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-   -   Aussie foods (https://www.fodors.com/community/australia-and-the-pacific/aussie-foods-498795/)

Snazzy Jan 31st, 2005 06:56 AM

Typo alert...
"I obviously can eat..." should read, "I obviously can't eat all the foods in a week...

Peteralan Jan 31st, 2005 12:31 PM

I think the restaurant that Neil was referring to way back is Edna's Table at 204 Carence Street in the city. They specialise in bush tucker. Give it a try Snazzy for something different. Cheers!

pat_woolford Jan 31st, 2005 01:29 PM

Hi Peter - wow, is Edna's Table still going? Used to go there in the 80's - food was always great. Just a little typo I know but you left the "l" out of Clarence St, Snaz might get confused if he tries to look it up on street directory.

margo_oz Jan 31st, 2005 04:53 PM

Peteralan's correct - he beat me to it.
Edna's Table is fantastic, but expensive. They have a tasting menu of all manner of critters and other things.

I also found a listing for :
Redgum Restaurant and Function Venue
Boronia House
624 Military Road
Mosman, Sydney NSW 2088

Cuisine : Modern Australian, Native Australian
Price Range : Mains $20 - $30, Mains under $20
Phone : 02 9969 8544

I have no idea what this is like - but there it is. Mosman is north of the city, by bus or taxi across the Harbour Bridge, or by ferry.

Go to the fish markets in Sydney.

Eat Barra in Cairns (best I've ever had - at some restaurant the name of which escapes me, on the waterfront at Cairns!)


Possum - you don't like Vegemite! :O leave this board at once!

Snazzy Jan 31st, 2005 07:38 PM

Thanks, folks.
I found several links about Edna's Table when I did a web search. It sounds like what I'm looking for.
In my notes I have Towers Restaurant as having a buffett with twenty choices that change daily.
Since they are both in Sydney, does anyone have a preference?
I also ran across information about Dick Smith's Bush Foods Breakfast so I will look at Coles or Woolworths for that along with Beet Wix and muesli. (Also the Dicks True Blue Chest Rub... That should make interesting gifts.)

Can food be brought from one state into another if flying? I read there are border checks. Does food from stores count or is that just seeds and such?

Thanks.

pat_woolford Jan 31st, 2005 09:41 PM

Margo - Boronia House is a lovely old building with Sydney lace balcony, set in its own grounds (well, it was when I last looked) on Military Rd, Mosman, just before Spit Junction. I think it used to house Mosman Library. Have been there years ago, wonderful ambience, but didn't know it now specialises in bush tucker. Taxi or bus from town would be the easiest, its a fair way from Mosman wharf.

margo_oz Feb 1st, 2005 05:19 PM

Pat,
You are, of course, correct. We went past Boronia House on the way to the Quarantine Station last week - so bus or taxi are the go. I have no idea what the restaurant is like - I just did a search for bush foods and it popped up.

Tower Restaurant - is that the one in Centrepoint (or is it Sydney )Tower? The reports from there is that the food is famously awful, disappointing, and not so good either. A buffet of miscellaneous crap - but perhaps it has improved. It's some years since I was there - I don't have the patience to persevere if the food is bad. Just use the lookout and eat somewhere else. Edna's Table is a tad expensive - but there just isn't a comparison to be made.

Probably the best place to eat on high in Sydney is Level 41 - but it's soooo expensive.

One place I have been to, that I really enjoyed, is I'm Angus, at Darling Harbour. We ate there on a lovely winter day, sitting outside, washing down kangaroo fillet with several good glasses of red - it doesn't get much better than that!

There is certaionly a problem in transporting food from state to state, especially fruit and vegetables. Your Weet Bix, probably not.

pat_woolford Feb 3rd, 2005 03:43 AM

Dunno Margo either - Centrepoint Tower I've eaten at years ago (I seem to keep saying this) - food was frightful. Maybe I'd better hop back to Sydney for a while and catch up. Edna's Table used to be frequented by Sydney radio people, Mike Carlton etc. who I do miss and we don't get in the north. But I ate at such places on a company expense a/c because they paid me to wine and dine US visitors - these days I'll probably make the fish market, which is not to be sneezed at at all.
Snazzy, I don't know why you want to move food interstate, they all have supermarkets with all of Dick Smith's products and much more, problems can be encountered with fruit and veg. as Margo says. In Qld's case the recent papaya fruit fly and spiralling white fly problems, which snuck in from SE Asia, very close to us geographically, could have decimated Australia's agricultural industy. Road blocks were set up south of Cairns to stop any movement of fruits which may have been affected. And we had the Department of Primary Industry spraying our yards for months. This is why Australia has very strict laws on bringing foodstuffs into country - sniffer dogs will catch you at airport even with an innocent looking apple or orange. So when arriving at any Australian airport declare any food you may be carrying. Huge fines can be imposed if you don't.

Snazzy Feb 3rd, 2005 04:14 AM

Hi,
Thanks for the information, folks.

<<I don't know why you want to move food interstate, they all have supermarkets with all of Dick Smith's products>> Answer:I don't want to move fruits and veggies interstate.
I only want to shop one supermarket (due to time constraints) for things like Weet Bix, Muesli and the Dick Smith products and then take them with me.

I've been searching AU supermarkets online to compare prices and see if I can find one that has each item I've preselected to buy.

I plan to buy a sampling of fresh fruits such as lychee, pineapple, sapote and jackfruit in Cairns and things at Queen Victoria Market.

Cheers.

Daneille Feb 5th, 2005 03:24 PM

Neil - I looked over the next few messages after yours regarding the bush tucker restaurant and didn't see a response so I hope this hasn't already been answered, but were you referring to EDNA'S TABLE (204 Clarence St)? It certainly has a very good reputation for using Australian native ingrediants including berries, bark and animals to create pretty unique dishes.

Neil_Oz Feb 5th, 2005 04:45 PM

Thanks Daneille - yes, Edna's Table is the one I was thinking of. I now see that Peteralan also mentioned it a little while back.

I also noticed a post from some days back by TurtleMichael, who if I read him correctly has now been now born again and will give up lurking in favour of becoming a constructive contributor to the forum. All hands welcome, I say, Michael, and I for one look forward to your contributions. One volunteer is worth ten pressed men, and all that.

joelster Feb 5th, 2005 09:35 PM

When you are in Cairns hit the Red Ochre Grill, great food, and incorporates a lot of the items you mention. Have a look at http://www.redochregrill.com.au/
My favorite...don't miss the Chili Mud Crab all the best...

Snazzy Feb 6th, 2005 08:13 PM

Thanks, Daneille, Neil, and Joelster.

Edna's Table, the Red Ochre and it's two related cafes (Inbox Cafe and Liquid Cafe) are on my list.

Since they both feature bush foods, how similar are the food choices at the Red Ochre and Edna's Table?

I'm thinking maybe concentrate on seafood in Cairns and go for bush foods at Edna's Table... Does this make sense?


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