A sampling of paper mementos from the Aussie restaurants we loved

Where to Eat in Australia

August 05, 2014 by Kristen in Australia, Dining Out, DTour, Food, News, Places, Travel

Australia has something for every palate, whether you’re an adventurous eater or a comfort seeker, a fine dining guru or a streetfood junkie. But with so many food options at hand, making the decision of where to eat can be daunting. Lucky for you, we've gone and done all the (delicious) work. So here is the list, in order, of our top 10 meals Down Under. Happy dining!

10. Little Creatures, Melbourne, Fitzroy

Walking into this warehouse-turned-eatery in Melbourne’s hippest neighborhood, it’s hard not to fall instantly in love. An impossibly expansive dining room, smart industrial-chic decor (we loved the palette tabletops and beer bottle chandeliers), and a wall of windows looking out to the street make this place a perfect spot to sit and ponder your next moves over a flight of their craft beers and delicious pizza.

9. Grill'd Healthy Burgers, Sydney, Darlinghurst

A glowing example of how to do fast food right, Grill’d caught our eye for its food philosophy, serving up the highest-quality local ingredients for their burgers. We absolutely loved the Darlinghurst location, with its vertical subway tiles and bold wall graphics. Since this chain has hit it big, they’re sprouting up locations all across Australia, so get out there and find one near you. We devoured the Baa Baa Burger (local grass-fed lamb, avocado, cheese, spicy mayo, lettuce, and tomato on a sourdough roll), which we would order again and again and again.

8. Nina's Ploy Thai, Sydney, North Bondi

Tucked on a side road just off the main drag in Bondi, this restaurant is as unassuming as they come: white walls and pink tables topped with tissue dispensers make it clear that this is a no-frills kind of place that is well off the tourist map. The hand-written Chef Suggestion chalkboard caught our eye as we were seated, so we ordered two dishes from it: drunk noodles and duck noodle soup. All it took was a whiff of our quickly delivered meal for us to realize why this restaurant is a favorite of locals: it’s totally authentic.

Duck Noodle Soup at Nina’s Ploy Thai in Sydney

7. Overlanders Steakhouse, Alice Springs

This is the kind of place Outback Steakhouse is trying to emulate. Upon walking in, patrons are instantly transported back in time to Central Australia’s cattle driving cowboy days, with saddles lining the rafters and livestock hides displaying the region’s various branding logos. This is a classic outback saloon, serving up standard grilled proteins like beef and chicken, along with Aussie delicacies like kangaroo, emu, camel and crocodile. Get a flag of your country placed on your table and then order the sampler to try it all. Tip: go in the high season and be treated to a wobbleboard show.

6. Magic Wok, Darwin, CBD

Normally, create-your-own dish places seem more gimmicky than about the food. But when we heard about a place described as both an “experience” and “institution” on more than one occasion, we ditched our preconceptions. Where else can you get customized wok stir-fries with obscure Australian ingredients? A friendly waitress gives newcomers a rundown, and then the fun begins: assemble a tray of veggies and meats like crocodile, kangaroo, emu, camel and even horse; then, pick your sauces and pass it into the fiery kitchen. It turns out delicious no matter what you pick. Just don’t get too ambitious: you pay based on how much your wok weighs.

5. Mondo Organics, Brisbane, West End

Set in a quiet Brisbane neighborhood, this open-aire restaurant absolutely floored us. Australia’s first certified organic restaurant, Mondo Organics opened in 2000 and has built a name for itself using ingredients that, along with its namesake, are local, sustainable, and seasonal. The elegant-yet-casual interior is warm and inviting, with an upscale beachy feel owing to the large windows with wooden shutters. We dined on two home run dishes: pork belly and slow-roasted pork shoulder. Next time we’re in town, we’ll enroll in one of their cooking classes!

4. Parap Market, Darwin, Parap Village

A walk around the food vendors at the Parap Saturday market in Darwin is a trip. Passing by the dragon fruits, the bubbling curries, and fiery woks, you may begin to wonder if you somehow teleported to Southeast Asia. This buzzing market scene is exactly the stuff of our travel wishlists, and part of the reason why Darwin is known as the market capital of Australia. Try the laksa, a spicy Indonesian coconut noodle soup, by hopping into the line for Mary’s (it’s the longest one). Guaranteed bliss.

Laksa, an Indonesian curry soup — Laksa at Parap Market

3. PUBLIC, Brisbane, CBD

A short walk from the Queen Street Mall, this sophisticated yet casual fine dining spot in the heart of the Central Business District is sure to wow. Truth be told, we found this place on a chance recommendation from a tweeting stranger based out of Brisbane. But we would keep coming back to this beautiful restaurant for the craft cocktails, friendly servers and clever menu. Anyone who’s heard of Kentucky-Fried Chicken must try the KFD (D as in Duck), for a poultry revelation. Our most memorable dish? Hands down, the “can o’ worms:” fried mealworms with bean sprouts tossed in soy sauce, served in a can and eaten ever-so-elegantly with chopsticks. Crunchy, salty and delicious!

2. MoVida Aqui, Melbourne, CBD

We thank the dining gods (and Frank Camorra, executive chef) for making MoVida more accessible, with restaurants scattered across Melbourne and Sydney. The bright and airy Aqui location is chic and adorable, with its smart design touches like bright plastic crates hanging over the bar and hand-drawn cartoonish illustrations of octopus and other ingredients, which give the otherwise ultra-modern space a playful touch. Start with the out-of-this-world delicious anchoa tapas: house-made crackers topped with anchovies and smoked tomato sorbet. Even after sharing three more spectacular courses (wallaby tartare, calamari sandwich, and braised beef), we were sure to save room for the flan, which was silky perfection.

1. Hanuman, Darwin, CBD

Neon purples, pinks and blues illuminate the dining room, a testament to the unique experience Hanuman is sure to offer every diner. Our interest was piqued as soon as we heard the food described as Thai-Indian, which sounded like a win-win to us. Eager to sample as much as possible, we ordered what seemed like the whole menu: butter chicken, coconut prawns, beef massaman and spicy eggplant, along with the mind-blowing must-try signature dish: lightly steamed oysters with lemongrass, basil, ginger, chili and fresh coriander, served in little clay pots. The unique bold flavors won our tastebuds over, but our above-and-beyond server, who helped us navigate the menu to create such a memorable meal, won our hearts.

We know there are many more amazing meals out there, so if you've been to Australia, where's your favorite place to eat? Let us know in the comments!

Video: Darwin, Australia

April 26, 2014 by Loren in Australia, DTour, Travel, Videos

We had a blast in the capital of Australia's Northern Territory - at the free Museum and Art Gallery, the saltwater wave pool, Aquascene fish feed, and Crocosaurus Cove. We also especially loved eating at Hanuman, Parap Market and Magic Wok. Thanks again to DoubleTree by Hilton for an amazing finale to an epic three-week #DTour of a Lifetime!

Disclosure: My DTour is sponsored by DoubleTree by Hilton.

Channeling My Inner Crocodile Dundee

April 25, 2014 by Loren in Australia, Dining Out, DTour, Food, Places, Travel

On the twentieth and final day of my free (thanks DoubleTree by Hilton) trip around Australia, I found myself underwater and face-to-face with a deadly, 1,700-pound beast. Submerged in the ominously named Cage of Death, I was staring at the eyeball of Chopper, a 5.5-meter long, 80-something-year-old saltwater crocodile who lives in Darwin, Australia. Thankfully there was thick plexiglass between us, because he was hungry.

I was sent to the Crocosaurus Cove by DoubleTree by Hilton with an all-expenses paid visit. Even though it’s located in the heart of a city, upon walking through its doors, all of the nearby restaurants and bars suddenly seemed worlds away. There were massive crocs everywhere, including a movie star named Bert from the Crocodile Dundee movie.

To help set the mood, someone promptly thrust a baby croc into my hands. She was smooth and lightweight, probably about the length of my arm. With a rubber band around her little snout, I felt her surprising strength between my hands as she writhed for freedom. And this was just a baby. I could only imagine how powerful an adult must be.

From my clear, underwater cage, I watched the full-grown male inch over, calmly eyeing me with suspicion. When a bite of meat lured him above, he sprang up and chomped down hard with his massive teeth. Soon after, as I got hoisted out of the aquarium, he snapped his formidable jaws at my feet. He obviously had an appetite, and I doubted the taste of human flesh was a stranger to his palate.

After toweling off and changing back into my clothes, my expert guide led to me to a different saltie’s tank. Perched safely up above his habitat, a piece of beef heart dangling from my fishing pole, I waved meat in front of the giant beast’s head. When he felt like exerting an effort, up he sprang, chomping down hard with his massive teeth. Turns out, these deadly beasts have the strongest bite ever recorded in the animal kingdom. They lie and wait in rivers and near beaches, and when an animal ventures too close, their jaws take over. For especially strong opponents, they’ll clamp down tight and roll over and over until their prey is immobilized.

While Crocosaurus Cove specializes in a controlled danger, they also have a huge fish tank and feeding show, and an Australian reptile exhibit. Inside the darkened exhibit filled with lit-up terrariums, we got to hold (another) bearded dragon and blue-tongued skink, and for the first time ever we watched a python eat a rat whole, a process which took about 20 minutes start-to-finish. And no, it wasn’t behind glass - it was right on the floor in front of us.

We were getting hungry too, so with crocodiles still on our minds, we ventured a few blocks away to a unique hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Magic Wok, which offers a wide assortment of animal protein, salties included. We each tonged veggies and meats (like croc, kangaroo and emu) onto our trays, selected sauce and noodle cards, and handed them into the kitchen window. The cooks immediately went to work, using their hands and body weight to engage the ingredients in a kind of circular dance in and above the big, steaming woks. I’m almost certain you can’t go wrong at this place. Both of our random concoctions were absolutely delicious.

Full and happy, we started back to our hotel down the brightly-lit street. I couldn’t believe this was the final day of our whirlwind DTour around Australia. What a wild ride it was. It seemed appropriate to be ending it with a full immersion of all things crocodile. We had seen this country’s most venomous snakes, a deadly box jellyfish, and a huge cassowary capable of tearing open your chest. But the saltwater crocodile is the largest predator of the bunch. And aren’t you supposed to go big and then go home?

Disclosure: My epic Australian DTour of a Lifetime was sponsored by DoubleTree by Hilton, but have no fear: what I blog about is totally up to me. Thanks DoubleTree, I had a blast!

Cheap Day, Rich Culture in Darwin

April 24, 2014 by Loren in Australia, Dining Out, DTour, Food, Places, Travel

I admit it; when I’m traveling and see something billed as “free,” my ears perk up. The air travel, lodging, and food cost a lot already, so balancing out my expenses makes sense. Some days are expensive, like scuba on the reef, and some aren’t, like our cheap yet enriching day in Darwin, which included a no-expense visit to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.

It was our first full day in the tropical capital of the NT, which is blessed with pristine beaches, barramundi-rich waters, and access to a UNESCO World Heritage-listed park. Located on the far northern coast, or “Top End,” of Australia, Darwin is so remote that for locals it’s closer and cheaper to fly to Bali than to Australia’s big southern cities. In fact, Pan-Asian food and culture have exerted a great influence here, which is probably why the city is known as the Market Capital of Australia. Since it was Saturday, there was no question that our day would start at Darwin's most famous weekend market.

At the Parap Market, the specialty is laksa, a spicy coconut curry noodle soup that hails from Southeast Asia. We hopped aboard a free shuttle just outside the hotel and soon arrived at the sprawling food haven dominating a bustling square. Armed with an insider tip for the best vendor, we wandered around the maze looking for “Mary.” With hardly any signage to guide us, we decided to just stand in the longest line we could find. When we finally got to the front and ordered, we were relieved to discover it was indeed Mary. The soup was out-of-control delicious.

After ordering iced coffees from a hip-looking cart, we took a city bus (not free but cheap and reliable!) to the museum/art gallery, where we were immediately pulled into the aboriginal art and history exhibit laid out before us. Native Australians, who represent the oldest surviving culture in the world, have been making art across the continent for at least 60,000 years. The artwork, with its characteristic natural ochre pigments and thousands of meticulous dots and lines, captivated us for way longer than we had planned.

Next, we ventured into the Cyclone Tracy exhibit, an eerie look back at the 1974 storm that just about leveled the entire city late on Christmas Eve. There are bone-chilling news broadcasts, ghostly replicas of living rooms, and a pitch black cylindrical room designed to transport you to that frightening night, immersing visitors in the sounds and sensations of loud wind and crashing objects. I lasted about ten seconds. It was comforting to later learn that the hotel in which we were staying, the DoubleTree by Hilton Darwin, was the city’s tallest building left standing in Tracy’s aftermath.

DoubleTree by Hilton Darwin, before and after Cyclone Tracy

Besides the danger of cyclones, Darwinians also have to watch out for giant saltwater crocodiles that inhabit beaches and freshwater rivers. One particularly nasty croc that spent years terrorizing local fishermen in the 1970s eventually became the museum's claim to fame, a 5.1-meter-long taxidermied specimen affectionately dubbed "Sweetheart."

If giant reptiles aren’t your thing, the hundreds of other stuffed or preserved species on exhibit are equally amazing. With a collection that overflows with unusual Australian fish, birds, insects, reptiles and mammals, the Transformations exhibit proves that evolution, especially on this continent, is the craziest thing ever. I’m sure Charles Darwin would be proud to know that not only is there an excellent museum exhibiting evolution at its finest/strangest, but that it’s located in a city named after him.

One of the most sobering creatures on display is a surprisingly large box jellyfish. Between the months of October through May, these “stingers” effectively close the beaches in Northern Australia. Their tentacles are so venomous, they can kill an adult human in 2 to 3 minutes, making them one of the deadliest animals on Earth. If you’ve seen the movie 7 Pounds, you may remember one making an appearance.

The box jellyfish is the deadliest known animal on Earth.

When the museum started to close, we lingered as long as possible before getting kicked out. Yes, the free air-con was a welcome refuge from the humid tropical summer outside, but even more, the place was fascinating in every corner, and we had only just scratched the surface. We ran to catch the city bus back to town, and got confused when the driver turned our money away. Apparently, our $3 tickets were good for three hours, and we still had ten minutes to spare.

Now’s probably a good time to remind you that I was in Australia practically for free anyway, with my DTour trip being sponsored and partially planned by DoubleTree by Hilton. They covered my airfare, lodging and a handful of excursions (not for Kristen). But even though I was practically paid to go to Australia, I still couldn’t turn down a free museum - being from DC, it's in my blood. Looking back, it’s hard to believe it was our cheapest day in Australia, considering it was so culturally rich with food, art, and history. A great reminder that, sometimes, the best experiences needn't cost a thing.

If you go:

Parap Village Market is open from 8am to 2pm on Saturdays. Go hungry and be sure to find the longest laksa line. Don't forget sunscreen! To get there from CBD, you can take a bus directly to the market - the most direct line is the 4 or 6. Cost is $3, and save your ticket, because it's good for three hours. There's also a free shuttle that picks up from major hotels - ask at your concierge.

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory is open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, 10am to 5pm weekends. Entry is FREE! The permanent exhibits, including Indigenous Art, Cyclone Tracy, and Transformations, are fantastic. To get here, ride the 4 or 6 bus to Conacher Street.

The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Darwin sits on the picturesque Esplanade, the perfect jumping-off point for exploring the CBD or hopping on a bus to surrounding neighborhoods. Be sure to catch the sunset from your balcony if you've got Esplanade views.

Disclosure: My Australian DTour adventure is sponsored by DoubleTree by Hilton, but don't worry, what I choose to write about is all up to me.