SkaiSW

Hi everyone,
Thanks to your help, my itinery is almost all planned. My travel and hotels are booked and my travel agent (TA) is currently booking my tours. I am only going for 16 days but move around alot. This is what it looks like: (and Lizzie - if you are still out there, I know you will disapprove of some of it, but cant be changed now.)
Night 1. Sydney
Night 2. Adelaide (my TA insisted)
Night 3. KI (staying at 5 star B&B)
Night 4. Adelaide
Night 5. Melborne
Nights 6-9 Hobart
Nights 10-13 Port Douglas
Nights 14-16 Sydney
I am just in Adelaide to sleep. In KI I get an all-day 4 wheel drive tour, a 5 star dinner and a penguin trek.
In Melbourne I have a half day that I will use to try to see the Melbourne Museum, and I am eating at the Dracula Caberet.
In Hobart, I am doing the convict experience, the tehune airwalk and the chocolate factory.
In Cairns, I am staying at Thala Beach and will do the Great Barrier Reef, the bird zoo, the crocodile farm and taking a balloon ride.
In Sydney, I am staying two nights at the Taj Blue and two nights at the Establishment. I think I will be going to the Blue Mountains and taking a backstage opera tour and VIP zoo tour and VIP aquarium tour (I think - if my TA books it right). I also have a couple of walking tours planned. Let me ask: What are the two best Thai or Korean restaurants near the Blue or near Est in Sydney? Where should I eat in Hobart? Where should i eat in Port Douglas near Thala Beach? Thank-you so much -- ps anyone care to join me for dinner one night?

Bokhara2

Sailors Thai http://gourmettraveller.com.au/sailors_thai.htm
... just north of Establishment on George Street. There's two parts - communal table, modest prices upstairs and downstairs more extensive menu & price range.

BTW .. "Est" is a restaurant also owned by the Establishment Hotel people. V.good, too.

Here's a link to the restaurants in Wooloomooloo - and the fingerwharf adjacent to Blue.
http://www.tablesonline.com.au/subur...staurants.html

lanejohann

Hi Skai
you will love the bird sanctuary in kuranda cairns
what they have achieved is nothing short of astounding and as a bird lover and keeper i am in awe of how many of the big birds reknown for their big bites are so gentle with the kids ..yet have full freedom of the rainforest style aviary

theres a great honey shop too there in kuranda..never knew there were so many varieties!

im planning a a trip to port douglas ..apparently there are great restaurants just about everywhere and therell be a shuttle service from your hotel into the centre..otherwise many are walking distance anyway..its not a big place
i have seen someone recommend 'zeus' but im yet to try it
enjoy your aussie trip!

SkaiSW

Thank-you Bokhara and Lane. I have put Sailors Thai and Zeus on my list of restaurants to eat at. I will let you know what Zeus is like. Bokhara, let me look through the Wharf websites and I'll let you know what I select. I am soooo excited. I am very much looking foward to browsing the birds and hope the honey shop is open in the evenings so i can mail some home. By the way - they ship --- don't they?

margo_oz

Is the Taj Blue that hotel at Woolloomooloo?

And don't forget to include Longrain as one of the great Thai restaurants.

Korean - who knows?

Susan7

I agree with Bokhara, if you are staying at Establishment you should definately try est the restaurant. It is fantastic.

Another vote for Sailor's Thai and Spice I Am (Wentworth Ave near Central Station), it's very reasonably priced and casual but fantastic food. It's at the other end of the city to Establishment. Also in the same area Longrain in Commonwealth st Surry Hills (pricey but popular).

Sydney is very good for Chinese food, try Golden Century in Sussex st and Kylie Kwong's restaurant, Billy Kwongs (no bookings taken at the latter but you can give them your mobile phone number and they will call you when a table is ready, plenty of pubs in the area).

If I have googled correctly Taj Blue is at Wooloomooloo, in which case be wary of the wharf restaurants: my experience has been they are overpriced and ordinary, even Otto (the sister restaurant in Melbourne Cafe e Cucina, however, is fabulous). There you are close to Jimmy Liks (Victoria st) good modern Asian (south east Asian mix).

SkaiSW

I am trying to supplement what I dont get normally. We have a very large wealthy Indian population in Tampa Florida and thus have an abundance of good Indian food. There are two Thai restaurants near me --- neither is very good. There is one so called Vietnamese restaurant; it is horrible (everything is from a can). Not a single Korean restaurant that I know of. So please tell me -- which is better - Longrain or Sailors Thai? The communal tables sometimes appeal to me because I travel alone. And from Google - it says there is actually a "Little Korea," in Sydney -Liverpool street? From the restaurant guide, I am looking at something called MinSokChon? Has anyone heard of it? Thanks!

LizzyF

Ha ha SkaiSW - do you think you will have time to eat??????

"Where should I eat in Hobart? Where should i eat in Port Douglas near Thala Beach? Thank-you so much -- ps anyone care to join me for dinner one night"?

Well firstly what is your gender, secondly, how old are you and who is paying???????? :0).

There are quite a few lovely places in Hobart to eat. When you say you are doing the convict thing, does that mean you are going to Port Arthur because Pat Woolford said that Mussel Boys was excellant if you like sea-food. If you want a casual seafood meal in Hobart then I would suggest Fish Frenzy on the wharf - lovely and fresh and the best chips. Apart from that North Hobart has some rather good Asian restautants as well as Italian although also opposite the wharves is Harbour Lights which is a casual Italian restaurant but the food is rather nice.

SkaiSW

Lizzy,
I am a 50 yo woman, but that doesn't mean I can't take you dinner at the fish restaurant. (You did alot to shape my trip -- wasn't able to drop the KI though. My travel agent and Seascape did a hard sell "Animals come out in the cold rain -- that's when you really get to see them&quot. Maybe some guys from Melbourne will fly down to Hobart and take us both out -- who knows?
Anyway getting back to Sydney, I have asked the Establishment to book an Est reservation on August 11th and am trying to get an opera ticket for August 12th. I will do the Sailors Thai on the 9th or 10th (Is it open on Sunday? ) and a Korean Restaurant on whichever nite I dont do Thai. Is your Chinese food different from American Chinese (Wonton and Hot & Sour Soup MooGooGaiPan and Mu Shu pork type of thing?)

pat_woolford

Asian food is not Port Douglas' forte, Skai - you need to go to Cairns for Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Balinese, etc. I think one of the worst "Chinese" meals I've ever had was in PD, with exception of Cooktown where it was indescribably dreadful.

But I don't think I've ever had a bad meal at Salsa's Bar and Grill in PD, a local favorite for years. Also had a good meal recently at Watergate in Macrossan St, PD.

Rainforest Habitat is on road going into Port Douglas, lots of native birds and animals including tree kangaroo. You can "breakfast with the birds" there if that appeals. Birdworld at Kuranda is a large walk-through aviary, both native and exotic birds.

Thala itself has some wildlife on site, but I guess you know that.

For an amazing collection of native parrots and finches, as well as crocs, cassowaries, kangaroos and much more drop into Daintree Mangrove Sanctuary, north of Mossman before the Daintree River ferry crossing. www.daintreewild.com.au

SkaiSW

Okay everyone, I have been googling your restaurant reservations - about Port Douglas, both Salsa Bar& Grill and Zeus have amazing reviews. This is more than enough for Port Douglas, since my itineries make it likly that I'll be too tired to leave the hotel on two of the 4 nights I am staying (so my restaurant choices are complete there).
For Hobart, I have definitely selected Fish Frenzy. Lizzy, Are you sure about Harbour Lights? It is so low key that I could find only one review anywhere ("pizzas and good scallop pie,", and its not even listed in most of the restaurant guides.

Neil_Oz

I'm not familiar with a couple of the Chinese-American dishes you mentioned - or at least their names. You can certainly get wonton soup and hot-and-sour soup, though. Most Chinese restaurants in Australia are Cantonese - the first Chinese immigrants arrived here from what is now Guangdong Province during the 19th century Gold Rush, as was the case I think in California. More recent immigration from the north and east of China has provided more eating variety.

BTW, I'm pretty sure that chop suey and fortune cookies were invented in California.

It's a pity no-one can help you with Korean. I'm told that Sydney's Koreatown is the suburb of Strathfield, about 10 km west of the city, but who knows? maybe you'll strike it lucky around Liverpool Street.

marg

Re your time in Melbourne, consider visiting the National Gallery of Victoria (in St Kilda Road close to CBD) or the Ian Potter Gallery at Federation Square five minutes walk away, instead of the museum.

speckles

Hi Skai. Are you eating in Adelaide or just sleeping here? If you're staying in the city centre and need a quick meal there are two main areas which have plenty of casual restaurants, including Thai, Italian and pub meals.

Rundle Street is one area and Gouger Street is the other. The Star of Siam is fairly well rated as a Thai restaurant on Gouger St.

http://www.yourrestaurants.com.au/gu...l=star_of_siam

There is also the Great River Korean BBQ Restaurant in Gouger St. I've never been, so can't comment.

http://www.yourrestaurants.com.au/gu...rean_barbecue/

SkaiSW

Thanks for the info on Melbourne. I have from 10 am- 1pm to see one Museum. Might as well be one you like. As for Adelaide, I truly am only sleeping there. I get in 11 pm both nights and leave early in the morning. Apparently, its where you have to sleep when your travel agent talks you into going to KI. But if I get hungry, do you think there may be any 24 hour places near the Oaks Pier Plaza? I don't think its 4-star, so it wouldnt have 24 hour room service (but I should ask them).

Susan7

Some more suggestions for Hobart both in North Hobart, Amulet (Elizabeth Street) and Fish (with numbers after it) also Elizabeth Street.

I have yet to hear any good reports about Korean restaurants in Sydney. The top end Chinese food in Sydney is very different to anything I have ever had in the States.

If you want really fresh inventive Chinese definitely try Billy Kwongs. Kylie's steamed red snapper with ginger and shallots is superb, she also does a very nice crispy duck with blood oranges or other seasonal fruit.

There is a great website of one American couple's food adventures in Sydney, that might be helpful:
http://sfd.typepad.com/

An Australian chef who does do interesting food with Asian influences is Christine Manfield, I love her desserts, she has a restaurant called Universal in Darlinghurst. Her cook book Spice is nice too look at, I have attempted the chilli jam but it took forever.

SkaiSW

The trouble with Chinese is that there is a Chinese market here, and I have learned to cook it. I can even make Crispy Duck although I cheat by cutting all the skin off and pan frying it (the skin) till its crispy. I cook the duck in aluminum foil so its tender and holds its juices and put the skin back on at the end. I've even learned how to make a reduction. I add the reduction and some fruit. I can make very good lomaine and steak- kew also since I learned to buy Oyster sauce. I also buy brown and black bean sauce and add more beans. Luckily , Thai food is still a mystery. But I think that I will settle on Est and Sailors Thai for now and as it gets closer pick a third restaurant. Actually on the night I see the opera, I dont think i will have a full meal, just a quick bite somewhere. If I go to a second show like Billy Elliot, then I need a second place to get a quick bite. I don't know. I still have
time. One of the concierges recommended Sydney Cafe. Any comments?

Susan7

Can't help you with Cafe Sydney. It's certainly close to establishment.

If you go to Billy Elliott (Capitol Theatre) you are not far from Spice I Am, that's also right near Chinatown.

Or perhaps Malay food could be a new experience? Malaya restaurant on Cockle Bay Wharf (Lime St) has a terrific view and great Malaysian food. Also for a quick bite to eat near the Opera House, a very small modest restaurant with fantastic Laksa called Malay Chinese in Hunter St.

SkaiSW

Susan,

Since I never heard of Malaysian food or Laska, this sounds very promising. I have put the Malaya on my list.

speckles

Hi Skai. There is very little 24 hour anything in Adelaide, so if the hotel doesn't have late night room service, you might be out of luck.