It is a sub-tropical island that is a World Heritage site and has been described as the most beautiful in the Pacific. It lies 600 kilometres east of the Australian mainland and is an increasingly popular destination for Sydneysiders looking to get away from it all.
Welcome to Lord Howe Island and its satellites, the remnants of an ancient volcano whose shape protects a coral reef and lagoon that attract an amazing range of marine life.
Lord Howe is home to several million Kentia palms, petrels, shearwaters, terns and a wide range of bird life and has just 350 permanent residents. With visitors limited to 400 at any one time, peace and quiet is assured.
There is no mobile phone signal, no fast-food outlets, no high-rise buildings and no power cables. Instead, the clear, clean sea lures visitors to swim, surf, snorkel, dive, fish or paddle, year-round.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Best of the Best 2009
Amazingly, it's already 2010, so here are my personal awards for outstanding contributions to food, wine and travel over the past 12 months:
Winery of the year: Stella Bella in Margaret River produces a range of excellent wines at sensible price points – and never makes a dud. The 2007 Chardonnay, 2007 Shiraz and 2007 Sangiovese Cabernet blend are all outstanding.
Best innovation: Kinkawooka Shellfish from Boston Bay in South Australia launched Australia’s first French-style petit bouchot mussels, small intensely flavoured mussels like those from Brittany. They are sold ready to cook at leading seafood merchants during the season.
Best newcomer: Everybody’s talking about Provenance Restaurant and Luxury Suites in Beechworth, the dining and accommodation offering from chef Michael Ryan, formerly of Myrtleford’s two-hat Range restaurant. The restaurant is superb. Phone (03) 5728 1786. http://www.theprovenance.com.au/.
City stars: Cumulus Inc in Melbourne remains the benchmark for casual dining with smart, intelligent food, while Marque, in Sydney’s Surry Hills, consistently serves up degustation menus that both challenge and delight.
Winery of the year: Stella Bella in Margaret River produces a range of excellent wines at sensible price points – and never makes a dud. The 2007 Chardonnay, 2007 Shiraz and 2007 Sangiovese Cabernet blend are all outstanding.
Best innovation: Kinkawooka Shellfish from Boston Bay in South Australia launched Australia’s first French-style petit bouchot mussels, small intensely flavoured mussels like those from Brittany. They are sold ready to cook at leading seafood merchants during the season.
Best newcomer: Everybody’s talking about Provenance Restaurant and Luxury Suites in Beechworth, the dining and accommodation offering from chef Michael Ryan, formerly of Myrtleford’s two-hat Range restaurant. The restaurant is superb. Phone (03) 5728 1786. http://www.theprovenance.com.au/.
City stars: Cumulus Inc in Melbourne remains the benchmark for casual dining with smart, intelligent food, while Marque, in Sydney’s Surry Hills, consistently serves up degustation menus that both challenge and delight.
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