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!

A pair of amateurs in stormy Surfers Paradise

February 06, 2014 by Loren in Australia, DTour, News, Outdoors, Travel

By the time we were sipping our soul-warming coffees in the glitzy downtown city of Surfers Paradise, the storm had passed and the skies had resumed their brilliant blue standard. The main sunny beach, extending as far as the eye could see in either direction, was still closed to swimmers, though, because of strong currents. Cyclone Dylan was brewing offshore.

Earlier that day and further up the coast, a limo dropped us off for our surfing lesson, part of my DoubleTree-sponsored DTour of a Lifetime. Craig from Get Wet Surf School got busy teaching us to pop up on our boards, which was easy enough on the steady sand. After walking us through the basics, he led us into the rumbly waters, determined to help us catch some gnarly waves on the Gold Coast.

With its famously perfect waves, it’s no wonder this laid-back city has become a popular destination, and not just for surfing. A surprisingly built-up place, Surfers Paradise has plenty of cafes, shops and (so we hear) nightlife. That day, however, the easy-going vibes around town stopped at the water’s edge.

Even just finding the right wave was a challenge, but once I did, that’s when the fun began. The brief, rewarding lift back to the beach felt so liberating. No fighting waves, just sit back and enjoy the ride. The two-hour lesson guaranteed that we would stand before our time was up. Thankfully, there was no need to recollect our money. But next time, we’ll keep a better eye on the weather.

Now try not to laugh too hard at our lack of skill...

Disclosure: I'm traveling in Australia as a DTourist for DoubleTree by Hilton.

Up Close & Personal with Australian Animals

January 29, 2014 by Loren in Australia, DTour, Outdoors, Travel

Imagine a place where you can hold a koala like a baby, walk right up to lounging kangaroos and curious emus, and feed wild lorikeets. Add in a dozen or so more quintessential Australian icons and you’ve got the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the best hands-on zoo experience we’ve ever had.

Once inside, we were on a mission to accomplish our main goal: cuddling a koala. Mine was adorably named Bagel, and he was surprisingly heavy for his compact size, probably around 15 pounds. His coat was hardy, feeling more like felt then velvet. His long dark claws, normally used for grabbing branches, pressed gently against my chest. I wish I could have held him forever. Kristen’s koala was named Byron, and she also immediately fell in love. I think we had found our new favorite place in Australia.

The sanctuary itself, dating back to 1929, is the oldest and largest of its kind, and lies in a quiet suburb just outside Brisbane. Popular among tourists, it also seems very pampering to the resident marsupials: the koalas need no cages, because they don’t want to leave. We were astonished to hear that koalas spend 18-19 hours of their day sleeping, and the rest of the time slowly chomping away at fresh eucalyptus leaves. And sometimes (for no more than 30 minutes a day), they pose for photos with eager animal-lovers just like us.

After holding the koalas and picking up dorky photo prints to prove it, we were a little giddy to say the least. We meandered through the rest of the park, spying exotic birds, bizarre reptiles, amphibians, lazy dingoes, a giant cassowary, and a wombat.

We were thoroughly entertained by all of the sights until we wandered into the dark building housing one of the most amazing animals we’ve ever seen: a platypus. We had the room to ourselves, and the small reptile/mammal - a monotreme, we’re told - unknowingly put on a show for us. With his beaver-like tail and duck-like bill, he buzzed around in his tank, hunting excitedly for a little prawn, which he eventually snagged. Unfortunately, none of our photos turned out, but we did capture his cuteness on video:

Leaving the sanctuary, we again realized that Australia, having been separated from the other continents for eons, has some of the most unique and amazing wildlife. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary just might be the best way to explore it close up.

Disclosure: I'm traveling in Australia for my DTour sponsored by DoubleTree by Hilton, however, what I do and write about is still entirely up to me.