-yeh /
The vermicelli-like texture
of balurie comes from shredded
fillo pastry. These crunchy threads
sandwich roughly chopped
pistachio nuts in rosewater syrup.
Loaded with nuts and
doused in syrups, the
pastries of the Middle
East are renowned
for their crunch and
fragrance. Sticky
ingers ahoy.
The word balurie means glow,
per the colour of the knafeh.
8
BURMA
/ bur-mah /
Burma comprise a thick
layer of knafeh dough twisted
around chopped pistachio, pine
and cashew nuts. Golden and
chewy, they’ll often be the first
things to disappear from a plate
of pastries. ●
Find
some
Sooo Sweet 6/7 254 Kingston Rd,
Brisbane, Qld, (07) 3209 1100,
sooosweet.com.au.
Balha’s Pastry 761 Sydney Rd,
Brunswick, Vic, (03) 9383 3944,
balhaspastry.com.au.
Adelaide Lebanese Bakery 67 Chapel
St, Thebarton, SA, (08) 8234 9545,
adelaidelebanesebakery.com.au.
Little Lebanon Café 13a Wanneroo
Road, Joondanna, WA, (08) 9444 1913,
littlelebanon.com.au.
Abla’s Pastries 48 Railway Pde,
Granville, NSW, (02) 9637 8092,
ablaspastries.com.au.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 35
 Anatomy of a dish

Halal snack pack

The Middle East meets the milk bar in the tasiest of ways.
THE CHEESE
It gets two goes; pre- and
post-meat. Shredded

T
his Australian creation is more
than a feed for punters seeking
late-night ballast: it’s a dish
of our time and a symbol of
Australia’s cultural diversity, melding kebab
shops with the traditions (and chips) of the
old-school milk bar. Former Labor MP
Sam Dastyari gave it a mention in federal
parliament and it serves as the introduction
to his 2017 memoir, One Halal of a Story:
“We start with the container, because
there’ll be so much going on; things will
need to be kept under control. Then
there’s the base – that is, the chips supermarket cheese is
– the foundation from which we build our sprinkled over hot chips, then
delicacy. Next comes the cheese, a layer of another layer added after the
salty smoothness. On top of that we pile meat. “You can never have
up the meat. Lastly, and most importantly, enough cheese,” says Dastyari.
the holy trinity of sauces – garlic, BBQ and
chilli.” Its popularity heightened through
its dedicated, now 185,000 member-strong,
Facebook group and it was named THE MEAT
Macquarie Dictionary’s 2016 People’s Choice Halal-certified doner kebab
Word of the Year. We’re not all for the meat is shaved from a spit and
styrofoam box and plastic fork but it’s gets a go on the grill before it
tops the chips. Lamb, beef or
what’s on the inside that matters, right?
chicken, or a mix for the truly
bold, are the options here.
Falafel is a meat-free
alternative, but can you
still call it an HSP?

THE SAUCES
Chilli, garlic and
barbecue make up
the “holy trinity”.
Each is squeezed
across the meat in
a criss-cross fashion,
evenly saucing
STYLING ROSIE MEEHAN. FOOD PREPARATION PETA DENT. ALL PROPS STYLIST’S OWN

the calorific pile.

Hummus, sweet
chilli and tomato
sauce are options,
if you must.
WORDS HARRIET DAVIDSON. PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR.

THE CHIPS
Thick, crisp and hot,
the chicken-salted,
cheese-sprinkled
chips are the base,
soaking up the juices Find
from the meat and one

all that sauce.

In Melbourne, Rumi’s takeaway version takes things
luxe: spiced roast lamb shoulder on fried potatoes tossed
with toum, za’atar and three cheeses. For the classic,
Sydneysiders hit King Kebab House in Campbelltown.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 37
Eating clean

Chickpea salad
Bowl from Grit
Ceramics. All
other props
stylist’s own.
Stockists p192.

Go-to seed
Tahini is the magic ingredient in many Middle
Eastern dishes, from halwa to salad dressing.

I
magine where we’d be without tahini. Hummus Chickpea salad with
would be a one-dimensional chickpea dip; baba
tahini dressing

RECIPE LISA FEATHERBY. PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR. STYLING ROSIE MEEHAN

ghanoush would be no more than grilled eggplant.
Think of what tarator, the tahini-garlic sauce, SERVES 4 AS A LIGHT MEAL // PREP TIME 15 MINS

brings to fried cauliflower and falafel, to kofta and A creamy tahini dressing will enhance many salads, but it’s a
calamari. Consider a world without halwa. perfect match with the crunchy radishes, chickpeas and herbs
Tahini is also often an undertone, adding a back- in this bowl. Use hulled or unhulled tahini to suit your taste.
note of nuttiness and richness where it would otherwise
be lacking. When used in a simple dressing – whisked 300 gm cooked or canned 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar – it can chickpeas, drained 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
transform a chopped Israeli or Turkish-style salad into and rinsed
a standout meze plate, a substantial side to a pan-fried 250 gm (1 punnet) cherry 1 For tahini dressing, combine
fillet of fish, or even a meal on its own. tomatoes ingredients in a bowl, thin to
Organic tahini, found in good health food shops, ½ red onion, finely chopped desired consistency with a little
is tahini at its best; it’s just sesame paste, sure, but a 4 radishes, coarsely chopped water and season to taste.
good example will taste creamy over bitter. That said, 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, 2 Arrange salad ingredients
unhulled tahini will have a slight bitterness to it, and coarsely chopped in a large serving bowl,
a darker colour than hulled, which tends to have a ¼ cup roasted almonds, separating each ingredient.
more straight-up nutty flavour. A final tip: tahini lasts coarsely chopped Spoon dressing over, season
for a long time, but the longer it’s kept the higher the TAHINI DRESSING to taste and toss to serve. ●
risk it’ll turn rancid, so apply often for best results. 1 tbsp tahini

38 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 COOKING WITH
STEAM
The healthy and ef ficient way to
cook all your favourites, with the
ability to lock in vital nutrients
w h i l e a d d i n g b o t h m o i s t u r e a n d f l av o u r.
S t e a m c o o k i n g d e l i v e r s a f u s s -f r e e ,
healthy way to cook , roast or bake.

CRISPY
SKIN
TIPS FOR A
WORTHY ROAST
Roast chicken with cranberry, almond
stufing and crisp hasselback potatoes
FOR RECIPE VISIT
hn.com.au/steam-ovens

VISIT HN.COM.AU/STEAM-OVENS
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ELECTROLUX 60CM 16-FUNCTION
STEAM-ASSIST PYROLYTIC OVEN
( EVEP618SC) $1999
 COOKING WITH
COMBINATION STEAM
#01
Roasting perfection

Roasting is made easy,

more succulent and
healthier using steam.
You will also find your roast
will hold most of its weight
compared to electric-only
cooking, where up to 20%
can be lost during the
cooking process.

BENEFITS OF COOKING WITH A STEAM OVEN

Food cooked in steam not only tastes wonderfully tender
and juicy, it’s also healthier, with more flavours, nutrients
and minerals retained. Plus, you can cook multiple dishes
at the same time without the flavour transfer. Cleaning up is
a breeze–the moist air on the oven cavity wall heavily reduces
food splatter and spills sticking on the bottom of the oven.
 BOSCH SERIES 8
60CM COMBINATION STEAM PYROLYTIC
— LIFT AND
( HRG6767S2A ) $2799 V IOR FIL
SO L

E
RR

FO
RB
E
WAT

AKING P
KEY FEATURES
The oven that automatically prepares your

ERFE
dishes, with a PerfectBake sensor and
PerfectRoast thermometer, 15 cooking

TI C
functions, pyrolytic self-cleaning function,

O
N
telescopic rails, TFT touchscreen control
and large 71L capacity.

TECH SPECS
• Made in Germany
• Touchscreen TFT colour display
• Child safety lock
• 15 heating methods
• Baking sensor

Create a honey, ginger and rosemary
glazed ham with a fennel and
pear salad, topped with apple cider
vinegar and Dijon dressing.
FOR RECIPE VISIT
hn.com.au/steam-ovens
EASY CLEAN
During the pyrolytic cleaning function,
the oven heats up to 480°C to burn off
grease and food residue. What’s left is a
little ash that can be easily wiped clean.
Choose from three cleaning programs,
depending on the degree of residue
that has accumulated, and with
pyrolytic-proof enameled trays, shelf
racking and telescopic rails (available on
certain models), you can leave them in
the oven during the cleaning program, too.

O -USE CONT
S Y-T RO
E A L
S

PERFECTLY CRISP SKIN

When it comes to roasting, the crispier the skin, the better. Create a tender and juicy ham
by simply patting the meat dry with a paper towel and rubbing salt all over the skin.
With a steam oven, put your ham onto a universal pan and cook at level one. The space VISIT HN.COM.AU/STEAM-OVENS
around the dish also needs good air circulation, which is essential for an even, consistent cook. FOR MORE INFORMATION
 COOKING WITH
COMPACT STEAM
#02
STEAMING SEAFOOD

SUCCULENT
SEAFOOD
Keep your seafood moist and
tasty with the Smeg compact
steam oven that locks in
flavour and nutrients so your
seafood is always as fresh as
the day it was caught.
B E S T F E AT U R E S O F
A C O M PAC T S T E A M
C O M B I N AT I O N OV E N
The smaller capacity of a compact
steam combination oven delivers quicker
heat-up with less energy consumption.
Use steam and convection cooking at
the same time, or use the electric oven
or even the grill independently.
 S M E G C L A S S I C C O M PAC T
BUILT-IN COMPACT STEAM COMBINATION OVEN ( SFA4395VCX1 ) $3,475
SMEG WARMING DRAWER ( CTPA3015X ) $1590

COMPACT SIZE,
BIG IMPACT
With the Smeg 60cm Classic
compact steam oven and warming KEY FEATURES
drawer, you can treat your kitchen Smeg steam ovens util
to the class, style and functionality distributed steam that
that it deserves. Without having the base in order to br
to change your kitchen, to the perfect level of t
simply update your oven and retaining a healthier vitamin content.
start cooking with steam. Smeg’s SmartSense auto menus set
cooking times, with the Ever Clean
Enamel interior and the Vapour
Clean function, it’s an absolute ease
to clean. Soft Close Door technology
keeps the door from slamming
TECH SPECS closed, and stops it dropping open.
• Fingerprint-proof stainless steel
• High visibility black glass
• 5 cooking functions
• 20 SmartSense auto menus
• Large LCD display
• 50L cooking capacity
• 3 cooking levels
• 1.2L water tank capacity
• Thermostat control 30 - 100ºC
• Fully programmable
• Child safety lock

P LAY, E A SY-
E DIS TO
RG - U
LA

SE

Steamed lobster tails with verjuice

and tarragon, spaghetti with roasted
truss tomatoes and chervil.
FOR RECIPE VISIT
hn.com.au/steam-ovens

E R THAT
D RAW YO RESTAURANT QUALITY MEALS AT HOME
U
I NG Cooking lobster can be overwhelming, but with a steam oven it’s super easy. Because steam creates moisture
CA
M

instead of dry heat there’s no risk of dry, flaky, unpalatable flesh. Instead, the steam traps the flavour and the
AR

goodness, so not only do you get a juicy and succulent lobster, you get the most nutritious version of it.
AL
AW

So, instead of heading out to a fancy restaurant, get that master chef feeling from your very own kitchen.
SO CO OK I N

VISIT HN.COM.AU/STEAM-OVENS
FOR MORE INFORMATION
 COOKING WITH
COMBI STEAM
#03
baking perfection

BEST IN BAKING
Bread is one of the most
popular things to cook
using steam. Still crusty on
the outside but with more
moisture and texture on the
inside, it’s easy to bake and
you can even create your
own flavour profiles.

N E W WAY I N C O O K I N G W I T H O U T
U P DAT I N G YO U R K I TC H E N
As dimensions of cooking appliances haven’t really
changed for the last 50 years, updating to the latest
technology in most cases is as easy as out with the
old and in with the new; no need to replace the entire
kitchen just to get the best that innovation has to offer.
No matter what level of cook you are, most of these
ovens will almost do the cooking for you and deliver
better results.
 M I E L E S T E A M C O M B I N AT I O N OV E N
60CM CLEANSTEEL STEAM COMBINATION OVEN
( DGC6800XL ) $7599

KEY FEATURES
CAPACITY The Miele 570mm Combi Steam
48L oven capacity, combination
and Electric Oven will take pride
mode with FanPlus, Grill or
of place in your kitchen. With a
Conventional heat, steam-only mode,
spacious 48L capacity, you’ll be
150+ automatic programs, humidity
provided with ample room for
sensor, wireless food probe.
cooking poultry, whole fish or any
other delicious dish that you dream
of. Ten cooking functions, 150+
automatic programs, a steam-only
mode, humidity sensor, a wireless
food probe and a range of
additional features will help
TECH SPECS expand your culinary repertoire.
• Steam combination oven
• Full colour touch sensitive
TFT display
• Wireless food probe
• 3 shelf levels
• 100% steam
• Humidity sensor
• Perfect clean
No knead seeded spelt bread.
FOR RECIPE VISIT
hn.com.au/steam-ovens

F A B U T TO N
HO RE
UC V
TO
EA
LS
WAT
E R R E S OV
R IO

OUCH DISPLA
I CT Y
R ON W
IT
CT

H
ELE

OV
ER 150 PRO

BAKE YOUR OWN BREAD

Steam transforms home-baked bread by enabling a great rise and a beautiful crust. Plus, scoring
the loaf provides a strategic vent to release fermentation gases during baking. With proper
scoring and steaming your efforts will result in a fully open loaf with great shape and texture.

SIT HN.COM.AU/STEAM-OVENS
FOR MORE INFORMATION
 COOKING WITH
SOUS VIDE
#04
LOCK IN THE FLAVOUR

STELLAR SALMON
The Steampro Steam Oven
with SousVide function does
everything an oven can do,
to perfection, every time.
Nail that salmon dish by cooking
at a low and slow heat. Choose
the right oven setting and
the ultra-smart AEG Steampro
will switch itself of
when it’s done.

P E R F E C T R E S U LT S . E V E RY T I M E .
Every meal should be an experience. AEG created the SteamPro oven
with full steam. It has three cooking modes — heat, steam and a
combination of both. In combination mode it will automatically calculate
exactly the right level of heat and steam. Whether you’re roasting or
grilling meats, baking bread, creating delicate desserts or using the
Sous Vide feature as seen in many professional restaurants around the
world, you can be confident your cooking will be elevated to another level.
 AEG STEAMPRO
60CM STEAMPRO, PURE STEAM, SOUS VIDE HUMIDITY SENSOR OVEN COMBINED
WITH CONVECTION OVEN & GRILL (BSK892330M) $4999
AEG PRECISIONVAC VACUUM SEALER DRAWER (KDK911423M) $3999

OV E N — E A
E AM SY
KEY FEATURES ST R

E
With three cooking modes – heat, steam

E-
ET

FIL
and a combination of both – plus a sous

PL

L FO
COM
vide feature that automatically calculates
the optimum level of steam and heat,

R BA K I N G
with the SteamPro your meals are limited
only by your imagination.

PE
RF
TECH SPECS EC
• Anti-fingerprint stainless steel N
TIO
• Five shelf options
• Removable door and inner
glass panes for ease of cleaning
• Steam cleaning
• 75 cooking recipes
• 10 sous vide cooking recipes
• 24 months warranty

SOUS VIDE IN FOUR STEPS

Get ultimate control over your dishes with the
genius sous vide feature. Prepare, seal and cook
even the most delicate food to perfection using
low temperate steam cooking from 95°C to as
low as 50°C with 1°C adjustability.
You’ll be amazed at your own cooking.

T LED DISP
IGH LA
Whole salmon fillet with pickled BR Y
red onion and capers, served with a
quinoa, kale and coriander salad.
FOR RECIPE VISIT
hn.com.au/steam-ovens

THE SECRET TO LOCKED IN FLAVOUR

Delivering the perfect amount of steam for every dish — the advanced humidity sensor continuously
adjusts temperature and moisture levels in the oven to suit the type of food you are cooking.
This not only leads to more efficient water usage, but ensures that every dish is cooked to perfection.
Sous vide is the most efficient way to marinate protein; if you vacuum seal protein with the flavours
or marinade, 30 minutes in a sealed bag is equivalent to overnight in the fridge in a covered bowl.

SHOP AT YOUR LOCAL STORE, ONLINE AT HN.COM.AU OR CALL 1300 464 278 VISIT HN.COM.AU/STEAM-OVENS
Harvey Norman® stores are operated by independent franchisees. Offers end 04/07/2018 FOR MORE INFORMATION
 A star in
the East The Middle East may seem an unlikely
source for a good drop, but this is where
wine was born, writes MAX ALLEN.
T
he world’s oldest winery is in a cave
in a remote valley in Armenia. Here,
archaeologists have found remains
of a fermenting vat, a wine press and
grape seeds dating back more than 6,000 years.
Researchers have found similarly ancient examples
of winegrowing in both Turkey and Iran.
We don’t need archaeologists, of course, to tell
us that the Middle East was the birthplace of wine.
The Bible is dripping in it: Noah was the world’s first
vigneron, and Jesus was a big fan, turning water into
wine, and wine into his own blood.
Today, though, the Middle East might not be the
first place that comes to mind when we think of wine
production. Most people’s immediate perception of
the region, I suspect, is that alcohol is forbidden in
many modern Muslim countries, while wars and civil
unrest afflict the others.
But there’s still plenty of wine being made in
the Middle East. A younger generation of Turkish
winemakers, for example, are rediscovering their local
grape varieties – such as öküzgözü, or “bull’s eye”,
which I wrote about in these pages recently – and are
making delicious, medium-bodied, characterful wines
from them. And Israel is enjoying a vinous renaissance,
To p d r o p s o f t h e m o n t h
boasting more than 300 boutique producers and
a thriving wine culture in the capital cities.
Perhaps the most famous of all Middle Eastern
wineries, though, is Lebanon’s Chateau Musar. It’s
not the only winery in that country, or the oldest,
but Musar has gained particular fame partly because
its backstory reads more like a Hemingway novel
than the evolution of a wine business.
The winery was founded just north of Beirut
in 1930 by 20-year-old Gaston Hochar. In the early
1940s, Gaston befriended a Bordeaux chateau owner,
Ronald Barton, who was stationed in Lebanon for
48 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
the war, and Gaston’s son Serge went on to study
oenology in Bordeaux in the 1950s, solidifying their
relationship with the French region. The younger
Hochar took over as Musar winemaker at age
29 after giving his father an ultimatum: “I want
to make the wine my way, I want it to be known
worldwide – and I want you to quit!”
During the Lebanese Civil War, from 1975 to
1990, Serge Hochar steadfastly continued to make
wine, trucking grapes to the winery from his vineyards
in the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border, often
running a gantlet of machine guns and mortar fire.
This alone is enough to merit admiration, but the
wine Hochar made was also very good, particularly
the red Chateau Musar, an unusual, long-lived
blend of Bordeaux’s noble cabernet sauvignon
and the underrated carignan and cinsault, red
grapes from France’s hot south.
Like Hemingway, in the last decades of his
life Serge Hochar was renowned as much for his
charismatic public persona and his idiosyncratic
pronouncements as for what he produced. There’s
even a touch of Hemingway to Hochar’s end: the
75-year-old died just after Christmas in 2014 while
swimming in Acapulco.
Serge’s brother, Ronald, and sons, Gaston and
Marc, along with Ronald’s son Ralph, continue to
build on Hochar’s legacy, maintaining the style of
Chateau Musar itself, but also taking the business
in different directions: planting new grapes such as
chardonnay and viognier; converting the vineyards
to organic farming; and launching a new range of
younger, more modern wines under the Jeune label.
NE
CE TE M PLE
Y B U T FI
OUD
SPI
CL
Hurdle Creek Still 2016 Domaine Vincent
Pastis, King Valley, $95 Paris Saint-Joseph,
This lovely local Rhône Valley, $50
anise-flavoured spirit Brilliant expression of
is infused with indigenous the syrah (aka shiraz)
botanicals mintbush grape from one of
and anise myrtle. Add northern Rhône’s finest
a splash of water and winemakers: gorgeous
watch it go cloudy. lifted peppery spice.
Louche, baby, louche. Imported by
hurdlecreekstill.com.au redandwhite.com.au
 Drinks
From left: L’Arack
de Musar, Jeune Red,
1999 Chateau Musar
and Jeune White. “Chateau Musar is
not the only winery
in Lebanon, or
the oldest, but it has
gained particular fame Recently I tasted
partly because its the Musar wines
(and a gorgeous
backstory reads like
spirit) currently
a Hemingway novel.” available in
Australia, and
was reminded how distinctive and delicious they
are, particularly after a few years in the bottle.
The 2016 Jeune White ($30) is a blend of the white
grapes just mentioned, plus vermentino, and is a
golden, textural, deeply savoury wine – the kind of dry
white you want on your table whenever salty fried fish
is served. The 2014 Jeune Red (also $30) takes Musar’s
signature cabernet and cinsault grapes and blends
them with syrah, producing a gutsy, fleshy, bold wine
that would be a very happy match with garlicky lamb.
The current Chateau Musar is the 2009 vintage
($100), and it’s still quite closed and youthful –
though decanting and splashing it into a big glass
reveals lovely hedgerow fruit and an appealing
balsamic tang. The 1999 (also around $100), by
contrast, is just hitting its straps: earthy and quite
rustic to smell, it comes alive in the mouth, with
silky red fruit perfectly balanced by long, fine,
grippy tannins. A great bottle of mature red wine.
To top it all off, there’s L’Arack de Musar ($80),
a superfine, aniseed-flavoured spirit distilled from
the estate’s wine and aged in terracotta amphorae.
It’s 53 per cent alcohol but is surprisingly sweet,
smooth and balanced, even when tasted without
the customary dash of water. One sip and you’re
transported to a small café in Beirut, your senses
suffused with the sights and sounds of the city. ●
PAINTED IN DULUX SYMPHONY RED. BRASS TRAY FROM LIVING EDGE. GLASS
STYLING AIMEE JONES. ILLUSTRATION LAUREN HAIRE. PROPS: BACKGROUND

ALL PACKAGE

UTHFILLING
AIG HT UP

P URSE
CELLAR ME
FROM WEST ELM. ALL OTHER PROPS STYLIST’S OWN. STOCKISTS P192.
PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS JANSEN (TOP DROPS) & ROB SHAW (MAIN).

SIL K
ST R

MO
SM

2015 Grosset Gaia, Willett Straight Rye 2013 Emidio Pepe 2017 Chapel Hill Home 2017 Kalleske
Clare Valley, $83 Whiskey, Kentucky, $145 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, $170 Grown Shiraz Mourvèdre, Elenore Semillon,
One of the best vintages Superb, retro-styled rye The Pepe family take McLaren Vale, 375ml, $15 Barossa Valley, $21
ever of this eminently whiskey from recently trebbiano, a grape Sometimes a whole bottle I’m a big fan of Barossa
cellarworthy Clare rejuvenated Kentucky considered humdrum, is too much. Dining alone? sémillon, which is
cabernet blend: exquisite Bourbon distillery, Willett. and turn it into magical, All you want is a cheeky fuller-flavoured and riper
perfume of cassis and Swirling aromas of rich long-lived white wine: little half. Stash a few than Hunter sém. This
bay leaf, elegant and toasted rye, oats and grain, scintillating with flavours of these away for such outstanding example fills
sinewy in structure with creamy texture, lingering of lemon pith and chalk. occasions: bold, juicy, gutsy, the mouth with rich but
underlying plush fruit. balanced sweetness. Imported by and great with steak. refreshing citron flavours.
grosset.com.au spiritsoffrance.com.au mondoimports.com.au chapelhillwine.com.au kalleske.com

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 49
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winners. Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd. ABN 44 004 684 619. ATAS accreditation #A10825. APT6831Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd. ABN 44 004 684 619. APT6832

Solo
exhibit
Phil Wood’s talents are front and
centre at his new ine diner, Laura,
writes MICHAEL HARDEN.
T
he first course is called
Land and Garden and
it’s like unwrapping a
present. A section of
roasted onion sits on top of slices
of carrot, next to a pool of beetroot
sauce and topped with pink-tipped,
finely julienned radish. Under
the onion cap are delicate lion’s
mane mushrooms braised in the
style of teriyaki, mixed with
shiitakes from Benton Rise. They
taste like chicken and are teamed
with steamed abalone to great
textural effect. But wait. Like
so much at Laura, it gets better
as you go deeper.
There’s surprise and delight
already – carrots revealing a hint of
PHOTOGRAPHER JULIAN KINGMA
star anise, the beetroot sauce edged
with sesame oil – but then, a few
bites in, you find a magnificent
curry emulsion. Somewhere
between mousse and mayo in
texture, it’s like a twist in the tale.
Most dishes in restaurants present
well and then get less interesting
once you stick a fork in them. But
at Laura, the plot thickens.
There’s plenty to get excited
about at Pt Leo Estate. You’d hope
so, given that $50 million has been
spent building the sculpture park
and its glass-fronted cellar door and
restaurant building. The estate’s sea
views, broken only by the occasional
Cragg, Plensa, Halpern, King or
Meadmore, are impressive. But
the food offering is equally stirring.
Big budgets can breed hubris in a
restaurant but there’ve been no bad
decisions here. The choice of Phil
Wood as culinary director has
proven decisive.
Clockwise, from Over four, five or six courses,
above: Flinders
mussels with
his food at Laura (the restaurant
seaweed butter is named for the Jaume Plensa
and Peninsula sculpture out front) balances
corn; chef Phil
precision cooking and artful plating
Wood, sommelier
Andrew Murch with elements of surprise. The
and restaurant perception of what you’re eating can
manager Ainslie change from one bite to the next.
Lubbock; Dutch
cream potato Orchards, the dessert course,
with caviar. is a wave-like ripple of meringue,
Melbourne review
its troughs filled with dried figs
cooked in estate pinot noir, mixed
with candied lemon rind and
topped with a delicate, foam-like
lemon cream. It’s a clever, delicate
combination. Then suddenly there’s
cumin ice-cream and candied
walnuts. As they emerge from
under the meringue, they seamlessly
add a more complex Christmas
pudding-like layer to the mix.
There’s less sleight-of-hand in
Livestock, but it’s still theatrical,
arriving sealed in a black crust of
salt and ash. Broken open at the
table, it reveals braised lamb brisket
and neck pressed with chicken
mousse and figs, wrapped in fig
leaves from Cape Schanck. It comes
with a decision: would you like the
hot-and-sour or Tuscan chicken-liver
sauce? With livers, pancetta,
rosemary and wine in the equation,
it’s the Tuscan by a nose.
The choices are all good in
this serene space. Separated by
glass from Pt Leo Estate’s busy
bistro and cellar door, Laura’s
dining room is light and tranquil.
The detailing is timber, the tables
topped with leather. Earthenware ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 51

vases of native flora, black-handled
Cutipol cutlery and Zalto glassware
conspire to form an impression of
urbane elegance. The backdrop is
all sculpture, paddock and sea.
The service team has impressive
credentials and proves calm, precise
and never over-eager. The wine list
displays similar confidence.
Bound in black leather, its
38 pages cover a lot. It’s democratic
in its approach to big-name and
low-intervention winemaking and
has Victoria as one focus, Estate
wines mixing with the likes of Mac
Forbes riesling and Best’s dolcetto.
There are sections devoted to Italy,
France, Spain, Portugal and Austria
but with no grandstanding. It’s
knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Wood’s last gig was at
Sydney’s Eleven Bridge, a fine
diner that showcased his impeccable
technique, affinity for seafood
and dedication to putting the tasty
ahead of the tricky. In addition to
calling the shots in the kitchen, his
role at Laura has another difference:
the Mornington Peninsula.
The focus on regional produce
is present in every dish. Brioche is
52 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Above:
meringue with
lemon cream,
figs and cumin
ice-cream. Left:
the dining room.
made with Taralinga olive oil
and served with Cape Schanck oil,
both from the Peninsula. Plump
mussels, cold smoked and mixed
with pistachio nuts, dried tomatoes,
seaweed butter and Peninsula corn,
are from down the road at Flinders.
The Peninsula is small though,
and its supply capacity limited. It
makes sense that some ingredients
have to be found further afield.
Nobody sane would begrudge the
imported caviar that’s teamed with
Yarra Valley trout roe to accompany
a superb slow-cooked local Dutch
cream potato doused in butter
sauce and miso cream. But pairing
Spencer Gulf prawns with perfectly
steamed John Dory or offering
oysters and abalone from New
South Wales seems a little out of
whack with the implied remit. But
it’s a small quibble in the face of an
original and enormously satisfying
dining experience.
Laura is one of the most exciting
openings of the year. Wood’s deft
twists and turns and gorgeously
composed flavours are the work of
an artist. He’s found a natural
home among the sculpture. ●
AND ALSO…
THE BIG CHILL
Some forward planning is called
for now that ex-McConnell staffers
(John-Paul Twomey, Andrew Joy) and
former Coda sommelier Travis Howe
have taken over Carlton Wine Room
(above). Relaxed sophistication is the
word and crowds are lapping it up.
Twomey’s food includes a cult-ready
dish of grilled broccoli tossed with
lardons, parmesan and shaved egg
yolk, potato focaccia teamed with
stracciatella and a rum baba. Howe’s
wine list is very Melbourne 2018, Old
and New World leaning to smaller,
Details low-interventionists. 172-174 Faraday
St, Carlton, (03) 9347 2626
Laura ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR
Pt Leo Estate, High Street in Windsor has increased
3649 Frankston- its One To Watch stocks with Galah. Its
Flinders Rd, downstairs bottle shop sells small-
Merricks, batch, low-intervention Australian
wines to take away or drink upstairs.
(03) 5989 9011,
ptleoestate.com.au The cocktails hold a flame for Aussie
spirits: The Bleeding Lime Larrikin is
Licensed
a sour with West Winds gin, lemon
Cards AE MC V EFT
Open Lunch Thu- juice, lemon aspen and egg white with
Sun noon-2.30pm; blood lime. The snacks are less true
dinner Thu-Sat blue (apart from wattleseed-rubbed
6pm-9.30pm kangaroo loin) but are sturdily cooked,
Prices from tempura cauliflower to mountain-
4 courses $120, pepper chicken wings. 216 High St,
5 courses $130, Windsor, (03) 9521 5325
6 courses $140
Vegetarian IT’S ONLY NATURAL
On request Natural History is worth a visit for
Noise A low the taxidermy diorama alone. Morgan
McGlone (Belles Hot Chicken) has
murmur
Wheelchair partnered with Honkytonks’ designer
Michael Delany for this New York-style
access Yes
bar and grill with flamboyant results.
Minus Some
ingredient choices The menu offers steaks, a wagyu
are puzzlingly far burger, a Cajun fish sandwich and
from the Peninsula beef tartare. The wine is mostly natural
Plus Phil and the cocktails strong. 401 Collins St,
Wood polishing Melbourne, (03) 9982 1811
Mornington
Peninsula’s best
 Life Tastes Better With a Liebherr
Your Elegant Solution for Preserving Wine & Food

home.liebherr.com.au

Harts
beat
Hartsyard 2.0 rifs on its previous form,
but with a lighter, more up-tempo
rhythm, writes PAT NOURSE.
“H
ave we ordered
a meal entirely
of crackers and
dip?” asks my pal.
Whoops. Didn’t Cher’s character
in Mermaids make dinners entirely
from canapés? Clearly a woman
ahead of her time. But Hartsyard’s
offerings aren’t hors d’oeuvre dainty
– they’re robust things full of
flavour. This is what they do here.
Cheddar puffs are crunchier
and less ephemeral than the name
PHOTOGRAPHY ROB SHAW
might imply, more like savoury
crostoli, powdered with what
our waitress calls Reuben spice,
dotted with rounds of kohlrabi
and served with an airy dollop
of Dijon mustard.
Brewery bread, two dense,
toast-brown pucks made with
spent grain from the beardy beer
guys at Young Henry’s down the
road, comes with a large clot
of cultured butter, splashed in
turn with an oil flavoured with
the French curry-spice blend
vadouvan. Is $11 expensive for
bread? Maybe. But it seems just
about right for oiled butter.
This is Hartsyard 2.0. The
hardware is much the same –
boiler-room glam, the tables
nude, the chairs metal, the marble
bar complemented by Edison bulbs
and shelves crafted from pipe – and
the buzzy, neighbourhoody vibe
Above: scampi
and prawn
has deepened since it opened back
tartare with in 2012. But the software has been
salt and vinegar updated, putting the focus more
chips. Above
on fish and vegetables.
right, from
left: co-owners The best example of this new
Naomi Hart approach is wedges of a beefsteaky
and Gregory raw tomato with bits of barbecued
Llewellyn with
head chef calamari, small leaves of basil and
Jarrod Walsh. a whipped-sesame sauce. The play
Sydney review
of give and resistance between
the two lead ingredients, plus
the shattery crunch brought
by bugak, Korean-style chips of
seaweed coated in glutinous-rice
flour, make it a pleasure to eat.
If the tomatoes were top-shelf,
it’d be a table-thumper.
The food is definitely lighter.
This is of course a relative concept
in a restaurant that made its
name saucing buttermilk fried
chicken with sausage gravy, topping
poutine with short ribs and putting
bacon in the Manhattans.
Now the fried chicken has
moved up the street to Wish Bone,
the new eatery that Hartsyard’s
owners, manager Naomi Hart
and chef Gregory Llewellyn, have
fashioned from what used to be
their bar, The Gretz. The bull-in-a-
lolly-shop desserts that were once a
feature, meanwhile, have followed
former pastry chef Andrew Bowden
a couple of blocks up Enmore Road
to his new café, Saga.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 55
Sydney review
Tomato and
barbecued calamari
with whipped-sesame
sauce. Below right:
cherry and wales
with buttermilk
ice-cream.
Still, this is not a kitchen
that likes to pull its punches. So
there’s quite a lot of sauce and
cheese in evidence, even with all
the greens and seafood. A tartare
of scampi and prawn, for instance,
has the intensity dialled up with
a profusion of dollops of saffron-
tinged rouille, the mayonnaise-like
sauce traditionally served with
bouillabaisse. There’s orange
flying-fish roe sprinkled over
it, too, and is that some sort of
crustacean oil in there as well?
The potato chips on the side are
coated in a dust – this is a pro-dust
sort of place – made of salt and
freeze-dried vinegar. The raw
scampi and prawn end up more
a textural note in the end, rather
than a taste in and of themselves.
It’s a charm-offensive of a dish,
and if it wins you, it’s with
exuberance rather than subtlety.
With the exception of the
effortlessly welcoming Naomi
Hart, service can swing Newtown-
direct rather than engagingly
hospitable, but everyone seems
to have a good handle on the
56 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
menu and the smart, concise
wine list. You get the impression
that they’re used to having more
customers than seats.
There are two desserts, one
a chocolate confection involving
tahini and miso, the other cherries
sprinkled among hunks of waffle,
a scattering of pistachio and a scoop
of buttermilk ice-cream. Not quite
your herbal-dryad, produce-forward
options of the now, but a departure
from the old Mr-Whippy-breaks-bad
days of yore.
Reading back over the notes
I made after visiting Hartsyard
1.0 when it first opened I’m
reminded of hoping for a bit more
light and shade on the menu. Now
there are more of those silences that
make the music. The kitchen still
bangs it out loud, but for Hartsyard
2.0 it has changed key and mastered
some new tunes. If you’re looking
for up-tempo dining with a beat
that’s easy to get behind, these
guys are playing your song. ●
AND ALSO…
ÉTÉ IT UP
What Été (above) lacks in charm,
it makes up for in a smart wine
list, complemented by a very cool
seasonal selection of all-French
reserve wines poured via Coravin.
The food also has its moments, not
least the fine brunoise-cut beef
tartare, flavoured with oyster and
textured with crisp onion rings.
T1.03 Tower 1, Barangaroo Ave,
Barangaroo, (02) 9052 5383
STRAIGHT TO THE TAPAS
The tagline is “unapologetically
Spanish” and if lots of noise
and an atmosphere of barely
contained chaos form any part
of your cherished memories of
eating in Spain, you’ll find much
joy at Bar Tapa. It aims to capture
classic tapas with no mucking
around: gazpacho, tortilla,
patatas bravas and mayo-rich
ensalada Rusa. Sherry and ham
Details
options are more approachable
than encyclopedic, and everything
is priced competitively.
78 Stanley St, Darlinghurst
Hartsyard 2.0
33 Enmore Rd,
A FEW GOOD MENG
Newtown,
What if Osher Günsberg decided
(02) 8068 1473,
to leverage his fame hosting
hartsyard.com.au
The Bachelor to open a string of
Open Dinner
dumpling shops? It hasn’t happened
Tue-Sat 6pm-11pm
yet, but Mr Meng, the noodle-bar
Prices Shared
chain opened by Meng Fei,
plates $14-$32,
Chongqing-born host of Chinese
desserts $18
dating show If You Are the One
Cards MC V EFT
provides a blueprint. The new
Vegetarian
branch on the top floor of Market
Nine dishes
City is the second in Australia and
Noise Noisy
the first in Sydney; properly spicy
Wheelchair
Chongqing noodle soups are the
access No
focus, but it also does a good
Minus A little rich
line in dan dan noodles. Level 3,
and busy at times
Market City, 9-13 Hay St, Haymarket
Plus Flavour
and character
to the max
 SEPPELT’S 2018 LUXURY COLLECTION RELEASE

- U N EA RT H -
G R E AT N E S S

co
.
 A GOURMET TRAVELLER PROMOTION

COOL
CHANGE
New Zealand-based label Macpac is
bringing the heat to winter dressing with
its new collection of go-anywhere pieces
that will keep you cosy and chic
Style and comfort combine in New Zealand label Macpac’s
latest range of outerwear, effortlessly chic pieces to update
your winter look. From merino knits to classic down jackets,
the collection defines contemporary outdoor athleisure
that delivers on technical performance.
Established in 1973, Macpac made its name as a designer
of adventure gear, developing high-quality, research-driven
garments designed to endure New Zealand’s rugged 1 2
outdoor environment. This technical nous and focus on
craftsmanship remains at the heart of the brand, although
its designs are now coveted by those in an urban context.
For winter 2018, Macpac apparel designer Jos Button
fused the brand’s signature features — from athletic cuts to
ultra-warm fabrics — with an aesthetic that suits modern
city lifestyles. Highlights include the Down Bomber Jacket 3
(an on-trend innovation that will take you from the coffee
shop to the gym) and the Merino Fern Hoody (its laidback
look perfect for everyday wear). Woolly accessories such
as the Pom Pom Beanie and Merino Fingerless Gloves
complete the look while keeping you warm.
Whether you’re looking for pared-back pieces to wear
on the weekend or functional garments to complement an 6
active lifestyle, Macpac’s new-season staples are the key to
staying both warm and stylish this winter.

1. Macpac Focus Merino Hoody, $200. 2. Merino

Fern Hoody, $170. 3. Merino Fingerless Gloves,
$50. 4. Aurora Coat, $400. 5. Luna Vest, $280.
6. Pom Pom Beanie, $40. Shop the full range at
macpac.com.au. Selected products arriving
throughout May and June.
 JUNE

QUICK
MEALS
Recipes MAX ADEY Photography BEN DEARNLEY
Styling LISA FEATHERBY Merchandising ROSIE MEEHAN

Roasted
pumpkin
with zhoug

p 62
 Hawayej-spiced chicken thigh cutlets
SERVES 4
Hawayej, a spice blend from Yemen, adds depth and complexity
to simply roasted chicken thighs. A refreshing salad of cucumber,
red onion, coriander and mint makes a fine accompaniment, and
flatbread will help mop up all the juices. Or serve it with a bowl
of Turkish cracked wheat salad (see recipe at right).
Turkish cracked wheat salad SERVES 4
8 chicken thigh cutlets, 1 Preheat oven to 220°C. For Kisir, a Turkish salad based on burghul, is quick to prepare and goes
bone in, skin on hawayej, dry-roast caraway well with just about any protein. If you’re serving this salad on its
4 garlic cloves, crushed seeds and black peppercorns in own, add some chickpeas to make it more substantial. It keeps well,
2 tbsp olive oil a frying pan over medium-high too, so make double and you’ll have another meal ready to go.
Pickled long green heat until fragrant (30 seconds
chillies and Greek-style to 1 minute; see cook’s notes 300 gm coarse burghul, rinsed 1 Cook burghul in a large
yoghurt, to serve p192). Coarsely crush with 1 small red onion, finely saucepan of boiling salted water
HAWAYEJ SPICE MIX a mortar and pestle and stir chopped until tender (6-8 minutes). Drain.
1 tsp caraway seeds in remaining spices. ½ cup (loosely packed) mint, 2 For roasted capsicum
1 tsp black peppercorns 2 Combine chicken, garlic coarsely chopped dressing, place ingredients
1 tsp ground cumin and olive oil in a large bowl. ½ cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf in a blender, season to taste
1 tsp ground turmeric Add spice mixture and toss parsley, coarsely chopped and blend until well combined.
1 tsp ground coriander seeds to combine. Spread chicken ROASTED CAPSICUM DRESSING 3 Transfer burghul to a serving
½ tsp ground cardamom on an oven tray lined with 75 gm (3 pieces) roasted dish and toss with onion and
¼ tsp ground cloves baking paper and roast until capsicum (see note) herbs, season to taste and
golden and juices run clear 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil drizzle with dressing to serve.
when pierced with a skewer 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice Note Roasted capsicum is
(18-22 minutes). Serve with 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses available from delicatessens
pickled chillies and yoghurt. 3 garlic cloves, finely grated or supermarkets.

60 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

Beetroot and orange salad
with sumac dressing SERVES 4
This simple winter salad can be served as is or beefed up
with some pan-fried fish or shredded roast chicken.
4 beetroot (about 150gm
each), peeled and coarsely
grated
3 oranges, peeled
and thinly sliced
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup (loosely packed)
flat-leaf parsley, torn
½ cup (loosely packed)
mint, torn
SUMAC DRESSING
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin
olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp sumac, plus extra
to serve
Finely grated rind and juice
of ½ lemon
½ garlic clove, finely grated
Quick meals
PREVIOUS PAGE Surface
from Earp Bros (used
throughout). All other props
stylist’s own. Salad All props
stylist’s own. Chicken All
props stylist’s own. Cracked
wheat Pouring bowl from The
DEA Store. All other props
stylist’s own. Stockists p192.
1 For sumac dressing, place
ingredients in a small jar and
shake well to combine.
2 Combine beetroot, orange,
onion and herbs in a bowl,
drizzle with a little dressing,
season to taste and toss
to combine. Serve drizzled
with remaining dressing and
sprinkled with extra sumac. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 61
Quick meals
Roasted pumpkin with zhoug
Zhoug is a hot green sauce from Yemen that’s often added to soups and stews for a fresh and fiery finish.
Here we’ve paired it with sweet roasted pumpkin for a no-fuss side that’s a winner with chicken.
1.2 kg Jap pumpkin, skin on,
cut into 8 wedges
2 tbsp olive oil
Roasted sesame seeds
(optional), to serve
ZHOUG
1 tsp caraway seeds
3 long green chillies,
coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely
chopped
¾ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 cup (firmly packed)
coriander leaves,
coarsely chopped
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin
olive oil
1½ tbsp lemon juice
62 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
SERVES 4
1 Preheat oven grill to high.
Place pumpkin wedges skin-side
down on an oven tray lined with
baking paper, drizzle with oil
and toss to coat, then grill,
turning occasionally, until
golden, softened and slightly
charred (20-22 minutes).
2 Meanwhile, for zhoug,
dry-roast caraway seeds in a
frying pan over medium-high
heat until fragrant (1 minute;
see cook’s notes p192).
Coarsely crush with a
mortar and pestle. Add chilli,
garlic and remaining spices,
season to taste and pound
until broken down (1-2 minutes).
Add coriander and half the oil,
pound to break down leaves
(30 seconds), then stir in lemon
juice and remaining oil and
season to taste. Serve pumpkin
topped with zhoug and
scattered with sesame seeds.
Lamb meatballs
All props stylist’s
own. Pumpkin Mortar
and pestle from The
DEA Store. All other
props stylist’s own.
Stockists p192.

2 tbsp olive oil

Sumac, torn mint leaves and
lemon wedges, to serve
LAMB MEATBALLS
1 small red onion
500 gm finely minced lamb
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
PINE NUT SAUCE
50 gm pine nuts, coarsely
crushed with a mortar and
pestle, plus extra whole pine
nuts to serve
50 gm unhulled tahini
½ garlic clove, finely grated
Finely grated rind of
1 lemon, juice of ½

1 To make meatballs, finely

Lamb meatballs with tahini
and pine nut sauce SERVES 4
This meatball recipe rifs on the Palestinian
lamb siniyah, a dish of lamb baked with tahini.
We’ve turned the lamb into meatballs and added
crushed pine nuts to the tahini sauce for some
more texture. To make this a full meal, try piling
it all into flatbreads with sumac onions or serve
a burghul salad on the side.
chop onion in a food processor,
scraping down the sides
occasionally (1-2 minutes),
then add mince, garlic and
spices, season to taste, and
process until mixture comes
together (30 seconds-1 minute).
Roll into 12 balls (about 50gm
each) with wet hands and
refrigerate until required.
2 For pine nut sauce, whisk
ingredients in a jug with 100ml
water to combine and season
to taste.
3 Heat oil in a large non-stick
frying pan over medium heat,
add meatballs and cook, turning
occasionally until browned all
over and cooked to your liking
(6-7 minutes for medium).
Spoon pine nut sauce over
kofta in pan so it warms up a
little, then sprinkle with sumac,
top with mint and extra pine
nuts and serve with lemon. ➤

Red lentil soup with yoghurt
and coriander SERVES 4-6
This lentil soup, known as shorbat adas, is often served during
Ramadan, and has many variations across the Middle East.
Our take is blended lightly to retain texture and is served with
yoghurt for freshness. Try topping it with chilli for a little heat.
40 gm butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely
chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1.75 litres (7 cups) chicken or
vegetable stock
300 gm (1½ cups) red lentils
Finely grated rind and juice
of 1 lemon
Olive oil, for drizzling
Greek-style yoghurt,
chopped coriander and
toasted Turkish bread,
to serve
64 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Soup All props stylist’s
own. Toum Bowl from
The DEA Store. Pears
Side plate from The
DEA Store. All other
props stylist’s own.
Stockists p192.
1 Melt butter in a large
saucepan over medium-high
heat. Add onion, celery and
garlic, season to taste, and
sauté until onion is translucent
(3-4 minutes). Add spices and
cook, stirring often, until fragrant
(1-2 minutes), then add stock and
bring to the boil. Add lentils,
reduce heat to medium, and
simmer, stirring occasionally,
until lentils are soft and starting
to break down (14-16 minutes).
2 Remove from the heat, add
lemon rind and juice, then
blend with a hand-held blender
until a coarse purée (the soup
should still have some texture).
Divide among bowls and serve
topped with olive oil, yoghurt
and coriander with toasted
Turkish bread on the side.
Toum with quick za’atar flatbread
and haloumi SERVES 4
Toum, the pungent, luxurious garlic emulsion, is often served with
charcoal chicken, falafel or sharwama, but we’ve gone all out and
served it as a dip with za’atar flatbread, haloumi and radishes.
300 gm (2 cups) plain flour,
plus extra for dusting
130 ml olive oil, plus extra
for shallow-frying
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp finely chopped
thyme leaves
2 tsp roasted sesame seeds
8 garlic cloves
1½ tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
175 ml grapeseed or other
neutral-flavoured oil
250 gm haloumi, thickly sliced
4 radishes, halved
1 Combine flour, 2 tsp olive
oil, sumac, thyme, sesame
seeds, 160ml water and 2 tsp
sea salt in a bowl and mix to
form a rough dough. Turn
out onto a lightly floured
surface and knead until
smooth (3-4 minutes).
2 Process garlic, lemon
juice and 30ml ice-cold water
in a food processor until
smooth, scraping down
sides (1-2 minutes). Combine
grapeseed oil with 80ml olive oil
in a jug and, with motor running,
slowly pour combined oils into
food processor in a thin, steady
stream to make an emulsified
sauce. Season to taste with
salt and lemon juice. Toum will
keep refrigerated in an airtight
container for 3 weeks.
3 Divide dough into 4 and roll
out on a lightly floured surface to
2-3mm thick. Heat a large frying
pan over high heat, add 2 tsp
olive oil and cook one flatbread,
turning once, until cooked and
slightly charred (2-3 minutes).
Keep warm and repeat with
remaining oil and flatbread.
4 Heat extra olive oil in a large
frying pan or char-grill pan, add
haloumi and fry, turning once,
until golden (3-4 minutes).
Serve with warm flatbread,
toum and radishes.
 Quick meals

Honey and safron roasted

pears with spiced yoghurt
SERVES 4-6

This simple dessert can be eaten warm, cold or

at room temperature, and you could do far
worse than serve the leftovers for breakfast.

200 gm honey
Thinly peeled rind and juice
of 1 lemon
3 cinnamon quills
Pinch of safron
threads soaked in
1 tbsp warm water
4 beurre Bosc pears,
quartered and cored
Coarsely chopped roasted
walnuts, to serve
SPICED YOGHURT
300 gm Greek-style yoghurt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cardamom
Pinch of ground cloves

1 Preheat oven to 220°C. Add

honey, lemon rind and juice,
cinnamon, safron water and
pears to a roasting pan large
enough to fit pears snugly in
a single layer and toss to coat.
Roast, basting occasionally,
until pears are softened and
golden (20-22 minutes).
2 For spiced yoghurt, add
yoghurt to a bowl and combine
with cinnamon, cardamom
and cloves.
3 Serve pears with spiced
yoghurt, scattered with walnuts
and drizzled with pan juices. ●

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 65
 Is Rome the flavour capital
of the world? Guy Grossi
argues eloquently for the
airmative with tuna,
bottarga and pickled
fennel, and braised oxtail
with cime di rapa.

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 The history of Middle Eastern food in this country is a history of people,
movement and spices smuggled in suitcases, writes ALECIA SIMMONDS.
W
hen Ibrahim Kasif’s grandparents arrived
in Sydney from Cyprus in the 1950s, they
had to buy their olive oil from pharmacies.
Anglo-Saxons didn’t then see much use
for it beyond treating ear ailments. “There
was simply nowhere else that sold it.” Joseph Abboud’s parents
shared similar stories. Once, they told him, family friends had
the police arrive unexpectedly when they tried to bake pita in a
wood-fired oven in the backyard. Sirens wailed as za’atar-dusted
bread spiced the air.
Passed down between generations of Middle Eastern migrants,
these stories of culinary deprivation lend a heroic quality to the
recipes that survived. They speak of a time when taste could be
treasonous and, for chefs like Kasif and Abboud who run three of
the most innovative Middle Eastern restaurants in Australia today
(Kasif with Stanbuli and Abboud with Rumi and Bar Saracen),
they remind them of their debts. “We have the luxury of saying,
‘oh, you’re stuck in your ways’ to our parents,” muses Abboud.
“That’s because they did the hard yards. They’re not stuck in the
mould, in fact they broke the mould.”
68 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
The story of how Australian palates came to delight in
braised lamb or the sweet scent of orange blossom is quite
brief. “If you look at the Australian food scene, the history
of Middle Eastern cuisine is only 50 or 60 years old,” explains
Kasif, “yet words like falafel, tahini or shish are all part of
the vocabulary now.”
Kasif’s choice of dishes is telling: although the Middle East
encompasses many nations, its flavours mostly came to Australia
with Turkish and Lebanese migrants. And before Anglo
Australians could enjoy their food, the government needed to
shift from a policy of assimilation to multiculturalism. Australia
needed to be liberated from the tyranny of shepherd’s pie.
But the history of Middle Eastern cooking in Australia
is much longer. It’s a secret history that can only be gleaned
through peering into the homes of families like the Abbouds,
looking into their kitchens or strolling through certain suburbs,
such as Sydney’s Redfern, which during the late 19th-century
was known as “Little Syria”, to uncover the lives of those whose
survival depended on concealing their aromatic herbs from
delicate Anglo-Saxon nostrils.

Clockwise, from far left: Wilson’s in
Sydney’s Redfern; Abla Amad at
Abla’s, her restaurant in Carlton,
Melbourne; chef Greg Malouf;
stufed mussels at Ibrahim Kasif’s
Stanbuli; an 1892 article from The
Illustrated Sydney News reports on
“Syrians” living in Redfern.
I
t’s Sunday morning, and I’m hurrying down rain-slicked
streets in Melbourne to meet one of the most important
people in Middle Eastern food in Australia, if not the
COLLAGE PHOTOGRAPHY RODNEY MACUJA. PHOTOGRAPHY WILL MEPPEM,
world: chef Greg Malouf, whose great-grandparents came
out from Lebanon in 1895. His brother Geoff, owner of beloved
Melbourne restaurant Zum Zum, joins us at a café. As Greg
and Geoff take sips of their coffee they complete each other’s
recollections of their family history. “Our ancestors were in
JESS REFTEL EVANS AND MARTIN REFTEL & ROB SHAW
haberdashery,” Greg starts, “probably fleeing the upheavals
caused earlier by the wars between the Druze and the Christians.”
“They came from the very fertile Bekaa Valley,” Geoff
continues, before explaining the influence the growing region
has on Lebanese cuisine. “The spices used in Lebanese cooking
are more subtle than in many other Middle Eastern cuisines,
to accentuate the quality of the produce,” he says.
For the Maloufs, though, as for Lebanese all over Australia,
it would be at least another half century before they had access
to the ingredients enjoyed in Lebanon, and even longer before
they were able to offer their dishes outside of their homes.
The first wave of Lebanese migrants arrived at the dawn of
the White Australia policy, which prompted a national debate
about how to racially classify them. They were referred to as
Syrians, because Lebanon was yet to achieve independence; The
Bulletin in 1906 called them one of three “non-fusible Asiatic
races” and argued they should be denied citizenship rights in
Australia; The Department of External Affairs was more
confused: “They are of swarthy appearance with dark hair... but
approximate far more closely to the European types than those
of India or parts of Asia further East.” For the next two decades,
Lebanese migrants pointed to their Christianity and their paler
complexion to argue for their status as white people. It wasn’t
until the 1920s that they were, in historian Anne Monsour’s
words, “granted status as honorary Southern Europeans”.
But as Monsour reminds us, it came at a price – they had to be
culturally invisible. Arabic foods like kibbeh and tahini were
now incriminating. The walls of the domestic fortress went up.
A
few blocks from my house in Redfern is a small
Lebanese restaurant on Pitt Street called Wilson’s.
Old Lebanese men with creased, pouchy faces sit
outside on milk crates, gossiping beneath a fluorescent
1970s sign that has been cracked and hastily repaired. Humble
as it may appear, this restaurant, which opened in 1967, is one of
the oldest Lebanese restaurants in Australia. Sourcing ingredients
back then was an obvious problem for Wilson’s, so they relied
on travellers. Quarantine restrictions were lax, and one chirpy
newspaper article from The Sun in October 1950 gives us some
idea of how food was smuggled in: “Hanna Lahoud and Chafic
Younan reached Sydney today,” the article reported, bringing with
them “two big, closely guarded cardboard boxes filled with oils,
frying fat, almonds, pomegranates and vegetable matter.” There
were also “cloth bags of peculiar smelling items, which Lahoud
and Younan intimated were pretty good to eat.” They brought
their own olive oil, which “leaked through one of the boxes in a
steady stream at the Customs desk”.
The year 1967 was significant for Middle Eastern cuisine in
Australia for another reason: Australia signed an Assisted Passage
agreement with Turkey – the first time it did this with a country
beyond Western Europe – and with this migration scheme came
all the spices of the Ottoman Empire. The vast majority of
Turkish and Lebanese migrants arrived in Australia between the
1970s and 1990s; the Turks were promised abundant employment
opportunities and the Lebanese were fleeing the Lebanese civil
war and the Israel-Lebanon war. Many ended up staying because
of family connections, and it was family that influenced the
kind of Middle Eastern cuisine that Australia came to know.
“The earliest restaurants offered home cooking,” says
Abboud. “They weren’t professional chefs trained in Lebanon;
they were people who were offering up the food of the
household.” Kasif says much the same of Turkish cuisine, and
that as much as he pushes the boundaries of Turkish cooking,
he still tries to “replicate the smells of my grandmother’s cooking
growing up.” Greg Malouf has memories of his brother and
himself hopping like seagulls in the kitchen doorway until his
mother dropped a tasty morsel into his mouth. Melbourne chef
Abla Amad, being a girl, was permitted a view from inside the
kitchen. Amad learned the joys of mint and rosewater from
watching her mother, uncle and “aunties” prepare dishes for ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 69
 Lebanese feasts. ‘‘To join them in the kitchen was a way of
handing down recipes from one generation to the next,” she tells
me at her home in Carlton, while showing me how to roll a vine
leaf. And because the people who taught Amad had come from
all over Lebanon, she was able to pick up regional variations
which now influence her menu at Abla’s. It occurs to me while Above: a 1921 story
about “good” Middle
chatting to her that this is probably what made Middle Eastern Eastern immigrants.
cuisine in Australia unique: migration collapses the mountainous Left: the Maloufs in
divides of Lebanon and the vast border-regions of Turkey into 1967 – (from left) Greg,
their mother May,
one kitchen – it brings the recipes of numerous towns into an
Andrew and Geof.
appetising conversation that they wouldn’t have had back home.

“T
he issue I have with Lebanese food is that they’re
not pushing the boundaries enough. We should be
further ahead,” says Greg Malouf, shaking his head. between the 7th and 13th centuries, the very moment when
“Why is that?” I ask. Greg and Geoff exchange Europe descended into the Dark Ages. The Abassid Caliphate,
a conspiratorial smile: “Their mothers and grandmothers, of like the Ottoman Empire that came after it, was gastronomically
course!” Greg mimics his most difficult customers, “Oh, my promiscuous; its cuisine was mostly Arab and Persian but also
grandmother made the most extraordinary kibbeh, now what incorporated Greek, Indian, Turkish, Chinese and African. Like
is this?” Geoff interjects: “But seriously, they associate food with Baghdad, then the largest and wealthiest city in the world, the
memories of their family, and family is fundamental to Lebanese cuisine was tantalisingly decadent. I find a recipe that specifies a
culture.” If food is the conduit to an imagined family home and live fish be kept in a tank of grape juice to enhance the flavour of
to a country left behind, then experimentation becomes an act of its flesh. Persians legitimated their power through public feasting
dishonour. Abboud’s fusion Middle Eastern cuisine has long been at the palaces and sultans sought to leave their mark through the
a source of difficulty with his family. Sitting in his new restaurant, recipes they promoted in their court.
Bar Saracen, he says, “It still hurts my mother It’s a sign of the continuities between Arabic
when someone says, ‘Your son has a Lebanese cuisine and the Ottoman cuisine that came after
restaurant?’ She always responds, ‘Well, sort of.’” The landmarks it that the Turkish conquerors took these Arabic
Trained in Australia and France, Greg Some of the landmarks of recipe books and housed them among their
Malouf was the first Australian chef to Middle Eastern dining in treasures at Topaki Palace and the Aya Sofya
experiment with Lebanese haute cuisine, Australia attained their in Istanbul. From the 15th century onwards the
at O’Connells in Melbourne in 1991. “Oh, status through longevity, Ottomans carried the flame of Middle Eastern
there was that dish of oysters and makanek while for others it’s more cuisine, adding the stuffed vegetables, shish
sausage,” says Geoff. “The journalists loved it.” about their place in the kebabs and baklava pastries that we see today,
culture. Canberra Turkish
Greg adds, “‘Finally something new!’” Back in plus Arabic braised lambs and spiced stews. After
fine-diner Ottoman
Sydney, Kasif adds a historical perspective to the colonisation of the Americas, chillies, beans,
(9 Broughton St, Barton,
this debate. “Fusion is just a way of describing ACT), opened in 1992, ticks
corn and tomatoes made an appearance making
what we are doing today,” he says. “When you both boxes. In Melbourne, Turkish cuisine – with its wheat and meat from
think of the Ottoman Empire, that’s exactly A1 Bakery (643-645 Sydney the West and rice from the East – more fusion
what they were doing – fusion! The dumpling Rd, Brunswick, Vic), has than any of our wildest mod-Oz fantasies.
exists in Middle Eastern cuisine because of the been a Sydney Road staple I see glimpses of the chefs I’ve met for this
nomadic Northern Chinese who came down since 1992, while Abla’s story in the medieval recipes before me. In the
from the Steppes in the Middle Ages. Turks (109 Elgin St, Carlton, Vic), 13th-century Book of Dishes, which measures
also got their yoghurt from the milk introduced has made the city’s best portions by the width of fingers, I see Amad,
to them by the Chinese, not the Greeks.” chicken and rice since who continues to test the readiness of yoghurt
After meeting with The Maloufs, I stop 1979. In Sydney, Jasmin by putting a finger in the tub for 10 seconds.
off at my Palestinian friend Sary’s house and (22 Civic Rd, Auburn, NSW) The medieval recipes that ask for soy sauce
peruse his collection of medieval Middle Eastern and El Jannah (4-8 South remind me of Abboud and Kasif’s exhortations:
St, Granville, NSW)
cookbooks. Leafing through the pages, we spend “We’ve always been experimental and fusion!”
might not be the oldest
the afternoon imaginatively crossing spice routes I see Greg and Geoff Malouf in the words of the
restaurants in town, but
with merchants in caravans and dining on their hold on the tastebuds
13th-century scribe Al-Baghdadi, who wrote: “Of
twice-suckled lamb with the sultans. I learned of lovers of Lebanese food all the world’s pleasures” – in which he includes
that the world’s first written recipes were Middle is unrivalled. In Brisbane, food, drink, clothing, sex, scent and sound – “the
Eastern, found on stone tablets dating from the No No’s (158 Musgrave most eminent and perfect of these is food.” As
17th century BC. But the major Middle Eastern Rd, Red Hill, Qld) is an Greg Malouf says, “This food should not just be
medieval recipe collections were written in the institution, home to seen as inexpensive, it’s one of the great cuisines
palaces of Baghdad during Islam’s golden age, Queensland’s best falafel. of the world, it should be on a pedestal.” ●

70 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
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Paper
trail
In 1968 Claudia Roden
published A Book of
Middle Eastern Food. The
deining 20th-century text
on the culinary culture of
the region, it inspired cooks
to embrace couscous and
tabbouleh, seek out tahini
and eggplant, dive deep into
hummus and perfume their
lives with cumin, cloves and
cardamom. Here, Roden
takes us back to when she
irst put pen to paper.

I
have a very clear memory of when I first began
collecting the recipes that would later form the basis
of my first book, A Book of Middle Eastern Food. It
was 1956, and the Jews were leaving Egypt in a hurry,
en masse, after the Suez Crisis. I was an art student
in London sharing a flat with my two brothers, and
my parents arrived as refugees. We were inundated by waves of
relatives and friends on their way to new homelands, not sure
where they’d be able to stay. Everyone was exchanging recipes with
a kind of desperation. We might never see Egypt or each other
again, but a dish would be something to remember each other by.
There had been no cookbooks in Egypt. Recipes had
been handed down in families. Some took out little notebooks.
I wrote everything down word for word – how much water to
the volume of rice, how and whether to salt eggplant, how
to know when the dough for pita was right (by feeling the
lobe of my ear).
What I was collecting was a very mixed bag. They were
not just Egyptian recipes. Egypt in my time, the time of King
Farouk, and of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s revolution, had been
a mixed cosmopolitan society. There had been long-established
communities of Syrians and Lebanese, Greeks, Italians and
Armenians living among the Muslim and Copt population.
The royal family was an Ottoman Albanian dynasty and the
aristocracy was Turkish. The Jewish community itself was a
mosaic of families from Syria, Turkey, the Balkans, North
Africa, Greece, Iraq and Iran, attracted to what became the
El Dorado of the Middle East when the Suez Canal was built
in the late 19th century. Everyone kept up their special dishes
from their old homelands. That is why I ended up covering
much of the Middle East and North Africa. A larger number
of the recipes were Syrian and Turkish because three of my
grandparents came from Aleppo, and my maternal grandmother
was from Istanbul.
 In Egypt, women would never have given me their family
recipes, but in our new situation it was important and urgent
to share them. They were what we loved, a joint legacy of our
lost world. If we didn’t record them we would lose them forever.
In Egypt we were Europeanised – I spoke French at home
and Italian with our Slovene-Italian nanny, and I went to
the English School Cairo. But generations of my family had
lived for centuries in the Arab and Ottoman worlds and it was
their worlds, their loves and enthusiasms, that fascinated me.
I became an avid collector of recipes and stories. I hung around
carpet warehouses, embassies, and tourist offices to meet people
who could give me recipes. I also spent time reading up about
the Middle East.
When I asked a librarian at the British Library for help in
finding Arab cookbooks, he wrote down a list of publications
– all were on medieval gastronomy, there was nothing
contemporary. There were translations of Arabic culinary
manuals found in Baghdad, Damascus and Andalusia. For
months I entertained friends with medieval banquets. Some
medieval dishes had similar names, similar combinations of
ingredients and flavourings, and similar techniques to those
I had been hearing from people leaving Egypt. I was enthralled.
I started looking for references to food in books about
the Middle East. Stuffed vine leaves were first mentioned in
ancient Persia, baklawa in Ottoman times. It was fascinating
to find elements from ancient Persia – meat cooked with fruit
for instance – in celebratory dishes across the Middle East,
especially in North Africa. Reading history made me understand
why dishes appeared in certain places. It was like putting the
pieces of a puzzle together.
When I decided, after a few years, to turn what I collected
into a book and told people, they said: “Why don’t you paint?”
When I said it was about Middle Eastern food they looked
embarrassed, even pitying. One said “is it sheep’s eyes and
testicles?” In the ’50s and ’60s food was not the hot topic
it is now. It was an embarrassing, taboo subject. And the
Middle East was hardly alluring. Much of it was what would
be described later in America as “the axis of evil”. I added
bits of stories as background in the hope that people would
want to try foods that came from a beautiful
PHOTOGRAPHY PAL HANSEN/CONTOUR BY GETTY IMAGES (PORTRAIT)
civilization. It was often impossible to find
the ingredients I was writing about.
It’s amusing now to see how Middle
Eastern food has been adopted and developed
in the new vibrant food scene where cooking
is glamorous, chefs are venerated, cooking
competitions are among the most watched
television programs, and eating out is one
of the most popular leisure activities. Lebanese,
Turkish and Moroccan dishes feature in
modern British menus. Home cooks make
& ROB SHAW (BOOK)
tagines and pilafs and know all about
pomegranate molasses, harissa, zahtar,
sumac and preserved lemons. Hummus is
to be found in the fridges of 41 per cent of
the population here in the UK, where I live.
When I said the
book was about
Middle Eastern
food, people looked
embarrassed, even
In our new global
pitying. One said
culinary culture where
chefs and food writers are “is it sheep’s eyes
expected to be innovative and testicles?”
and original, to do their
own takes and tweaks, twists
and interpretations, Middle Eastern food is ever changing and
subject to trends and fashions. While ethnic restaurants
continue with their standard menus set in stone, eclectic chefs
play with ingredients and flavours. Some create fantastic dishes
and these are instantly copied. But you also get confusing
combinations, flavours that don’t go together, a mishmash that
looks beautiful in photos and on the plate, but doesn’t taste
good. When people travel to the Middle East in search of the
authentic traditional cuisines they are sometimes disappointed
not to find the stronger flavours and striking combinations that
have developed at home.
One example is dukkah and the story is Australian. Decades
ago I received a letter from Australia telling me that chefs and
artisanal producers were making their own versions of my recipe.
It gave me five different recipes. Later, when I attended a festival
in Australia I had a photo taken with a group of producers who
said they were inspired by my recipe. Now dukkah has become
a big artisanal product in Britain. British and American chefs
say they discovered dukkah in Australia.
But when writers have gone in search of dukkah in Egypt
they didn’t find it, and no one knew what they meant. The
reason is it is pronounced do’a. I got the spelling “dukkah”,
a transliteration of the classical Arabic word “to pound”, from
the 1860 edition of Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians
by Edward William Lane.
My recipe is one my mother got from Awad, our cook.
It has only hazelnuts, sesame, cumin and coriander seeds. Now
you find all kinds of combinations of seeds,
nuts and spices sold as Egyptian dukkah.
When I gave a seminar to the Egyptian Chefs
Association in Cairo a decade ago, I told
them they should be serving do’a in their
restaurants and producing it for export. I told
them that there were now many different
versions sold in the West and that people
there sprinkled it on foods and rubbed it
on chicken. They just laughed. ●
A 1973 Penguin reprint of
A Book of Middle Eastern
Food by Claudia Roden,
originally published in
1968 by Thomas Nelson.
This edition sold for $2.10
at the time.
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 73
AN
AT H E I ST ’S

F I RST
I FTA R
 At her irst iftar,
CANDICE CHUNG
experiences the fasting,

I
feasting and warm t’s the start of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month, and
I’m trying not to think about my empty stomach
sense of hospitality as the train speeds south. For 30 consecutive days,
that go hand-in-hand Muslims around the world will fast from sunrise
to sundown, eating only before dawn or after dark.
with Ramadan. I’ve rarely had cause to deny myself when it comes to
food, and as an atheist, certainly never on religious grounds.
Photography JASON IERACE I come from a family where there’s no such thing as a missed
meal. Growing up, my parents approached eating with the
same determination as long-distance runners — never mind
how long it takes to finish, it’s the turning up that counts. Above: Iftar hosts Tuba and
The reason I’m travelling on an empty stomach is that Ahmet Ozturk. Opposite,
clockwise from top
I’ve been invited to my first iftar — the nightly feast during
left: börek, dates, fried
Ramadan where Muslim families gather to break the day’s capsicum with homemade
fast. The invitation itself made no mention of meal-skipping; yoghurt, stufed capsicum,
I decided to turn up hungry, in truth, after a friend raised a fried okra, pickles and
stufed vine leaves at the
valid question: “Don’t you want to eat as much as everyone Ozturks’ iftar feast.
who fasted?”
Tuba and Ahmet Ozturk have been hosting iftars for
non-Muslims in their house in south-western Sydney for the
past three years. Born in Turkey, they met while working in
Amity College, where Tuba still teaches. Ahmet now works
as a general secretary for an educational consultancy and
volunteers for Affinity Intercultural Foundation — a not-for-
profit that fosters ties between Muslim Australians and the
wider community. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 75
 Each year, Affinity runs Ramadan events that range
from formal dinners at the Parliament of New South Wales,
to pop-up iftars that welcome asylum seekers and refugees.
The most intimate experiences are the home iftars, where
strangers of different faiths and cultural backgrounds are
invited to break bread with Muslim families across Sydney.

I
arrive early at the Ozturks’ for a glimpse of the
feast preparation. Ahmet, who greets me at the door,
is unflinchingly upbeat for someone who juggles
work and fatherhood without a trace of caffeine in
his bloodstream.
“Of the 30 nights of Ramadan, we’ll host for 10 to
15 nights,” says Tuba. Preparation begins well beforehand,
with shopping for dried goods done weeks before the start
of the holy month. Pastries are made and frozen for the
nights ahead, and women gather around the table for
day-long shifts of wrapping vine leaves. The amount of
work is breathtaking, like doing Christmas or Thanksgiving
or Lunar New Year feasts every day for a month.
“I remember folding napkins, doing little iftar chores for
my parents, ever since I was little,” says Tuba. Her mother
Ayse is the head chef of the house. As she reveals the content
of each simmering pot, I’m struck by the precision with
which she works — any idle moments are filled with cleaning,
slicing or stirring. In the middle of a conversation, she slips
half a stick of butter into a pan of burghul and rice. “This,”
says Tuba, “Is why Turkish food tastes so good.”
On the menu tonight is a spread of stuffed vine leaves,
stewed okra, fried peppers, dips and börek filled with feta
and spring onion. All this is followed by a main course of
slow-cooked biftek sarma, a roulade of beef served with that
golden, buttery burghul pilaf.
My stomach growls as I help set the table, and I can’t
help but ask the obvious: “How are you supposed to do all
this on an empty stomach?”
“When you’re fasting, the first two days are hard, but
after the third day, you get used to it,” says Tuba. “The key
for Muslims is that it’s not the month to be hungry, but a For more information about Ainity’s annual
time to reflect — so you can better understand people who home iftar program, visit ainity.org.au or
are in need.” email info@ainity.org.au
 What Tuba refers to is a kind of embodied empathy.
Those who fast are led to compassion by experiencing the
visceral discomforts of the less fortunate — people for whom
hunger isn’t a choice, but a fact of life. I’m struck by how
different this feels from the contemporary obsession with
“wellness-driven” fasts.
“Sometimes you don’t expect people to challenge York City or an impossible 20 hours
themselves that much, but they overcome a lot during under the midnight sun for Muslims in
Ramadan,” says Tuba. “I see my students becoming softer, Nordic cities such as Oslo or Helsinki.
more aware of the environment and their friends. They Someone asks our hosts what it’s like
wouldn’t usually think about it. But during Ramadan, to sync their appetites to the waxing and
because they’re hungry, they have more empathy. Somehow, waning of the moon. Tuba says she
when you focus on others, you become stronger and learn always misses the feeling of fasting when
to overcome your ego.” it’s over. “At the beginning, you feel like
At five o’clock, guests start arriving and we’re ushered there’s a whole month to fast, and it’s
to the dinner table, where our feast awaits us. Looking going to be hard,” she says. “But what
around, we’re a motley crew made up of a journalist, you don’t really understand is how
a ceramicist, a church minister and a university lecturer. quickly it passes. It’s a social time,
To kick off the festivities, our host Ahmet recites a and you have others on your mind.”
Opposite, from top: Tuba short prayer to give thanks, before officially breaking the Inevitably, our conversation turns to
prepares the iftar feast fast by passing around a small plate of dates — the food food. Since meals are prepared during the
with her mother, Ayse;
Guests (from left) Julia
that, according to traditional Islamic teachings, the prophet hours of fasting, there’s no way of tasting
Manley, Kathy Egea, Muhammad broke his fast with. or adjusting the seasoning as you cook,
John Oldmeadow and With Ramadan currently falling at the start of winter in meaning sometimes things could go
Ahmet Burak Alpay. the southern hemisphere, right now Australia has one of the comically wrong. “Instead of putting salt
Below: Tuba’s father,
Hayrettin with his shortest fasting periods in the world. It’s a breezy 11-hour in something, you might’ve put sugar,”
grandson, Esad Ozturk. stretch of no food or water, compared to 16 hours in New says Tuba. “But you tolerate each other
because you get to make fun of it. And
more importantly — you’re starving.” No
such mistakes are made tonight under Ayse’s watchful eye.
While I’m glad to have turned up with an empty stomach,
I also notice how slowly I’ve been eating — mostly because I’m
wholly absorbed in conversation. Kathy, the university lecturer,
tells of the first iftar she attended, years ago, when her late
husband Alan took her to a dinner hosted by Affinity.

“At Ramadan you reflect on the time

you share with others. Most of all, you
realise the blessings we already have”

Years later, when he became ill, the families they had met
drove halfway across Sydney to the couple’s Balmain home to
bring them homemade Turkish food. “This sense of kindness
isn’t just about religion, but the people,” says Kathy. “The
philosophy of giving that’s built on giving.”
At the iftar, I experienced first-hand the communal spirit
of fasting and feasting, of remembering the needs of others
while we wrestle with our own. “At Ramadan you reflect on
the time you share with others. Most of all, you realise the
blessings we already have — the blessing to be able to drink
water any time you want, or eat any time you want,” says Tuba.
“And you realise to live a good life, you really don’t need
that much.” ●

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 77
BREAD
OF
LIFE
Baking 400 loaves of
flatbread a week is more
than a labour of love for
Lebanese matriarch Salwa
Moubarak. It’s a meditation
that connects her to her
homeland and family, writes
KATRINA MEYNINK.
Photography KARA ROSENLUND

I
f you want to find Salwa Moubarak,
look for her in the kitchen. Never
mind that she’s nearly 70 – she’ll be
there, hands and elbows dusted in
flour, kneading the 400 or so discs
of flatbread needed each week at Gerard’s
Bistro, her son’s Brisbane restaurant. This
is the food of her mother and her mother
before her; every time she heats the saj,
every time she takes the rolling pin in
hand, her connection with Lebanon,
with home and family, her children and
her parents, is renewed.
Gerard’s is a restaurant in Fortitude
Valley celebrated for its modern takes
on Middle Eastern food. Moubarak
works with chef Ben Williamson to
make khobz marquq – the bread that
is an essential accompaniment
to his Lebanese, Turkish and North
African flavours. You’ll find it served
on the side of a lamb tartare with
harissa, perhaps, or folded into a bowl
alongside slow-cooked wagyu brisket
with labne, eggplant and pickles.
Moubarak grew up in a small
village in the Bekaa Valley called Deir
El Ahmar and moved to Melbourne
in 1972, finding work in the Sheridan
factory sewing quilts, pillowcases and
sheets. In 1983, chasing warmer weather,
she moved to Brisbane, buying and selling
fruit shops while raising her four children.
Moubarak first learnt how to make
her golden, chewy flatbread at her
mother’s side. She was one of a dozen
children, number six in a large boisterous
family of eight boys and four girls. She
cooked out of necessity, helping her
mother care for her paraplegic brother
and blind grandmother. There were no
recipes, just an understanding of what
felt right and tasted delicious.
She taught her own kids about their
heritage in the kitchen, recreating the
dishes from her own childhood for theirs.
Hanging labne, shaping kibbeh, making
falafel sandwiches and preserving fruit.
Just like her mother she was exacting
about ingredients, from the type of flour
for bread to the parsley for tabbouleh
(which she insists must be young, soft
and just picked).
In 2012 when her sons Johnny, Elie and Mel Moubarak
opened Gerard’s Bistro, Johnny and chef Williamson asked
her to join them as their baker.
“The key to Salwa’s bread and what makes it so important
to me as a chef is its originality,” says Williamson. “Even when
you travel through Lebanon and taste the countless varieties of
bread, the bread of Salwa’s village is unique. It’s unleavened,
and has a dense chewiness despite being so thin and light.
You can’t buy it anywhere; it’s the ultimate artisan product.”
Before starting at Gerard’s Bistro, Moubarak spent six
months seeking out the perfect flour, trawling supermarket
aisles, visiting Greek and Italian providores, testing and
retesting until finally settling on a whole wheat blend from
a specialist Indian grocer she discovered in the outer suburbs.
Decades spent in Australia finding inventive ways
to recreate Lebanese dishes have opened Moubarak to
change and interpretation. It’s an approach that dovetails with
Williamson’s menus and their mix of the traditional and local,
burghul crackers becoming vehicles for kangaroo and hummus;
the texture of warm falafel crumpets contrasting with kingfish.
“Ben is so honest with his cooking, I trust him,” Moubarak
says. “I trust his abilities to take Lebanese food and make it
something modern and different while never forgetting where
the food came from and what it means. Together, we combine
a thoroughly modern dish with bread – the oldest, simplest
food and act of hospitality there is. And that is very special.”
T
hese days when Moubarak returns to her village in
Deir El Ahmar her reputation precedes her. She is
celebrated for her cooking ability, and particularly
her skills in making the local flatbread. She’s
called “Mou’almeh”, which roughly translates to “life teacher”.
No recipes are written down, they’re passed on through
observation and practice, so her nieces, nephews and friends
flock to her, asking her for advice on cooking, how to make
the best mouneh preserves, choose the freshest flour, or how
to best flip the dough by hand to make the thinnest, most
evenly cooked flatbread. They sit and watch her knead and
turn the dough, committing the patterns and rhythms to
memory for their own children.
Johnny Moubarak loves being able to share a small piece
of his family history with the diners at Gerard’s.
“Mum didn’t have an easy life,” he says. “She deserves a
legacy and it is up to us to create it. And that bread, it’s Mum
to me. I can’t disconnect the two. It represents everything good
about her and our family. Plentiful, shared and full of love.”
For Moubarak herself, making the bread keeps her hands
busy and her mind agile, and keeps an important tradition
alive.“I don’t get bored and I don’t want to stop. I love it. It
relaxes me, in a meditative way,” she says. “It’s important for
me to help my children and to connect me to the family I no
longer see. When no one is around, I knead and I pray. I pray
for my family – my kids and my beautiful grandchildren.” ➤
Gerard’s Bistro, 14/15 James St, Fortitude Valley, Qld,
(07) 3852 3822, gerardsbistro.com.au
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 79
 Salwa’s flatbread
with slow-roasted
brisket, labne and
pickles at Gerard’s
Bistro. Left: Moubarak
MOUBARAK’S ESSENTIAL prepares and cooks
F L AT B R E A D T I P S her flatbread.

• Knead with love.

• Practice makes perfect. The more you
play with flours and kneading and resting
times, the more you’ll understand the
final product.
• Fresh flour will give a better result.
• Humidity will affect the dough, as
will changes in temperature. Adjust
the consistency of the dough based
on how the dough feels after mixing.
It takes some practice, but generally if
it feels too sticky, add a little more flour;
if it’s too dry, add a splash of water.
• Leftover flatbreads will keep frozen laid
flat in snap-lock bags. If you’re freezing
just a few, fold them into triangles first
to stop them cracking. Reheat frozen
flatbreads by microwaving them on high
in 15-second bursts until warm.

KHOBZ MARQUQ
Salwa Moubarak’s Lebanese flatbread
MAKES ABOUT 15 // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS PROVING)

500gm stone-ground wholemeal pin. Pick up the bread and turn

flour (see note)
½ tsp caster sugar
¼ tsp dried yeast
Fine semolina, for dusting
1 Combine flour, sugar, yeast, ½ tsp
salt and 400ml room-temperature
water in an electric mixer fitted with
a dough hook. Knead on medium
speed until dough comes together,
looks smooth and feels elastic and
resistant when pinched (5 minutes;
dough will still be quite wet). Cover
with a damp tea towel and rest
at room temperature for at least
30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
2 Divide dough into 65gm balls and
keep under a damp tea towel. Heat
a saj (see note) to medium-high heat.
On a lightly floured surface and with
floured hands, flatten one ball, then
roll it out into a circle with a rolling
it from one hand to the other,
gently stretching it out, until 1-2mm
thick and about 30cm in diameter.
Working quickly, lay the flatbread
across the centre of the saj and
cook until golden on the base and
bubbles are forming on the surface
(30 seconds), then turn to cook the
other side (30 seconds). Transfer
to a plate and cover with a tea
towel while you roll out and cook
the remaining breads. Serve warm
or at room temperature.
Note Stone-ground wholemeal flour
is available from select grocers and
health-food shops. Moubarak uses
a saj, a domed cast-iron pan, to cook
her flatbread. If you don’t have a saj,
she recommends an upturned wok
heated over gas, a cast-iron pan, or
a crêpe pan, but the bread may take
longer to cook and have less char. ●

80 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
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 with

Integrated
extractor

Powerflex zones
 Cardamom
nut cake

p
PHOTOGRAPHY BEN DEARNLEY

Nuts, Israeli street food, Bar Saracen’s fresh spin on Lebanese,

Greg Malouf ’s meals to share, and exploring the Palestinian table.
 Recipes LISA FEATHERBY
Photography BEN DEARNLEY
Food preparation MAX ADEY
Styling GERALDINE MUÑOZ
Drink suggestions MAX ALLEN

Persian
chicken

p 86
Jewelled
rice
Whipped into dip, baked into
baklava, or bringing crunch
p87 and colour to buttery rice,
nuts are a crucial component
for Middle Eastern dishes
with impact. Get cracking.
 Smoky eggplant
and walnut dip
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS
// COOK 25 MINS (PLUS DRAINING)

Walnut dip meets baba

ghanoush in the best of ways.
We’ve topped it with pickled
turnips for bite, but extra
walnuts for crunch would also
go nicely, as would a few herbs
and a sprinkling of sumac or
paprika. Begin this recipe a day
ahead to drain the yoghurt.

250 gm Greek-style yoghurt

2 large eggplant
100 gm walnuts, soaked in
cold water for 10 minutes
2 tsp hulled tahini
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp dry-roasted cumin seeds
(see cook’s notes, p192),
finely ground with a mortar
and pestle
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil,
for drizzling
Pickled turnips (see note),
black and white sesame
seeds, sumac, mint,
coriander, and grilled
flatbread, to serve

1 Spoon yoghurt into a

muslin-lined sieve over a bowl,
cover and refrigerate overnight
to drain.
2 Cook eggplant over an open
flame either on a rack on a gas
stove or on a barbecue, turning
occasionally, until charred and
soft (at least 20-25 minutes).
Halve lengthways and drain,
flesh-side down, in a colander
in the sink.
3 Scoop out eggplant flesh and
purée in a food processor with
drained yoghurt, walnuts, tahini,
garlic, cumin and lemon juice
and season to taste.
4 Spoon eggplant dip onto a
large platter, drizzle with olive oil,
top with pickled turnips, sesame
seeds, sumac and herbs, and
serve with grilled flatbread.
Note Pickled turnips are available
from Middle Eastern grocers.
Beer suggestion Turkish lager.
Persian chicken
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS
// COOK 1 HR (PLUS DRYING)
Also known as fesenjan, this
Iranian dish of chicken braised
in walnut sauce is at once
piquant and comforting. The
secret? Pomegranate molasses.
The quantity here is a guide –
add more to the pot and the
dish will come out sweet and
tart, or use it like you would
lemon juice, seasoning at the
end to cut the richness.
Pictured p84.
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 chicken Marylands, jointed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp ghee
Large pinch of ground
cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
3 tsp pomegranate molasses,
or to taste, plus extra
to serve
300 ml chicken stock
55 gm (⅓ cup) almonds
50 gm (½ cup) walnuts
Red onion, sliced into rings,
and coriander, to serve
Jewelled rice (see recipe
opposite; optional), to serve
1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat
oil in a flameproof casserole
over medium-high heat. Season
chicken, add to pan skin-side
down, and cook, turning
occasionally, until golden,
(6-8 minutes). Remove from
casserole. Reduce heat to
medium, add onion and ghee to
casserole and stir occasionally
until onion is soft and starting
to brown (10-12 minutes). Stir
in cinnamon, paprika and
pomegranate molasses, then
add stock and bring to the boil.
Return chicken to casserole,
transfer to oven and braise
until tender and cooked
through (40-45 minutes).
Season sauce to taste.
2 Meanwhile, pound nuts with a
mortar and pestle until coarsely
ground, then stir into sauce.
Bring to a simmer over medium
heat, stirring occasionally
until combined (4-6 minutes).
Season with pomegranate
molasses and serve topped
with onion and coriander with
rice on the side.
Wine suggestion Exotically
perfumed viognier.

86 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Jewelled rice Turkish-style FLATBREADS
½ tsp dried yeast
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 55 MINS (PLUS STANDING) bread topped 375 gm (2½ cups) plain flour,
The trick here is to let a crust form on the base of the rice, which with lamb, spices plus extra for dusting
you then fold together with all the dried fruit and nuts. Enriched
with ghee and safron, and combining crunch and fluiness, it’s a
and pine nuts 1 For flatbreads, dissolve
side that competes for top billing with any main course. Pictured p85. SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS
yeast in 300ml lukewarm water.
// COOK 40 MINS (PLUS PROVING)
Combine flour and a large pinch
400 gm (2 cups) long-grain rice, and stir until fragrant, then add Minced lamb can sometimes of salt in an electric mixer fitted
such as basmati, rinsed well drained fruit and half the safron act almost like a seasoning, with the dough hook. Add yeast
80 gm (⅓ cup) ghee water and stir to combine. or a garnish in Middle Eastern mixture and knead until a soft
1 large onion, finely chopped 3 Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a large cuisine, scattered over dough forms (6-8 minutes). Turn
1 cinnamon quill casserole over high heat. hummus, say, or topping a out onto a lightly floured surface
1 tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted Add half the rice, spreading it lentil soup. In the case of these and divide into six balls. Place
(see cook’s notes, p192) over base of casserole, scatter spicy Turkish-style flatbreads, balls on a floured tray, leaving
and finely ground with a with fruit mixture and half the inspired by lahmacun, the 10cm between each, and set
mortar and pestle nuts, then pile the remaining application is rather more aside for 1 hour to prove.
6 cardamom pods, bruised rice on top in a pyramid shape generous, and the final dish 2 Preheat oven to 250°C.
4 cloves so that it doesn’t touch the is all the better for it. Combine shanklish, lamb, chilli,
50 gm each golden raisins sides. Poke a few holes into garlic and cumin in a bowl. Roll
and dried barberries the rice, pour remaining ghee 175 gm shanklish (see note) or out dough to 5mm-thick rounds
(see note), soaked in cold into holes, then cook, without firm feta, coarsely grated on a lightly floured surface,
water for 5 minutes stirring, until rice smells toasted 250 gm coarsely minced lamb then scatter each round evenly
Large pinch of safron and fragrant (4-5 minutes). 3 long red chillies, coarsely with lamb mixture, leaving a
threads, crumbled and Drizzle remaining safron chopped small border. Transfer to oven
soaked in 60ml boiling water over rice, then reduce 1 garlic clove, crushed trays lined with baking paper,
water heat to low, cover and cook for 1½ tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted drizzle with olive oil and bake
70 gm roasted slivered 30 minutes. Turn of heat, stand (see cook’s notes, p192) (in batches if necessary) until
almonds, coarsely chopped for 10 minutes, then transfer and finely ground with a crisp at the edges but soft in
70 gm (½ cup) coarsely to a platter. Mix rice and serve mortar and pestle the centre (15-20 minutes).
chopped pistachio nuts scattered with remaining nuts. Extra-virgin olive oil, Scatter with pine nuts, sprinkle
Note Barberries, small dried red for drizzling with mint and serve with
1 Boil rice in a large saucepan berries with a tart flavour, are Roasted pine nuts, thinly pickled chillies.
of boiling water until par-cooked available from select Middle sliced mint and pickled long Note Shanklish, a hard sheep’s
(5-7 minutes). Drain well. Eastern grocers, delicatessens green chillies, to serve milk cheese coated in za’atar,
2 Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small and online from pariya.com is available from Middle
saucepan over medium heat. Wine suggestion Aromatic Eastern grocers.
Add onion, season lightly and rich pinot gris. Beer suggestion Turkish lager. ➤
with salt and stir until softened
(10-12 minutes). Add spices

PREVIOUS PAGES Persian

chicken and jewelled rice
Brass handled saucepan
(with chicken), brass spoons
and green tumblers all from
Water Tiger. Harvest Clay
white plate from Nice
Martin. White tiles (used
throughout) from Aeria
Country Floors. Petra Solis
Signum Somnium patterned
tiles (used throughout)
from Teranova Ceramics.
Turkish bread with lamb
Green tumbler from Water
Tiger. Eggplant Dip Bowl and
small plate both from Luna
Ceramics. All other props
stylist’s own. Stockists p192.

Dukkah with quail eggs Raku
clay bowl with pinched edge
(with quail eggs) from Chef
Vs Clay. Cardamom nut cake
Plate from Luna Ceramics.
All other props stylist’s own.
Stockists p192.
88 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Dukkah with
quail eggs and
flatbread
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS
// COOK 15 MINS (PLUS STANDING)
Claudia Roden may chuckle
when she thinks of dukkah’s
popularity these days (see p72),
but it’s grounded in one simple
reason: It tastes great. Serve
it with salty cheese, or as
we’ve done here, with quail
eggs, as a fine way to
kick of a party.
24 quail eggs, at room
temperature
Flatbread, to serve
Ghee, for brushing
Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
DUKKAH
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
100 gm roasted hazelnuts,
rubbed in a tea towel
to remove skins
2 tsp dried oregano,
preferably rigani (Greek
oregano; see note)
1 For dukkah, dry-roast spices in
a frying pan over medium-high
heat until fragrant (1-2 minutes;
see cook’s notes p192). Grind
with a mortar and pestle, then
transfer to a bowl with sesame
seeds. Coarsely pound
hazelnuts, in batches, and add
to spice mixture with oregano
and 2 tsp sea salt flakes.
2 Cook eggs in a saucepan of
boiling water until soft-boiled
(2½ minutes). Transfer to a bowl
of iced water to chill (10 minutes).
Peel eggs while wet, place in
a bowl of iced water and
refrigerate until required.
3 Preheat a barbecue or grill
to high, brush flatbread with
ghee and grill, turning, until
charred (1-2 minutes each side).
4 Serve dukkah with drained
quail eggs, olive oil and
flatbread for dipping.
Note Rigani, dried wild Greek
oregano, is available from
select delicatessens.
Beer suggestion Um, Turkish
lager? ➤
Cardamom
nut cake

p 90
 Pistachio baklava 4 Preheat oven to 180°C. With
a sharp knife, cut baklava into
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 45 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
8 even wedges (imagine cutting
a pizza), then within each wedge
The basic technique for baklava is relatively straightforward –
make two sets of two cuts to
layer fillo; add butter – but there’s scope for experimentation in
form diamonds. Bake until crisp,
the soaking syrup. We’ve added cinnamon and lemon, but try it
golden and cooked through
with rosewater, orange blossom, or with honey instead of sugar.
(35-45 minutes; cover loosely
with foil partway through
200 gm pistachio nuts a sheet over the base of the cooking if the top is browning
400 gm (4 cups) walnuts dish, brush with butter, and fold too quickly).
75 gm (⅓ cup) caster sugar overhanging fillo back over 5 Meanwhile, for syrup,
375 gm fillo pastry onto the base, brushing again combine ingredients with
180 gm butter, melted with butter. Repeat with 9 more 300ml water in a saucepan.
SYRUP sheets, laying them at varying Bring to the boil, stirring to
200 gm caster sugar angles to cover the circular dissolve sugar, then remove
Zested rind of 1 lemon pan. Scatter half the nut from heat and leave to infuse
1 cinnamon quill mixture over the top, then (15-20 minutes). Remove
top with half the remaining cinnamon quill and discard.
1 Grease a 3cm-deep, fillo sheets to cover, brushing 6 Cool baklava briefly
25cm-26cm round oven dish each layer with butter as you (2-3 minutes), then pour
or cake pan. go. Scatter with remaining the syrup over it. Allow to
2 Process nuts and sugar in nuts and cover with remaining cool completely at room
a food processor until finely sheets of fillo, brushing with temperature (overnight if
chopped and combined. butter, then place a final sheet possible) before serving.
3 Working with one fillo sheet of fillo on top, trimming it neatly Baklava will keep, covered
at a time (cover remaining fillo to fit. Smooth top and brush tightly in the tray, for 2 days.
with a damp tea towel while with butter, then refrigerate Wine suggestion Sweet
you work), lay two-thirds of until firm (1 hour). auslese riesling.

Cardamom nut cake

SERVES 8-10 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 1-1¼ HRS (PLUS COOLING)

A fragrant, nutty cake with a lot of moisture and richness to it. It’s not a Persian love cake,
but we couldn’t help throwing a few rose petals on top for a romantic touch. Pictured p89.

160 gm softened unsalted butter,
plus extra for greasing
Plain flour, for dusting
250 gm raw sugar
150 gm almonds, very finely
chopped
65 gm finely chopped walnuts
65 gm finely chopped pistachio
nuts, plus extra, coarsely
chopped to serve
Seeds from 7 cardamom
pods (½ tsp seeds), crushed
with a mortar and pestle
4 eggs
150 gm (1¼ cups) almond meal
½ tsp baking powder
80 gm plain yoghurt,
well stirred
Rose petals (see note), and
small roses, to serve
LEMON & ROSE ICING
90 gm (¼ cup) pure icing
sugar, sifted
Juice of ½-1 lemon
Few drops of rosewater
1 Preheat oven to 150°C. Butter
and flour a 22cm-diameter cake
tin and line the base with baking
paper. Beat butter and sugar
in an electric mixer until pale
(6-8 minutes). Stir in nuts and
cardamom seeds, then with the
motor running, add eggs one at
a time, beating well after each
addition. Fold in almond meal
and baking powder, then fold
in yoghurt. Spoon batter into
prepared tin and bake until
a skewer withdraws clean
(1¼-1½ hours). Cool in tin
(15-20 minutes). Carefully turn
out onto a plate, then invert
onto a wire rack so the original
top is facing up. Cool completely.
2 Meanwhile, for lemon and
rose icing, stir ingredients in a
bowl to combine. Transfer cake
to a plate, drizzle with icing and
serve topped with rose petals,
roses and pistachio nuts.
Note We brushed some
of the petals with eggwhite
then dusted them with
caster sugar and semi-dried
them (we let them stand at room Baklava Large shallow dish
(with baklava) from Little
temperature for 2 hours) for
White Dish. Small saucer
decoration, but this is optional. from Luna Ceramics. All
Wine suggestion Sweet other props stylist’s own.
Rutherglen muscat. ● Stockists p192.

90 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Pistachio baklava
Eyal Shani is known for
his rock-star approach
to Israeli street food as
much as his pita. At his
Melbourne outpost
of Miznon the food is
as irreverent as the
atmosphere, with
feasting and fun the
key ingredients.
 P it a
ma ster
Recipes EYAL SHANI & AFIK GAL Words MICHAEL HARDEN

Photography BEN DEARNLEY Styling GERALDINE MUÑOZ

Food preparation JACLYN KOLUDROVIC

 Burnt beetroot
carpaccio

p 97

Eggplant lines

p 97
PREVIOUS PAGES
Wooden plates (stack) from
Manon Bis. Koichi copper
cutlery (left page) from
Spence & Lyda. Grigio
Carnico Cobblestones tiles
(used throughout) from
Aeria Country Floors.
Embroidered cushions
from Ruby Star Traders.
Striped cushion from
Spence & Lyda. All other
props stylist’s own. THESE
PAGES Black cutlery
(eggplant) from Spence &
Lyda. Cushion (right page)
from Spence & Lyda. All
other props stylist’s own.
Stockists p192.
 Lemon-cured
sardines
p 97
Menu
Eggplant lines
Burnt beetroot carpaccio
Lemon-cured sardines
Intimate wagyu stew
Whole roasted cabbage cake
Bag of green beans
Milk pudding in espresso
F
or Eyal Shani it’s as much about the feel as the flavour.
The Israeli restaurateur and celebrity chef opened the
first Australian outlet of Miznon, his “fine dining in
a fast-food mask” restaurant, in Melbourne last year.
It’s a raucous, high energy, tambourine-thumping kind of place,
like a constant celebration.
“I need energy,” Shani says. “Making street food is all about
getting the energy from the street, of people on the move. I take
that energy and put it into the food.”
These dishes are all from the menu at Miznon Melbourne,
where Afik Gal, Shani’s long-term collaborator, runs the show.
“The dishes that we are doing here are all about Eyal’s
approach and attitude towards ingredients,” says Gal. “It has to be
all about freshness – hardly anything at Miznon is rolled over to
the next day – and pursuing the finest ingredients that you can.
“We give vegetables the stage. We hardly do any manipulation
or any elaborate cooking processes. We use only black pepper and
Atlantic sea salt as flavourings, so that the characteristic flavour
and shape of the vegetables is emphasised. Sometimes we might
make a dish that relies on something traditional, but mostly we
keep the idea of fresh ingredients as the main one.”
Shani’s relationship to his ingredients and his technique
are unique.
“Eggplant Lines” is inspired by cocaine, “the way it is cut into
rows by a rhythmic, slightly nervous pulse that opens it with the
edge of a credit card”. On the plate, the rather more wholesome
option of molten eggplant mixed with tahini stands in for the
drug, and the precise cutting technique is all about ensuring that
the eggplant retains its shape.
Shani talks about beetroot as being “an animal with a firm
body that can withstand high temperatures”, and calls his
whole-cabbage dish a “cabbage cake” because of the sweetness the
cabbage attains when slow-cooked and how it is served in wedges.
The cooking at Miznon is the real deal, but it’s not a place
where anyone is encouraged to take themselves too seriously.
Fun is the key consideration. At HaSalon, the Tel Aviv restaurant
where Gal first worked for Shani a decade ago, everything was
cooked from scratch each day, and every night the restaurant
would turn into a “wild animalistic zoo with people dancing on
the tables, people hanging from the roof – a feast and a party”.
“People ask me if this is Israeli food and I say it’s more
about an approach to ingredients, that’s what we do,” says Gal.
“What’s most important is that there’s an atmosphere of feast
and happiness and love.”
Miznon, 59 Hardware La, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9670 2861,
miznonaustralia.com
 Intimate
wagyu stew

p 99

THESE PAGES
Cushion (far right)
from Spence & Lyda.
Navy bowl from Batch
Ceramics. Serving
spoon (in wagyu
stew) from Quies.
Stacked plates
from Ondene.
Embroidered taupe
cushion (centre) from
Ruby Star Traders. All
other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p192.

96 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Eggplant lines
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 5 MINS
// COOK 1 HR 20 MINS
“The cutting technique in this
recipe is all about preserving
the shape of the eggplant,”
says Afik Gal. “Make sure
to keep the stem on during
the peeling, cutting and
serving stages.” Pictured p94.
2 small eggplant
140 gm (½ cup) tahini
Olive oil, to serve
Preheat oven to as hot as it
will go (about 250°C). Roast
eggplant on an oven tray lined
with baking paper until its skin
turns black, hard, tight and
shiny (50 minutes to 1 hour).
Remove from oven and allow
to cool slightly.
Spoon tahini onto a plate.
Make a vertical slit in the
eggplant skin with a sharp
knife from the stalk down to
reveal the flesh underneath.
Gently pull the eggplant from
its skin, removing the burnt
skin from all sides. The flesh
should come out in one piece
and the skin should come away
from the flesh like walls. Avoid
removing the skin under the
tap; if the eggplant gets wet
it won’t separate easily. If it’s
proving diicult use a knife
to help. Place eggplant on
top of the tahini and cut it with
a precise piston-like motion,
millimetre by millimetre from
one end to the next with a
metal scraper or a sharp knife
until chopped, but with the
eggplant shape still intact
Season to taste with salt and
drizzle with oil to serve.
Lemon-cured
sardines
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 10 MINS
(PLUS CURING)
“You can eat these after an
hour, which is the way I prefer
them,” says Gal. “The outside
of the sardine is cured, but the
inside is still raw and sweet, a
nice contrast with the texture,
and you can still taste the sea.
You can also eat this the next
day. It’s firmer the longer you
leave it in the salt and lemon,
but you can stop the curing
process by taking the fish out
and putting them in olive oil.”
Pictured p95.
2 tbsp sea salt
6 sardines, filleted,
skin removed
Juice of 2 lemons,
or to taste
1 long green chilli, thinly
sliced, or to taste
1 radish, thinly sliced
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
Sprinkle half the salt on
the bottom of a shallow bowl.
Place sardines skin-side up on
top and sprinkle the rest of the
salt on top. Pour lemon juice
over sardines, add chilli and
refrigerate to cure (30 minutes
to a day). Remove sardines and
pat dry with a paper towel.
Serve sardine fillets topped
with chilli, radish and onion
and drizzled with olive oil.
Burnt beetroot carpaccio
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 5 MINS // COOK 1 HR 15 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
“Use a very sharp knife to thinly slice the charred beets. The
slicing is when the magic is revealed,” says Eyal Shani. “The
beetroot heart has remained untouched. It’s red, full of life. Most
of its fluid has evaporated leaving him weightless, but still juicy,
sweeter than ever, bearing unique mineral flavours within
that are unparalleled.” Pictured p94.
10 beetroot
Grated horseradish,
to serve
2 tbsp olive oil
30 gm finely grated fresh
horseradish mixed with
100gm crème fraîche
Preheat a wood-fired oven
to high, or your home oven as
hot as it will go (about 250°C).
Wash beetroot under cold
running water, place on
a baking tray lined with baking
paper and roast until charred
and beetroot have lost about
half their weight (1-1¼ hours).
Remove and set aside to cool
(1½-2 hours, depending on size).
Thinly slice beetroot with a
sharp knife and spread over
a plate, with the discs slightly
overlapping. Sprinkle with salt
to taste and grated horseradish,
drizzle with olive oil and serve
with a spoonful of horseradish
crème fraîche. ➤

Whole roasted
cabbage cake
SERVES 8 // PREP TIME 5 MINS
// COOK 5 HRS
“The best kind of cabbage to
use for this recipe is a flatter,
oval kind of spaceship-shaped
white cabbage,” says Gal.
“Choose a cabbage that’s
not too heavy. The heavier
cabbages are denser with
the layers of leaves closer
together, so the texture
is not as soft and silky.”
Whole
roasted
cabbage
cake
1 small (about 2½-3kg) white
cabbage
200 gm unsalted butter, diced
Sour cream, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 150°C.
Remove loose outer leaves of
cabbage, then place cabbage
in a large ovenproof pot or
casserole to fit snugly. Add
enough water to fill pot one-third
full. Scatter over butter and
sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, then bring
to the boil. Cover with baking
paper, then with a lid, and bake,
checking every couple of hours
and adding more water if
needed, until cabbage is soft
and you can easily put a knife
through it (4½-5 hours).
2 Remove lid and baking
paper and continue cooking
until top of cabbage is deep
golden brown (20-30 minutes).
Transfer cabbage to a serving
plate and keep warm.
3 Reduce cooking liquid over
high heat until it’s a thick and
shiny sauce (20-30 minutes).
4 Slice cabbage into wedges
like a cake and serve with
sauce spooned on top with
a dollop of sour cream.
Bag of green beans
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 5 MINS
// COOK 10 MINS
“This is an evolution of an
Israeli dish,” says Gal. “We
used to go to the Palestinian
territories in East Jerusalem
to get beans because there,
produce is farmed traditionally
and is much better. When Eyal
came here and saw how many
varieties of beans there were,
he decided the Australian
version would include at least
six diferent varieties of bean.
We serve them in a paper bag
because it looks good that way.
And it saves on washing up.”
200 gm sea salt
500 gm green beans, or a
variety of beans and peas
½ garlic clove, finely grated
Juice and finely grated rind
of ½ lemon
2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Add salt to 5 litres of water
in a large saucepan and bring
to the boil. Add beans and boil
until they start to soften or
are cooked to your liking
(6-8 minutes for soft beans;
if using more than one kind,
cook them separately). Drain
and refresh in a big bowl filled
with ice-cold water to stop the
cooking and keep a bright
green colour for the beans.
When completely cold, drain
beans and set aside in a
strainer to drain completely.
2 Put beans in a bowl big
enough to mix. Add garlic,
lemon juice and rind, and olive
oil, mix well, season to taste
with sea salt and serve.

Bag of
THESE PAGES green
Copper spoon beans
(in sour cream) and
long spoon (in salt)
from Quies. Linen
napkin (right page)
from Hale Mercantile
Co. Bowl (with beans)
from Ondene. All
other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p192.

98 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Intimate wagyu stew casserole and add chilli. Add
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 4 HRS enough water to cover meat by
about 2cm and season to taste
“Eyal calls this ‘intimate’ wagyu because it used to be made with with sea salt (the best thing to
the onglet, an intimate part of the cow that there’s only one of and do is taste the liquid after it’s
that few people get to eat,” says Gal. “This dish is all about the long, boiled to check seasoning).
slow cook to get the meat to melting point – at Miznon we cook it Bring to the boil, cover with a
overnight for seven to eight hours.” Pictured p96. lid and braise in the oven until
tender (3¾-4 hours). Uncover,
1 kg wagyu chuck, cut into Preheat oven to 150°C. increase temperature to 220°C
4cm pieces Toss meat in a bowl with 60ml and cook until liquid is reduced
80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil olive oil and ground pepper slightly and meat darkens
10 gm (¼ cup) coarsely ground to coat well. Heat a casserole (15 minutes). Serve with warm
black peppercorns (preferably cast iron) over high pita pockets and pickles. ➤
1 carrot, quartered heat and when it’s very hot,
lengthways and cut sear the meat in two batches
into chunks stirring occasionally, until deep
½ parsnip, cut into chunks golden (5-6 minutes). Transfer
½ white onion, quartered to a plate. Add remaining
½ long green chilli, finely olive oil to casserole, then add
chopped vegetables and stir occasionally
Warm pita pockets and to get some colour on them
Israeli pickles, such as (3-5 minutes).
dill-pickled cucumbers, Remove casserole from
to serve heat, return the meat to the
100 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Milk pudding in espresso
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

“This one requires some attention because you’re working

with raw eggs,” says Gal. “You need to cook the pudding
over high heat until you get the right texture – more like aïoli
than mayonnaise or custard – but you don’t want to cook the
eggs too much and end up with an omelette flavour. To cool
it down and stop the cooking process, put the pudding in
ice or keep stirring it after you’ve taken it of the heat.”
“Making
500 ml (2 cups) milk Heat milk, lemon rind, sage, street food
1 thin piece of lemon rind, chilli and pinch of sea salt in is all about
removed with a peeler a saucepan to just under the
2 sage leaves boil, then remove from heat.
getting the
Pinch of dried chilli flakes Cover with plastic wrap and energy from
3 extra-large egg yolks stand to infuse (10 minutes), the street, of
(from 60gm-65gm eggs) then strain (discard solids).
60 gm caster sugar Beat egg yolks with sugar
people on the
40 gm cornflour and cornflour in an electric move. I take
50 gm butter, diced and chilled mixer until flufy and pale in that energy
2 espresso shots, made just colour (6-7 minutes). Very
before serving slowly add milk mixture to and put it into
egg yolk mixture, return to the food.”
pan over medium heat and
whisk vigorously until pudding
is thick, silky and resembles
aïoli (12-15 minutes). Remove
THESE PAGES from heat, stir in chilled butter
Blue velvet cushion until melted, then immediately
and small green
place pan in an ice bath to
bowl (with spoons)
from Manon Bis. lower the external temperature
Striped cushion from and keep stirring until the
Spence & Lyda. pudding reaches room
Taupe embraoidered temperature (8-10 minutes).
cushion from Ruby
Star Traders. All other
Serve pudding drizzled
props stylist’s own. with 2-3 tbsp freshly brewed
Stockists p192. espresso-strength cofee. ●
 u nd t a b
o
R

le
Baharat lamb
shoulder with
pearl onions and
moghrabieh

Greg Malouf, our home-grown
godfather of Middle Eastern ine-
dining, balances modernity and
tradition with dishes true to the
spirit of Eastern feasting.
p 104
Recipes GREG MALOUF
Photography BEN DEARNLEY
Styling LYNSEY FRYERS
Drink matches MAX ALLEN
Food preparation NICK BANBURY
Fried cauliflower
with parmesan
wafers and
tahini yoghurt

p 104
 Baharat lamb shoulder
with onions and moghrabieh
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 4 HRS
“Lamb rubbed with spices and cooked slowly is quite a traditional
preparation in the Middle East,” says Greg Malouf. “Served with
moghrabieh, giant couscous, this is a great dish to put in the middle
of the table with some yoghurt and away you go.” Pictured p102.
6 garlic cloves, 2 sliced,
remaining left whole
⅓ cup (loosely packed)
oregano
150 ml olive oil
1 large (2kg) lamb shoulder
without shank, cut through
the bone into 6 equal pieces
(see note), trimmed of
excess fat
1 tbsp Turkish chilli flakes
(see note)
2.1 litres chicken stock
12 salad onions, trimmed
1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp each ground cumin
and ground coriander seeds
1 long red chilli, seeds
removed and thinly sliced
1 fresh bay leaf
600 gm moghrabieh (pearl
couscous)
200 gm canned chickpeas,
drained
12 cherry tomatoes, blistered
under a grill (2-3 minutes),
peeled
Lemon juice, to season
Coriander leaves (optional)
and extra-virgin olive oil,
to serve
BAHARAT SPICE MIX
1¼ tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp finely ground black
peppercorns
¾ tsp cumin seeds, finely
ground
½ tsp each ground coriander
seeds, ground cinnamon
and ground cloves
¼ tsp each ground cardamom
and ground star anise
Small pinch of grated
nutmeg
1 For baharat (see note), sift all
spices together. Makes about
1½ tbsp. Store in an airtight
container for up to six months.
2 Pound whole garlic cloves
and 2 tsp salt to a fine paste
with a mortar and pestle. Add
oregano, 50ml olive oil and 2 tsp
baharat and pound to a paste,
then massage into lamb.
104 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
3 Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat
50ml olive oil in a large frying
pan over medium-high heat.
Fry lamb, turning, until golden
(4-6 minutes). Add chilli flakes
and 1.5 litres stock, bring to
a simmer, then transfer to a
baking dish that fits lamb
snugly. Cover with baking paper
and foil, then roast, basting
every hour, until lamb is tender
(3¼-4 hours). Uncover, increase
heat to 180°C, add salad
onions and roast until lamb
is golden and onions are soft
(20-30 minutes). Transfer lamb
to a bowl, remove excess fat
from cooking liquid (place paper
towels on the surface, then
remove and discard) then return
lamb to liquid and keep warm.
4 Meanwhile, heat remaining
oil in a large casserole over
medium heat, add diced onion
and sliced garlic, and sauté
until softened (4-5 minutes).
Add cumin and coriander
seeds and stir until fragrant
(1-2 minutes). Add chilli, bay leaf,
moghrabieh and remaining
stock to just cover and bring to
the boil. Season to taste, cover,
reduce heat to low and simmer,
stirring occasionally, until tender
(25-30 minutes). Add chickpeas
and tomatoes, and simmer until
stock is absorbed (5-7 minutes).
Season to taste with salt
and lemon.
5 Stir coarsely shredded lamb
through moghrabieh, top with
coriander and drizzle extra-virgin
olive oil to serve.
Note Ask the butcher to
prepare the lamb for you.
Turkish chilli flakes are available
from Middle Eastern grocers.
Pre-mixed baharat is available
from Middle Eastern grocers
and Herbie’s Spices
(herbies.com.au).
Wine suggestion Gutsy
mourvèdre.
ZAHRA MAQLIA
Fried cauliflower
with parmesan
wafers and
tahini yoghurt
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS
// COOK 25 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
“Parmesan crisps add intrigue
to this traditional dish,” says
Malouf. Pictured p103.
Sunflower or canola oil,
for deep-frying
1 large (about 1kg) cauliflower,
cut into large florets
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
PARMESAN WAFERS
30 gm pine nuts, coarsely
chopped
30 gm parmesan, grated
¼ tsp dry-roasted cumin
seeds, crushed with a
mortar and pestle (see
cook’s notes p192)
TAHINI YOGHURT
70 gm (¼ cup) hulled tahini
340 gm Greek-style yoghurt
1 small garlic clove,
crushed with a mortar and
pestle with 1 tsp sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 For wafers, preheat oven to
180°C. Combine ingredients in
a bowl. Line a large oven tray
with baking paper and sprinkle
2 tsp mixture at a time into 7cm
rounds (using an egg ring or
pastry cutter if available). Bake
until light golden (8-10 minutes),
cool briefly on tray (5 minutes),
then transfer to a wire rack to
cool completely. Makes 12.
Wafers will keep in an airtight
container for up to a week.
2 For tahini yoghurt, whisk
tahini and yoghurt in a bowl until
combined. Stir in garlic mixture
and lemon juice, season with salt
to taste and chill until needed.
3 Heat oil to 180°C and deep-fry
cauliflower in batches until
golden (3-5 minutes). Drain
on paper towels and douse
with lemon juice.
4 Spoon tahini yoghurt onto
a plate, top with cauliflower,
wafers and sesame seeds,
season to taste and serve.
Wine suggestion Savoury
sparkling chardonnay.
FUL MEDAMES
Burrata with
broad bean and
chickpea stew
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS
// COOK 5 MINS
“This take on ful medames,
the Egyptian breakfast dish,
benefits from the burrata that
oozes out into it,” says Malouf.
“It’s a wonderful marriage.”
400 gm canned ful medames
(see note)
800 gm canned chickpeas,
drained and rinsed
1 garlic clove, crushed with
a mortar and pestle with
1 tsp sea salt
Juice of 2 lemons
1 ripe Roma tomato, cut into
5mm dice
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 tbsp ground cumin, plus
extra to serve
60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin
olive oil, plus 1 tbsp extra
for drizzling
2 tbsp shredded flat-leaf
parsley
6 small burrata (about
100gm each)
½ tsp Turkish chilli flakes
(see note)
½ cup purslane (see note) or
watercress leaves
1 Heat ful medames, including
liquid, and chickpeas in a
saucepan over medium heat
until hot, but not boiling. Stir
in garlic mixture, lemon juice,
tomato, onion and cumin, then
lightly crush a quarter of the
mixture with the back of a spoon
to bind. Add oil, increase heat to
medium-high and bring to the
boil. Remove from heat and stir
in parsley.
2 Transfer to a large shallow
bowl and top with burrata.
Sprinkle with extra cumin, chilli,
purslane and 1 tsp sea salt and
drizzle with oil to serve.
Note Canned ful medames,
broad beans, and Turkish
chilli flakes are available from
Middle Eastern food shops.
Purslane is available from
select greengrocers.
Wine suggestion Spicy, juicy
grenache. ➤
 Burrata with
broad bean and
chickpea stew

PREVIOUS PAGES
Lamb shoulder Braccia
porcelain tile from Olympic
Tiles. Fried cauliflower
Moorish Night and Cubic tiles
from Jatana Interiors. Chef Vs
Clay platter from Sydney Clay
Studio. Burrata with beans
Spangle floor tile from Earp
Bros. All other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p192.
 single layer until golden brown
and crisp (4-6 minutes).
4 Heat remaining olive oil in
a small saucepan over medium
heat. Add almonds and stir
constantly, until lightly coloured
(3-4 minutes). Remove with a
Chicken fatteh 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Blend slotted spoon and cool on paper
coriander, 2 garlic cloves, 60ml towels. Repeat with pine nuts.
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 40 MINS
olive oil and a pinch of salt in a 5 Reduce oven to 180°C. Layer
“The term fatteh comes from the Arabic word ‘fatta’, meaning to blender until smooth. half the chicken and cooking
crumble bread, and it’s a dish loved all over the Arab world,” says 2 Heat a large ovenproof liquid in a large (about 2 litres)
Malouf, “My version pairs spiced chicken with yoghurt, nuts and saucepan over medium heat. ovenproof serving bowl with half
coriander-garlic sauce, and of course, plenty of toasted bread.” Season chicken with salt and each of the chickpea mixture,
white pepper. Heat 1½ tbsp oil yoghurt and toasted mountain
1 cup (loosely packed) 12 golden shallots, peeled in pan, then add butter, spices bread. Repeat layering, top
coriander 12 cherry tomatoes, blistered and remaining garlic. Cook until with 2 generous spoonfuls of
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced under a grill (2-3 minutes), fragrant (1 minute), add chicken, coriander purée, sprinkle with
150 ml olive oil peeled turn to coat, then remove from fried nuts, cover bowl with
1 kg boneless chicken thighs, 6 small thyme sprigs pan. Add chickpeas, shallots, reserved sheet of mountain
skin on 1 tsp dried Greek oregano tomatoes, thyme, oregano bread and bake until golden
30 gm butter (see note) and stock to pan and season (5 minutes). Remove top sheet
1 tbsp ground cumin 600 ml hot chicken stock to taste. Place chicken on top, of bread, spoon over remaining
1 tsp ground coriander seeds Juice of 1 lemon add lemon juice and drizzle coriander purée and serve.
1 tsp ground ginger 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake Note Turkish chilli flakes are
1 tsp Turkish chilli flakes 4 sheets mountain bread on middle shelf until chicken is available from Middle Eastern
(see note) (see note) cooked through (20-30 minutes; grocers. Dried Greek oregano
½ tsp ground turmeric 40 gm slivered almonds juices will run clear when (rigani) is available from Greek
Pinch of safron, lightly 40 gm pine nuts pierced with a skewer). delicatessens. Mountain bread
toasted and crushed 200 gm Greek-style yoghurt 3 Tear bread into pieces, is available from supermarkets.
400 gm canned chickpeas, reserving 1 piece, and roast torn Wine suggestion Pale but
drained and rinsed bread in 2 large oven trays in a gutsy Bandol rosé. ➤

106 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Duck pie Popham
Brasilia tiles from
Onsite. Oh-Chilli
29000 tile from Earp
Bros. Chicken fatteh
Braccia tile from
Olympic Tiles. All
other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p192.

Duck pie with

pomegranate
and walnuts

p 108
 Freekeh with pumpkin and mushrooms sherry, pumpkin, freekeh and
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 35 MINS (PLUS DRAINING, SOAKING) stock to completely cover.
Season to taste and bring to
“Freekeh, roasted green wheat, is a specialty of the Arab world and never fails to the boil, then cover and simmer
inspire me with its versatility,” says Malouf. “This is a simple dish, but it has everything: over low heat, without stirring,
it’s nourishing, starchy and soothing, with mushrooms adding earthiness and pumpkin until most of the liquid has
bringing sweetness.” Begin this recipe a day ahead to drain the yoghurt. evaporated and freekeh is
tender (30-40 minutes).
600 gm Greek-style yoghurt 50 ml dry sherry or dry 1 Drain yoghurt in a sieve lined 4 Just before serving, stir in
200 gm (1 cup) wholegrain vermouth with muslin set over a bowl in lemon juice and extra-virgin
freekeh (see note) 200 gm peeled butternut the refrigerator (overnight). olive oil, then serve topped with
50 ml olive oil pumpkin, coarsely chopped 2 Rinse freekeh twice and strained yoghurt and drizzled
1 small onion, finely diced into 2cm chunks cover with plenty of cold water with extra-virgin olive oil.
1 garlic clove, finely chopped 500 ml chicken or vegetable to soak (30 minutes), then drain. Note Wholegrain freekeh
250 gm field mushrooms, wiped stock 3 Heat oil in a large frying pan is available from select
and sliced 5mm thick 2 tbsp lemon juice over medium-high heat. Add delicatessens, supermarkets
1 tsp ground cumin 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, onion, garlic and mushrooms, and health-food shops. Turkish
1 tsp ground coriander seeds plus extra to serve and sauté until onions are soft chilli flakes are available from
1 tsp Turkish chilli flakes but not coloured (3-4 minutes). Middle Eastern grocers.
(see note) Add spices, stir until fragrant Wine suggestion Orange
(about 30 seconds), then add skin-contact white wine.

reserving stock and duck form a circle of fillo. Line a

Duck pie with pomegranate and walnuts mixture separately, until duck 27cm-diameter deep-sided
SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 2 HRS 15 MINS (PLUS SOAKING) is cool enough to handle. Skim non-stick frying pan with the
of excess fat from stock (place fillo circle, pushing it into
“This dish takes two roads,” says Malouf. “The filling is based on
paper towels on the surface, the sides. Add duck filling,
fesenjan, a Persian dish of duck cooked slowly with pomegranate
then remove and discard). spreading evenly, and brush
and walnuts. The pie, meanwhile, is inspired by b’stilla, made with
2 Coarsely shred duck meat surrounding fillo with melted
a fillo-like pastry. A Lebanese white cabbage salad dressed with
(discard skin and bones). butter. Brush remaining 3 fillo
lemon, olive oil, garlic and dried mint is a good match.” Pictured p107.
Bring stock to the boil in large sheets with butter, fold in half,
saucepan and reduce by and place on top of filling to
50 ml olive oil, plus extra 9 fillo pastry sheets two-thirds to about 400ml cover. Bring pastry sides
if needed 150 gm melted clarified butter (20-25 minutes). Transfer half over fillo on top to enclose
8 duck Marylands (about 2kg) (see cook’s notes p192) the reduced stock to a bowl and brush with butter.
1 large onion, finely chopped 30 gm pure icing sugar, sifted and whisk in egg yolks. Return 4 Preheat oven to 180°C.
1 garlic clove, finely chopped with 1 tsp ground cinnamon to saucepan with remaining Place pie (in pan) in the centre
100 gm (1 cup) roasted walnuts, reduced stock and stir over low of the oven and bake until
rubbed in a cloth to remove 1 Heat oil in a flameproof heat until creamy and nearly golden brown (30-35 minutes).
skins, coarsely chopped casserole over medium-high set, as you would for an egg Remove from oven and carefully
1 tsp ground ginger heat. Season duck and fry in custard (5-7 minutes). Stir in place a large plate upside-down
A pinch of safron threads, two batches, skin-side down parsley and coriander, season over pie and invert onto plate.
lightly toasted and crushed first (6-8 minutes), then on to taste and set aside to cool Wipe excess butter from fillo
1 tsp ground cinnamon the other side, until golden completely. Fold duck meat and sift icing sugar mixture over
1 tsp ground cumin (2-3 minutes). Drain fat, leaving into egg mixture (refrigerate if pie. Place a metal skewer on
1.2 litres chicken stock 2 tbsp in casserole. Return all not using immediately). a naked flame and heat until
1 tbsp pomegranate duck to casserole with onion, 3 Lay one fillo sheet on a work red-hot (hold with a tea towel).
molasses garlic, walnuts, ginger, safron, surface (keep remaining fillo Burn a trellis pattern into fillo,
6 egg yolks cinnamon and cumin, stir covered with a slightly damp reheating skewer as necessary,
½ cup (loosely packed) to coat well, add stock and tea towel) and brush with and serve.
flat-leaf parsley leaves, pomegranate molasses, then melted butter. Repeat with Wine suggestion The ultimate
thinly sliced bring to the boil, cover and another fillo sheet laying it on dish for your best pinot noir. ●
½ cup (loosely packed) simmer over low heat until top of the first to form a cross.
coriander leaves, thinly duck can be easily pulled of Repeat with another 4 sheets,
sliced the bone (1¼-1½ hours). Strain, laying them at varying angles to

108 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Freekeh with pumpkin
Moorish Night and Cubic
tiles from Jatana Interiors.
All other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p192.

Freekeh with
pumpkin and
mushrooms
Of Middle Eastern
appearance
It’s Lebanese, but not as you know it. The cultures of
Melbourne and Lebanon share equal billing at Bar
Saracen, the new venture from the brains behind
Rumi. Just don’t call it modern Middle Eastern.

Recipes JOSEPH ABBOUD & TOM SARAFIA N

Team Saracen
(from left): Tom Sarafian,
Ari Vlassopoulos and
Joseph Abboud.
 Fried okra

p 116

Words MICHAEL HARDEN

Photography MARK ROPER

Styling LISA FEATHERBY

Drink matches ARI VLASSOPOULOS

Torshi and
makdous

p 116
I
t took Joseph Abboud some time to nail the description
for his newest Melbourne venture. He was conflicted about
labelling the food at Bar Saracen “Modern Middle Eastern”
because calling it modern “implies that what we do at Rumi
– and that Lebanese food in general – is not modern”. Prawn börek
“It’s a living cuisine and we’re eating it in Melbourne where
MAKES 8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS DRYING)
I was born, though my background is Lebanese,” he says. “So it’s
inevitable that you take in your surrounds.” “Filled pastries have a very long history in the Middle East,” says
The solution? Abboud says that his new city bar and diner is Joseph Abboud. “The original, sanbosag or sanbusaj, became
“of Middle Eastern appearance”. samosa in India, sambousek in Lebanon and sambusa in Ethiopia,
The recipes here have been taken directly from Bar Saracen’s to name a few. Börek, which are a great snack, are another.”
menu and prove his description to be apt. Designed to be eaten as
4 (200gm) large uncooked filling to form a triangle. Repeat
meze, these dishes offer a lively, big-flavoured mix of traditional
king prawns, peeled, folding from side to side in a
and contemporary food, rooted in tradition, but not tied to it.
deveined and finely chopped triangle shape until there is one
The kafta nayeh, for example, is a very traditional Lebanese 100 gm haloumi, coarsely grated fold left. Brush end with water,
raw-meat dish but is modernised here with the use of wagyu. 100 gm Greek sheep’s feta, make the last fold and press to
The okra recipe belongs to the tradition of fried vegetables in coarsely grated seal and form a triangular parcel.
Middle Eastern cooking, while the pickled eggplant uses a classic 2 tbsp finely chopped Trim excess pastry if needed.
Lebanese pickling technique. A beetroot dish is served with a flat-leaf parsley Repeat with remaining fillo and
familiar pairing of labne and dukkah, but then mixes it up – the 1 tsp dried isot pepper filling and refrigerate uncovered
beetroot is thinly sliced on a mandolin, threaded onto a skewer (see note) to dry (1 hour).
and cooked over coals like a kebab. Hummus is topped with 2 egg yolks 3 Heat oil in a large deep
grilled calamari rather than the usual chickpeas or lamb. 6 fillo pastry sheets saucepan to 180°C. Deep-fry
“I wanted to pull together a group of recipes that would make Vegetable oil, for deep-frying börek, in batches, turning
a really flexible meal,” says Abboud. “At Saracen you can have a 1 tsp nigella seeds occasionally, until golden and
couple of snacks at the bar or sit down and have one dish at a time cooked through (3-4 minutes;
1 Combine prawns with be careful, hot oil may spit).
or get a group of friends together at the chef’s table and have a
ALL PROPS RESTAURANT’S OWN

cheeses, parsley and isot Drain on paper towels, sprinkle

feast. It’s the type of flexibility that suits the food I like to cook.”
pepper, then fold through yolks. with nigella seeds and serve.
Abboud believes that Bar Saracen is, essentially, a modern 2 Cut fillo into 9cm x 45cm Note Isot pepper, also known
Melbourne restaurant. “We’re trying to tell a story – there’s a link strips and keep covered with a as Urfa biber, is a dried Turkish
between how a culture is received and how its food is received. damp tea towel. Place 2 strips chilli available from Middle
Ours is another angle. Some of the food goes back hundreds of on top of each other, place Eastern food shops.
years, some of it we came up with last week.” Bar Saracen, 2 tbsp of filling at one end, then Drink suggestion An IPA such
22 Punch La, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 8639 0265, barsaracen.com.au fold one corner of pastry over as Colonial Australia IPA.
Wagyu kafta nayeh, radish 1 For fried pita, heat canola oil
in a large saucepan to 170°C.
and fried pita bread Roughly cut pita into 5cm strips
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 5 MINS and fry, in batches, until golden
brown (20-30 seconds). Drain
“This is one of a couple of Lebanese raw meat dishes, the on paper towels and season
other being the more common kibbeh nayeh, which contains with sea salt.
burghul,” says Abboud. “Don’t be shy with the olive oil here.” 2 Whisk lemon juice and olive
oil with spices. Add beef,
3 tsp lemon juice, or to taste 1½ tbsp each mint, flat-leaf tomato, onion, herbs and garlic
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, parsley and basil leaves, and stir to combine. Season
plus extra to serve finely chopped to taste with salt and mix well.
Large pinch each of ½ garlic clove, crushed Spoon onto plates, shaping
ground cinnamon, 15 mixed radishes, halved, into a round, drizzle with olive
ground allspice and to serve oil and serve with fried pita
cayenne pepper FRIED PITA bread and radishes.
500 gm wagyu rump, trimmed Canola oil, for deep-frying Drink suggestion An anise-
(remove and discard 2 Lebanese pita bread, flavoured spirit such as arak
sinew), cut into 1cm dice top and bottom layers or raki. ➤
1 vine-ripened tomato, diced separated
3 small spring onions,
thinly sliced
 Hummus bi calamari
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 1 HR 40 MINS (PLUS SOAKING, COOLING)

“This is a take on the traditional Lebanese dish of hummus topped with minced lamb,”
says Abboud. “Hummus is a recipe that can be prepared with little efort, but can take
years to make it special.” Begin this recipe a day ahead to soak the chickpeas.

250 gm calamari, cleaned
and scored, tentacles
reserved
1 tsp olive oil
50 gm butter, melted
1½ tbsp thinly sliced flat-leaf
parsley
Sweet paprika, to serve
Turkish bread, to serve
HUMMUS
250 gm dried chickpeas
Large pinch of bicarbonate
of soda
80 ml (⅓ cup) lemon juice
100 gm hulled tahini
1 garlic clove, coarsely
chopped
1 For hummus, soak chickpeas
with bicarbonate of soda in
2.5 litres water overnight. Drain,
place in a large saucepan with
2.5 litres water, bring to the boil,
then reduce heat to low-medium
and simmer until almost falling
apart (1-2 hours). Add 2 tsp salt,
stir and set aside to soak for
5 minutes. Drain well, reserving
125ml cooking liquid and set
50gm chickpeas aside to
garnish. Process remaining
chickpeas in a food processor
until very smooth (3-5 minutes).
Add lemon juice, tahini and
garlic, season to taste and
process until combined, adding
reserved cooking liquid 1 tbsp
at a time until smooth. Cool.
2 Preheat a barbecue to high
or a char-grill pan over high
heat. Toss calamari with oil in a
bowl and grill until just cooked
(1-2 minutes per side), then
cut into small pieces.
3 Top hummus with calamari
and reserved chickpeas, drizzle
with butter, scatter with parsley
and sweet paprika and serve
with warm Turkish bread.
Drink suggestion A rosé, such
as “Myst” from Château
Kefraya, Lebanon.

114 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Beetroot kebabs with labne and dukkah
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 20 MINS (PLUS DRAINING)
“A rather unusual way to prepare beetroot, but so delicious,”
says Abboud. Begin this recipe a day ahead to drain the yoghurt.
500 gm Greek-style yoghurt
2 large beetroot, peeled,
halved lengthways and
thinly sliced on a mandolin
2 tsp olive oil
50 gm butter
Dill sprigs, to serve
DUKKAH
1 tbsp hazelnuts
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1½ tsp each cumin seeds and
coriander seeds
1 Whisk yoghurt with 1 tsp salt.
Pour into a colander lined with
muslin set in a bowl, cover and
refrigerate to drain (overnight).
2 For dukkah, preheat oven
to 170°C. Place hazelnuts and
sesame seeds separately on
an oven tray and roast, stirring
halfway, until golden brown
(8-10 minutes). Rub hazelnuts in
a tea towel to remove skins and
set aside to cool. Meanwhile,
dry-roast spices in a frying pan
over low heat until fragrant
(3-5 minutes; see cook’s notes
p192). Cool, then finely grind in
a spice grinder or with a mortar
and pestle. Coarsely grind
hazelnuts and half the sesame
seeds in a small food processor,
then mix with spices and
remaining sesame seeds.
3 Preheat a barbecue or oven
grill to high. Toss beetroot in a
bowl with oil and salt to taste,
then thread onto metal skewers
(you’ll need 4 to 6 skewers;
fold beetroot if necessary). Grill,
turning occasionally, until lightly
charred (3-5 minutes).
4 Cook butter in a small
saucepan over medium
heat until golden brown
(3-4 minutes). Stir in dukkah
and remove from heat.
5 Serve beetroot kebabs with
a dollop of labne topped with
warm dukkah butter and
scattered with dill.
Drink suggestion A light red,
such as Pennyweight Gamay. ➤
 Torshi and makdous
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS COOLING AND PICKLING)

“Torshi is pickled vegetables and makdous is oil-cured eggplant,” says

Abboud. Begin at least a week ahead to cure the eggplant. Pictured p111.

375 ml (1½ cups) white wine
vinegar
55 gm rock salt
¼ tsp ground turmeric
800 gm mixed vegetables, such
as cauliflower florets, baby
cucumbers (cukes), long red
or green chilli
½ garlic clove, finely chopped
¼ tsp dried mint
¼ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp dried basil
⅛ tsp dried dill
⅛ tsp ground coriander
⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
Large pinch each of black
pepper and nutmeg
MAKDOUS
8 Lebanese (baby) eggplant,
peeled (see note)
½ small red capsicum
40 gm lightly roasted walnuts,
finely chopped
½ garlic clove, finely chopped
Olive oil, for preserving
1 To make torshi, bring
vinegar, salt and 1 litre water to
the boil in a saucepan, stirring
to dissolve. Whisk in turmeric,
pour over the vegetables in a
non-reactive container to cover,
cool, then seal and refrigerate
to pickle (overnight, but
preferably a week).
2 For makdous, bring 2.5 litres
water to the boil and blanch
eggplant until just tender
(5-7 minutes; see cook’s notes
p192). Refresh in a bowl of iced
water. Drain and pat dry.
3 Preheat oven to 230°C. Line
an oven tray with baking paper.
Roast capsicum on tray, turning
occasionally, until skin is charred
and flesh is soft (25-35 minutes).
Cool to room temperature then
peel, remove seeds and finely
chop. Add to a bowl with walnuts
and garlic, season to taste and
mix to form a coarse paste.
Make a small, deep slit in one
side of each eggplant, fill with
a little paste, then rub eggplant
with a large pinch of salt and
pack into a sterilised jar (see
cook’s notes p192). Cover with
oil, seal with a lid and leave at
room temperature to mature
(1-2 weeks), then refrigerate.
Once open, use within 3 days.
4 Combine garlic, spices
and dried herbs in a bowl.
Drain torshi, sprinkle with
spice mixture and serve with
makdous at room temperature.
Note Lebanese eggplant
are available from select
greengrocers. Substitute peeled,
halved Japanese eggplant.

Fried okra
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 5 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS RESTING)

“Fried vegetables are quite common in the Middle East,” says

Abboud. “The beauty of these is that they’re cooked quite dark,
which often gives a bitter-sweet caramelisation.” Pictured p111.

200 gm okra, halved lengthways 1 Toss okra with 1 tsp sea
½ tsp cumin seeds salt. Leave covered at room
Vegetable oil for temperature to draw out the
deep-frying bitterness (1 hour).
50 gm chickpea flour (besan; 2 Dry-roast cumin on low heat
see note) until fragrant (3-5 minutes; see
50 gm cornflour cook’s notes p192). Cool, then
Lemon cheeks, to serve grind with a mortar and pestle
and toss with ½ tsp sea salt.
3 Preheat oil to 180°C. Rinse
okra to remove salt, drain and
pat lightly with paper towels.
Combine chickpea flour and
cornflour in a bowl, toss okra
in flour mixture to coat well,
tapping of excess flour, then fry
in batches until golden brown
(3-5 minutes; (be careful, hot
oil may spit). Drain on paper
towels, then toss fried okra
in cumin salt and serve with
lemon cheeks.
Note Chickpea flour, known as
besan, is available from select
supermarkets and Middle
Eastern and Indian grocers.
Drink suggestion Anise-
flavoured spirit such as arak
or raki.

116 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Lamb cutlets with sumac
and parsley salad 1 tsp lemon juice 5 For tomato ezme, combine
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 35 MINS // COOK 5 MINS (PLUS RESTING) Small pinch each of ground ingredients in a separate bowl
black peppercorns and and season to taste with salt.
“Barbecued lamb is such a classic Middle Eastern flavour, along ground cumin 6 Serve cutlets with tomato
with parsley salad,” says Abboud. “The addition of the ezme ezme, parsley salad and a
gives it a delicious sweetness that ties it all together.” 1 Combine onion juice, oil dollop of toum.
and baharat in a bowl and Note Biber salcasi, a Turkish
1 tbsp onion juice, squeezed TOMATO EZME season to taste. red pepper paste, is available
from 2½ tbsp finely grated 2 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced 2 Bash cutlets with the side of from Middle Eastern grocers.
onion, pulp discarded 1 spring onion, thinly sliced a large knife to flatten slightly Baharat, a Middle Eastern spice
1 tbsp vegetable oil ¼ red onion, finely chopped then toss to coat in marinade. blend, is available from Middle
1 tbsp baharat (see note) ¼ cup mint, finely chopped 3 Preheat a barbecue Eastern grocers (or see recipe
4 untrimmed lamb cutlets ¼ cup coriander, finely (preferably charcoal) or p104). Toum, a garlic sauce, is
(about 300gm) chopped char-grill pan to medium-high available from Middle Eastern
½ cup (firmly packed) 2 tbsp diced green capsicum heat. Grill lamb, turning once, grocers (or see recipe p64).
flat-leaf parsley, coarsely 1 long green chilli, seeds until cooked to your liking Drink suggestion A medium-
chopped removed, finely chopped (2-3 minutes each side for bodied red wine such as
¼ white onion, thinly 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, medium). Rest for 5 minutes. Öküzgözü Vinkara from
sliced plus extra for drizzling 4 Combine parsley, white onion Central Anatolia, Turkey. ●
½ tsp sumac 1 tsp biber salcasi (see note) and sumac in a bowl and season
Toum (see note), to serve 1 tsp pomegranate molasses to taste.
 Homel and

Lamb, garlic, and

chickpea pilaf

p123

trad itions
 Fenugreek
semolina cake

p 122

Reem Kassis’s The

Palestinian Table is
more than a collection of
her family’s traditional
recipes, it’s an ode to
her heritage, from her
childhood home in
Jerusalem to the
mountains of Galilee.
 G
rowing up, there was the food we ate at our Nine-spice mix
kitchen table in Jerusalem, and the food we MAKES 100GM // PREP TIME 5 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
ate at my grandmothers’ tables in their villages.
It was delicious, it was made with love, and it “This spice mix is featured in many of the dishes in this book,
was our food. But the thought of these foods making up lending them a uniquely Palestinian flavour,” says Reem Kassis. “It
a Palestinian table was an elusive notion at the time. is my mother’s own blend, but feel free to adjust to suit your taste,
Not until I left home for another country did I grasp the or substitute with store-bought baharat, or Lebanese seven spice
mix, for an equally tasty, albeit slightly diferent, flavour profile.”
undeniable importance of food to national identity and
the intricacies associated with defining it.
On my journey to bring these pages to your hands, 6 tbsp whole allspice 1 Place all ingredients in a large
I came to a quiet clarity: there is no single Palestinian 6 pieces of cassia bark or frying pan over medium-low
cinnamon quills heat. Stir with a wooden spoon
table. The Palestinian table spans our entire geography
3 tbsp coriander seeds periodically to ensure spices
from the mountains of the Galilee to the valleys of the 1 tbsp whole black do not burn, until you begin to
south, from the coast of Yaffa all the way to the West Bank. peppercorns smell the scent of the spices
It is scattered across the globe and built from memories of 1 tsp cardamom seeds (about 10 minutes).
a time when most of us lived in the same land. In spite ½ tsp cumin seeds 2 Remove pan from heat
of our political circumstances and global dispersion, 10 cloves and set aside to cool completely
what ties all Palestinian tables together is more than just 2 blades of mace (about 1 hour). This step is crucial
good food; it is the notion of “home”, the spirit of ½ nutmeg, crushed because if the spices are not
generosity, the importance of family, and the value cooled properly, they will form
of bringing people together. a paste when ground rather
One of the few things I regret about living abroad Reem than a powder.
is that my own daughters won’t get to enjoy that Kassis. 3 Place all the roasted spices
same kind of slow lifestyle with a bevy of aunts, into a heavy-duty spice grinder
(or a mortar) and grind until
grandmothers, and family cooks coming together
you achieve a fine powder
around a Palestinian family table, laden with food,
consistency. Store spice mix
steeped in laughter and conversation, and boasting in an airtight container. It will
the stories and knowledge of generations. Through the keep for several months,
recipes and stories in this book, however, I hope that although the scent will fade
they can carry our history, our food, our culture, and with time.
our home wherever they go in the world and never be
too far away from a Palestinian table.

Lentil,
garlic and
pasta soup

120 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Palestinian frittata longer runny on top, flip it to
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 5 MINS brown the other side. Continue
to cook for another minute or
“Palestinians often make frittatas for weekend breakfasts or 2 until done, then slide onto
supper,” says Kassis. “My uncle’s wife, Ameera, is famous for her a plate. If using a small pan,
ijjeh – the perfect mix of crisp and flufy, spicy and smooth. This is repeat, adding more oil, until
her recipe – it’s generous with herbs, but adjust to your taste.” the egg mixture is all used
up. Serve hot olives,
8 eggs herbs, garlic, chilli, cumin, 1 tsp mint, tomato, pita
4 spring onions, finely salt and ¼ tsp ground black and labne.
chopped, plus extra to serve pepper, and mix until combined.
25 gm (½ cup) flat-leaf parsley, Sprinkle flour over the egg and
finely chopped whisk until incorporated.
25 gm (½ cup) mint, 2 Heat a generous amount of
finely chopped oil in a frying pan over medium-
1 large garlic clove, crushed high heat; use one very large
1 long green chilli (optional), pan or a small one and work in
seeds removed, finely batches. I prefer using a smaller
chopped pan and making several really
½ tsp ground cumin thin frittatas (they come out
1 tbsp plain flour crisper this way) adding more
Olive oil, for frying oil to the pan after each frittata.
Olives, mint and chopped 3 Once oil is hot, pour egg
tomato, to serve mixture into pan, tilting it to get
Store-bought labne and an even layer of eggs. Cook
pita bread, to serve until the edges start to curl and
the top is starting to solidify,
1 Break eggs into a large bowl periodically lifting with a spatula
and whisk until pale yellow and to make sure the bottom is not
starting to froth. Add onion, burning. When the frittata is no

Lentil, garlic and pasta soup

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 5 MINS // COOK 45-50 MINUTES

“This is a peasant dish from a time when people needed to create hearty, yet
afordable meals,” says Kassis. “In the Middle East, beans and legumes were
often the protein of choice over expensive and harder to source meat. Ample
flavour made up for the lack of meat, and the flavours here are very satisfying.
Top it with parsley and sumac or lemon juice to make it more flavourful.”

125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
225 gm lentils (green or brown),
picked over and rinsed
1 tsp ground cumin
200 gm dried tagliatelle or
linguine, broken into
3-5cm lengths (see note)
5-6 garlic cloves, crushed
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
and sumac or lemon juice
(optional), to serve
1 Pour half the olive oil into a
casserole, add onion and cook
over medium-high heat, stirring
regularly, until onions have
softened and are starting to
crisp at the edges (6-8 minutes).
2 Add lentils, cumin, and
¼ tsp black pepper and toss to
combine. Pour in 1.5L water, add
1 tsp salt and bring to a boil,
then partially cover pan and
reduce heat to maintain a
gentle simmer. Cook until lentils
are tender but still hold their
shape (20-30 minutes,
depending on variety).
3 Once lentils are cooked,
add pasta, increasing the heat
to reach a vigorous simmer,
and cook, covered until pasta
is al dente (10-15 minutes).
4 Meanwhile, heat remaining
olive oil in a small frying pan,
add garlic and stir until fragrant
and light golden, taking care not
to burn it because it will make
it bitter (about 3 minutes). Stir
garlic and oil into soup.
5 If the consistency is too
thick, add 1 cup water and bring
to a boil. If it’s too thin, cook
the soup until some liquid
evaporates. You want a
consistency similar to bean
soup – not so thin it falls of
the spoon but not so thick it
feels like pudding.
6 Serve soup sprinkled with
parsley and topped with sumac
or lemon juice.
Note Traditionally this dish is
made with a dough of flour,
water and salt rolled out thinly
then rolled onto itself and sliced
into short fettuccine or linguine-
like strips. I substitute dried
linguine (any small pasta shape
will work), which I break into
short pieces. I also use fresh
pasta for an almost identical
result to the original version,
chopping it into strips and
throwing it in, keeping in mind
it requires less cooking, about
3 minutes. ➤
 Fenugreek semolina cake
MAKES ONE 28CM CAKE // PREP TIME 50 MINS // COOK 1 HR (PLUS RESTING)

“This is one of the most typical Palestinian desserts, but is

localised to the centre and south of the country,” says Kassis.
“The cake is soaked in syrup after baking and must stand for
a few hours, preferably overnight, before serving. This recipe
yields a cake of medium thickness, but for a thinner, crunchier
cake use a larger cake pan.” Pictured p119.

2 tbsp fenugreek seeds dough – not so loose it can

Chicken, onion and sumac casserole
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 1 HR 15 MINS
“The combination of onions and sumac is one of the most
traditional Palestinian flavours” says Kassis. “This recipe, more
common in the northern part of Palestine, is a perfect weeknight
dinner – it can be oven-ready in less than 15 minutes.”
1.25 kg chicken pieces (about
4 whole legs or 6 skin-on
breasts)
6-7 onions, diced
3-5 potatoes, cut into rounds
(optional)
3 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp sumac
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp nine-spice mix
(see recipe p120)
3-4 tbsp olive oil
Roasted pine nuts, to serve
Pita bread (if not using
potatoes), to serve
1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Place
chicken, onion, and potato in
a greased or non-stick deep
ovenproof dish. Combine
spices, 1 tbsp salt, and olive oil
in a small bowl, then pour into
roasting dish and rub evenly
into onion, chicken, and potato.
Make sure the chicken pieces
are skin-side up and aren’t
crowding each other.
2 Add 125ml water to the dish,
cover tightly with foil, and bake
until chicken is cooked through
(1-1¼ hours; juices of chicken
will run clear when a thigh is
pierced with a skewer). Check
once or twice during cooking
to make sure liquid hasn’t
entirely evaporated and top
up with more water if necessary.
You don’t want the dish to be
completely dry, but you also
don’t want a soup, more of
a gravy.
3 Remove foil and increase
oven temperature to it’s highest
setting (about 250°C; or preheat
the grill to high). Continue
to cook in oven or under grill
until chicken skin crisps up
(5-10 minutes). Remove from
oven and rest for 5 minutes
before serving. Sprinkle with
pine nuts and serve with pita.
Tahini or butter, for greasing
300 gm semolina
60 gm plain flour
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp nigella seeds
1 tbsp ground star anise seeds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried yeast
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp turmeric
20-30 pine nuts or blanched
almonds
FLAVOURED SUGAR SYRUP
400 gm caster sugar
Squeeze of lemon juice
½ tsp orange blossom water
½ tsp rosewater
1 For sugar syrup, combine
sugar, 350ml water and lemon
juice in a small saucepan
and bring to the boil. Simmer
until slightly thickened (about
5 minutes), then remove from
heat and add orange blossom
water and rosewater. Cool
completely. Syrup will keep
in an airtight container in the
refrigerator for up to 2 months.
2 Place fenugreek seeds
in a saucepan with 475ml water,
bring to the boil, then reduce
the heat to medium and simmer
until seeds are tender and
plump (20-25 minutes). Strain,
reserving cooking water.
3 Meanwhile, grease a
28cm-diameter round cake tin
with tahini or butter (or use a
20cmx 30cm rectangular cake
pan). Place all the remaining
ingredients, except pine nuts
in a large bowl with ½ tsp salt
and mix until well combined and
resembling wet sand in texture.
4 Add strained fenugreek
seeds and 250ml fenugreek
cooking water. Mix well with
your hand or a wooden spoon.
If necessary, gradually add
more water; you want a soft
be poured like cake batter, but
not so stif it can be kneaded
liked bread.
5 Wet your palms, using them
to spread the batter into the
greased tin, and smooth out
the surface. With a sharp knife,
score the cake with diagonal
lines in one direction, then in
the opposite direction, to form
a diamond pattern. Place a
pine nut or blanched almond
in the centre of each diamond.
Set aside, covered with a tea
towel, to rest and rise (1 hour).
6 Preheat oven to 200°C.
Bake the cake until a dark
golden brown, (20-30 minutes).
Remove from the oven and pour
cooled syrup over cake while
still warm. Cool completely
before serving (for several hours,
or overnight). If you attempt
to cut the cake before it has
cooled, the pieces will crumble.
7 Once cooled, cut out
individual portions from the
cake tin and serve. Remaining
cake will keep in tin covered
in aluminum foil or plastic wrap
at room temperature for up to
5 days, or in the refrigerator
for up to 2 weeks.
This extract from The
Palestinian Table by Reem
Kassis (Phaidon, hbk, $49.95)
has been reproduced with
minor GT style changes.

122 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Lamb, garlic and chickpea pilaf
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 2 HRS 30 MINS (PLUS SOAKING)
“This hallmark dish of Hebron is prepped at home, then sent to the
neighbourhood oven where it’s cooked in a special copper pot,”
says Kassis. “It’s quite easy to cook at home with an almost identical
taste. Serve it with yoghurt to contrast the richness.” Pictured p118.
3 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
extra
2-3 pieces mastic (see note)
2 fresh bay leaves
1 tbsp nine-spice mix (see
recipe p120), plus 1 tsp extra
½ tsp turmeric
600 gm boneless lamb shoulder,
cut into 5cm cubes, or
2.5kg bone-in stewing
cuts of lamb or beef
2 onions, 1 sliced into
half-moons
2 tbsp butter
15-18 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
500 gm rice (jasmine or medium
grain), washed and drained
400 gm canned chickpeas,
drained and rinsed
Toasted pine nuts, almonds
and plain yoghurt, to serve
1 Heat olive oil in a large
saucepan over medium-high
heat until hot but not smoking.
Add mastic, bay leaves,
nine-spice mix and turmeric,
and stir until fragrant, (1 minute).
Add lamb and sear on all sides
(about 3 minutes) until golden.
Add whole onion, tossing to
coat in spices, then add 2 litres
water and 1 tbsp salt. Bring to
the boil, skimming foam from
the surface, then simmer until
lamb is tender (1 hour to 1 hour
20 minutes). Remove from heat,
strain broth and set meat aside.
2 Preheat oven to 160°C. Heat
butter and the extra oil in a
cast-iron pot over medium-high
heat. Once butter has melted,
reduce heat to low, add
sliced onion and cook, stirring
occasionally, until softened
and golden (10-15 minutes).
Add garlic, sauté until softened
(2-3 minutes), then add spices
and 1 tsp salt and stir until
fragrant (1 minute). Add rice
and toss to coat, then add
chickpeas and toss to combine.
3 Pour 1 litre reserved broth
over the rice mixture and
increase heat to high. When
broth starts to boil, remove from
heat, arrange meat on top of the
rice, cover pan and place in the
oven until rice is fully cooked
and the meat has browned
nicely (1 hour).
4 Remove from oven and stand
uncovered for 5 minutes then
sprinkle with toasted nuts and
serve with yoghurt.
Note Mastic, the dried sap from
the mastic tree, is available from
herbies.com.au.
Holiday date and nut cakes
MAKES ABOUT 30 // PREP TIME 2 HRS // COOK 5-10 MINS (PLUS RESTING)
“With a Muslim mother and a Christian father I had twice as many
holidays as most people,” says Kassis. “This meant double the
amount of ma’amoul, which are synonymous with holidays for both
Christians and Muslims in Palestine.” Begin this recipe a day ahead.
1 kg fine semolina
500 gm butter, at room
temperature
60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
250 gm plain flour
½ tsp mastic ground with ½ tsp
sugar (optional; see note)
½ tsp ground mahlab
(optional; see note)
1 tsp dried yeast
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp rosewater
4 tbsp orange blossom water
Pure icing sugar, to serve
DATE FILLING (OPTION 1)
1 kg date paste (see note)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp each ground nutmeg
and cloves
NUT FILLING (OPTION 2)
1 kg coarsely chopped
walnuts or pistachio nuts
(or a combination of both)
200 gm white sugar
2 tbsp orange blossom water
2 tbsp rosewater
4 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Place semolina, butter and oil
in a large bowl and work with
your hands until combined and
it resembles wet sand (at least
10-15 minutes). Cover with
plastic wrap and rest overnight.
2 The next day, add flour,
mastic, mahlab and 1 tsp salt to
semolina and gently rub in with
Holiday date and
nut cakes
your hands. Add yeast, sugar,
rosewater and orange blossom
water and mix to combine. Begin
adding water, a tablespoon at
a time and knead gently (do
not overmix, or your ma’amoul
will be tough) until a clump of
dough holds together without
crumbling. Cover and leave
to rest (15-30 minutes).
3 Meanwhile, for date filling,
knead ingredients in a bowl
until combined, then shape
into grape-sized balls (this
makes three times what you’ll
need, so keep remaining
for another batch, or reduce
quantities as desired). Or,
for nut filling, combine all
ingredients in a bowl.
4 For date cakes, take a
walnut-sized piece of dough,
flatten slightly, and place a date
ball in the centre. Enclose filling
completely and roll into a ball.
Slightly flatten with your palm,
then, with the round tip of a
wooden spoon, make a hole
in the middle of the cake and
decorate with a metal pincher
or decorative mould (or pinch
with your fingernails).
5 For nut cakes, take a piece
of dough and use your thumb
to create an indentation in the
centre. Fill with about 1 tsp nut
mixture and enclose, carefully
forming a dome or oblong
shape, then decorate.
6 Preheat oven to 200°C and
line two baking trays with baking
paper. Place cakes on trays and
bake until bases are a very light
golden brown (5-10 minutes).
Remove and cool completely.
7 Dust with icing sugar before
serving. Cakes will keep in an
airtight container for 7-10 days
at room temperature or in the
freezer for 3 months.
Note Mastic is available from
herbies.com.au. Mahlab,
a spice made from ground
cherry pits, and date paste
are available from select
Middle Eastern grocers. ●
 JUNE

TRAVEL
Some like it hot
Following frankincense routes in Oman, new
lives in Cairo, and bold ambition in Abu Dhabi.

The Louvre
Abu Dhabi

136
PHOTOGRAPHY MURRINDIE FREW

p
From high desert passes to the lush Arabian coast, TONI MASON
follows her nose along the frankincense trails of Oman.

Photography SHARYN CAIRNS

 PREVIOUS
PAGES The town
of Birkat Al Mawz
at the foot of the
Jabal Akhdar
range, Oman.
Left: a mishkak
vendor near the
Seeb souk in
Muscat. Far left:
prayer time
at Muscat’s
Grand Mosque.
I
t’s twilight in Seeb, an old fishing town on
the outskirts of Muscat, and the souk is back
in business. Evening prayer has ended, and
men in dishdashas and kuma caps gather
and stroll among the stalls. Pyramids of dried
anchovies and prawns and trays of glistening
cuttlefish vie for attention with bags of dried limes and
fragrant cardamom, jars of golden ghee and masses of
local dates. We’re offered a cluster of pale fresh dates
still on the stem. They’re crunchy, astringent, with no
more than a hint of sweetness.
There’ll be plenty more to try during our
adventure in the Sultanate of Oman, from the
capital hugging the serene shores of the Arabian Sea
to the jagged peaks of the Al Hajar mountains, and
then south, following bone-dry frankincense trade
routes, to the incongruously lush and tropical coast
of Dhofar. Dates are not just a staple in Oman, used
in cooking and turned into vinegar and syrup for
marinades and curries; they’re the flavour of Omani
hospitality, offered as an essential accompaniment to
conversation and spiced tea or coffee during almost
every encounter, no matter how casual.
Oman is an exceedingly hospitable place, but it
wasn’t always so. The fabled home of the Queen of
Sheba existed in isolation until relatively recently,
largely undeveloped. Until 1970, the city gates of
Muscat were closed at dusk and a curfew imposed.
That was before the palace coup, when Sultan Qaboos
bin Said, the current monarch, overthrew his father
and ushered in a new era, spending the spoils of oil
discovered in the mid-1960s on infrastructure and
opening the nation to the world.
The oil rush could have turned ugly, but instead
the Omanis have managed to embrace modernity
and maintain a strong sense of their heritage.
The magical Chedi Muscat, set on the beachfront
overlooking the Gulf of Oman, beautifully embodies
this synthesis of old and new. The engaging doormen
wear formal traditional dress: white, ankle-length
dishdasha, turban and a khanjar, the short, hook-shaped
ceremonial dagger worn tucked under the belt. And
while the design is contemporary, the resort has a
bewitching air of the exotic. The almost blindingly
white suites are scattered through eight and a half
hectares of tranquil gardens and decorative pools,
where domed pagodas are likely to be occupied
by dishdasha-clad guests tapping on laptops. Inside, the
suites have arabesque touches in metal fretwork lamps
and sculptural sunken stone baths, and that famed
hospitality comes in the form of decanters of gin, vodka
and whisky, along with plates of fresh fruit, jars of nuts
– and dates, of course.
On a Saturday night our guides, Issa and Ahmed,
take us downtown to eat like locals. Muscat is a low-
slung city bound by the sea on one side and mountains
on the other, its white and sand-coloured buildings
no higher than eight storeys by royal decree. Where
Oman’s flashy neighbours Dubai and Abu Dhabi
are forests of high-rises, here the Islamic identity is
maintained, most buildings bearing Arabic flourishes
and the broad streets lined with curlicued streetlights.
Beside a small mosque in the Ministries District,
a café called simply Tea House is the go-to for Oman’s
crêpe-like flatbread, khubz rakhal. It’s folded over
savoury fillings such as cheese and egg, or a combination
of the two with chips, then grilled, and served along
with frothy karak tea, enriched with condensed milk
and saffron. The tables are full, inside and out, and
waiters ferry takeaway orders on trays to a constant
procession of cars that pull up outside.
Closer to the corniche we try mishkak, the
popular grilled skewers of various meats and seafood
sold on the streets. Trucks and vans congregate on
roadsides all around the city at dusk, and the drivers
set up makeshift grills, illuminated by humming
generator-powered lights. We juggle sticks of grilled
beef and lamb, doused with spicy tamarind or chilli
sauce, and watch the parade of pimped-up cars cruise
by. It’s Saturday night, after all.
Like many Omanis, Issa is proud of what his
country has achieved in less than 50 years. In 1994, he
tells us, Omani women became the first in the Gulf
region to be given the right to vote and to stand in ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 129
parliamentary elections. There are currently seven
women ministers in the government – “and the Saudis
only just allowed women to drive cars”, he hoots.
There are more figures relayed to us with pride at
Muscat’s Grand Mosque, a majestic marble complex of
courtyards and arched walkways surrounding a prayer
hall for 6,500 worshippers. They kneel upon the second
largest hand-woven carpet in the world, Ahmed says.
It’s a 21-tonne masterpiece that took 600 women four
years to weave. The colossal crystal chandelier above
it measures fourteen metres by eight; a cherry-picker
is required to clean and change its 1,122 bulbs.
The branch of Islam practised in Oman is
called Ibadi, a liberal form of the religion that
preaches tolerance of race and religion with no
discrimination. The irrepressible Naima Ali,
a volunteer at the Islamic Cultural Centre in the
surrounding manicured grounds, greets us with
tea scented with cardamom and the obligatory dish
of dates. The centre opened in the wake of the
9/11 attacks in the US, she says, with the aim of
helping visitors learn more about Islam. “People
were confused,” she says. “We’re closing the gaps.
Some of the fog has lifted when they leave. I’m here
with a small hammer, breaking down barriers.”
The souks are as central to Omani daily
life as the mosques. About 20 kilometres from
downtown Muscat is the old port of Muttrah,
curled around a harbour in which traditional fishing
boats are dwarfed by the royal yacht. A tall arched
gate marks the entrance to the Muttrah Souk, one
of the oldest in Oman, perhaps the Arab world. It’s
Above: canyon a pleasurably confusing maze of narrow alleys lined
views at Al Aqr, with shops arranged roughly by wares: silver and
one of three
villages on the gold, pashminas and handicrafts, frankincense and
Jabal Akhdar myrrh. This must be one of the few places in the
walk. Opposite, world where you can find the gifts of the three wise
clockwise
from top left: men under one roof. Ground turmeric, tamarind
poolside at pods, cardamom, saffron, dried roses, lemons and
Anantara limes are amassed in kaleidoscopic displays. Bartering is
Al Jabal Al
Akhdar; Abdul
de rigueur, though not in the case of gold, and it pays
Aziz, doorman to have someone do it for you. The obliging nature of
at Anantara Al the Omanis extends even to the touts, who show
Jabal; luqaimat
at Bait Al Luban
nothing but good humour when we pass them by.
in Muttrah; We have lunch overlooking the port at Bait Al
harvesting Luban, on the third floor of a 140-year-old former
resin from a
guesthouse. Its décor is traditional – wooden fretwork
frankincense
tree; the Royal screens, brightly patterned cushions, a jalsa floor-
Mountain seating area – and so is the food. Paplou soup, made
Villa bath at with locally caught longface emperor, a type of bream,
Anantara Al
Jabal Al Akhdar. is bright with turmeric. A salad of white onion
and tomato is peppered with strips of salted shark,
a staple. Shuwa is a specialty – lamb marinated in
oil and spices, wrapped in palm fronds, and roasted
in a fire pit for at least six hours. It’s served with
rice cooked in a meaty broth with chickpeas and
peppercorns, and a lemon-garlic sauce. Then come
the sweets, gently spiced and fragrant – first luqaimat
dumplings steeped in date syrup and honey and
scented with saffron, and then a final round, served
on a silver cake stand, of bite-sized treats made with
coconut and saffron, date and sesame, and caramelised
condensed milk. The experience is complete when
guests’ hands are doused in rosewater as they leave. ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 131
 The next day we drive two hours south-west to
Nizwa, the old capital city. The highway is flanked by
the Al Hajar mountain range to the west, in the centre of
which lies our destination for the evening, Jabal Akhdar
mountain. To the east, large stone houses, mostly Below: Nizwa
two-storeyed to accommodate extended families as is the date merchant Ali
Al Manthri with a
Omani custom, cluster in sun-baked towns on the flat. basket of Hilali
Nizwa is near deserted in the midday heat, rising dates. Bottom:
well into the 40s. One of the few people to be seen is dates coated in
sesame seeds
a Bedouin sitting cross-legged in the shade of his van, at Abu Eyad Al
smoking as he awaits customers for his dried shark. Manthri. Right:
The souk is likewise quiet, but the Abu Eyad Al Nizwa Fort.
Manthri date shop is doing a lively trade. A dozen
varieties of date are on offer, ranging in colour from
creamy caramel to rich dark brown. Some are coated
with sesame seeds or filled with tahini. Dates feature
in myriad sweets, alongside various iterations of Omani
halwa flavoured with saffron, rosewater, dates or nuts,
including a pungent garlic-infused version eaten as
a morning tonic. Proprietor Ali Al Manthri, offering
the customary dates and coffee, tells us he can have
up to 40 varieties on sale, from 250 or so varieties
indigenous to Oman.
The ascent of Jabal Akhdar is restricted to
four-wheel drives, a rule enforced at a checkpoint
at the foot of the mountain. It’s a wide, sealed road,
with plenty of laybys where we can admire the view
over the ranges, but it’s steep and tortuous. As we
near the top there’s a loud crack like a gunshot.
“Chips!” shouts Ahmed over the engine. A packet
in his snack supply in the back has succumbed to
the altitude. It’s like an exclamation mark for the
2,000-metre sign we just passed.
Jabal Akhdar means green mountain, which
seems a misnomer when we reach the grey-brown
plateau at the top. But the region is renowned for
its roses, from which rosewater is distilled, and for
peaches, grapes and pomegranates; limbs heavy with
the rosy fruits can be glimpsed hanging over garden
walls everywhere.
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort seems to
emerge from the rocky landscape as its terracotta-
hued buildings of local stone heave into view. It
sits spectacularly on the brink of a canyon surrounded
by craggy peaks and overlooking precipitous terraces
of greenery. The welcome here is as fragrant as it is
exotic. Frankincense billows through the lobby, which
opens to a grand courtyard with seating around a
central fireplace, and a café specialising in tea. The
signature blend is infused with the famed local damask
rose, while the minted Moroccan tea is refreshing in
the heat, which hasn’t dropped noticeably despite the
elevation. From here a watercourse, echoing ancient
falaj irrigation channels, bisects a sprawling garden of
native shrubs, pomegranates and roses. Dramatically
lit at night, it leads the way to the cliff’s edge.

132 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 It’s clear that French-Moroccan architect Lotfi
Sidirahal drew inspiration from traditional forts in
designing the resort, notably in the cone-like tower
that houses the signature restaurant, Al Qalaa. But
the dining option to beat here is a private dinner set
on a platform that stretches to the brink of the canyon,
named Diana’s Point. The princess apparently visited
the site briefly back in 1986 (less splendidly, the
resort’s Bella Vista restaurant has named a burger in
her honour). In this dramatic setting a chef prepares
a Lebanese spread of meze and grills, served to the
single pampered table by a dedicated maître d’.
A hike with one of the resort’s “mountain gurus”
to the three largely abandoned villages above the terraces
is the chance to see the life coaxed from stony ground.
Much of the walk follows the falaj channels that deliver
water to groves of pomegranate, pear and walnuts before
reaching the terraces themselves, where banks of
rosebushes seem to cling to the escarpment. The
mountain’s name is not such a misnomer after all.
The children who once lived here would reach the
school in the valley below, incredibly, by bounding down
the terraces – a feat infinitely more suited to the goats
that wander tightrope fashion along the stone walls in
the villages in search of water and low-hanging leaves.

W
ater – although in this case an
abundance of it – is also the defining
feature of the Dhofar region in Oman’s
south. Having flown for the best part of
two hours over desert-like plains often starker than the
Australian outback, it’s a surprise to see the landscape
turn green as we descend to Salalah, the capital of the
region. From May to early September the region is
blessed with the khareef, or monsoon. The balmy
weather rejuvenates the nearby ranges and attracts
holidaymakers from all over the Arabian Peninsula,
seeking to escape the 50-degree heat at home.
It also accounts for the huge walled plantations of
banana and coconut palms that ring the city and line
the approach to Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara.
Reminiscent of a whitewashed village, albeit an
uncommonly luxe one, the resort has at its heart a long
infinity pool that stretches to a private beach. The pool
is flanked by 30 guestrooms, two of three restaurants,
and rows of villas set among graceful coconut palms.
Behind their high walls each villa has a courtyard with
a four-poster cabana beside a garden-fringed pool.
The resort takes its name from the neighbouring
Al Baleed World Heritage site, the remains of an
ancient port and trading post for frankincense. While
its fragrance wafts through hotel lobbies, shops, souks
and homes throughout Oman, most of the country’s
frankincense, and the most prized, comes from the
Dhofar region. This is where you come to follow the
frankincense trail. ➤

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 133
 F
locks of camels lope beside the road as
we head inland to see the source of this
legendary resin. Our guide, Hussain, stops
for us to marvel at the camels, and it turns
out they eat dates, too, as we discover when one pokes
her long-lashed head through the open window of our
car. Save the date!
The small, rather scraggy frankincense trees
grow wild in harsh, stony soil, and most notably in
the protected Wadi Dawkah, about 40 kilometres from
Salalah. As Hussain shows us, the resin is harvested by
scraping off a swatch of the papery bark and making a
small cut. The sap that instantly bleeds out is left for a
few days to harden before it’s collected, destined to be
graded and sold for incense or distilled into essential
oil, attributed with all manner of mystical and
medicinal benefits.
East of Salalah lie the ruins of the ancient port
of Khor Rori, also known as Sumhuram, and the
fabled palace of the Queen of Sheba. Overlooking
the beach and a natural harbour, it was once a trading
post for the then-swashbuckling nation and a landmark
on the frankincense trail. This was the destination of
laden caravanserai and the departure point for their
cargo on sailing ships bound for the Mediterranean,
India, and other Eastern kingdoms. Signs in the maze
of crumbling stone walls, now only a few metres high,
pinpoint the sites of homes, workshops, a temple and
a “monumental building” inside what were once
imposing city walls. Inscriptions in old Arabic mark
the founding of the port, dating back to the 4th
century BC. Sadly, they make no mention of Sheba,
immortalised in the Qur’an and the Bible – and her
presence here remains the stuff of legend.
Later that evening, Salalah’s Al Hafah Souk is
buzzing and the frankincense stalls are the busiest.
The vendors drop little nubs of the resin onto charcoal
in terracotta burners and prospective buyers wave the
fragrant smoke towards their noses to appraise its
quality. Haggling and joking ensue. Many then wander
to Lialy Hadrmout, a Yemenite restaurant that serves
grilled skewers and flatbread that’s slapped against the
inside of a cauldron-like fire pit to cook.
Back at the resort, after a meal overlooking
the beach, groups of men gather on the terrace to
smoke shisha. Once they’ve chosen a flavour from the
menu, perhaps grape and mint, the waiter disappears
to prepare the tall hookah pipes and re-emerges with
them locked and loaded. The sound of bubbling and
banter makes a soothing soundtrack to a moonlit
view of the Arabian Sea. It’s a kind of peace in the
Middle East.
The next day at the airport before our departure,
we head to a shop to buy camel-milk chocolate. Unable
to decipher the flavour on a pack, we ask for help from
the shop assistant. “Dates,” she laughs. “Surprise!” ●

134 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 an
m Gulf of Oman
O

Muscat
UAE

Nizwa

Saudi Arabia

Tr i p
notes
Arabian Sea
Salalah

Getting there
Qatar Airways flies from five Australian
cities to the Omani cities of Muscat,
Salalah and Sohar via its hub in Doha.
It operates one direct flight daily from
Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra
and twice daily from Sydney to Doha, with
connections to 150 destinations on six
continents. qatarairways.com

Stay
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort
Opened in October 2016, this resort is
set on the edge of a canyon on one of
Oman’s highest mountains. Guests can
salute the sun on the cliff’s edge, take
in films under the stars, and take a hike
with the resort’s “mountain gurus”.
Thrillseekers can scale the cliff-face
and fly over the canyon on zip-lines. The
resort can arrange the two-hour transfer
by car from Muscat. If renting your own
car, hire a four-wheel-drive to be allowed
up the mountain. Rooms from $840. Al
Jabal Al Akhdar, jabal-akhdar.anantara.com

Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara

A private beachfront dotted with palms
is the exotic setting for Al Baleed, just
15 minutes from the airport in the
southern city of Salalah (or a nine-hour
drive from Muscat). Opened soon after
the Al Jabal sister resort, it’s close to
lush wadis and groves of frankincense
trees, and Salalah’s Al Hafah souk.
Rooms from $475. Al Mansurah St, Al
Baleed, Salalah, salalah.anantara.com

The Chedi Muscat This beachfront resort

is a study in serenity with an air of Middle
Eastern romance. One of its three The central
infinity pool
swimming pools is said to be the longest at Al Baleed
in the Middle East, its 103 metres fringed Resort Salalah
by palms and six restaurants. Rooms from by Anantara
$864. North Ghubra 32, Way No 3215 Street overlooks the
private beach.
No 46, Muscat, ghmhotels.com
Top left: prayer
time in Muttrah.
More Left: a vendor
Visit tourismoman.com.au at Muttrah Souk.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 135
Mezlai at the
Emirates Palace
Hotel, Abu Dhabi.
Right: Zaya Nurai
Island resort.
 Cultural
capital

The new Louvre is the ultimate trophy for Abu Dhabi, but it’s only the beginning
for a city with the grandest designs for its future, writes LARISSA DUBECKI.
Photography MURRINDIE FREW
 W
hile Dubai may have spent
much of the past two decades
building tall towers and hosting
parties, Abu Dhabi, its more
reserved rival city, has been
pursuing soft power of another
kind in an effort to shore up an oil-free future.
A long-term campaign by the Abu Dhabi government
to persuade marquee cultural institutions to open
outposts in the city – part of its blueprint to create
an essential stopover between hemispheres – came
to fruition spectacularly last year when the Louvre
Abu Dhabi opened in a cluster of 55 pavilions
designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. It joins
the distinctive gold-domed UAE Pavilion events
space and Manarat Al Saadiyat arts and cultural
centre on Saadiyat Island, a 27-square-kilometre
island adjacent to the main island of Abu Dhabi.
The Louvre is among the first of a number of
cultural institutions designed by high-profile architects
planned for Saadiyat; but agreements have been
signed for the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, designed by
Frank Gehry, a maritime museum by Tadao Ando, a
performing arts centre by the late Zaha Hadid and the
Zayed National Museum by Norman Foster.
Add a vibrant food scene, big-ticket sporting events
such as the Formula One Grand Prix, the Ferrari World
theme park and OTT malls seemingly designed to test
the limits of retail endurance, and this city of 1.8 million
people gives Dubai a run for its oil money.

138 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R

EAT AND DRINK
Al Aqssa
You haven’t been to the Middle East if you haven’t
had knafeh, a sweet pastry of cheese baked between
layers of semolina dough, fillo or thin, crisp noodles
and topped with crumbled pistachio nuts. Al Aqssa
is one of the oldest knafeh cafés in town, and it has
an arresting display of enormous shallow trays filled
with the snacks. The delightfully gooey knafeh are sold
by weight and are best eaten immediately, drizzled to
order with warm sugar syrup scented with rosewater.
Al Salam St, Al Zahiyah; +971 2 644 2159
Mezlai
Restaurants serving genuine Emirati food can be
hard to find in a place where local-born residents
comprise less than 20 per cent of the population.
At Mezlai, however, the traditional cuisine eaten by
the nomadic ancestors of modern-day Emiratis has
shifted from home kitchens to centre stage. It’s one
of nine restaurants housed in the bonkers Arabian
wonderland of the Emirates Palace Hotel. Emirati
chef Ali Ebdowa is flying the flag with dishes such
as lamb medfoun, which riffs on the traditional
technique of wrapping meat in banana leaves and
cooking it in an oven dug in the sand. Another
signature is honey-glazed camel tongue with garlic
and coriander, the sauce mopped up by local
flatbread known as rgag. West Corniche Rd;
+971 2 690 7999; kempinski.com
Royal Rajasthan
Distinguished by glittering tiles and purple trim,
the Bollywood-style interior of this vegetarian Indian
restaurant in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s old commercial
centre is worth a look, but it’s more fun to order at the
counter, take your token to the street-side window and
watch the chef wok-fry pani puri. The fragile shells are
filled with a fragrant tamarind-spiked broth, potato and
a minty yoghurt sauce. Eat in a single mouthful or wear
the results. Hamdan St, Al Markaziyah; +971 2 635 3763
Asia de Cuba
There’s seating inside at this London-via-New York
restaurant, but the beach deck with lantern-lit bar and
cabanas overlooking the Arabian Gulf is the place to
be. Part of the St Regis Hotel’s beach club, Asia de
Cuba occupies prime position on the Corniche, the
eight-kilometre promenade on the city’s north-western
shore. This is the home of “Chino-Latino” mash-ups
– Cuban fried chicken meets bao and seafood paella gets
a shishito pepper shake-up. Cocktails set the party mood
and electronic music competes with the call to prayer
coming from the mosque across the water. A city of
contradictions? You betcha. St Regis Hotel, Corniche Rd;
+971 2 699 3333; asiadecuba.com
Shish Shawerma
The original Levantine fast food is updated at the
bright new-school Shish Shawerma, where spit-grilled
meats are stuffed into pita pockets with parsley, onion,
tomato and chilli sauce, then grilled. It’s on a one-way
street lined by restaurants where waiters take orders
directly from customers in their cars, who then drive
around the block until their food is ready – what locals
call the “Abu Dhabi Drive Thru”. Behind Corniche Towers,
2 Al Khalidiya; +971 2 650 5576; shishshawerma.com
Vansha Ghar
The maxim that taxi drivers know where to find the
best cheap eats holds true at this humble hole-in-the-wall
café specialising in Nepalese food. The menu includes
rugged chicken momos accompanied by an innocent-
looking green sauce with a chilli kick, bhatmas
(fried soy beans) and biryani. Most meals cost about
15 dirhams, around $5. Waves of uniformed drivers
eat with their hands, gracefully palming up saucy rice
without spilling a drop; there’s cutlery for the less
practised, but only if you ask for it. Zayed the First St;
+971 2 644 0788; facebook.com/VanshaGhar
STAY
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers
Occupying one of the five strikingly irregular glass
towers that have become a symbol of Abu Dhabi,
Jumeirah commands impeccable views of the city
and ocean. Guests are greeted in a glass-walled lobby
the size of an aircraft hangar and decorated with huge
Clockwise from Swarovski-crystal chandeliers, and the 382 spacious
top left: the
Louvre Abu
rooms and suites are decked out in lavish Middle
Dhabi; knafeh Eastern-accented style. Cool off in any of three
at Al Aqssa; swimming pools or relax on a private beach where
the lobby of
deckchairs are arranged with geometric precision.
Jumeirah at
Etihad Towers; A buffet breakfast in Rosewater restaurant has a
pani puri at Royal strong suit in Arabic fare with cold meze including
Rajasthan; labneh balls, local fig jam, and makdous, preserved
spit-grilled
chicken at Shish eggplant stuffed with walnut and chilli. Etihad Towers,
Shawerma. West Corniche; +971 2 811 5555; jumeirah.com ➤
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 139
 Zaya Nurai Island
Could this be the ultimate Persian Gulf island
experience? A 10-minute speedboat ride from Saadiyat
Island drops guests on the sandy wonderland of Zaya
Nurai Island, where 32 villas grace a perfect crescent
of beach, each with a plunge pool and a daybed built for
two. Larger villas, for groups or families, dot the other
side of the island. A pair of bicycles parked outside each
villa are for island exploration – use those wheels to
hit the Smokin’ Pineapple beach bar, where decking
strewn with cushions is the ideal place to lounge with
a Caipirinha in hand, and rope swings and hammocks
dangle in the water ready for Instagram posing. Eating
options include wood-fired pizze at Smokin’ Pineapple,
local seafood at Hooked, modern Mexican at Dusk
and international fare at Frangipani. Zaya Nurai Island;
+971 2 506 6222; zayanuraiisland.com
SEE
Louvre Abu Dhabi
The catchcry of the new Abu Dhabi could well be
“art, not oil” as the UAE government diligently
diversifies its interests into culture. Opened late last
year, the Louvre’s first foreign outpost (the partnership
alone came at a cost of $1.5 billion) is the jewel in the
crown of the nascent Saadiyat Island arts precinct.
The Louvre’s collection is enough to induce Stendhal
syndrome, with more than 600 works – many on loan
from French institutions – telling the story of shared
human experience from ancient times. The Louvre
Paris has the Mona Lisa but Abu Dhabi has da Vinci’s
Salvator Mundi, bought last year for a staggering
$591 million, making it the most expensive painting
in the world. The building by Pritzker-winning French
architect Jean Nouvel is the other star of the show. His
build-it-and-they-will-come museum is a play on an
140 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Arabian medina, with a matrix of white-washed walls
topped by an eight-layer silver dome creating a palm-
frond filigree effect – a glorious “rain of light” that
alone is worth the price of admission. Saadiyat Island;
+971 600 565566; louvreabudhabi.ae; open every day
except Monday.
Observation Deck at 300
It’s high tea at high altitude – 300 metres above
the ground, to be precise – at Etihad Tower number
two, the third-tallest building in Abu Dhabi. After an
ear-popping lift ride to the 74th floor, take a 360-degree
twirl around the room to survey the city (use a telescope
to zoom in on the jaw-dropping splendour of the
newly built Presidential Palace, which isn’t open
to the public). An elegant high tea is presented on
three-tiered silver platters bedecked with colourful
mini-pastries. Tea, or Champagne cocktail? That’s your
choice, but undeniably the best time to visit is at sunset.
Tower 2, Level 74, Jumeirah Hotel, Etihad Towers,
West Corniche; +971 2 811 5666; jumeirah.com
DO
The Galleria
The air-conditioned shopping mall is king in
Clockwise from the UAE, thanks in no small part to notoriously
above: Saadiyat hot summers during which the mercury can pass
Beach Club;
Odessa Francisco
50 degrees. The Galleria, located on the bijou Al
greets guests at Maryah Island to the west of Saadiyat Island, sits at the
Jumeirah at top of the retail food chain in Abu Dhabi, with the
Etihad Towers;
outdoor dining
biggest names in world fashion jostling for attention
at Frangipani on across two waterfront-hugging levels. For an aprés-
Zaya Nurai Island; shop pit stop, head to the terrace at modern Peruvian
Louvre Abu restaurant Coya for sea-bream ceviche brightened
Dhabi; the fish
souk at Mina with aji amarillo. Al Falah Street, Al Maryah Island;
Zayed market. +971 2 616 6999; thegalleria.ae
Mina Zayed Market
Get to the heart of old Abu Dhabi by swapping
shopping malls for souks. The ever-growing vertical
city limits stop at Mina Zayed, the traditional market
that occupies a spit of land near the main port.
The cacophonous fish souk is lined by dozens
of stalls; customers buy their fish, take them to the
fish butchers, identified by their red overalls, to clean
and fillet, then present their catch to one of the simple
restaurants dotted around the perimeter. Here, cooks
will grill the fish over charcoal, fry it, or serve it in
a masala. Across the road behind the Al Mina fruit
and vegetable souk, the national obsession with
the date is on show at 20 identikit shops lining one
laneway. As well as the popular sticky-sweet medjool
dates, look for fresh dates, sold still attached to the
stalk, and designer dates stuffed with dried kiwifruit
or almonds. Al Mina St, Zayed Port Getting
there
Saadiyat Beach Club Etihad Airways
operates 42 direct
Saadiyat Island has been called the UAE’s answer flights a week
to the Hamptons, and Saadiyat Beach Club is doing between its hub
its utmost to keep the comparison alive. A mostly in Abu Dhabi and
four Australian
young crowd of Emiratis park their new-model cities: Brisbane,
European sports cars out front and spend the Melbourne, Perth
afternoon lazing in the cabanas lining the enormous and Sydney
Connect in
beachfront pool while a DJ spins tunes. As well as Abu Dhabi to
being the natural habitat of the city’s upwardly destinations
mobile, this rarefied stretch of beach is also the across the Middle
nesting site for a colony of hawksbill turtles that East, Asia, Africa,
Europe and
return seasonally to lay eggs in the sand. Exit 14, North America.
Saadiyat Island; +971 2 656 3500; saadiyatbeachclub.ae ● etihad.com

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 141
Tr a v e l m e m o i r
UNPACKING
A tale of two cities
In Cairo, FATIMA BHUTTO inds the past and the future
of the city embodied in very diferent eating spaces.
O
n Talaat Harb, a Belle Époque
street in downtown Cairo,
I pass armoured trucks and
teenage soldiers wearing
bulletproof vests and wielding semi-
automatics. It’s Friday. Two blocks
away is Tahrir Square, where the Arab
Spring blossomed seven years ago,
bringing down an Egyptian president
and fuelling the wildfire of popular
protest across the Middle East.
It’s quiet, but even now one never
knows if, after prayers on Friday afternoon,
people will once again spill into the streets.
Café Riche has been a landmark
on Talaat Harb since 1908. In 1919 the
man who wished to kill the country’s last
Coptic prime minister waited here for his
target (the assassination attempt failed).
In 1923 Umm Kulthum, one of Egypt’s
most popular singers, gave one of her first
public performances in the café. Gamal
Abdel Nasser and the Free Officers met
142 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
here to plan the revolution that would
unseat the country’s king. Saddam
Hussein and Yasser Arafat stopped by
for thimbles of perfumed Arabic coffee,
the former as a student, the latter on his
way to nearby radio stations.
The café, too, is quiet today. A golden
Labrador sits by the painted-glass entrance.
One of the owner’s sons, a young boy,
hands me a menu in French, English
and Arabic and I sit at a table set with a
red-and-white cloth and a terracotta vase
holding a little Egyptian flag. Sunburnt
German tourists sit at a nearby table. A
waiter in a waistcoat and bow tie presents
my sweet citron pressé with a disappointed
flourish, as befits a grand café.
It’s an echo of old Cairo, untouched
by revolution, when life was unhurried
and the roads were not sullied by the
sound of military patrols.
By contrast, on the north-eastern
outskirts of the old city is an urban sprawl
called New Cairo. Here, a district called
Al Rehab is a snapshot of what the city has
become since the Arab Spring.
Much of New Cairo is indistinguishable
from any urban centre in the world: malls,
food courts, apartment blocks. But Al
Rehab is unique: a dusty neighbourhood
populated mostly by Syrians, among the
23,000 registered Syrian refugees who
now live in the Egyptian capital.
I’m here visiting Syrian friends who
moved here years ago, long before the
country’s civil war began in 2011. Like
them, I grew up in Syria. I lived in
Damascus until I was 12 and visited every
summer for years after that. Though my
friends and I had long talked about
catching up, we never did. I think we
were reluctant to admit that our reunion
wouldn’t be – couldn’t be – in Damascus.
Reunited, the three of us skirt a
knot of minibuses and taxis and enter
a crowded market set up by Syrian exiles,
full of butchers and bakers, grocers and
CD stores. Two of us sit at a plastic
table while the other orders dishes from
crowded food shops. Teenage boys in
T-shirts and slippers shuttle between diners
and stores, hurriedly setting plates on
paper placemats. A shop called Mahabeh
makes sfeeha, oven-baked flatbread spread
with lamb mince that’s flavoured with
pomegranate molasses and studded with
pine nuts – it’s the best I’ve had outside
Damascus. (So good, in fact, I pack a kilo
of Mahabeh’s sfeeha in my luggage to take
home.) Spiced chicken shawarma slathered
in toum, the thick garlic sauce, comes
from a shop called Al Nakheel.
There are no foreign visitors here.
Al Rehab hasn’t made it into the city’s
must-see lists and may never do so, though
of all the food I’ve eaten in Cairo, the
fare in Al Rehab’s Syrian neighbourhood
ILLUSTRATION LIZ ROWLAND/ILLUSTRATION ROOM
is the most deserving of recommendation.
The teenagers clear our plates and
we sit on our white plastic chairs, sipping
glasses of ayran through straws. Café
Riche, reassuringly wood-panelled and
genteel, is filled with a particular sadness,
a nostalgia for Cairo’s imagined past. Al
Rehab, with its crowded rôtisserie chicken
shops and modest butcheries, thrives on
a fervour born of everything its patrons
have lost and the energy they’re mustering
to build their future. ●
 PERFECT
ACCOM PA N I M E N T S

relishes, jams, chutneys and sauces

Shop the range at cunlifeandwaters.com.au
 A GOURMET TRAVELLER PROMOTION

Gourmet shopping
They’re the flavours of the month, so put these items at the top of your wish list.

1 2 3

Relax in style at the luxury Awarta Nusa Dua
Resort & Villas in Bali. Make your booking via
the oficial website to personalise your stay with
the wide range of bespoke services on ofer.
wartaresorts.com
The practical yet versatile 77L AEG 60cm
SteamPro steam oven from Harvey Norman
prepares myriad dishes with ease thanks to its
multiple functions and settings, $4999.
harveynorman.com.au
Elevate your dining or living space with the Duke
bufet from Domayne. Featuring multiple
compartments and intricate parquet detailing, the
Duke will store all your essentials while sitting
pretty, $2799. domayneonline.com.au

4 5 6

The 200 Series Double Oven from ILVE pays
homage to kitchen trends of the past by
separating the grill from the main oven, while
sleek stainless steel and tinted glass sets it firmly
in the present, $3399. ilve.com.au
Ministry of Tourism Make the six majestic Hill
Forts of Rajasthan in India your next destination.
Recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
within their walls are palaces and ancient temples
dating back to the eighth century. incredibleindia.org
Macpac have been designing outdoor gear that
braves the elements since 1973. This winter,
they’ve combined their alpine expertise with
urban style to produce a new collection of
city-slicker suitable threads. macpac.com.au

7 8 9

Parisi products are always at the forefront of
global design trends, and the Lake sink is no
exception. With a geometric relief that references
neoclassical shapes, it’s sure to be a showstopper
in any bathroom. parisi.com.au
Enjoy contemporary Japanese cuisine and
champagne at Saké Restaurant & Bar where
you can add two hours of free-flowing Veuve
Clicquot or Rose to the $75 lunch menu from just
$99 per person. sakerestaurant.com.au
Serve up flavoursome seasonal meals all year
round with the AWW Seasonal Vegetarian
cookbook. From hearty dishes for winter to salads
for summer, this book has you covered, $49.99.
awwcookbooks.com.au
 3 Style

2 4
1

Chloé A/W 2018

Visit
14

Nizwa Fort,
Oman

13

Desert heat
From bazaar to bistro, keep
6

your cool in desert shades

of sand, sky and camel.
PHOTOGRAPHY SHARYN CAIRNS (OMAN) & GETTY IMAGES (CHLOÉ). MERCHANDISING LIZ ELTON

1 Isabel Marant Leist tie-waist coat,

$1,745, from Matches Fashion. 2 Peacock
silver earrings, $129, from Temple of
the Sun. 3 Chloé Nile Minaudière
bag, $1,645, from Parlour X. 4 Isabel
Marant Etoile Haphir sleeveless jacket,
$665, from Parlour X. 5 Gucci silk
trousers, $1,600, from Matches Fashion.
6 Etro fringed belt, $1,389, from Net-a-
Porter. 7 Lena velvet slides, $280, from
Pretty Ballerinas. 8 Loewe linen-blend
12 trousers, $1,230, from Matches Fashion.
9 Figue Josefina silk-georgette kaftan,
$1,768, from Net-a-Porter. 10 Seamaster
Railmaster Master Chronometer 40mm
watch, $6,525, from Omega. 11 Scarf,
$50, from Witchery. 12 Loewe linen-blend
shirt, $1,230, from Matches Fashion.
11 13 Simon Miller Bonsai Mini bag, $650, from
My Chameleon. 14 Keira ballet flats,
$100, from Country Road. Stockists p192.
8
10

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 145
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FORECAST:ESCAPE

Treat your senses to absolute indulgence.

Explore our new season packages.
www.crownhotels.com.au
MACQ01, HOBART. PHOTOGRAPHY STU GIBSON

AUSTRALIAN

GUIDE
2018
HOTEL
contemporary japanese cuisine

sydney the rocks || double bay

melbourne flinders lane || hamer hall
brisbane eagle street pier
sakerestaurant.com.au
 Introduction

W e’ve witnessed
the rise of chia
puddings
hotel breakfast
bufets this year, and the
inexorable fall of paid WiFi; only
one hotel group on our list
in

Paramount
House Hotel.
of Australia’s top 50 hotels still
charges its non-club guests for what should
be as indispensable as running water and
a cheerful check-in.
While researching the 2018 Gourmet Traveller
Australian Hotel Guide we’ve noticed more
complimentary inclusions – minibars, happy hours
and guest laundries – largely due to the rapid
expansion of freebie-friendly Ovolo Hotels. And
we were poured a craft beer from a tap installed
at the check-in desk during one particularly
memorable stay – a gesture so hospitable we
wonder why we haven’t seen it before.
There are many reasons to celebrate
Australia’s vibrant hotel scene this year. Our
reviewers were excited by the arrival of Paramount
House Hotel, at the heart of a cool community of
like-minded projects in Sydney’s Surry Hills (and
by the aforementioned ale on arrival). Also in
Sydney, we checked out the glittering new Sofitel
tower in Darling Harbour, and a heritage
restoration in inner-city Potts Point.
In the west, Intercontinental
Perth City Centre has warmed up
the welcome in the world’s most
isolated capital city. And we were
charmed by the proudly made-in-
Tasmania ethos of Macq01 on
Hobart’s Macquarie Wharf.
Exactly what distinguishes a
hotel from other genre-bending accommodation
is the subject of much pillow-talk at GT. In the end
we follow our instinct, and this year it led us to
Byron Bay; see our reviews of Elements of Byron
and The Byron at Byron Resort & Spa (page 166),
both with welcome new features and renovations.
Further afield, we name our favourite lodges
and resorts on page 186 – happy 10th anniversary,
Southern Ocean Lodge.
We aim to recognise and celebrate the best
in the business, and this year we’ve added an
award for best bed (we were flat out researching
that one). From bars to boutique hotels, you’ll find
all our award winners on page 152.
When we’re reviewing, we check in
unannounced and pay our own way. If a hotel
isn’t up to scratch, it doesn’t make this list. We’ve
nominated our top 50 hotels because we like
them – in some cases love them. Each has a
special appeal we think is worth recommending.
It’s time to get packing.

Guide Editor Helen Anderson Project Manager Kendall Hill Coordinator Harriet Davidson Chief Subeditor David Matthews Subeditors Nick Hadley, Hannah Warren
Interns Matthew Hirsch, Laksha Prasad, Cathy Yin Reviewers Helen Anderson, Max Anderson, Emma Breheny, Alexandra Carlton, Richard Cooke, Harriet Davidson,
Fiona Donnelly, Larissa Dubecki, Michael Harden, Kendall Hill, Catherine Keenan, Toni Mason, Pat Nourse, Sarah Oakes, Maggie Scardifield, David Sly, Max Veenhuyzen.

Contents
152 THE AWARDS 164 Spicers Potts Point HOBART & TASMANIA VICTORIA
165 West Hotel Sydney 172 Islington Hotel 179 Jackalope
156 COMING SOON 165 The Westin Sydney 172 Macq01 Hotel 180 Lake House
173 Mona Pavilions 180 Lindenderry at Red Hill
SYDNEY NSW 173 Pumphouse Point by Lancemore
158 The Darling 166 The Byron at Byron
158 Establishment Hotel Resort & Spa MELBOURNE CANBERRA
159 Intercontinental 166 Elements of Byron 174 Crown Metropol 182 Ovolo Nishi
Sydney 167 Halcyon House Melbourne 182 QT Canberra
159 The Langham Sydney 174 Crown Towers
160 The Old Clare Hotel BRISBANE Melbourne ADELAIDE & SA
160 Ovolo Woolloomooloo 168 The Johnson 175 The Cullen 183 Mayfair Hotel
161 Paramount House Hotel 168 Ovolo Inchcolm 175 Grand Hyatt Melbourne 183 The Louise
161 Park Hyatt Sydney 169 Next Hotel Brisbane 176 Hotel Lindrum
PHOTOGRAPHY TOM ROSS

162 Pier One Sydney 169 Spicers Balfour Hotel 176 The Langham PERTH
Harbour Melbourne 184 Como The Treasury
162 QT Sydney QUEENSLAND 177 The Olsen 185 Crown Towers Perth
163 Shangri-La Sydney 170 QT Gold Coast 177 Park Hyatt Melbourne 185 Intercontinental Perth
163 Sheraton on the Park 171 Sofitel Noosa Pacific 178 QT Melbourne City Centre
164 Sofitel Sydney Darling Resort 178 Sofitel Melbourne
Harbour 171 Spicers Clovelly Estate on Collins 186 LODGES AND RESORTS

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 151
 THE AWARDS
We’ve tested everything from bufets to beds for the annual Gourmet Traveller
Australian Hotel Guide. Here are this year’s standout addresses.

terrazzo-tiled showers, Stretch out with a

Hotel of the Year or plan a chilli-fired night yoga class or meditation
PARAMOUNT HOUSE HOTEL, SYDNEY, NSW out at Longrain or Chin session on the roof terrace
Chin nearby. Paramount of the new Paramount
Old meets new. Bold House gets the balance House is a hub as much Recreation Club, and
meets beautiful. Cool of work and play just right. as a hotel, surrounded by fuel up at its kiosk. Or
meets class. And good In-room virtues include like-minded projects and head downstairs to Poly,
taste trumps all. The pure linen bedding, potted tapping into the on-trend the highly anticipated
one-time Pacific HQ plants, indoor-outdoor notion that hotels should restaurant and bar
of Paramount Pictures spaces and cut-above be the conduit to a city’s by Ester’s Mat Lindsay
has emerged as the minibars featuring cultural life. The hotel (GT’s 2018 chef of the
country’s most exciting charcuterie from LP’s shares its space with year), which was taking
hotel of 2018. A four- Quality Meats, cheeses the bustling Paramount shape as we went
year renovation of the from Formaggi Ocello Cofee Project, a café that to print. Welcome to
1940s landmark has and wines by maverick takes its cofee seriously; the neighbourhood.
created a 29-room inn makers William Downie a co-working oice; the paramounthousehotel.com
of poise and style, but and Tom Shobbrook. pint-sized Golden Age Finalists: Jackalope,
also fun and games. In Soak in Japanese-style Cinema and Bar; and even Mornington Peninsula,
other words, Paramount wooden tubs or under a regular growers’ market. Vic; Macq01, Hobart, Tas

152 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 The awards

Regional Hotel of the Year

LAKE HOUSE, DAYLESFORD, VIC
Three decades ago, Alla and Allan Wolf-Tasker saw
the potential of the quiet central Victorian spa town
of Daylesford and opened an ambitious restaurant and
country house beside pretty Lake Daylesford. Since then,
Lake House has set the benchmark for Australian regional
hospitality and helped reposition the town as the state’s
most indulgent destination. Lake House is continually
evolving – expect revamped waterfront studios and a
lake-facing horizon pool by year’s end – but it’s always
defined by its gorgeous setting, smart service, indulgent
treetop spa and destination restaurant. lakehouse.com.au
Finalists: Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach, NSW;
Jackalope, Mornington Peninsula, Vic

Large Hotel of the Year

MACQ01, HOBART, TAS
Large hotels needn’t
be predictable. Hobart’s
Macq01 hotel, designed
by heritage experts Circa
Morris Nunn to resemble
a riverside wharf, has a
distinctive personality.
It is Tasmania writ large
in wood, steel and glass;
PHOTOGRAPHY SHARYN CAIRNS (JACKALOPE), ADAM GIBSON (MACQ01) & WILL HORNER (PARAMOUNT HOUSE)
commissioned local art
such as Troy Rufels’
landscape photos and
Duncan Meerding’s timber
lampshades, and each
room tells the story of a
character from Tasmania’s
past or present. Everything
feels custom-made and

a 114-room hotel that pours handpicked for this inn

its island soul into every
detail. The rooms, unusually
generous in space and
amenities (cofee machines,
epic minibars), feature
beside the Derwent River.
macq01.com.au
Finalists: Grand Hyatt
Melbourne, Vic; Park
Hyatt Sydney, NSW

Boutique Hotel
of the Year
JACKALOPE, MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VIC
It’s barely a year since the 46-room Jackalope landed like
an alien spacecraft in the bucolic hills of the Mornington
Peninsula. There’s so much to love about this wildly
unconventional hotel, starting with its sumptuous rooms
and suites, especially those with vineyard views. We also
love the avant-garde art, bold furnishings and daring vision
that distinguishes Jackalope from other boutique hotels.
Its vineyard bistro Rare Hare often has a two-hour wait
for tables at weekends and Saturday night stays are
booked out months in advance. jackalopehotels.com
Finalists: The Langham Sydney, NSW; The Old Clare
Hotel, Sydney, NSW

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 153
The awards

Best bed
MAYFAIR HOTEL, ADELAIDE, SA
Almost all our favourite beds this year were made by
AH Beard, the custom sleepmaker that has been producing
mattresses since 1899. With just one factory responsible
for so many of our best nights in, it’s not easy to pick the
Goldilocks option. What tipped our vote in favour of the
Mayfair Hotel’s King Koil sleeper was not the fact that
the hotel’s owner tried 30 beds before choosing this one,
or that she had the South Australian supplier make this
particular version – oicially named the Mayfair Luxury
Mattress – exclusively for the hotel. No, what convinced
us was discovering one of our reviewers loved the bed
so much, she ordered one for herself. mayfairhotel.com.au
Finalists: Spicers Potts Point, Sydney, NSW; Ovolo
Inchcolm, Brisbane, Qld

Best bar
TWR BAR IN CROWN TOWERS PERTH, WA
The rather ho-hum name
belies the glamorous
nature of this bar. TWR,
short for The Waiting
Room, dazzles with its
jewel-coloured furnishings,
Moroccan-accented
chandeliers and fluted
marble in pinks and white.
Acres of glass and an
elegant terrace aford
views over river and city
skyline as bar staf prepare
modern interpretations of
classic cocktails alongside
their own extravagant
inventions. The list comes
with a glossary introducing
drinkers to the merits
of salmon fat-washed
Talisker 10 (as seen in
their sriracha-spiked Holy
Mary) and activated
charcoal “to flush toxins
and chemicals from the
body”. Cocktail hour as
detox session? Count us
in. crownperth.com.au
Finalists: Elements
of Byron, Byron Bay,
NSW; Islington Hotel,
Hobart, Tas

Best breakfast
HALCYON HOUSE, CABARITA BEACH, NSW
What could be more Australian than breakfast by the
PHOTOGRAPHY KARA ROSENLUND (HALCYON HOUSE)

beach? At Halcyon House, the tastefully transformed

surfer motel on Cabarita Beach in northern New South
Wales, mornings are something to look forward to. At
airy in-house restaurant Paper Daisy, days begin with
a soundtrack of waves crashing beyond the pandanus
grove and gifted chef Ben Devlin’s à la carte breakfast
spread. There’s something for everyone, from coconut
and chia pudding with honey and berries to toad in
the hole with fried sourdough, egg and lonza. Add
daily smoothies and well-made cofee for a morning
to remember. halcyonhouse.com.au
Finalists: Como The Treasury, Perth, WA; Grand
Hyatt Melbourne, Vic

154 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Best club sandwich
JACKALOPE, MORNINGTON PENINSULA, VIC
You would think, given
this is our fifth year of
rating hotel clubs, that
we’d be tired of eating
sandwiches stufed with
chicken, bacon and bits
of salad. But each year
at least one hotel kitchen
presents a club sandwich
that rocks the room-
service menu. This
year, that kitchen was at
Jackalope, and it served
our reviewer his best club
sandwich ever. It’s called
Drunk in Da Club (they
love a quirky name at
Jackalope) – an unholy
marriage of drunken
chicken, crisp chicken
skin, pickled green
tomatoes (made on site,
with tomatoes from the
garden), bacon jam and
fresh lettuce on white
bread, soft and flufy
but sturdy enough
to avoid sogginess.
Order one ASAP.
Finalists: The Louise,
Barossa Valley, SA;
QT Gold Coast, Qld Best service
SPICERS CLOVELLY ESTATE, MONTVILLE, QLD
There’s a lot to be said for the special brand of hospitality
at small regional hotels, especially those with hands-on
managers like Spicers Clovelly Estate’s GM Stephen
McAteer. He’s an exemplar in the field of relaxed country
hospitality, often greeting guests on arrival, ofering them
a prosecco on the lawn and a tour of the estate while
dispensing tips about morning yoga classes, boules and
bikes, or a nearby waterfall walk. Staf are cut from the same
hospitable cloth; our request for a phone charger is met
with, “I’ll bring it straight to your room!” McAteer recently
relocated to sister hotel Spicers Hidden Vale, but he leaves
behind an impressive service culture. spicersretreats.com
Finalists: Next Hotel Brisbane, Qld; Shangri-La
Sydney, NSW

Best pool Best minibar

ELEMENTS OF BYRON, BYRON BAY, NSW MACQ01, HOBART, TAS
Adults-only pools are terribly elitist and may even violate This is not a minibar. Pepper beef jerky).
UN conventions on the rights of children. But they’re With 37 items on ofer, But what we love about
perfectly acceptable as a complement to a pool of (almost) it’s definitely a maxibar. the Macq01 maxibar
equal decadence that’s open to all guests, as is the case Almost all products are are the extra-thoughtful
at Elements of Byron on Belongil Beach in northern proudly Tasmanian, for things – the thick woollen
New South Wales. The resort’s recent expansion added an island showcase as Mongrel scarf (two of
99 two-bedroom rainforest villas and a separate adults- authentic as this Hobart our reviewers bought
only pool to complement the existing 850,000-litre infinity hotel. The water is Cape them), the Tasmanian
lagoon surrounded by daybeds. The new pool’s key selling Grim, while the beers are Tea Company canisters,
point, apart from its cabanas, is a swim-up tequila bar Boags, Cascade and sunscreen and Panadol.
serving a dazzling range of very good agave spirits, as Hobart Brewing Co. The Anything you might need
well as poolside snacks such as tacos stufed with prawns, wines are all local, as are for a stay in the Tasmanian
Tecate-braised brisket or butternut pumpkin. Way to the spirits (Sud Polaire, capital. macq01.com.au
make a splash. elementsofbyron.com.au McHenry, Hellyers Road) Finalists: Mona Pavilions,
Finalists: The Johnson, Brisbane, Qld; and the snacks (Cadbury’s Hobart, Tas; QT Hotels
Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, NSW chocolate and Mountain & Resorts ●

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 155
 H otel opening dates
are the very definition
of optimism. This year
three significant new
properties overshot their scheduled
opening dates and missed their
chance to be reviewed for our
guide. So, a belated welcome to
the 312-room W Brisbane, the city’s
first new five-star in two decades
(wbrisbane.com); The Darling Gold
Coast, a 57-suite addition to The Star
casino (thestargoldcoast.com.au); and
The Westin Perth, which opened at
the end of April.
The Westin’s highlights include a
rooftop pool, the Roman-style Garum
by Melbourne chef Guy Grossi –
one of several new bars and eateries

COMING within the surrounding Hibernian

Place precinct – and 368 spacious
Westin rooms ranging from 42 to

SOON
From coast to coast, the red carpet is being rolled
out at new hotels with potential to shine.
240 square metres (westinperth.com).
Westin Hotels & Resorts is also
keeping busy in Queensland with
The Westin Brisbane, set to open
on central Mary Street in November
with 286 rooms, a swim-up pool bar
and day spa (westinbrisbane.com).

Elsewhere in the Queensland
capital, Fortitude Valley’s makeover
continues with The Calile, a
seven-storey hotel of 178 rooms,
suites and poolside cabanas, due to
open by year’s end (thecalile.com).
The Emporium Hotel, recently
PHOTOGRAPHY SHARYN CAIRNS (UNITED PLACES) & THOM DAVIDSON (WESTIN PERTH)
bought by Ovolo Hotels, is being
renovated with a Woods Bagot
design and new street-side
restaurant and bar, and will open
its doors as Ovolo The Valley
towards the end of the year
(ovolohotels.com.au).
Meanwhile, Emporium Mark
II – oicially known as Emporium
Hotel South Bank – will open next
month. Guests in its 143 rooms will
be fed by chef Josue Lopez (formerly
of GOMA) and watered in the hotel’s
23-metre infinity pool and rooftop
bar, with a retractable roof and
cantilevered terrace on the 21st
floor (emporiumhotels.com.au).
The Whitsundays resort Hayman
Island is set to emerge from a
post-cyclone rebuild with a new look
and identity – out with One & Only,
in with Intercontinental. There is no
oicial launch date yet but Hayman’s
website is accepting reservations
from March 2019 (hayman.com.au).
And on the Gold Coast, Ruby
Apartments is the first of four
planned high-rise towers located
a few blocks from the beachfront
and furnished with one-, two- and
three-bedroom suites targeted
squarely at the family-holiday set.
Pack the bags for a November
check-in (therubycollection.com.au).
In Melbourne, an apartment
hotel on a far smaller scale opens
this month in inner-city South Yarra,
directly opposite the Royal Botanic
Gardens. The dozen one- and
two-bedroom suites at United Places
have a high-finish style similar to
Jackalope (Carr Design Group is
responsible for both) and a butler
From far left:
to attend to guests. On the ground
Garum at The
Westin Perth; the floor, chef Scott Pickett will operate
Penthouse Suite in-house restaurant Matilda and
at The Darling oversee the room-service breakfast
Gold Coast; a hampers (unitedplaces.com.au).
room at United
Places in South
In the west, the long-awaited
Yarra; the pool Ritz-Carlton Perth is taking shape
at W Brisbane. at Elizabeth Quay. It will house
Coming soon
more than 200 suites, a signature
Ritz-Carlton spa and a rooftop bar
over the Swan River when it opens
mid-2019 (thetowersperth.com.au).
There are at least two compelling
reasons to keep an eye on Tasmania.
Baillie Lodges starts construction
next year on a Southern Ocean
Lodge-style retreat, the 20-suite
Remarkable Lodge high on the
Tasman Peninsula, within easy
striking distance of the World
Heritage-listed Port Arthur historic
site (baillielodges.com.au). And
on Parliament Square in Hobart,
a cluster of heritage Georgian
and Art Deco buildings is being
reimagined as a 128-room hotel
to be named, simply, The Tasman.
Expect it to set sail mid-2019.
A few key addresses to
note in the 2020 diary: the
32-room urban Jackalope in
Melbourne’s Flinders Lane, two
W Hotels – one on Melbourne’s
Collins Street and another at
Darling Harbour in Sydney – and
another Ritz-Carlton, at The Star
in Pyrmont, Sydney. ●
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 157
 THE DARLING A caviar facial at The Darling
SYDNEY

Yes, The Darling is part of The Star Spa might be the ultimate
casino complex, but it exists within in face bling, while the signature
its own glamorous galaxy. Guests are Moroccan Hammam Ritual promises
nevertheless treated like high-rollers a rosewater-scented escape.
– attentive porters usher them through Joggers are ofered
the vast lobby with its monumental complimentary water and
black marble pillars and vivid red running maps in the lobby. The
accents, and check-in comes with a 25-metre outdoor pool is a good
warm welcome and a smooth rundown place to cool down after the
of what’s on the cards. Entry-level morning’s exertion.
guestrooms are well appointed, with Breakfast at Sokyo, the
marble bathrooms and rain showers, Japanese restaurant of the
while a step up to a Jewel Suite, with lobby, is a highlight. The Continental
city or harbour views, doubles the size bufet ($28) includes Asian accents
and adds a bath and extra luxe. Easy such as soba noodles with condiments,
access to good restaurants, just while the à la carte ($38, including the
beyond the lobby, is part of the deal, bufet) features the sumo breakfast –
most notably Barbadian-flavoured full English with a Japanese twist – and
Momofuku Seiobo. 80 Pyrmont St, choushoku, with fish of the day, miso
The Darling
Pyrmont, (02) 9777 9000, Penthouse. soup, onsen tamago egg, edamame,
thedarling.com.au rice and Japanese pickles.
Sokyo has a full house of sake,
WHERE Darling Harbour, west of the CBD. COST From $540, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 171 rooms and suites; Japanese-leaning cocktails,
bars, restaurants, cafés, pool, day spa, gym, steam room, paid valet and self-parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, an impressive wine list with plenty
Kube Bluetooth speaker, some baths, cofee machine, Lalique toiletries. BEST ROOMS The Stellar Suites place you in by the glass, and Champagnes that
the firmament on the 15th floor. The ceilings are high and the views expansive over the city, bridge or towards Balmain. stretch to the high stakes.

Establishment Room.

Room service from Mr Wong, WHERE CBD. COST

Dan Hong’s buzzy Cantonese From $399, without
restaurant around the corner, is breakfast. AT A
a must. Order wok-fried beef with GLANCE 31 rooms
kampot pepper and onions, add and penthouses; bars,
Netflix and chill. restaurants, gym, paid
The Merivale entertainment self-parking. IN ROOM
empire is arrayed around you, Free WiFi, iPad, Netflix,
with nine bars and restaurants in the Bose sound system,
hotel complex. From cocktails at the bath, cofee machine,
speakeasy-style Palmer & Co to the pillow menu, Le Labo
louche lounge at Hemmesphere, toiletries. BEST ROOMS
you’re spoiled for night-time choices. Besides the stylish
Establishment Garden is 120-square-metre
a magnificent setting for penthouses (with priority
breakfast, the exposed brick walls seating in all Merivale
covered in greenery and topped restaurants), your
ESTABLISHMENT HOTEL by a lofty glass ceiling. À la carte best bets are the
Is that a mirror ball being wheeled through the breakfast room? Of course oferings include an Asian-style Establishment rooms
it is. The Establishment is that kind of place: grown-up enough to ofer omelette of Alaskan snow crab, and – nab numbers 46 and
breakfast in an atrium with cathedral ceiling, but still a bit rock ’n’ roll. ricotta hotcakes with honeycomb 47 for the wow factor.
Accessed via a gritty city alley, it’s an in-the-know secret that largely and banana jam.
bypasses the suited crowd in the rowdy bar. Guestrooms retain all the From a Tank Stream Sour
character of the building’s former life as a textile warehouse, with timber- at Establishment Bar to The
beamed ceilings and thickly textured walls. To this has been added every Extravagant (18-year-old whisky
chic accessory the modern traveller requires: cowhide rugs, iPads, a deep and Palmer & Co’s spiced rum) at
bath, Netflix, a Bose sound system and, quaintly, a CD library. Discretion is Hemmesphere, there’s something
the keynote: staf are there when you need them and vanish when you don’t. for everyone. Or reach for the Ruinart
5 Bridge La, Sydney, (02) 9240 3100, merivale.com.au in the minibar.

158 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Sydney

THE LANGHAM SYDNEY The subterranean pool next

The Cortile.
The pink taxi parked in front of
The Langham hails from London,
but inside the hotel the vibe
leans more Parisian salon.
Beyond the bright white-marble
lobby and sparkling chandeliers,
clusters of round-backed
armchairs and curved, teal sofas
in the Palm Court bar surround
tables uniformly adorned with
perfect pale-pink roses. There
are no hard edges here. The
light-filled guestrooms are
spacious and plush, with king
beds, plump sofas and generous
soft furnishings. The hotel even
has its own private art collection,
INTERCONTINENTAL SYDNEY
curated in collaboration with
Position, position, position. Intercontinental Sydney’s
Sotheby’s no less, with works
dress-circle location has always been chief among its
by the likes of Sidney Nolan and
assets, and it’s even more important now that the $200
Brett Whiteley throughout public
million overhaul announced last year is yet to materialise.
spaces. Add impeccably gracious
(If they wait much longer, those late ’80s furnishings and
fittings will be back in fashion.) Few days will start better staf and your experience is
than this: throw open the curtains to the most impressive complete. 89-113 Kent St,
view in town – right between the sails of the Opera House Sydney, (02) 9256 2222,
if you’re lucky, and across the Royal Botanic Garden and langhamhotels.com
Port Jackson. You could gaze upon this splendour from
your window seat, but instead grab a map from the obliging
Palm Court.
concierges and venture forth. Though the hotel is looking
tired, Sydney has never looked better. 117 Macquarie St,
Sydney, (02) 9253 9000, icsydney.com.au
to the day spa has the air of a
Roman bath, with stone columns and
a night-sky vault of twinkling “stars”.
Pack tennis whites for an
afternoon game on the hotel’s
court, followed by Pimm’s and
cucumber sandwiches, of course. Or
request a picnic box and bicycles for
a day pedalling around the harbour.
The bufet breakfast ($45) at
Bistro Remy is an elegant afair
at tables set with silverware. The
eggs to order are delivered tableside
with the ofer of a second espresso.
Afternoon tea on Wedgwood teaware
is served in Palm Court, the finger
sandwiches and assorted cakes
ferried to the table on three-tier cake
stands. Or stay in and order from the
all-day room-service menu, which
runs from crab linguine to braised
lamb shoulder for two.
A drink in Palm Court is an
occasion, albeit a genteel
one. The more boisterous bars of
Barangaroo are a stroll away.

Consider upgrading to a room WHERE CBD. COST

with club access to Sydney’s
most spectacularly positioned hotel
lounge. This bird’s-eye view of Sydney
from the 32nd floor is accompanied
by breakfast, all-day snacks, drinks
and canapés and concierge service.
Make the most of such close
proximity to the Botanic Garden.
Plunge in for free daily guided tours,
Aboriginal heritage tours three times
a week, or download a free app for
self-guided audio walking tours.
Steamed pork buns, beef
congee, baked ham sliced from
the bone and freshly poached rhubarb
are a few of the welcome touches at
the breakfast bufet in first-floor Café
Opera ($35). Attentive staf serve good
cofee to tables and squeeze fruit and
vegetable juices to order.
Surrounded by two floors of
sandstone colonnades, The
Cortile lobby bar best displays the
hotel’s handsome 19th-century bones.
Gather here for high tea beneath the
atrium, or for a quick pre-dinner drink.
From $246, without
breakfast. AT A GLANCE
509 rooms and suites,
adjoining rooms; bars,
restaurants, pool, day
spa, gym, paid valet
parking. IN ROOM Free
WiFi, some baths, cofee
machine, pillow menu,
Agraria toiletries. BEST
ROOM The apartment-
sized Australia Suite has
a terrace with cinematic
views. And a grand
piano for composing
the score.
WHERE Millers Point. COST From $428, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 98 rooms
and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, pool, day spa, gym, steam room,
tennis court, paid valet parking, pets welcome. IN ROOM Free WiFi, bath, cofee
machine, some balconies and kitchenettes, pillow menu, Chuan Spa toiletries.
BEST ROOM The Observatory Suite on the third floor is a stately home away from
home, with a large drawing room and views over the city and Observatory Hill Park.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 159
Sydney

The Old
OVOLO
WOOLLOOMOOLOO
Clare’s lobby.
There’s an Alice in Wonderland
feel to this 1915 wharf conversion
– it’s old but it’s new, it’s big
but manages to operate on a
human scale. New this year is
a “plant-based” restaurant, Alibi,
run by American chef Matthew
Kenney (with a wine list by
sommelier Chris Morrison)
styled to lend an epicurean
edge to the mezzanine lobby
beneath a four-storey vault. In
rooms, the odd cramped angle
of the wharf’s heritage bones is
ofset by a riot of playful décor,
from bedheads printed with
THE OLD CLARE HOTEL classic Australian tableaux to
Everything old is new again and, in the case of The flying ducks on the walls. Tying
Old Clare Hotel, it just gets better with age. The grungy it all together is the unmatchable
Clare pub and adjacent Carlton United Brewery building view; most rooms capture
were transformed in 2015 into a 62-room oasis in buzzing snapshots of Sydney’s sparkling
Chippendale. Expect superior dining, art and shopping harbour, some from private
options on the doorstep, character in spades, and friendly balconies. 6 Cowper Wharf Rd,
staf. The neighbourhood vibe of pedestrianised Kensington Woolloomooloo, (02) 9331
Street and Spice Alley and the Old Clare’s front bar draw 9000, ovolohotels.com.au
locals as well as visitors. Set over four floors, rooms are
light-filled and luxe, marrying heritage features with
freestanding baths and super-king beds. All have high
ceilings, Mid-century furniture and Maison Balzac
glassware. 1 Kensington St, Chippendale, (02) 8277 8277,
theoldclarehotel.com.au
There’s generosity in the
free minibar restocked daily,
free local calls, daily happy hour, and
guest loans of yoga mats, Xbox
and Wii consoles, and more.
Amble along the length of the
wharf to marvel at the super
yachts or to dine in one of Sydney’s
better waterfront restaurants; the
smart money favours Aki’s, the big
money heads to Otto.
The breakfast bufet is light
and fresh: breads, cheese and
the likes of soba and kale salad. Hot
dishes can be ordered at extra cost.
The proximity of the wharf’s fine-dining
strip means even hotel staf suggest
eating out rather than in, but if you’re
craving a late-night snack they’ll
deliver a meat pie from Harry’s
Cafe de Wheels.
Happy hour from 5.30pm,
which is restricted to guests
who book their room online, covers
beer, wine and vegetarian platters.
The free minibar is stocked with
beer and a white-wine blend.

Every nook and cranny is WHERE 2km from the

social-media ready. Now
choose your backdrop: a vintage chair,
the lobby wall of old pub posters,
or the Studio 54 vibe at the restored
Art Deco bar.
Grab a tin of Young Henrys
Newtowner ale from the
minibar and head for the rooftop pool.
It’s not made for laps but it has rock-
star views over Sydney’s favourite
vertical garden.
Kensington Street Social takes
care of room service and the
à la carte breakfast ($20) – a smoked
mackerel omelette, perhaps, or fig jam
on sourdough, with Single O cofee
and fresh juice. Come lunch, Automata
next door, or A1 Canteen, due to open
soon, should be top of your to-do list.
Old and new Chippendale
collide at the revamped
illuminated bar of The Clare; Reschs
listed alongside craft beers and
fruity cocktails, and students joined
by agency execs.
CBD, walking distance
from Central Station.
COST From $299,
without breakfast. AT A
GLANCE 62 rooms and
suites, adjoining rooms;
bar, restaurants, rooftop
pool, gym, free bike
hire, paid valet parking.
IN ROOM Free WiFi,
smart TV, Bose sound
system, some baths,
cofee machine, pillow
menu, Triumph &
Disaster toiletries. BEST
ROOMS The nine Clare
Rooms dial up the luxury Lo Lounge.
with freestanding baths
and super-king beds.
WHERE Harbourside, on the city’s inner-eastern fringe. COST From $299, with
breakfast. AT A GLANCE 100 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant,
pool, gym, paid valet parking, free self-service laundry. IN ROOM Free WiFi, iPad,
some baths and balconies, cofee machine, free minibar, Biology Smart Skincare
toiletries. BEST ROOMS Though most rooms have water views, Cityvoo rooms at
the end of the wharf have the best bridge and city skyline vistas.

160 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 So much to love: the rare luxury WHERE Surry Hills.
of a semi-enclosed terrace full of COST From $240,
potted plants; the comfort of pure linen without breakfast. AT A
bedding; a handwritten welcome note; GLANCE 29 rooms, lofts
a gem of a cinema downstairs. and suites, adjoining
Check-in has never been so rooms; bars, restaurant,
much fun. Staf pour a drink cafés, rooftop health
on arrival, perhaps a locally brewed club, shared oice
Wildflower sour ale, from a trio of space. IN ROOM Free
copper taps at the desk – a gesture WiFi, iPad, smart
so hospitable you wonder why it’s TV, some baths and
not done more often. terraces, Aesop
Start the day with excellent toiletries. BEST ROOMS
Sunny room. cofee at PCP and a breakfast- The biggest suites are
brunch menu served until 3pm. Keep the Mack Daddies:
it light with avocado, fermented salsa lounge, bedroom,
PARAMOUNT HOUSE HOTEL and cashew butter on sourdough, or terrace and bathroom,
It takes a village to make a great hotel. Paramount House Hotel is a handsome more substantial with fried chicken with the comforts of a
conversion of a former film-storage warehouse, its 29 rooms and lofts bearing waffles and maple bacon gravy. Stand Jardan sofa, Pakistani
a relaxed, lived-in style that favours comfort over design statements. High by for Poly, a restaurant and bar by kilim rugs, Cultiver linen
ceilings and old brickwork are teamed with terrazzo tiles, exposed copper the Ester team, due to open soon. bedding, and a deep
plumbing and potted plants, and the work of Australian makers – from Order your Negroni and timber tub for soaking
bathrobes to bathtubs – enhances the sense of place. Yet the hotel’s unique Sichuan-salted popcorn at and thinking.
appeal lies mainly in the strength of Paramount House’s creative community the Golden Age bar, and take them
and immediate neighbourhood: the seriously good cofee and sunny vibe of into the next screening at the Art
Paramount Cofee Project, which fronts the lobby; the art-house Golden Age Deco cinema. Or raid the excellent
Cinema and Bar; a cool co-working space; and a new rooftop health club minibar – natural wines, locally
and kiosk. A case study in the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. brewed beers, LP’s cured meats –
80 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills, (02) 9211 1222, paramounthousehotel.com and make a picnic on your terrace.
PHOTOGRAPHY SHARYN CAIRNS (PARAMOUNT HOUSE HOTEL) & NICOLE ENGLAND (OVOLO WOOLLOOMOOLOO)

PARK HYATT SYDNEY Rooftop pool.

Staf notify guests by text
Sparkling and abuzz with ferries message the moment their
and cruise ships, Sydney Harbour room is ready (often before the oicial
unfurls in front of the Park Hyatt like check-in time of 3pm) so the stay can
its own private playground. Each of begin without delay.
the 155 guestrooms, the restaurant Start the day with a jog or
and even the rooftop hot tub capture brisk walk to the Royal Botanic
views of the waterfront. Inside, the Garden; end it with a well-timed
décor is modern and muted, a smart drink at the Opera Bar watching the
backdrop for Australian artworks. sun set behind the Harbour Bridge.
Comfort and elegance are the While there’s a little hustling
focus in guestrooms, with spacious for seats with views among
marble bathrooms and balconies with guests, the truth is there isn’t a bad
oversized sunloungers. Dining options spot for breakfast in The Dining Room.
keep things local with Sydney rock Choose from a well-curated bufet
oysters and kangaroo tartare among or order from an à la carte menu that
the oferings at The Dining Room. runs from avocado toast to eggs
In a city besotted by property Benedict with smoked salmon.
value and location, this is a most The Park Hyatt’s bar is far
spectacular address. 7 Hickson from the best place for a drink,
Rd, The Rocks, (02) 9256 1234, hidden as it is in a rare windowless
sydney.park.hyatt.com corner of the hotel. Instead, find a spot
in the adjacent waterfront Living
WHERE The Rocks, near Circular Quay. COST From $990, with breakfast. AT A GLANCE 155 rooms and suites, adjoining Room. Or head to the rooftop pool,
rooms; bar, restaurants, rooftop pool, day spa, gym, steam room, paid valet parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, Bose sound grab a table or cabana and have
system, bath, some balconies, cofee machine, pillow menu, Le Labo toiletries. BEST ROOM The Sydney Suite is a staf mix a perfectly tart Gin Sour
385-square-metre haven with all the trimmings: fireplace, indoor and outdoor dining and a show-stopping view. to go with that scenery.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 161
 PIER ONE SYDNEY HARBOUR As one of only two wharf hotels
The glass of bubbles ofered on arrival in the city, there are few more
mirrors the sparkling harbour view that spectacular or afordable places to
dominates the lobby and bar, the water stay and play by the harbour. Plan a
so close you could cast a fishing line day around it: start with a waterfront
while lounging with drinks at the bar’s walk or jog from your room, stroll to
booths and cabanas lining the pier. Circular Quay for a ferry (anywhere),
The location is hard to beat: part of the and return to your pier for sundowners.
Walsh Bay arts precinct, with the bridge Conveniently, there’s a water-taxi
looming overhead and much of the rank out the front.
harbour’s water traic bobbing past. Not close enough to the water?
Make the most of it by taking breakfast Dive in from the hotel’s private
with views at The Gantry’s waterside Astro-turfed pontoon, where an adults-
tables, or settle later pier-side with a only bar and plunge pool operate in
burger or ribs from the food truck on summer (November-February).
site. Inside, the handsome industrial The busy breakfast bufet ($38)
bones of this old finger wharf set is good without being stellar,
a nautical vibe in white, light-filled, and includes an egg station and good
unfussy rooms with city or (more) barista-made cofee. Things get more
harbour views. 11 Hickson Rd, interesting in lunch, pre-show and
Walsh Bay, (02) 8298 9999, Pier One Bar. tasting menus, which showcase
pieronesydneyharbour.com.au produce such as Flinders Island
wallaby and Robbins Island wagyu.
WHERE Walsh Bay, on the CBD fringe. COST From $299, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 189 rooms and suites, If you can resist the siren call
adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, food truck, gym, paid valet and self-parking, pets welcome. IN ROOM Free WiFi, of a pier-side tipple, the minibar
some baths and balconies, some cofee machines, pillow menu, Appelles toiletries. BEST ROOM The Admiral Suite stocks four pre-mixed cocktails by
has a wraparound balcony with views of the bridge, the Opera House and Luna Park. Melbourne’s Everleigh Bottling Co.

QT Executive King room.

Get wrapped at the retro- WHERE CBD. COST
styled subterranean spa and From $320, without
unwind in the steam room. Or submit breakfast. AT A GLANCE
to a straight-edge shave in the barber 200 rooms and suites,
shop next door. adjoining rooms; bars,
A stone’s throw from Pitt restaurant, café, day
Street Mall, the Queen Victoria spa, barber shop, gym,
Building and the Westfield shopping steam room, paid valet
maze, it doesn’t get more central parking. IN ROOM Free
than this if you’re after a Sydney WiFi, some baths and
retail fix. balconies, cofee
Breakfast in Gowings Bar machine, Malin + Goetz
& Grill is à la carte; don’t toiletries. BEST ROOMS
miss the huevos rancheros, a soft Two apartment-sized
tortilla with beans, avocado mousse, QT suites have plenty
coriander, lime and an egg. At lunch of oak-panelled space
and dinner, chef Grant King’s lengthy and balconies guarded
menu covers all bases, from oysters by gargoyles.
QT SYDNEY and snapper ceviche to 270-day
If you loathe beige hotels, you’ll love the QT. From door staf wearing fiery red Scotch fillet from the grill.
wigs and leather, to the video installations at reception and walls of suitcases In the restaurant bar or the
in the lobby, the QT is one big performance. There are nods to the building’s more glamorous Gilt Lounge,
former life – part State Theatre, part Gowings Department Store – in sleek, the drinks list is impressive,
pinstriped staf uniforms. Rooms and corridors can be dark but strategically particularly for spirits and cocktails
placed mirrors and lighting render them dramatic, and furnishings are bright (2002 Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé,
and modern. Remnant Art Deco features, including floorboards and stairwell anyone?). Highlights from the playful
signage to the now-defunct dressmakers’ workshop, lend character. There may minibar include quality booze,
be QTs popping up everywhere but the Sydney flagship works hard to feel a beard-trimming kit, a domino
unique. 49 Market St, Sydney, (02) 8262 0000, qthotelsandresorts.com set and a bow tie.

162 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Sydney

Premier Grand Harbour

SHERATON ON THE PARK
Fresh from a $45 million head-to-
View Room.
toe makeover, the grande dame
of Elizabeth Street once again
reigns over Hyde Park. This is
a proudly full-service five-star,
so expect porters to wrangle
luggage, superior housekeeping
and room service, and generous
meals in Feast restaurant,
where big breakfasts segue
into extravagant seafood bufets.
Expect, too, dazzling views over
the harbour and the Heads from
higher-floor rooms and suites,
the club lounge and rooftop pool,
but less impressive oice-tower
SHANGRI-LA SYDNEY vignettes from “city side” rooms.
It’s a front-row seat to Sydney’s sparkling harbour at Plantation shutters cleverly
Shangri-La Sydney, whether from a window seat in your conceal such views, while
room or a velvet couch at Blu Bar on 36. Harbour vistas chaises longues and French
are viewed from serene, uncommonly spacious rooms hangings lend a residential
finished in light timbers and neutral tones, with marble feel that belies chain-hotel
bathrooms equipped with a tub and speakers. There’s expectations. 161 Elizabeth
even deeper relaxation in store on the second floor, which St, Sydney, (02) 9286 6000,
houses a modest indoor pool and a day spa. The carpet sheratonontheparksydney.com
patterning and splashes of glitzy gold seem a little dated.
The staf, however, are polished and en pointe; chief
concierge Colin Toomey is one of the best in the business Sheraton Club
and sets the tone for exemplary service at this venerable Lounge.
Sydney address. 176 Cumberland St, The Rocks,
(02) 9250 6000, shangri-la.com/sydney
The rooftop health retreat is a
city oasis of glass-roofed pool
and hot tub, day spa, big gym, steam
room and sauna, but the standout
feature is the sun terrace with a
quintessential Sydney outlook across
parkland to sparkling blue harbour.
Weary guests will give thanks
for the small mercy of a single
bedside master switch that shuts of
all the lights at the press of a finger.
Breakfast, served in the
light and bright Feast
restaurant, is the full five-star afair
($44, $38 Continental). Highlights
include prosciutto freshly sliced of
the bone, granola ice-cream, and egg
and smoked salmon muins with
hollandaise. The seafood bufet
is popular at lunch and dinner.
If nothing appeals on the
tight, mostly domestic wine
list at the Conservatory bar, a pretty
glass atrium on the first floor, take a
Roadtrip to Mexico instead: tequila,
mezcal, agave and grapefruit.

Count the ways to take in WHERE CBD. COST

one of the best views in
town: from a cosy private window
seat, a chair at the bar, or a table
at Altitude Restaurant.
Ask the concierge to book a
table at one of Barangaroo’s
new spots (Cirrus, perhaps) and head
out to explore Sydney’s new style of
waterside dining.
From 6am daily, Café
Mix on level one serves
a globetrotting bufet breakfast
($42, $32 Continental) with eggs
to order, congee with condiments,
and all bases covered in between.
You’ll need a drink to steady
the senses at Blu Bar, where
sensational views come with inventive
house cocktails such as The Devil,
a startling blue concoction of
Belvedere, coconut syrup, lychee
juice and blue Curaçao. Minibars are
elevated by the presence of pre-mixed
cocktails from The Everleigh Bottling
Co; dial up for garnishes and ice, and
enjoy a Martini high above The Rocks.
From $295, without
breakfast. AT A GLANCE
565 rooms and suites,
adjoining rooms; bar,
restaurant, cafés, pool,
day spa, health centre,
sauna, paid valet
parking. IN ROOM Free
WiFi, bath, some cofee
machines, pillow menu,
L’Occitane toiletries.
BEST BEDS The Royal
Suite captures harbour
panoramas fit for a
princess, particularly
one who also fancies
playing the grand piano.
WHERE CBD. COST From $349, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 558 rooms and
suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, café, rooftop pool, day spa, health centre,
paid valet and self-parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, bath, some balconies,
cofee machine, walk-in wardrobe, pillow menu, Le Grandbain toiletries. BEST
ROOMS Grand Executive Suite rooms have access to the 21st-floor club lounge,
with views over Hyde Park and complimentary snacks and drinks.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 163
Sydney
SOFITEL SYDNEY
DARLING HARBOUR
Set high above the throng, the
Sofitel is the new five-star face
of the Darling Harbour tourist
precinct. While it’s koala souvenirs
and fish ’n’ chips outside, inside
is an alternative universe where
greetings are in French and the
white-marble lobby is sweetly
scented and lit by candles.
Upstairs is a Champagne bar, an
infinity pool that appears to flow
into the harbour and 590 serene
rooms and suites. Full-length views
of the city skyline and harbour
dominate, though there’s attention
to detail in plush sandstone-veined
carpets, heavy timber columns,
maritime photographs and leather
detailing inspired by vintage
luggage. The tranquillity will be
complete when a huge aquarium
is unveiled in the lobby. 12 Darling
Dr, Sydney, (02) 8388 8888,
sofitelsydneydarlingharbour.com
WHERE Darling Harbour. COST From $499, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE
590 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bars, restaurant, pool, gym, paid valet
parking. IN ROOM Paid WiFi, cofee machine, some baths and walk-in wardrobes,
pillow menu, Lanvin toiletries. BEST ROOMS Prestige Suites occupy prized corner
positions with harbour views from living rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms,
and access to the 35th-floor club lounge.
164 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
Though too small for energetic
lapping, the 20-metre infinity
pool on level four is perfectly formed
for scenic dipping and positioned
for Insta-ready posing.
Hotel gyms are often relegated
to spare-room real estate, in the
basement or squeezed into awkward
spaces. Not here. A phalanx of cardio
and weight machines is lined up at
floor-to-ceiling windows facing Darling
Harbour and the city skyline.
Start the day with wraparound
harbour views and a cut-above
bufet breakfast ($40, Continental $34)
in Atelier by Sofitel. The distances
between food stations demand a plan
of attack so your espresso doesn’t cool
while you’re browsing baskets of fresh
pastries, ordering eggs or waffles,
or ladling congee and condiments.
As the sun sets and the
cityscape lights up, settle in
at the Champagne Bar with a glass
from the long list of mainly marquee
Champagnes. The house pour, a 2009
Louis Roederer, is a good place to start.
Bathroom in a Luxury Room
with Darling Harbour View.
Victoria Terrace
Suite.
SPICERS POTTS POINT
Tucked behind the bump and grind of Kings Cross, leafy
Victoria Street is home to backpacker inns, a boarding
school and, now, an elegant small hotel spanning a trio of
19th-century terraces. Spicers Potts Point is an inner-city
sanctuary of 20 rooms ranging from studio-style queen
rooms to the urban glamour of Victoria Terrace suites.
The décor is cool and calming – bleached oaks, greys
and creams enlivened by Martine Emdur’s paintings of
submerged Sydney swimmers. The welcome is gracious;
luggage is spirited away, guests are given a “passport”
loaded with local tips and treated to cocktails and canapés
each evening at the reception bar. A home away from
home. 120-124 Victoria St, Potts Point, (02) 9357 3200,
spicersretreats.com
The Victoria Street location WHERE Potts Point,
places guests in the urban 2km from the CBD.
jungle of Potts Point and King Cross, COST From $429, with
full of good eateries and bars, and a breakfast. AT A GLANCE
stroll from the harbour and city centre. 20 rooms and suites;
The hotel’s passport is a little bar, paid self-parking.
black book of its “favourite IN ROOM Free WiFi,
neighbours”: cool eateries, cafés, smart TV, some baths
bars, spas and shops. It’s like having and balconies, Leif
a concierge in your pocket. toiletries. BEST ROOMS
Breakfast is served in the The three Victorian
Garden Room, a sky-lit space Terrace suites combine
of hanging creepers, potted succulents the heritage charm of
and sofas printed like botanical marble fireplaces and
canvases. A highlight of the healthy polished timber floors
bufet is tarts filled with coconut-cream with king beds, baths
granola and studded with fruit and and dress-circle seats
flowers. Eggs are cooked to order, as is on lace-trimmed
the French toast with lime mascarpone. balconies facing
The reception bar treats Victoria Street.
houseguests to an apéritif –
perhaps a Chardonnay Spritz – and
canapés at 6pm-7pm and stays open
for them until 3am. Thoughtfully
stocked minibars feature Nick O’Leary
shiraz, Clyde Park chardonnay,
Hawke’s lager and Mumm.
 Inhale fresh air and disconnect WHERE CBD’s western
from the city over a meal or edge. COST From $328,
drinks in the atrium “jungle”, a clever without breakfast. AT A
use of vertical space and natural light GLANCE 182 rooms and
between towers. suites, adjoining rooms;
Attention to small details is bar, restaurant, gym,
impressive. Light switches have paid self-parking. IN
USB ports. The light over the clothes ROOM Free WiFi, smart
rail is shaped like a bird. And there’s TV, Bose Bluetooth
a (free) muesli bar and bag of popcorn speakers, cofee
with machine-made cofee in rooms. machine, some baths,
All-day dining in Solander, a Biology Smart Skincare
good-looking room with marble toiletries. BEST ROOM
parquet floors and velvet-upholstered The King Barangaroo
chairs, starts with a small, well-chosen Suite has harbour
Solander Bar. glimpses, a living room
breakfast bufet ($28) including chia
puddings, and apple and wheatgrass and a tub for soaking.
presses. Or settle in with a full
WEST HOTEL SYDNEY breakfast ($39) starring a textbook
The grace notes in this new-build hotel by Hilton’s Curio Collection are botanical:
eggs Benedict.
a striking white-waratah motif in the lobby, a garden atrium, leaf-patterned
The jade-green terrazzo bar and
carpets and native flowers throughout. The all-day streetfront restaurant is
backlit wall glow like jewels
named after a botanist, First Fleeter Daniel Solander, and the bar mixes botanical-
from the streetfront. Cocktails take the
leaning cocktails. On the CBD’s western edge and close to Barangaroo, the
hotel’s botanical theme literally, with
hotel has a façade clad in geometric wall panels that create the look of a faceted
house-made bitters, infused spirits and
jewel, and these panels frame big windows in 182 jewel-toned rooms and suites.
syrups in the rather ambitious likes of
Smart touches include a gym full of natural light and, in rooms, backlit bedheads,
Beetroot Mojitos and Nettle Gimlets.
ceiling-mounted Bluetooth speakers, and sound-proofing that ensures it’s as
quiet as a rainforest. 65 Sussex St, Sydney, (02) 8297 6500, westhotel.com.au

THE WESTIN SYDNEY Westin staf take dietary

Mosaic restaurant. requests seriously. There are
It’s all about location at the Sydney
outpost of the Westin empire. Housed no dismissive half-guesses here; if
within the heritage-listed sandstone you request gluten-free, staf will
walls of the former GPO building, double-check every ingredient and
guests couldn’t be more CBD-central. guide you towards choices that work.
Amenities such as a 20-seat For $5, guests can borrow
boardroom, five meeting rooms and workout gear and running
elegant conference and event spaces shoes. Use them in the hotel’s health
are well suited to business travellers, club or on a harbour circuit past
while holidaymakers have easy the World Heritage wonder of the
access on foot to Sydney’s landmarks. Opera House.
Tower rooms are well appointed with The real star at the breakfast
standalone glass-walled baths and bufet in Mosaic restaurant
signature Heavenly beds, but the ($45) is the view of the lofty GPO
décor blurs to beige. To get a feel atrium. But the food, especially the
for this exceptional building, upgrade noodle soup, also hits high notes.
to an aptly named Heritage room, In-room dining is packed with the
carved into the building’s original classics plus a “sleep well” menu
contours and kitted out in antiques. loaded with nap-friendly nutrients.
1 Martin Pl, Sydney, (02) 8223 1111, The Bar, Lounge & Room is
westin.com the place for signature Westin
cocktails including the Brookvale
WHERE CBD. COST From $340, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 416 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, Stormy: dark rum with fresh lime and
restaurant, pool, day spa, health centre, paid valet and self-parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, Bose sound system, Brookvale Union ginger beer. The
bath, pillow menu, Westin White Tea Heavenly toiletries. BEST ROOMS Built into the original sandstone GPO minibar gets points for its Roederer,
building, the Heritage rooms are the pick if you’re after character and charm. perfect for impromptu indulgence.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 165
NSW

We love the nature, whether it’s WHERE Five minutes’

enjoyed from the thoroughly drive south of Byron
screened porches or from the winding Bay. COST From $360,
boardwalks right in the rainforest, without breakfast. AT
under the canopy amid Bangalow A GLANCE 92 suites;
Palms, egrets and lily ponds. bar, restaurant, pool,
The self-guided meditation day spa, gym, sauna,
track through the wetland is steam room, free bike
entrancing, even if the quotes posted hire, tennis court, free
along the way sometimes inspire parking. IN ROOM Free
giggles rather than transcendence. WiFi, balcony, some
Sydney chef Matt Kemp is now baths, cofee machine,
executive chef, overseeing kitchenette, washer-
menus that run to the likes of local dryer, walk-in wardrobe,
The Byron at Byron jumbo prawns with shaved cabbage, Biology and Sanctum
Restaurant. fried shallot and lime, and grilled Cape toiletries. BEST ROOMS
Byron sirloin with Café de Paris butter, Deluxe spa suites are
watercress and frites. Go herbal at located the deepest into
THE BYRON AT BYRON RESORT & SPA breakfast with tahini balls and fruit, the rainforest, further
Look at that male: the pale buf chest and silky white underparts. And does or opt for the full bacon and hash from the road, the main
that one sound just like a crying baby? This being a resort built in 18 hectares browns indulgence. building and the pool,
of rainforest, it’s tempting to reach for the in-house bird guide when you’re Hit happy hour by the pool for and the closest to the
describing the poolside wildlife, spangled drongos and all. What makes wine at a friendly $7 a glass, walking track leading
The Byron at Byron special is its immersion in nature, despite being just five local Stone & Wood lager at $6 and to Tallows Beach.
minutes’ drive from town. The careful screening of the modern, boxy pavilions cocktail specials, or choose from
lets the frogsong, surf rumble and fresh air in but keeps the mozzies at bay. The a substantial wellness ofering
styling is crisply contemporary, from the paintings by Minnie Pwerle and Julian from the Byron Bay Tea Company.
Meagher to the welcome Byron touches (locally blended teas, guided meditation).
77-97 Broken Head Rd, Byron Bay, (02) 6639 2000, thebyronatbyron.com.au

ELEMENTS OF BYRON We love the total absence of

Elements takes in a vast carpark, naf collateral in the rooms.
203 villas, two pools and a lagoon. It’s a small touch that goes a long
But if that makes it sound like a way to making it welcoming.
glammed-up caravan park, take heart. Join a free yoga class at first
It’s popular with groups and families, light (okay, 7am) on the bay.
but realised with enough care to keep Touches that make breakfast an
things feeling smart, from smiling service unexpected cut above include
to direct access to Belongil Beach. (The loaves from local heroes Bread Social,
only actual caravan on the premises, the ofer of avocado toast, fine leaf
at the beach bar, dispenses green juice tea, and (praise be!) decent-sized
and craft beer.) The rooms are airy, mugs for a serious cuppa. At lunch and
with timber floors, kind lighting and dinner hit Graze, the lobby restaurant
mod-cons in the form of Bose speakers, for Mediterraneanish dishes given
PHOTOGRAPHY MICHAEL WEE (THE BYRON AT BYRON)

and an iPad compendium that actually local flavour with eggs from Scrubby
works. Add rainforest walks, a genuinely Gully, tomatoes from Coopers Shoot
fun adults-only pool (swim-up tequila and Nimbin Valley cheese.
bar!) and the odd wallaby on the beach Swim-up tequila bar! Swim-up
and Elements proves that sprawling tequila bar! It’s adults-only and
can still be special. 144 Bayshore serves tacos (prawn and chilli; brisket
Dr, Byron Bay, (02) 6639 1500, Adults’ pool. braised in Tecate) around the cabanas
elementsofbyron.com.au and swing-chairs to boot. If that sounds
too exciting, there’s family-friendly fun
WHERE Belongil Beach, a 15-minute drive from Byron Bay. COST From $355, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 203 villas; by the fire pit, and the minibars are
bars, restaurant, café, pools, day spa, gym, tennis court, free parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, Bose sound system, cofee stocked with enough Byron gin and
machine, bath, some balconies, kitchenette, Appelles toiletries. BEST ROOMS For beach access, the beachside villas are beer (and Bufalo Trace) to make a
the go; for space, the Luxury Villas fronting the eucalypt forest have screened decks with fireplaces. night in just as enticing.

166 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 NSW

Halcyon House
pool. Left: Classic
Room. Below, from
left: Master Room;
free bikes.
HALCYON HOUSE
Some hotels only come to life in at night, but the
halcyon hour at this remarkable property is the morning.
Wander over the dunes for a surf or a stroll along the
beach and saunter back, splashed with salt, rinse of by
the pool and jump into one of the world’s great hotel
breakfast experiences. The Slim Aarons aesthetic is
invoked up and down the east coast but no one nails it
with anything like the savvy and verve of Halcyon House.
It combines the Ace idea of refitting an old surf motel with
a level of plush comfort and bold but finely judged detail
that recalls the luxe UK and US properties of Firmdale
Hotels. If only they could muster food this sunny and
brilliant in London and New York. 21 Cypress Cres,
Cabarita Beach, (02) 6676 1444, halcyonhouse.com.au

A poolside experience framed WHERE 119km south

by pandanus palms and of Brisbane CBD,
white-painted fences, trimmed 30 minutes’ drive from
with playlists that are en pointe, Gold Coast Airport.
a magazine rack that gives equal COST From $600, with
weight to surfing, fashion and travel, breakfast; minimum
a stunning drinks list, plus prawn two-night stay Fri-Sat.
sandwiches? We’re in love. AT A GLANCE 21 rooms
Cold and hot outdoor showers and suites; bar,
for those fresh of the beach. restaurant, pool, day
Hands down one of the best spa, steam room, free
hotel restaurants in the country. bike hire, free parking.
Fresh fare that’s inventive without ever IN ROOM Free WiFi,
becoming taxing to the diner, with a smart TV, balcony or
focus on the local that translates as courtyard, some baths,
flavour rather than earnest ideology. free minibar, cofee
Even the club sandwich is reimagined machine, pillow menu,
with flair: crisp chicken skin with Evo toiletries. BEST
mortadella on milk bread. ROOM Clocking in at
The ordinariness of the drinks 81 square metres, corner
ofer that the hotel opened with room 308 has its own
has been thoroughly remedied with terrace and possibly the
the ofer of Provençal rosé, chilled best view of the ocean.
Beaujolais, Ochota Barrels chardonnay
and bottles of Dom with some
reasonable age on them. And that’s
just from what’s on ofer at the pool.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 167
 THE JOHNSON The beds are a highlight
BRISBANE

There’s a sense of occasion on arrival of The Johnson’s rooms.

at The Johnson as guests pass under Custom-made by AH Beard and
a black proscenium arch and cross a available to take home, these plump
small square to enter a light-filled king and queen afairs promise deep
and perfumed foyer. This hybrid tower relaxation at any time of night or day.
of designer flats and hotel includes Hire a blue Lekker bicycle
93 guestrooms on lower floors and from the hotel to explore the
three penthouses. Bland grey corridors neighbourhood and city riding tracks.
lead to funky apartment-style rooms Tumbling Stone restaurant,
with concrete ceilings, pale wood- named for one of Michael
panelled kitchenettes and a palette Johnson’s works, is an all-day afair
of neutral textiles with bursts of that serves à la carte breakfasts
colour that reference namesake artist of coconut chia pots and smoked
Michael Johnson’s bold paintings, salmon soldiers with poached eggs.
found in all rooms and public spaces. At lunch and dinner the grill rules;
A fantastic 50-metre pool fringed crowd-pleasers include chicken
by gay sunloungers and umbrellas suprêmes and Rangers Valley sirloins.
reinforces the sense that The Johnson Call room service (until 10pm) for
is not so much a city hotel as an urban the likes of chicken wings, wagyu or
Poolside at
resort. 477 Boundary St, Spring Hill, The Johnson. chicken burgers, and warm carrot cake.
(07) 3085 7200, thejohnson.com.au Tumbling Stone has an
appealing range of Australian
WHERE CBD fringe. COST From $149, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 96 rooms, suites and penthouses, adjoining gins and craft beers, and a decent list
rooms; bar, restaurant, pool, gym, paid self-parking, art library. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, some baths and balconies, of Australian and New Zealand wines.
kitchenette, cofee machine, Evo toiletries. BEST ROOMS Ask for a north-facing studio on the third floor, flush with Cocktails twist the classics. Exhibit A:
sunlight and with balcony views over the carpark to inner-suburban Spring Hill. a Salted Caramel Martini.

Thomson suite.

The Inchcolm’s glass-walled WHERE CBD fringe.

lift, a century-old Waygood- COST From $249,
Otis, spirits guests between floors with breakfast. AT A
with electric eiciency. GLANCE 50 rooms,
Ask a staf member to guide lofts and suites; bar,
you through the hotel’s bold restaurant, café, paid
contemporary art collection. Don’t valet parking, free bike
miss Enrique Rottenberg’s 12 Chairs hire, guest laundry.
and Rui Pinho’s celebrity pastiches. IN ROOM Free WiFi,
Breakfast, lunch and dinner iPad, smart TV, some
are taken at marble-topped baths, cofee machine,
tables in the new in-house restaurant, pillow menu, free
Salon de Co. Breakfast covers all minibar, Appelles
the main bases, from house-made toiletries. BEST ROOM
PHOTOGRAPHY HAMILTON LUND (NEXT HOTEL BRISBANE)

crumpets with salmon and cucumber The duplex loft on the

to chia pudding with banana and hotel’s top (fourth) floor
has living downstairs,
OVOLO INCHCOLM toasted coconut. Lunch and dinner
are share plates teaming eggplant, sleeping upstairs
Fresh from a $4 million facelift, the renamed and updated Ovolo Inchcolm
tofu and yuzu, for example, or lamb, and glass walls that
(formerly The New Inchcolm Hotel) blends Art Deco and Pop Art in an
eel and potato. capture city views
appealingly vibrant new look. The 50 rooms and lofts retain their smart,
An Ovolo innovation worth from any angle.
eclectic décor but now come with Ovolo treats such as free minibars, lolly
bags and 21st-century technology. Regular visitors to this former doctor’s catching is the nightly happy
residence, opened as a hotel in 1995, will notice big changes in public areas, hour, with cocktails, wines and beers
with a quirky reception desk styled as a curiosity cabinet and darkened on the house (if you book online)
corridors hung with Warhol-esque prints of pop stars (a penchant of Ovolo in the convivial bar. Ovolo minibars
owner Girish Jhunjhnuwala). Room configurations vary but even the smallest are (a) free, and (b) stocked with
are well appointed with queen beds, smart TVs, cofee machines and iPad beer, wine and soft drinks, and a
minis. 73 Wickham Tce, Brisbane, (07) 3226 8888, ovolohotels.com.au bag of sweet and savoury snacks.

168 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Brisbane

The bygone elegance, style

SPICERS BALFOUR HOTEL
It’s not that we have anything
against the original Spicers
Balfour Hotel, a converted
Queenslander of nine rooms.
We just prefer the newer suites.
Housed in a handsome 1940s
building three doors from the
hotel, Spicers’ eight suites are
spacious and elegant, with a
luxe retro vibe. Guests enter
a sunroom floored in geometric
tiles with desk, wicker armchairs
and table and a ’50s-style dresser
In Transit Zone.
fitted with fridge, cofee machine
and minibar. Two double doors
lead, respectively, to the bedroom
NEXT HOTEL BRISBANE with monochrome detailing,
The location couldn’t be better – bang on Queen Street soothing blue contrasts and king
Mall in the heart of Brisbane – and the refurbished bed, and a tiled bathroom with
rooms, while modest, feature custom-made beds, cofee freestanding bath. Head to the
machines, free movies and (partially) free minibars. hotel restaurant for meals, and
But what really sets Next apart is its generous array of to its terrace bar for striking
guest amenities. Witness the fourth-floor In Transit Zone, Story Bridge views. 37 Balfour
a workspace and playground with 20-metre pool, café, St, New Farm, 1300 597 540,
bar, library, sleep pods, gym, showers and workstations spicersretreats.com
for guest use before check-in, after check-out and while
in residence. Supplied smartphones with WiFi hotspots,
and free local and cheap international calls are inspired
innovations. For everything else there’s the Next hotel
app, which controls your entire in-house world. 72 Queen
St, Brisbane, (07) 3222 3222, nexthotels.com/brisbane
and spaciousness of the suites,
coupled with their location just of
bustling James Street, makes them
an ideal Brisbane base.
You’re a stroll away from the
water so take a walk or jog
along the Brisbane River, flanked
by clifs and trophy homes.
Highlights of breakfast, served
in the main hotel’s balconied
dining room, include fresh fruit with
creamy yoghurt and house-smoked
salmon on charcoal brioche. Lunch is
easy pickings such as a salmon poke
bowl, or duck and green mango salad.
Antipasti, charcuterie and cheese
boards are available throughout the
day, and high tea is a daily ritual.
The frangipani-fringed house
bar, newly furnished with sofas,
armchairs and throws, operates on
an honesty system. The surprisingly
strong showing of Champagnes is an
indication of a wine list worth lingering
over, and minibars, too, exhibit equally
good taste. Anyone for Ruinart?
Suite 11, Spicers
Balfour Suites.

The amenity-packed transit WHERE CBD. COST

lounge is unique in Australia
and evidence that Next has put
plenty of thought into how best
to please guests.
Scroll through the Next app
on your Samsung smartphone
(supplied in every room) to discover
all the perks and practical stuf the
hotel ofers.
Breakfast ($29.50) is a hybrid
afair of bufet (chia puddings,
granola) and hot dishes including
banana waffles and eggs Benedict.
It’s served in the light-filled Lennons
Restaurant, which turns into an
on-trend eatery for lunch and dinner
serving the likes of bone-marrow
ravioli and parrilla meats. The poolside
terrace serves tapas, pizze and
burgers with sunshine.
Minibars are stocked with beer,
cider, soft drinks and snacks;
guests can consume four items a
day free of charge. Head to the pool
terrace for cocktails, or Lennons for
craft beers and fine wines.
From $189, without
breakfast. AT A GLANCE
304 rooms and suites,
adjoining rooms; bars,
restaurant, rooftop pool,
gym, paid valet parking.
IN ROOM Free WiFi,
Samsung smartphones,
smart TV, cofee
machine, pillow menu,
free minibar, Biology
toiletries. BEST ROOMS
There’s not much
diference between
room categories – aim
high for expansive city
views and river glimpses
from Deluxe King rooms
on floors 17-26.
WHERE 2km from the CBD. COST From $289, with breakfast. AT A GLANCE
17 rooms and suites; bars, restaurant, free parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart
TV, Bose sound system, bath, cofee machine, Appelles toiletries. BEST ROOM
All suites are of similar (generous) size and amenities, but only number seven
has a balcony and access to the rooftop garden where herbs and bees thrive.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 169
 Fixx Lounge and Café.
Left: QT King Ocean View
Room. Below, from left:
outdoor pool and spa;
QUEENSLAND

QT GOLD COAST QT King Suite Ocean

View bathroom.
It’s part boutique hotel, part Gidget movie. QT Gold
Coast’s open-plan ground floor has it all going on:
calypso-style pool with fake lawn; lobby bar Fixx laying
on high tea with Champagne; and Stingray Lounge
pouring 50 shades of tequila. Dressed in retro leisurewear,
vivacious staf serve the 297 rooms on 22 floors in record
time ( just two and a half minutes to send up a phone
charger!). Our modest seventh-floor suite has a sunny
balcony, witty minibar and galah-shaped bedside lamp.
Expect edgy art (Jennifer Steinkamp’s soaring digital
artwork in the lobby is a standout) and a serious spa. The
only dead spot is the charmless gym; plunge instead into the
paradisiacal surf, a two-minute stroll away. 7 Staghorn Ave,
Surfers Paradise, (07) 5584 1200, qtgoldcoast.com.au

Someone has a sense of WHERE Surfers

humour here. Case in point: Paradise, 22km from
“In-room robe removal may result Gold Coast Airport.
in a slap or a tickle. Permanent COST From $265,
removal from this room may result without breakfast.
in a swipe (of the credit card kind).” AT A GLANCE
Don’t miss the chance to cycle 297 rooms and suites,
the beachfront. Grab a free adjoining rooms; bar,
retro bike and a hamper (sandwiches, restaurant, café, pool,
water, fruit platter and sunscreen in day spa, gym, sauna,
a cooler bag, $55) and get pedalling. tennis courts, paid valet
Chef-run stations at Bazaar and self-parking, free
Marketplace restaurant create bike hire. IN ROOM
a superior morning spread ($38), Free WiFi, smart TV,
featuring chive and potato rösti, cofee machine, some
house-made baked beans and baths and balconies,
a dedicated cofee station. Also on Malin + Goetz toiletries.
site is Yamagen, a cut-above izakaya. BEST ROOMS The
QT minibars aren’t so much high-floor King Suite
stocked as curated, and feature Ocean View pods have
quality booze, an emergency bow the sort of big blue
tie and a beach ball. Stingray Lounge views we all want
is a Baja Californian refuge from from the Gold Coast.
the hotel’s prevailing beach party,
featuring tequila cocktails such as
Day of the Dead, with chilli tequila,
lime and black lava salt.

170 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Queensland

Noosa’s best-located lodgings WHERE Downtown

deliver the luxury of space; Noosa Heads. COST
even entry-level studios have spa From $285, with
baths and 55 square metres of real breakfast. AT A
estate. On the doorstep are Hastings GLANCE 176 rooms,
Street’s boutiques, Main Beach and suites, residences and
Noosa National Park. penthouses, adjoining
How considerate to have rooms; bars, restaurant,
a well-stocked bottleshop pool, day spa, gym,
on site, allowing guests to charge sauna, paid valet and
drinks and deli items to their rooms. self-parking, self-service
A French-accented bufet laundry. IN ROOM
breakfast served in the Paid WiFi, bath, balcony
light-filled Noosa Beach House or courtyard, some
includes a mix-your-own juice bar, kitchenettes, pillow
Sofitel Noosa’s pool. barista-made cofee, Viennoiserie, menu, Lanvin toiletries.
and breads with mini Bonne Maman BEST ROOM The
jams. Approach the omelette station best entry-level room
SOFITEL NOOSA PACIFIC RESORT for a change from standard hot options. with river views is
The scent of change is in the air at this Noosa stalwart. That’s Sofitel’s house Choices, choices: Champagne in No. 624. (“Village View”
fragrance wafting through the lobby, imparting notes of rose and bergamot, just a poolside cabana, or cocktails rooms have views of the
one of many Gallic touches introduced since Sofitel took over from Sheraton two at the swim-up Water’s Edge Bar? rooftop of the adjacent
years ago. There are pre-dinner “apero chic” soirées in Noosa Beach House or at Perhaps a gin-fuelled Riviera Sunset on shopping centre.)
the new riverside Riviera Bar; Mumm, Badoit and Evian in the minibar; a “bonjour” the balcony of the riverside Riviera Bar
from smartly attired staf; and the signature Sofitel candle-lighting ritual at dusk. or a round at the busy Noosa Beach
Spacious guestrooms in a palette of cream, stone and coral are largely unaltered. House Bar? Or retire to your balcony
Blue and white parasols have sprouted poolside, and five new cabanas with with a drop from the bottle shop.
butler service border the lagoon and its retro swim-up bar. 14-16 Hastings St,
Noosa Heads, (07) 5449 4888, sofitelnoosapacificresort.com.au

SPICERS CLOVELLY ESTATE Spa Suite.

Breakfast is an indulgent afair
The check-in routine at Clovelly of stacked rye pancakes with
Estate sets the bar high. First, a caramelised banana and celeriac
personal welcome from the manager. ganache, say, or the full catastrophe
Then a flute of prosecco – on the served on the terrace with barista
lawn, in the shade of the jacaranda cofee and serene garden views.
– while staf explain the many There are nine hectares of
ways you could spend your time grounds to explore; at the very
here: boules or a bike ride, morning least take a 10-minute stroll at sunset
yoga or afternoon spa session, to the Lake Deck pavilion for golden
and apéritifs beside the fire pit. With views through the treetops to Lake
hinterland surrounds this stunning, Baroon. Return here for morning yoga.
it almost feels like a bonus when The Long Apron is a destination
the comfort levels and service in itself, serving five-course
standards are so impressive. tasting menus or fixed-price three-
Expect spacious marble bathrooms, course à la carte. Both start with smart
some with double showers and snacks and progress to cured scallops,
spa baths, pretty linens, cute nooks perhaps, or Angus skirt steak with
and light-filled, French-inspired tendon pufs and parsnip crisps. A new
interiors. Plus smart food and wine. room-service menu is available during
38-68 Balmoral Rd, Montville, restaurant hours.
1300 252 380, spicersretreats.com Dress up for blood-orange
Negronis on the terrace in
WHERE Sunshine Coast hinterland, a 90-minute drive from Brisbane and an hour from Noosa. COST From $399, with summer, or by the fire pit in winter.
breakfast. AT A GLANCE 10 rooms, one cottage; bar, restaurant, pool, day spa, free parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, some The minibar yields surprises: a mini
terraces, spa baths and balconies, pillow menu, Appelles toiletries, heated bathroom floor and towel rail. BEST ROOMS Collet Brut, Heathcote shiraz, and Ortiz
Splash out on a spa suite, turn on the jets, sprinkle your “bath caviar”, and pour a glass of Champagne. anchovies and crackers among them.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 171
 MACQ01 The sense of place is palpable
HOBART & TASMANIA

The spirit of Tasmania has a new in rooms celebrating Indigenous

address. The timber-clad Macq01,
anchored beside the Derwent on
Macquarie Wharf, captures the
island’s colourful past in 114 rooms
themed around historical figures.
Grim tales of convicts and
charlatans are softened by
spacious and textured interiors
with covetable grey woollen
couches, alpaca throws and
arresting art including Troy Rufels’
photomedia landscapes and
Garden Room. Duncan Meerding’s timber lamps.
Ground-floor public areas such as
the Lounge, with a river-stone fire
ISLINGTON HOTEL pit and Indigenous artefacts, have
The Islington dances across three centuries with ease. lavish water outlooks. With valets
The converted Regency-style mansion in South Hobart’s in colonial maritime uniforms,
dress circle features the owners’ jaw-dropping collection storytellers with theatrical flair
of 19th-century antiques and artworks by 20th-century and objets de quirk lurking
greats (including a Warhol portrait of Mao Zedong in the around every corner, this is
hallway), while the meticulous attention to comfort is pure the hotel for Tasmania’s global
2018. A hotel for travellers looking for unique rather than moment. 18 Hunter St, Hobart,
universal, the Islington is all about unwinding, whether (03) 6210 7600, macq01.com.au
fireside in the conservatory or in rooms that range from
the subtle modernism of garden suites to the attic room’s
historic charms. Hobart’s attractions are on the doorstep, or
stay in for a lazy afternoon gazing at Mount Wellington with
a glass of something local from the honesty bar. 321 Davey
St, Hobart, (03) 6220 2123, islingtonhotel.com
warriors, errant sailors and whaler
ghosts. Macq01 is that rarest of
beasts: a themed hotel that’s not
inefably twee.
Take a free tour around Sullivans
Cove and Salamanca Place with
one of the hotel’s storytellers for a
potted history delivered with panache.
Head to the hotel’s Old Wharf
restaurant for local seafood,
from Bruny Island oysters to blue-eye
trevalla with clams and leek in
shellfish sauce. Breakfasts, too,
are a taste of Tasmania: a spread
of house-baked pastries and local
meats and cheeses alongside hot
plates of ricotta fritters, free-range
eggs and streaky bacon ($30).
Minibars run with the island
theme. From Bay of Fires
sparkling rosé, to Willie Smith cider
and pre-mixed cocktails by Sud Polaire
(with cocktail-making gear), this is an
exercise in Tasmanian pride.

You just can’t get good staf WHERE 2km south of

anymore – except at the central Hobart. COST
Islington. No request is too ridiculous, From $385, with
no concern too small, and they’ll breakfast. AT A GLANCE
deliver endless cafè lattes to your 11 rooms and suites;
room for no extra charge. bar, restaurant, free
The attention to small details, self-parking, adults only.
from the conservatory’s IN ROOM Free WiFi,
help-yourself baked treats, to the bath iPad, smart TV, bath,
crystals and the hotel’s own “dream pillow menu, Aesop
blend” tea delivered at turndown, toiletries, heated
feels more like staying with a doting bathroom floor. BEST
aunt than in a downtown hotel. ROOM The Signature
There’s scarcely any need to Room, decked out in
visit Hobart’s slew of exciting sumptuous Biedermeier
new cafés when the tarif includes style with chocolate
an à la carte breakfast featuring silks and an Austro-
free-range eggs, and local salmon Hungarian bed fit for
and bacon. Dinner is a seasonal royalty, occupies a Macq01 lobby.
modern Australian menu dedicated corner of the old house.
to the twin principles of free range
and organic. WHERE Hobart waterfront. COST From $270, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE
The minibars keep it minimal, 114 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, gym, free valet parking.
with only water and juice in IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, Bose sound system, some baths and balconies,
all but one room. The conservatory’s cofee machine, pillow menu, Appelles toiletries. BEST ROOMS Splash out on
honesty bar, however, is a taste of one of two luxury waterfront suites with a private deck, fireplace, butler on call
Tassie terroir in spirits, beer and wine. and stunning views across the river to Mount Wellington.

172 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 H o b a r t & Ta s m a n i a

MONA PAVILIONS This is a real art hotel, not

The bespoke soaps are $40 a bar. designed to please all comers
Bianca is scented with lemon myrtle, but a place that will deeply delight
Casey with tangerine. Each is shaped many and stimulate more still.
like a vulva – studies so detailed they’d They’ve gone the extra mile
be sure to be recognisable to, well, when sourcing local: milk from
anyone intimate with Bianca and Casey. Ashgrove, cofee from Villino, chocolate
Welcome to Mona, the Museum of Old from Launceston, rhubarb juice from
and New Art, an adult playground Scottsdale, plus Poltergeist gin, Lark
where provocation is the order of the whisky and great Tassie cheeses.
day. Set on the banks of the Derwent, Mona isn’t short of places to
its freestanding pavilions are like eat. As well as a cellar door,
giant, airy wünderkammers stufed café and the wild new Faro tapas
with remarkably good wine (as local bar, the estate’s flagship restaurant,
as the estate, as global as half-bottles The Source, has an exceptional wine
of good Burgundy), intriguing books list and takes care of room service
(monographs on Nolan, Boyd and for the pavilions and breakfast. Wake
Whiteley) and artworks and antiquities up to the likes of fruit daubed with
that form part of the larger collection of leatherwood honey and sheep’s milk
the museum. A radical and impressive yoghurt, or brown rice with sautéed
proposition. 655 Main Rd, Berriedale, Walter pavilion. greens, fried eggs, lime and kimchi.
(03) 6277 9900, mona.net.au The line-up in the wine fridge
(Egly-Ouriet Champagne,
WHERE 12km from central Hobart, a 15-minute drive, or 30 minutes by ferry. COST From $700, with breakfast. AT A Mount Mary chardonnay, a wealth of
GLANCE Eight pavilions; bars, restaurant, café, pool, gym, sauna, free parking, entry to Mona, cinema. IN ROOM Free Tasmanian options) and a rich range
WiFi, balcony, bath, kitchenette, washer-dryer, pillow menu, wine fridge, Aesop toiletries. BEST ROOM There’s much of snacks consistently vaults the
to be said for having a Brett Whiteley in your room; the artist’s 1986 Cemetery in Sicily hangs in his eponymous pavilion. minibar into GT’s top rankings.

The Retreat.
The Shorehouse’s dining room WHERE About 175km
and lounge has been cleverly from Launceston and
renovated with exposed timbers, firefly Hobart, a three-hour
bulbs and grey-felt seating pods. drive from both. COST
Staf are on speed dial, to From $280, with
deliver a complimentary loaf breakfast. AT A GLANCE
PHOTOGRAPHY BRETT BOARDMAN (MONA) & ADAM GIBSON (MACQ01 & PUMPHOUSE POINT)

of warmed bread, emergency brie or 19 rooms and villa;

pâté, or simply to provide guidance bars, restaurant, free
on catching that elusive trout (and parking, free bikes and
then arranging for the chef to cook it). rowboats, adults only.
A breakfast bufet with a IN ROOM No WiFi,
diference features free-range cofee machines, some
eggs for guests to boil to taste (timers baths, pillow menu,
provided), toasties to assemble and Sukin toiletries, heated
granola to anoint with local yoghurt bathroom floor.
and honey. Communal three-course BEST ROOM The new
set-menu dinners ($56) are served on-shore Retreat is an
PUMPHOUSE POINT family style. Raid in-room fridges for ultra-luxe, utterly private
Equal parts boutique hotel and bucket-list experience, Pumphouse Point is Coal River Farm brie, wood-roasted escape for two featuring
the ultimate getaway in the experiential age. Minimalist luxury colours every salmon, Mures chowder and plenty indoor and outdoor
aspect of a stay at this heritage hydroelectric landmark on Lake St Clair, from more for a carpet picnic. baths, wood heater
lakeside Shorehouse rooms to the new ultra-modern retreat. Mohair throws, Three honesty bars and in-room and well-stocked
wood-fired lounges and in-room fridges stocked with Tasmanian treats fridges feature a top-notch complimentary minibar.
mean that roughing it in this World Heritage wilderness sanctuary is confined selection of Tasmanian wine, beer
to the great outdoors. Walks range from gentle to challenging, or borrow and mixers.
a rowboat and fishing rod for ofshore exploration. The setting screams
Instagram, but the absence of WiFi and abundance of serenity suggest
switching of is the better option. 1 Lake St Clair Rd, Lake St Clair,
0428 090 436, pumphousepoint.com.au

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 173
MELBOURNE

CROWN METROPOL The art collection adds

unexpected whimsy to
MELBOURNE
lift lobbies and public areas.
Crown Metropol is a far cry from
David Sequiera’s library of
clichés of casino hotels. Instead of
blue-spined books is a bright
plush pile and complimentary chips it’s
spot at 28 Skybar Lounge.
all clean lines, Danish-influenced design
Settle poolside in a banana
and casual, even quirky touches that
chair or the hot tub and
create a seam of character in one of
gaze across Port Phillip Bay.
the country’s largest hotels. The rooms Mr Hive Kitchen & Bar
have a hipsterish, mini-apartment is a one-stop shop for
feel (note the key bowl and doodle- breakfast, lunch sandwiches, cofee,
patterned bedspread) that attracts a cocktails and dinner with a twist
younger clientele. But there is also a (it also handles in-room dining).
surprising number of families, drawn The generous breakfast bufet
no doubt by one of the nation’s best ($41.50, $29.50 Continental)
hotel pools – an infinity-edge afair features health-conscious
with ocean views. On the downside, options such as Bircher muesli
sometimes the queue at reception and impressive fruit platters.
looks almost as endless. 8 Whiteman The views from the 28th-floor
Pool & Fitness
St, Southbank, (03) 9292 8888, Centre. Skybar Lounge stretch over
crownmelbourne.com.au the city to Port Phillip Bay and east
to the Dandenongs, and partner
WHERE Southbank. COST From $268, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 658 rooms and lofts, adjoining rooms; bars, as well with a signature Breakfast
restaurant, pool, fitness centre, steam room, paid valet and self-parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, some baths and cofee Martini (gin, Grand Marnier and
machines, pillow menu. BEST ROOMS A modest upgrade to a “Sky High Club” King Luxe room opens access to the marmalade) as a late-night Red
28 Skybar Lounge, with complimentary canapés, valet parking and breakfast. Lips (rum, gin and shiraz).

Premier Club Suite.

There’s much to love in the WHERE Southbank.
rooms, all conspiring to leave COST From $358,
you feeling utterly cosseted: walk-in without breakfast. AT
wardrobes, plush bathrobes and TVs A GLANCE 481 rooms,
at the end of the baths, but most of suites and villas,
all the custom beds swaddled in adjoining rooms; bars,
japara cotton. restaurants, café, pool,
From the ofer of water at day spa, gym, sauna,
check-in to a proper turndown tennis court, paid valet
service that includes Koko Black and self-parking. IN
salted caramels, thoughtful service ROOM Free WiFi, smart
is a virtue. TV, some baths, cofee
Breakfast in the grand machine, pillow menu,
Conservatory overlooking walk-in wardrobe, Antica
the Yarra ($39.50) covers East and Farmacista toiletries.
West with aplomb, with a full English BEST ROOMS The lavish
bufet and an omelette station, and two-bedroom Crystal
CROWN TOWERS MELBOURNE the likes of chicken congee and Villas crown the tower
“Think big” is the motto at the jewel in the Crown complex. The curved tower condiments. Chocolate fountains, and include 24-hour
on the banks of the Yarra looms over the casino and its sister hotels, and croissants and crumpets are balanced butler service.
inside the scale is similarly king-size. The vast lobby is illuminated by a by low-gluten bread and cakes from
monumental chandelier, while entry to the neighbouring gaming floor is via the “healthy corner”.
a grand black marble staircase. The luxurious rooms, meanwhile, have views Veuve Clicquot and an ice
of the bay or city from full-length windows that verge on vertiginous. Just bucket await in your room,
beyond the lobby are restaurants by marquee players – Neil Perry and Nobu or settle at The Waiting Room in the
Matsuhisa among them. When it comes to the service, though, greatness lies lobby with a glass from the largely
in the details, whether it’s the considered response to requests or the warmed local wine list.
pot holding the chips, which arrive (promptly) from room service. 8 Whiteman
St, Southbank, (03) 9292 6868, crownmelbourne.com.au

174 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Melbourne

GRAND HYATT As well as handy items to

MELBOURNE
Though it’s almost 10 years
since the Grand Hyatt’s last
big renovation, it remains one
of Melbourne’s most coveted
business hotels. The location is
key to its appeal – smack bang
in the big-business end of the
CBD but also just moments away
from the city’s most exciting
eating, drinking and shopping.
It’s not just the award-winning
bufet breakfast that drives
Junior Penthouse Suite. a brisk repeat business; the
brass-and-awe lobby impresses
without snobbery, as do the
THE CULLEN discreet and friendly staf. A
There’s a foosball table in the foyer; Ned Kelly and his gang step in any direction is a choose-
lurk on level four. Any hotel named in honour of the late your-own adventure, to the gym
“avant-grit” artist Adam Cullen is duty-bound to do things (a full-blown 24-hour fitness
diferently and The Cullen lives up to its hype, its walls centre), the rooftop tennis court
a retrospective of the Archibald winner’s spirit. It wears its or Ru-Co, the hotel’s destination
of-Chapel Street location well, leaning on ground-floor cocktail bar. 23 Collins St,
tenants Gramercy Social and HuTong Dumpling Bar for Melbourne, (03) 9657 1234,
dining options. Upstairs, The Cullen’s monochrome melbourne.grand.hyatt.com
interiors, plush carpets and kitchenettes – very handy
with Prahran Market across the road – pit comfort against
a background of Cullen’s edgy artworks. There’s no sign
of corporate blandness taming the hotel’s irascible charm
since its takeover by the Mantra Group. 164 Commercial
Rd, Prahran, (03) 9098 1555, artserieshotels.com.au
buy and keep, the hotel
keeps a “Hyatt Has It” inventory
full of thoughtful extras, from ties
and cufflinks for the forgetful to
a humidifier and even a spin bike.
The rooftop tennis court,
a rarity in city hotels, is the
perfect prelude to a power lunch.
Lobby restaurant Collins
Kitchen combines expansive
variety with impeccable attention
to detail at breakfast. The organic
kalamata olive loaf comes with
food-allergen details, and gluten-free
pastries are made in-house.
Comprehensive à la carte oferings
bolster the bufet’s juice, egg,
smoothie and superfood stations
($44). The kitchen’s commitment
to local sourcing extends to dinner,
where menus feature Port Phillip
Bay whiting and High Country cod.
Ru-Co styles itself as a
laneway bar in a hotel.
Peruse the 2,700-bottle wine list
while eavesdropping on Tinder dates.

A shameless dedication to WHERE 5km from the

commerce means everything CBD. COST From $189,
from the beds and linen to the scented without breakfast. AT
room spray and signed Cullen prints A GLANCE 118 rooms
(the ultimate memento – why not buy and suites, adjoining
two?) are for sale. rooms; bar, restaurants,
You want it, they’ve thought gym, paid valet and
of it. Hire a Cullen-branded self-parking, free art
Smart car or Kronan Classic bicycle tours, guest laundries.
from the cheerful reception staf. IN ROOM Free WiFi,
Borrow a Cloud Nine styling wand or some baths and
a Bugaboo pram. Minibars are stocked balconies, kitchenette,
with hangover busters, and breakfast pillow menu, Evo
runs until 3pm on weekends. toiletries. BEST ROOMS
The Gramercy Social breakfast Broaden your art
swings both ways, with experience with a stay
eggwhite omelettes and kale pesto in one of four Deluxe
doing for virtue what the “brunch Studio Suites decorated
cocktails” and Seedy Sunday Sanga by street artists.
(sausage patty, maple bacon and Collins Kitchen.
hash brown in a hamburger bun)
do for excess.
The pre-mixed Melbourne WHERE CBD. COST From $472, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 550 rooms and
Martini (or the kombucha) in suites, adjoining rooms; bars, restaurant, pool, health centre, sauna, steam room,
the minibar and Gramercy Social’s tennis court, paid valet parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, bath, some kitchenettes, some
happy “hour” (4pm-7pm daily) are cofee machines, pillow menu, June Jacobs toiletries. BEST ROOM Opt for a corner
compelling reasons to drink in-house. room such as 2207, a Grand Deluxe King with views of the Domain parklands.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 175
Melbourne

THE LANGHAM The service at The Langham

Hotel Lindrum
lobby. MELBOURNE
The Langham is proudly
analogue in a digital age. The
lavish marble lobby with tiered
fountains is a time capsule from
an earlier century, a calling card
continued somewhat less
impressively in the rooms with
their heavy wooden furniture
and floral carpets. The secret
to The Langham’s success is
simple: know thy customer.
Old-fashioned ritual and service
prevail – just ask the dressed-to-
impress crowd enjoying the daily
high tea, the stay-cationers
HOTEL LINDRUM lazing near the riverfront pool,
One of Melbourne’s favourite boutique hotels strikes or the genteel throng at Melba
a comforting balance between old and new. And while Restaurant, where bufet dining
some of the more modern elements are charmingly is anything but abject. And
out of date (the DVD library is a case in point), the circa what’s not to love about a crack
1900 tea store and billiards hall, once run by the aunt of team of concierges with the
champion cue-man Walter Lindrum, is ageing gracefully. secrets of Melbourne at their
Interiors were refurbished in 2015 and heritage features, fingertips? 1 Southgate Ave,
including high ceilings and recycled floorboards, lend Southbank, (03) 8696 8888,
rich character. Most rooms don’t have views to speak langhamhotels.com
of, but the styling and eicient use of space make them
seem roomy and indulgent at the same time. The staf are
friendly and attentive and know the city inside out, ensuring
an intimate and relaxing stay. 26 Flinders St, Melbourne,
(03) 9668 1111, hotellindrum.com.au
is second to none, whether
it’s the concierge ofering to use his
contacts to secure a last-minute dinner
reservation, the appearance of
children’s bathrobes or the civilised
midday check-out.
A hotel dedicated to The
Langham “experience” has
a gift shop par excellence, drenched
in signature pink. Will you take home
a bed and linen, an embossed pet
collar, or the hotel’s signature ginger
flower-scented oil as a memento?
The Melba will convert the
biggest bufet snob with its
multicultural breakfasts ($40), and an
impressive selection of shellfish and
culturally diverse cooking stations at
lunch and dinner. You can even have
the hotel’s popular Wedgwood high
tea delivered to your room.
Though busy, Aria bar lacks
X-factor and city views, and
there are many better options nearby.
Swing by at 7.05pm, however, for a
complimentary Peach Melba cocktail.

The lobby is a congenial WHERE CBD. COST

spot worth lingering in. The
championship-sized billiards table, set
in an open room full of Walter Lindrum
memorabilia, practically has its own fan
club, and there’s a chess set and library
of cofee-table books within striking
range of the bar.
Post-Netflix, we might have
reached the point where a
DVD library feels a little old school,
but that surely is part of the appeal.
Pedants might realise that Felt,
the hotel’s restaurant, takes its
name from the wrong cloth – billiard
tables use baize – but finding other
faults is more diicult. Breakfast
($38) is a light Continental spread
with breads by Sonoma, and inventive
à la carte options such as rösti with
Padre cofee-cured trout.
The Back Bar bar is small (it
doubles as the far end of the
front desk) but still finds room for a
fireplace and leather armchairs, perfect
spots in which to spend time with the
Lindrum’s signature Espresso Martini.
From $295, without
breakfast. AT A GLANCE
59 studios, rooms and
suites; bar, restaurant,
café, billiards, paid
self-parking. IN ROOM
Free WiFi, iPad, smart
TV, DVD library, some
baths, pillow menu,
Appelles toiletries.
BEST ROOMS The
eight deluxe rooms at
the front of the hotel
overlook Flinders
Street’s plane trees to
the green belt beyond.
Pool and terrace.
WHERE Southbank. COST From $280, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 388 rooms
and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, pool, day spa, health centre, sauna,
paid valet parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, bath, some balconies and cofee
machines, pillow menu, Chuan Spa toiletries. BEST ROOM Fancy moving in for an
extended stay? The Residence suite on the 10th floor has a butler’s kitchen and
dining room, two king bedrooms and a laundry.

176 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 The minibar includes hangover WHERE South Yarra,
capsules and “Your time to 5km from the CBD.
shine” paints and canvas for those COST From $302,
inspired by the arty surrounds, while without breakfast.
the shopping catalogue includes AT A GLANCE
swimmers, socks, limited-edition 224 rooms, suites and
signed Olsen prints, and the excellent penthouses, adjoining
signature AH Beard beds and bedding. rooms; bars, restaurant,
Scooters, Smart cars and retro café, pool, day spa,
Lekker bikes are available for gym, sauna, paid valet
hire, and the handy key-card holder and self-parking. IN
folds out to reveal a map of nearby ROOM Free WiFi, MP3
galleries, restaurants and shops. player, some baths and
Spoonbill, the hotel’s balconies, kitchenette,
Two-Bed Open ground-floor restaurant and cofee machine, pillow
Plan Suite. bar, serves food all day. The à la carte menu, Evo toiletries.
breakfast ($25) includes eggs as you BEST ROOM The Lake
like, Bircher and chia pudding along Eyre Penthouse has
THE OLSEN with good espresso, while the express a large terrace, plunge
This South Yarra member of the septet of Art Series Hotels is graced with lunch menu ($20, including a drink) and spa pools, two
lyrical original works and prints by John Olsen in public areas and guestrooms includes salads, and fish and chips bathrooms and a
alike, and three luminous pieces inspired by Lake Eyre in the lobby. Book with mushy peas. panoramic view of
a complimentary tour with the in-house art curator for full appreciation. The An after-work crowd fills the city, with the
guestrooms can be snug but are well appointed with a kitchenette, dining Spoonbill, taking advantage of complimentary use
table, lounge chair, desk and wall-mounted TV. Some have a balcony furnished the 5pm-7pm happy “hour”. Cheerful of a Smart car.
with sunloungers. Fancy a dip? The 25-metre glass-bottomed pool outside on staf serve a concise, mostly local list
the first-floor deck comes with views over Chapel Street, or simply kick back of wines until late.
poolside, cocktail in hand, and flick through an art book from the range in your
room. 637-641 Chapel St, South Yarra, (03) 9040 1222, artserieshotels.com.au

PARK HYATT MELBOURNE Park Hyatt exterior.

Who came up with the idea of
The cavernous and opulent lobby, adding a steam-proof TV and a
a noughties monument in wood and self-serve bar within range of the bath,
marble, sets the tone for the whole which is big enough for two? Genius.
hotel: sizable, proud, and a little A new employee joined the
dated. The scale and splendour are hotel’s ranks last year – Mr
best expressed in the hotel’s large Walker, a golden Labrador and former
guestrooms – at 48 square metres, guide dog who has settled into his role
they’re claimed as the city’s biggest as hotel ambassador. So far he greets
– each with a bath set in Italian marble guests in the lobby, rather than
and a walk-in wardrobe. The location ofering himself for walks.
is high and mighty, too, overlooking The Radii restaurant is spread
Fitzroy Gardens and close to St over five levels, making it
Patrick’s Cathedral. Highlights include an energetic rather than homely
an alfresco breakfast, and a dip in the environment in which to enjoy
heated indoor pool, surrounded by a substantial spread. Breakfast,
tiled colonnades and Grecian murals, on level seven, is formidable
the experience extra luxurious as it’s ($40, $32 Continental), but the
not overused. We like hypo-allergenic cold dishes are the standout –
bedding on request. 1 Parliament Sq, salads, smoked salmon, meze
East Melbourne, (03) 9224 1234, dips – and a worthy counterweight
melbourne.park.hyatt.com to the eggs Benedict.
The bar at the all-purpose Radii
WHERE CBD. COST From $345, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 240 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, is serviceable, but the city’s
café, pool, day spa, gym, sauna, tennis court, paid valet parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, bath, cofee machine, pillow stellar small bars beckon boldly. Cuba,
menu, walk-in wardrobe, Le Labo toiletries. BEST ROOMS The most popular are the higher-floor club rooms with views over formerly the hotel’s cigar bar, has been
the city – number 1866 is a likely candidate. reimagined as a private dining room.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 177
Melbourne

Some of the best blades in the

QT MELBOURNE world are stocked at Tanto,
Compared with other hotels in QT’s the laneway Japanese knife store
flamboyant stable, the Melbourne that’s part of the hotel complex.
outpost is positively minimalist. You may QT Melbourne upholds
not discern this from the look of the the group’s reputation for
lobby, with lofty copper doors, video art cut-above minibars, adding jigsaw
and a busy cake shop. Or the staircase puzzles, dominoes, a children’s book,
flanked by an installation of stacked beard-trimming kit and tote bag to
paperbacks, which leads to the velvet- quality booze and snacks.
and leather-clad Pascale Bar & Grill with Breakfast in Pascale features
party soundtrack. But the mood calms sharp service and an à la carte
noticeably on the way to guestrooms, menu of cold-pressed juices, eggs
which feature high, raw-concrete from certified happy chooks and
ceilings, oak floors, large windows and dishes that run the gamut from Bircher
city glimpses. Bathrooms tap into the to fry-up. At lunch and dinner the
chic industrial vibe with white tiles and theme is quality steakhouse, with
steel-framed walls of rippled glass. The plenty of grill action. The room-service
11th-floor rooftop bar is a must, its views menu hits the right notes with burgers,
reinforcing QT’s rightful place at the hefty sandwiches and salads, served
heart of Melbourne. 133 Russell St, in black lacquer boxes.
Melbourne, (03) 8636 8800, Rooftop at QT. Choose your bar depending
qtmelbourne.com on weather and mood: Rooftop
at QT for its good-time outdoor
WHERE CBD. COST From $320, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 188 rooms; bars, restaurant, café, gym, paid terrace; Pascale Bar & Grill for its
valet parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, Bose Bluetooth speaker, some baths, cofee machine, Malin + Goetz toiletries. extensive cocktail list. Or head across
BEST ROOMS The eight spacious QT corner rooms have freestanding baths and plenty of natural light. the street to Embla for cult wines.

Atrium Bar on 35.

Admire the grandly WHERE CBD. COST
proportioned lobby and From $290, without
adjoining Sofi’s Lounge, home breakfast. AT A GLANCE
of elegant afternoon teas where 363 rooms and suites,
guests laden with shopping bags adjoining rooms; bar,
from Collins Street’s boutiques restaurant, health
assemble for refreshments. centre, paid valet
With two types of iced tea parking. IN ROOM Paid
ofered during check-in, WiFi, smart TV, Samsung
massage chairs in the 36th-floor gym, tablet, bath, cofee
and in-room tablets to order anything machine, pillow menu,
from a taxi to a dental kit, Sofitel Les Notes de Lanvin
leaves the impression that everything toiletries. BEST ROOMS
has been thoroughly considered. Fancy having friends
The magnificent marble-clad over to enjoy
No 35 is the home of a 180-degree views from
well-considered breakfast bufet ($45), the 50th floor? The
PHOTOGRAPHY SHARYN CAIRNS (JACKALOPE)

elegant Opera Suites

SOFITEL MELBOURNE ON COLLINS where juice shots mix it with cooked-
to-order eggs and Asian specialties have dining tables for
A marquee name in a top-end city location, the Sofitel prevails among
mingle with muesli and yoghurts. eight, as well as guest
newcomers because of old-fashioned virtues: service par excellence
Minibars reach peak excitement powder rooms.
delivered with Gallic charm. Guestrooms are beginning to date but it’s hard
to quibble when the views are so glorious – even entry-level rooms have with bottled cocktails from
views from the 36th floor and above – and the generously sized bathrooms Melbourne’s favourite mix-masters,
are an ageless paean to the power of marble. The sparkle that’s fading The Everleigh Bottling Co, or head to
in guestrooms shines bright in communal areas; the potentially awkward the Atrium for a classic cocktail. But
inward-looking nature of the 35th-floor Atrium Bar, for example, is overcome with bars such as Siglo and Romeo
with a spectacular 15-storey mirrored chandelier. 25 Collins St, Melbourne, Lane so close by, there are plenty
(03) 9653 0000, sofitel-melbourne.com.au of reasons to venture further afield.

178 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
JACKALOPE
When Jackalope opened in a
Mornington Peninsula winery last year,
it was like an alien spacecraft landing.
The charred timber-clad building, full
of arresting art and neon-lit corridors,
is like nothing else in the region.
Neither are the dark and handsome
rooms, many with freestanding stone
tubs, all with spacious balconies and
complimentary minibars. Guests
lounge beside a black infinity pool,
contemplating the vineyard and an
all-day menu, or shoot pool in the
starkly contemporary bar housed in
the 1876 homestead. Other diversions
includes dégustation-only restaurant
Doot Doot Doot and an excellent
bistro, Rare Hare. Alien maybe, but
Jackalope landed in the right place
at the right time. 166 Balnarring Rd,
Merricks North, (03) 5931 2500,
jackalopehotels.com
Jackalope’s dedication to WHERE Mornington
wine is endearing, from the Peninsula, about 70km
glass-walled wine cellar at reception from Melbourne, an
and estate-grown bottles in the bistro, hour’s drive. COST From
to the 10,000-globe chandelier in the $650, with breakfast.
restaurant, designed to evoke the AT A GLANCE 46 rooms
fermentation process. and suites, adjoining
Don’t miss having a meal in rooms; bar, restaurants,
Rare Hare, which has local pool, free parking.
ingredients and wine as its backbone, IN ROOM Free WiFi,
and a wood-burning oven as its heart. Bose Bluetooth speaker,
Breakfast in Doot Doot Doot Samsung tablet,
is a highlight. There’s a mini balcony, some baths,
bufet of fruit, baked goods and pillow menu, free
cereals, but concentrate on the hot minibar, Hunter Lab
dishes, the likes of chicken congee, toiletries. BEST ROOMS
spanner crab omelette, and heirloom The Lair suites have
tomatoes with stracciatella. In-room indoor-outdoor
dining is smart, too, and includes a fireplaces, dining
stellar club sandwich spiked with and lounge areas,
chicken skin and bacon jam. kitchenette and
Flaggerdoot bar has some of enormous bathrooms.
the best original cocktails in A general rule of thumb:
Victoria. Its list changes monthly and ask for a vineyard view.
leans herbal, with drinks such as The
Sage, a lively mix of jalapeño-infused
tequila, Chartreuse, lime and sage.
Victoria

Lake House,
LINDENDERRY AT RED
HILL BY LANCEMORE
Daylesford.
Interior designers Hecker Guthrie
recently made over this 1990s
estate on 13 hectares of gardens
and vines, reviving the 40-room
property. The work is confined
mainly to public areas, especially
the restaurant with its grey wood
panelling, Quaker-chic chairs,
forest green carpet and massive
arched window. Spacious,
comfortable but slightly dull
guestrooms retain much of the
existing detailing and furnishings,
albeit with a lick of fresh paint,
The glorious gardens, a slice
of rural England in regional
Victoria, include stands of elms,
avenues of birches, an orchard, rose
gardens and a “grand axis” view from
the restaurant over vines to cypresses.
Have the kitchen prepare a
picnic hamper to enjoy in the
grounds or at the beach – Point Leo
and Merricks are nearby.
Breakfast is a bufet of jarred
yoghurts, fruit smoothies,
baked treats, and cooktop casseroles
stocked with eggs, bacon, mushrooms
and mini snags ($27.50). At lunch and
dinner chef Paul Witherington keeps

PHOTOGRAPHY LISA COHEN (LAKE HOUSE)

smartened bathrooms and things local and lush with, say, tartare
LAKE HOUSE marble trim around fireplaces. and charcoal aïoli or squid-ink pasta
Drive through the gates and feel the tension leave your There are five guest lounges, with Flinders mussels and calamari.
shoulders. Lake House’s beautiful gardens, lake glimpses, a heated pool, sauna, and The limited room-service menu is
treetop mineral baths, tennis court, new infinity pool, board games for indoor types; available during reception and
lauded restaurant and “lagoon deck” create another world, outside there are tennis courts, restaurant hours.
a kind of Narnia for adults. Studios and suites, arranged walking tracks and, beyond, Minibars are big on local
village-like, all have views of Lake Daylesford or gardens. the bounty of the Mornington flavour, featuring Lindenderry
With plenty of interior space and maximum comfort – Peninsula. 142 Arthurs Seat Estate wines, Mock Red Hill pear juice,
sunloungers on the balcony, soft throws on the bed and Rd, Red Hill, (03) 5989 2933, and Mornington Peninsula Brewery
couch – it can be hard to drag yourself away. But there’s lancemore.com.au/lindenderry pale ale.
the lure of the day spa, or perhaps a cocktail by the fire
in the library, enhanced by polished, personable service
that hits the sweet spot between relaxed and formal. A great
place in which to disappear from the real world. 4 King St,
Daylesford, (03) 5348 3329, lakehouse.com.au

Small but important gestures WHERE About 112km

include vases of freshly cut north-west of Melbourne,
flowers from the estate’s garden, an 80-minute drive.
a night-time aromatherapy ritual, COST From $674, with
and stacks of good magazines. breakfast and lunch or
After 35 years, Alla Wolf-Tasker’s dinner. AT A GLANCE
regionally focused restaurant 33 studios and suites;
remains one of the best in Australia, bar, restaurant, day spa,
a masterclass in precise cooking and pool, sauna, tennis
top-quality ingredients. court, bikes, free
Breakfast in the Lake House parking. IN ROOM
restaurant is a highlight. A Free WiFi, balcony or
spread of poached and fresh fruit, courtyard, some baths,
baked treats and house-made jams cofee machine, pillow
is teamed with cooked dishes that menu, Elemis toiletries.
include house-made crumpets with BEST ROOM The
sweet or savoury toppings (try the two-bedroom Retreat
maple syrup and bacon) and the full Villa has a kitchen, bars,
Lindenderry’s
farmhouse shebang. Return for lunch lounges, outdoor spa Peninsula Lounge.
or dinner to take advantage of the and fire pit.
superb cellar.
Gather for drinks in the Argyle WHERE Red Hill, on the Mornington Peninsula, about an hour’s drive from
Library Bar or, in fine weather, Melbourne. COST From $320, without breakfast. AT A GLANCE 40 rooms;
the lagoon deck in the company of bar, restaurant, pool, sauna, tennis courts, free parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi,
kookaburras. Both venues ofer superb smart TV, Bose Bluetooth speaker, some baths and balconies, pillow menu,
drinks lists and snacks such as anchovy Molton Brown toiletries. BEST ROOMS Garden and balcony rooms are the
pastries and one-bite gougères. most spacious, with king beds, sofas and views over the gardens.

180 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 W INTER ESCA PE
Unforgettable adventures, world-class culinary experiences, luxurious accommodation
and serene privacy awaits at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley this Winter season.

Enjoy ultra-luxury Heritage Villa with private pool, daily gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner, select range of local wines
and beers with meals, non-alcoholic beverages and selected activities, plus a Gourmet Take-away Picnic for two.

$1,990 per villa per night for two guests (Sunday to Thursday) | $2,190 per villa per night for two guests (Friday to Saturday)
Minimum two-night stay applies. Other terms and conditions apply.

T: +61 2 9199 1811 | E: RESERVATIONS@ONEANDONLYWOLGANVALLEY.COM | OR CONTACT YOUR PREFERRED TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL

oneandonlywolganvalley.com
 OVOLO NISHI Retreat to your room or curl up
CANBERRA

The new owners of Hotel Hotel have on a leather couch in the lobby
renamed their boutique acquisition with a design book from the hotel’s
but say they’ll make no sudden library, assembled by Perimeter Press.
changes in décor, price or staf. Guests Skip the low-key gym and join
can expect the creative mash-up that a complimentary yoga class
was Hotel Hotel’s signature, from the instead, held several times a week
all-timber lobby, one-of furnishings on the mezzanine.
and thought-provoking art to the Book a room without breakfast
inimitable all-day Monster Kitchen and and tuck into Monster’s
Bar. In guestrooms, walls are rendered inspired à la carte menu instead.
in layers of clay and woven grass to It’s locally sourced but focused far
create luxurious cocoons, some of away; think creamy Turkish çilbir
which wrap around private atriums with pide and Aleppo pepper, or
planted with tree ferns. But even those pork belly and eggs with chilli jam.
facing the road are designed so you Monster’s menu is available in rooms,
see nothing but eucalypts from bed. too, though we’re sad to report
With rain showers, free minibar and the celebrated yabby jaffle has
room service summoned by iPad, disappeared.
there’s every reason to hibernate. Expect an impressive array of
25 Edinburgh Ave, Canberra, Ovolo Nishi lobby. cocktails featuring top-shelf
(02) 6287 6287, ovolohotels.com.au spirits – there’s Del Maguey Vida
mezcal in your Sadie’s Sookie La
WHERE Central Canberra. COST From $285, with breakfast. AT A GLANCE 68 rooms, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurant, La, for example. The lengthy list
library, day spa, gym, paid valet and self-parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, iPad, some baths, pillow menu, free has a section devoted to wines from
minibar, Biology Smart Skincare toiletries. BEST ROOMS Those who take their bathing rituals seriously will book a Canberra and surrounds, and there’s
Meandering Room, with bath and double rain shower. free beer and wine in minibars.

QT Superior
King room.
Cocktail-making kits have WHERE CBD. COST
everything required for an From $172, without
in-room Old Fashioned. Just call breakfast. AT A GLANCE
room service for ice. 205 rooms and suites,
Better than a gym session adjoining rooms; bars,
(though the hotel doesn’t restaurant, day spa,
have one, there are complimentary barber shop, paid
passes for guests to a gym nearby), self-parking. IN ROOM
take a walk or cycle around Lake Free WiFi, smart TV,
Burley Griin instead. cofee machine, bath,
The breakfast bufet ($29) some balconies, Malin
has all the fixtures plus, + Goetz toiletries. BEST
improbably, macarons. If you fancy ROOMS Most rooms
a lie-in, call downstairs for the French have lake outlooks but
Aussie Quarter ($19), a twist on the the best are from the
traditional bacon and egg roll made Superior Kings.
QT CANBERRA with lemon mayonnaise and brioche.
It must be a full-time job updating the political Pop Art that dominates Capitol Bar & Grill caters for power
everything from wallpaper to stationery at QT’s digs in the national capital lunchers with steak, burgers, seafood
(Turnbull features, but Trump and May are yet to make an appearance). and antipasti.
Then again, no one’s really here for a political history lesson. They’re The long Champagne list
here for the comfort and cool. The comfort comes in QT’s signature gel in the hotel’s Capitol Bar
beds, the latest movies (free), and cocktail nooks at Lucky’s Speakeasy. is reason to celebrate. Cocktails at
The cool emanates from playful minibars stocked with retro games, modern Lucky’s Speakeasy are on the sweet
Italian eats at Capitol Bar & Grill, and sharp grooming at the Barber Shop. side; the pick of them is the Old Jack
New Acton’s cultural attractions and the vibrant restaurant strip around Sparrow made with aged Ron Zacapa
Canberra Central are just a stroll away. 1 London Circuit, Canberra, dark rum. Minibars are stocked with
(02) 6247 6244, qthotelsandresorts.com beer and splits of Mumm.

182 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Slug

Mayfair Hotel King

THE LOUISE
The Barossa’s bucolic charm
Suite bathroom.
easily seduces guests cocooned
at The Louise. Large, luxurious
suites open to private courtyards
with sweeping vineyard views.
And an illuminated stream lined
with glowing glass pebbles leads
to Appellation, a regional dining
showpiece with a 500-bottle wine
list. Helpful hotel staf can suggest
tours to nearby wineries but great
comforts can be enjoyed indoors,
in a well-stocked bar, a library
of food and wine titles, and in
guestrooms with Bemboka wool
throws, oversized armchairs and
king beds. There’s gentle fun to
MAYFAIR HOTEL be had just outside at a boules
Though it sits at the centre of Adelaide’s burgeoning court, giant chessboard and
downtown surrounded by laneway bars, art galleries and infinity pool, though it’s tempting
eateries, this 13-storey hotel doesn’t overstate its position, to simply raise a glass and watch
preferring typical Adelaide discretion in the way its stately the vines grow. 375 Seppeltsfield
Romanesque-style façade opens to tasteful Art Deco Rd, Marananga, Barossa Valley,
flourishes inside. A six-floor annex adds modern flourish, (08) 8562 2722, thelouise.com.au
its diamond-patterned metal cladding studded with small
windows. Many more nods to classic hotel style are evident
– from carvery and dessert trolleys in the restaurant to
chandeliers in the bars. The heritage building’s rooms are
The Louise.
cleverly designed to maximise space. A striking palette of
black, white and grey adds dramatic flourish, framed by
crystal lampshades. 45 King William St, Adelaide,
(08) 8210 8888, mayfairhotel.com.au
Bathroom rituals are taken
seriously, from spa baths
equipped with candles and rubber
ducks to outdoor rain showers in
private courtyards.
Small gestures matter.
There’s the welcoming scent
of lemongrass in the suites, and tables
are set with complimentary fruit, Anzac
biscuits and a decanter of tawny.
Chef Ryan Edwards frames
outstanding Barossa produce
in bold, creative dishes at Appellation.
For less formal delights, outstanding
burgers and club sandwiches can be
ordered in-room. The same kitchen
brigade prepares a Barossa-sourced
breakfast in your courtyard.
The sunset terrace is an idyllic
spot for a pre-dinner cocktail,
with the occasional sighting of
kangaroos bounding between vines.
Be sure to peruse the hotel’s huge
wine list, spanning local luminaries
and international stars. Minibars, too,
are well stocked with smart Barossa
wine choices.

The hotel’s AH Beard custom- WHERE CBD. COST

designed beds ofer exceptional From $229, without
comfort. Don’t set the alarm. You’ll breakfast. AT A GLANCE
want to sleep longer. And if you 170 rooms and suites,
can’t bear to part with it, order a adjoining rooms; bars,
custom-made mattress for home. restaurant, gym, paid
Champagne at sunset is valet and self-parking.
glorious among the stern IN ROOM Free WiFi,
stone gargoyles flanking the rooftop smart TV, some cofee
Hennessy Bar. On cooler nights, machines, some baths,
enjoy the hotel’s signature Honey pillow menu, free
Trap cocktail in the penthouse lounge. minibar, L’Occitane
Mayflower Restaurant’s à la toiletries. BEST ROOMS
carte fare for lunch or dinner is Corner suites have
appealing, but breakfast is deliciously reading nooks, baths
PHOTOGRAPHY MARK MULLER (THE LOUISE)

extravagant. The bufet ($39) includes and plenty of space.

superb eggs Florentine, excellent
baked treats and honey from the
Mayfair’s rooftop hive. Spend Saturday
and Sunday afternoons here with a
high tea of scones, finger sandwiches, WHERE 70km north-east of Adelaide’s CBD, an hour’s drive. COST From
profiteroles and sparkling wine. $635, with breakfast. AT A GLANCE 15 suites; bar, restaurant, pool, gym,
The Mayflower Bar, a gleaming sauna, free parking, helipad, croquet lawn, boules. IN ROOM Free WiFi,
marble-lined cocktail bar in the smart TV, courtyard and terrace, bath, cofee machine, walk-in wardrobe,
basement, features a pianist tinkling Appelles toiletries. BEST ROOMS Seppeltsfield Suites are furnished with
the baby grand. original artworks, sunloungers and fountains in their courtyards.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 183
 COMO THE TREASURY The hotel has a strong sense
PERTH

From its homegrown art collection to of place and a pronounced

Eucalypt tableware, Australia’s first local accent. From public spaces
Como hotel is full of Western Australian adorned with Western Australian art to
stories. The biggest is developer Adrian the Perth designers showcased in the
Fini spending some $110 million and State Buildings complex, The Treasury
four years transforming three neglected plays to its home-state advantages.
19th-century buildings into one of the A workout at the gym and swim
country’s finest hotels. Guest quarters in the hotel’s showpiece indoor
are as notable for their size as their pool will set you up for a big day in the
style: freestanding baths, lavish use of State of Excitement.
travertine, custom-made furniture. Luxe Breakfast at ground-floor
design features aside, it’s the human Post features healthy Como
touch that defines Como The Treasury. Shambhala options (eggwhite and
Whether it’s an informative escort spinach omelette, say) alongside eggs,
through the State Buildings labyrinth bacon and an inspired bufet. Head
to your room, or concierges who to Long Chim for bold Thai flavours,
deliver dining suggestions with a list and rooftop fine-diner Wildflower for
of available reservations, service is a celebration of native ingredients.
a cut above. 1 Cathedral Ave, Perth, If you’ve emptied the minibar
(08) 6168 7888, comohotels.com/ (soft drinks and local beers are
thetreasury complimentary), descend to the hotel’s
hushed lounge bar or even deeper to
cocktail den Halford. Elsewhere in the
State Buildings, Petition’s specialist
wine and beer bars ofer takeaway
sales and drink-in enjoyment.

Como The
Treasury’s pool.
Clockwise from
top: Studio Suite;
Treasury Room
bathroom;
Postal Hall.

WHERE CBD. COST From $595, with breakfast. AT A GLANCE 48 rooms and suites, adjoining rooms; bars, restaurants,
café, pool, day spa, gym, paid valet parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, bath, heated bathroom floor, pillow menu,
free minibar, cofee machine, some balconies, Como Shambhala toiletries. BEST ROOMS The 10 Heritage Balcony
rooms, two with fireplaces, have east-facing balconies overlooking Cathedral Square.

184 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
 Perth

INTERCONTINENTAL First impressions count, a

PERTH CITY CENTRE
Perth’s newest five-star delivers
on many levels, from the locally
commissioned artworks in
guestrooms to the club lounge
with city views. The $70-million
transformation of an ugly-ducking
hotel into a rather dazzling
Intercontinental touched
everything except the modernist
façade. The 240 rooms feature
earthy tones with marble and brass
accents, rain showers and clean
Crown lobby.
lines. Comforts such as smart TVs
and baths (request when booking)
make nights in enticing, but the
CROWN TOWERS PERTH tapas at Heno & Rey, dry-aged
Crown’s 500-room Perth trophy follows the bigger-is- steaks at Ascua and drinks-with-
better principles that define the Melbourne original, but views at mezzanine-level The Loft
adapts the brief to create a distinctive west-coast urban Bar aren’t to be missed. On the
resort. A soaring lobby makes the most of the Western doorstep are hopping Northbridge
Australian sunshine, as does the showpiece pool starring and a revived St Georges Terrace.
lagoons and cabanas. Arrive and depart in style via
A compelling case for why west is
a porte-cochère with separate pick-up and drop-of
best. 815 Hay St, Perth, (08) 9486
spots. Daybeds are standard, even in entry-level rooms,
5700, perth.intercontinental.com
while bathrooms sport twin vanities, baths and Spanish
marble. While the size of the machine occasionally causes
problems (concierges going AWOL, say, or inconveniently
timed room-service delivery), the prevailing fix-it-fast
service attitude restores confidence. Great Eastern Hwy,
Burswood, (08) 9362 8888, crowntowersperth.com.au
truism evident in the lobby’s
atrium clad with limestone and
featuring a huge painting by Judith
White and carpets in hues drawn from
the Western Australian landscape.
Corporates will welcome the
floor of meeting rooms with
outdoor terraces, barbecue facilities
and self-serve snacks and juices.
Who said business had to be boring?
Spanish flavours dominate
at Ascua (Spanish for ember)
and streetside tapas bar Heno & Rey.
Breakfast, though served in Ascua,
spans the globe, from Penang chicken
curry to German breads, avo toast
to bacon hot from the grill.
Skip the unexceptional minibar
and explore instead Perth’s
burgeoning small-bar scene –
Mechanics Institute or the Shadow
Wine Bar, perhaps – or linger in the
hotel with a glass of the state’s finest
on The Loft’s terrace. In a hurry? Grab
a cofee from Graiti, the adjacent
hole-in-the-wall café on King Street.

So much to do, so little time. WHERE 5km from

Guests are within striking the CBD. COST From
distance of the new Perth Stadium, $308, without breakfast.
and some of the city’s best eating AT A GLANCE
and drinking venues. 500 rooms, suites
Inspired by Roman bathhouse and villas, adjoining
design, the ground-floor Crown rooms; bars, restaurant,
Spa is an aqua-hued sanctuary. Limber cafés, pools, day spa,
up next door in the huge 24-hour gym, sauna, paid and
fitness centre. free parking. IN ROOM
Feeding a thousand guests Free WiFi, tablet, bath,
each morning is no mean bathroom TV, cofee
feat, yet the Epicurean’s bufet machine, pillow menu,
($42, $45 on Sundays) is as opulent Antica Farmacista
as it is cosmopolitan. Asian staples are toiletries. BEST ROOMS
lined up with breakfast pizze, savoury All suites and villas have
doughnuts and a made-for-Instagram access to the 15th-floor
chocolate fountain that dominates an Crystal Club lounge
Terrace beside
almost irresistible sweet-tooth section. serving complimentary the Gallery
TWR has an ambitious breakfast, afternoon Meeting Suites.
cocktail list of tweaked tea, evening drinks
classics and bold inventions, and and canapés.
an expansive list of whiskies. The WHERE CBD. COST From $340, with breakfast. AT A GLANCE 240 rooms, suites and
action unfolds in a beautiful Belle penthouse, adjoining rooms; bar, restaurants, café, health centre, paid valet and
Époque-inspired space of jewel self-parking. IN ROOM Free WiFi, smart TV, some baths, cofee machine, pillow
tones with big-sky views over the menu, Agraria San Francisco toiletries. BEST ROOMS The 16th-floor penthouse
river and city skyline. has 180-degree views of the city, a double king bed and club lounge access.

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 185

LODGES &
RESORTS
Australia’s most spectacular landscapes come
with ine dining and exceptional hospitality.
Pack hiking boots and a sense of adventure.
W
edged in bushland
between Coles
Bay and The
Hazards on
Tasmania’s east coast, the 25-year-
old Freycinet Lodge has emerged
from an extreme makeover. Nine
PHOTOGRAPHY ALASTAIR BETT (FREYCINET LODGE) & JAMES GEER (SOUTHERN OCEAN LODGE)
glass and timber coastal pavilions,
shaped like the granite rocks around
them, have been styled and finished
by a crack project team led by
Tasmanian tourism entrepreneur
Brett Torossi, who owns Avalon
Retreats. With king beds, alfresco
bathtubs – a Torossi signature –
and separate living and sleeping
pods, the accommodation frames
the lodge’s outstanding views
of Coles Bay. Later this year,
six Hazards View pavilions (four
one-bedrooms and two doubles) will
open along with the resort’s top spot,
a wheelchair-accessible suite in the
main lodge with the best views in
town (freycinetlodge.com.au).
Facing of across Coles Bay,
Saire caters to adventurers in
20 luxe suites and pavilions, who
can choose to pull on hiking boots

for guided walks or don waders for
a semi-submerged meal of freshly
shucked oysters and sparkling wine
(saire-freycinet.com.au).
Southern Ocean Lodge, on the
south-west coast of Kangaroo Island,
celebrates 10 years as Australia’s
first “super lodge”. Its 21 suites
cantilevered over a headland facing
the wild Southern Ocean and a host
of nature-focused encounters have
put Kangaroo Island on the wish
lists of travellers worldwide
(southernoceanlodge.com.au).
When the outback calls,
Australia’s lodges and resorts
respond with exceptional style. In
South Australia’s Flinders Ranges,
a 19th-century sheep station has
become Arkaba Conservancy,
a private wildlife sanctuary with
five designer suites in an 1850s
homestead and a network of luxe
campsites linked by a four-day hike.
A maximum of 10 guests stay at any
one time on this 24,000-hectare
property (arkabaconservancy.com).
Nowhere does wilderness quite
like Australia. In Western Australia’s
far north, Sal Salis is a simple, sublime
afair of 16 tents among the dunes
and coastal scrub of Cape Range
National Park. The social life tops
out at sunset cocktails by the Indian
Ocean, but the marvels of Ningaloo
Reef – communing with whale sharks
and turtles and a kaleidoscope of
corals – are the main attractions
here (salsalis.com.au).
East of this Eden lies El Questro,
a million-acre property in the
Kimberley ofering accommodation
ranging from private campsites to
riverside cabins. The best beds are
in the homestead: nine adults-only
suites perched above Chamberlain
Gorge (elquestro.com.au).
Longitude 131° is famous for
the views of Uluru from its 15 suites
From left: a new
and, more recently, the panoramas
coastal pavilion
at Freycinet of both Uluru and Kata Tjuta from
Lodge; the Great the two-bedroom Dune Pavilion.
Room at Southern
Indigenous art and furnishings by
Ocean Lodge;
tented luxury at Australian artisans lend rich context
Sal Salis; the pool to the surroundings, while a dune-top
in the Wollemi plunge pool and dining pods take
Villa at Emirates
One & Only desert indulgence to new heights
Wolgan Valley. (longitude131.com.au).
Lodges & Resorts
Queensland is resort central and
two properties set the standard for
languid island life. On Hamilton Island,
Qualia’s 60 pavilions are teamed with
fine dining, five-star service and the
World Heritage wonders of the Great
Barrier Reef (qualia.com.au).
Further north, Lizard Island is
arguably Australia’s best-positioned
island resort, ringed by the reef and
fringed by 24 sandy beaches. Guests
snorkel among reef fish and over
a giant-clam garden within wading
distance of 40 white weatherboard
rooms and suites, rebuilt twice after
cyclones ripped through a few years
ago (lizardisland.com.au).
There’s more World Heritage
splendour at Emirates One & Only
Wolgan Valley, a 40-cottage resort
built around an 1832 homestead
in the Greater Blue Mountains
region, north-west of Sydney.
The zero-carbon property sits in
a 2,800-hectare wildlife reserve,
perfect for guided hikes on foot,
horseback or mountain bike by
day and star-gazing by night
(oneandonlyresorts.com). ●
G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 187
HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION TRAVEL OVERSEAS

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Cook’s notes
Measures & equipment
• All cup and spoon measures
are level and based on Australian
metric measures.
• Eggs have an average weight of
59gm unless otherwise specified.
• Fruit and vegetables are washed,
peeled and medium-sized unless
otherwise specified.
• Oven temperatures are for
conventional ovens and need to be
adjusted for fan-forced ovens.
• Pans are medium-sized and
heavy-based; cake tins are stainless
steel, unless otherwise specified.
Cooking tips
• When seasoning food, we use sea
salt and freshly ground pepper.
• To blanch an ingredient, cook it
briefly in boiling water, then drain
it. To refresh it, plunge it in plenty
of iced water, then drain it.
• We recommend using free-range
eggs, chicken and pork. We use
female pork for preference.
• Makrut lime leaves are also known
as kair lime leaves.
• To dry-roast spices, cook in a dry
pan, stirring over medium-high heat
until fragrant. Cooking time varies.
• RSPCA Australia’s advice for killing
crustaceans humanely is to render
the animals insensible by placing
them in the freezer (under 4°C) until
the tail or outer mouth parts can
be moved without resistance;
crustaceans must then be killed
quickly by cutting through the
centreline of the head and thorax.
For crabs, insert a knife into the
head. This process destroys the
nerve centres of the animal.
• All herbs are fresh, with leaves and
tender stems used, unless specified.
192 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
p 86
Smoky eggplant
and walnut dip
• Non-reactive bowls are made from
glass, ceramic or plastic. Use them
in preference to metal bowls when
marinating to prevent the acid in
marinades reacting with metal
and imparting a metallic taste.
• Eggwash is lightly beaten egg used
for glazing or sealing.
• Sugar syrup is made of equal parts
sugar and water, unless otherwise
specified. Bring the mixture to the
boil to dissolve sugar, remove from
heat and cool before use.
• Acidulated water is a mixture of
water and lemon juice.
• To sterilise jars and lids, run them
through the hot rinse cycle in a
dishwasher, or wash them in hot
soapy water, rinse well, place on a
tray in a cold oven and heat at 120°C
for 30 minutes.
• To blind bake, line a pastry-lined tart
tin with baking paper, then fill it with
weights (ceramic weights, rice and
dried beans work best).
• To test whether marmalade, jam or
jelly is at setting point, you’ll need
a chilled saucer. Remove the pan
from the heat, spoon a little mixture
onto the saucer and return it to
the freezer for 30 seconds, then
draw your finger through the
mixture – it should leave a trail,
indicating that it’s reached setting
point. If not, cook for another few
minutes before testing again. If you
prefer, use a sugar thermometer to
measure when the mixture reaches
105°C; once it does, start testing.
• To clarify butter, cook it over low
heat until the fat and the milk solids
separate. Strain of the clear butter
and discard the milk solids. You will
lose about 20 per cent of the
volume in milk solids.
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(02) 9212 6747, spenceandlyda.com.au Sydney Clay Studio
sydneyclaystudio.com Temple of the Sun (02) 6688 4408,
templeofthesun.com.au Teranova (02) 9386 0063,
teranova.com.au Water Tiger watertiger.com.au West Elm
westelm.com.au Witchery 1800 640 249, witchery.com.au
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 Fare exchange
400 ml milk 1 For mandarin granita, to thicken (2-3 minutes).
50 gm cornflour mixed with combine sugar and 200ml Remove from heat and stir
100ml water water in a small saucepan over through sugar and orange
70 gm caster sugar medium heat and stir until sugar blossom water to taste. Whisk
1 tbsp orange blossom water, dissolves (4-5 minutes). Bring to vigorously to dissolve the sugar,
or to taste the boil, then remove from the then strain through a coarse
Finely grated mandarin heat and allow to cool. Stir in sieve into a measuring jug so
Orange blossom rind, to serve mandarin juice, pour into a wide, it’s easier to pour. Pour into four
milk puddings MANDARIN GRANITA shallow tray and freeze (6 hours 250ml bowls or glasses and
200 gm caster sugar or overnight). Scrape with a fork set aside to cool slightly. Once
with mandarin 200 ml fresh mandarin juice into fine ice crystals and return cool, place in the refrigerator
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 10 MINS (from about 5 mandarins) to freezer until required. to set (1½ to 2 hours).
// COOK 10 MINS (PLUS FREEZING)
2 Bring milk and 100ml water 3 Serve topped with mandarin
Stanbuli, 135 Enmore to the boil in a saucepan, granita and mandarin rind.
Rd, Enmore, NSW, add cornflour slurry, stirring
(02) 8624 3132, continuously, then reduce heat
stanbuli.com.au to medium and cook until
Pictured p194. mixture just boils and begins
PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR. GLUTEN-FREE ADVICE ACCREDITED DIETITIAN & NUTRITIONIST NICOLE SALIBA (EAT-SENSE.COM.AU)

SOUPS, STARTERS,
SNACKS AND SIDES
Bag of green beans ●●●..............98
Beetroot and orange salad with
sumac dressing ●●......................61
Burnt beetroot carpaccio ●● .......96
Chickpea salad with tahini
dressing ●● .................................. 38
Dukkah with quail eggs
and flatbread ●●●......................88
Eggplant lines ●●............................ 97
Fried cauliflower with parmesan
wafers and tahini yoghurt ●●.. 104
Fried okra ●● .................................. 116
Jewelled rice ●● ............................. 87
Red lentil soup with yoghurt
and coriander ●● ........................64
Roasted pumpkin with
zhoug ●●● ...................................62
Salwa Moubarak’s Lebanese
flatbread ●●..................................80
Recipe index
Smoky eggplant and
walnut dip ●●...............................86
Spinach and cheese
pastries ●.......................................20
Torshi and makdous ●●● ............ 116
Toum with quick za’atar
flatbread and haloumi ●●●......64
Turkish cracked wheat ●●............60
VEGETABLES
Beetroot kebabs with labne
and dukkah ●●●........................ 115
Burrata with broad bean and
chickpea stew ●● ..................... 104
Freekeh with pumpkin and
mushrooms ●●●....................... 108
Lentil, garlic and pasta
soup ●● ........................................ 121
Palestinian frittata ●●.................... 121
Whole roasted cabbage
cake ●● .........................................98
MEAT AND POULTRY
Baharat lamb shoulder with pearl
onions and moghrabieh............. 104
Chicken fatteh ................................... 106
Chicken, onion and
sumac casserole ●...................... 122
Duck pie with pomegranate
and walnuts.................................... 108
Hawayej-spiced chicken
thigh cutlets ●● .............................60
Intimate wagyu stew..........................99
Lamb cutlets with sumac
and parsley salad ●.......................117
Lamb, garlic and chickpea pilaf ● . 123
Lamb meatballs with tahini and
pine nut sauce ●●●.....................63
Persian chicken...................................86
Turkish-style bread topped with lamb,
spices and pine nuts ..................... 87
Wagyu kafta nayeh, radish and fried
pita bread..........................................113
SEAFOOD
Hummus bi calamari ●● ................114
Lemon-cured sardines ●● ............ 97
Prawn börek ..................................... 112
DESSERTS AND SWEETS
Cardamom nut cake ●....................90
Fenugreek semolina cake ●● ... 122
Holiday date and nut
cakes ●● ......................................123
Honey and safron roasted pears
with spiced yoghurt ●●●..........65
Milk pudding in espresso ●● ...... 101
Orange blossom milk puddings
with mandarin ●●.......................193
Pistachio baklava ●●......................90
DRINKS AND EXTRAS
Nine-spice mix ●●......................... 120

SIMPLE GLUTEN-FREE VEGETARIAN CAN BE PREPARED AHEAD

G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R 193
Chefs’ recipes

Fare exchange
Recipes you’ve requested from
Australia’s leading restaurants

Orange blossom milk

puddings with mandarin
STYLING ROSIE MEEHAN. FOOD PREPARATION PETA DENT
RECIPE IBRAHIM KASIF. PHOTOGRAPHY ALICIA TAYLOR.

“I love going to Stanbuli, and

I especially love the desserts.
Could you please share the
recipe for the milk pudding
with mandarin granita?”
Jack Hamlyn, Stanmore, NSW
Milk puddings
Small dish
(with mandarin

p 193 segments) from

The Essential
Ingredient.
All other props
stylist’s own.
REQUEST A RECIPE // TO REQUEST A RECIPE, EMAIL FAREEXCHANGE @ BAUER-MEDIA.COM.AU Stockists p192.

194 G O U R M E T T R AV E L L E R
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