darwinian dining

From country town to cosmopolitan hub, Darwin has evolved to dish up delicious grub

WORDS JOANNA HALL

Savour views and seafood at Cee Cea’s Bistro
Photos: Tourism Northern Territory

Forget images of a dusty, last frontier outpost where eating out means fish and chips on the beach. Darwin today is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city with exotic, diverse and world-class culinary experiences.

Best known as the gateway to the Top End’s parks and adventures, Darwin had a bit of a reputation as a hard-drinking town with a distinctly outback attitude to life. But in recent years, all that’s changed. From culture to property prices, the city has undergone a makeover. Food and dining is one area in particular where Australia’s tropical capital is laying down the challenge to its better-known southern counterparts.

Parap Village Market is a ritual
for restaurateur Jimmy Shu Where country-style pubs once stood, frequented by characters in stubbies and thongs telling incredulous crocodile-encounter yarns, elegant restaurants, funky noodle houses and European-style cafés are now the city’s social hubs.

So what can first-time visitors expect to see on the menu when visiting Darwin? Everything from cheap eats to gourmet dining – there’s something to suit everyone’s taste and budget.

Best Breakfast

Mindil Beach Sunset Markets
make for great entertainmentAlthough there are dozens of outdoor venues where you can start the day with a hearty breakfast, a local favourite is Salvatore’s Café. A hole-in-the-wall on one of the busiest downtown corners, it’s a friendly, inexpensive and no-fuss refuge from both the heat and hustle. Favourite dishes include the classic omelette (AU$11.90) and eggs Benedict (AU$10.90), but if you’re really hungry, go for Sal’s Big Breakfast – at only AU$11.90, it’s great value for money and includes bacon, eggs, toast, tomato and a delicious Italian sausage.

Best Spots For People Watching

Darwin has wholeheartedly embraced the concept of a café society, and one of the best spots for taking the weight off your feet with a shot of caffeine or a gelato is Dolce Espresso, which also serves gourmet pies, sandwiches and salads from AU$5. In the CBD, lunch options are endless, but a fun and inexpensive place at the far end of Smith Street Mall is Café 21. Located near Parliament House, it has indoor and outdoor seating, and a good menu featuring everything from AU$5 sandwiches to light meals starting at AU$10.

Best Spots For People Watching

Barramundi with bite at
HanumanDarwin has wholeheartedly embraced the concept of a café society, and one of the best spots for taking the weight off your feet with a shot of caffeine or a gelato is Dolce Espresso, which also serves gourmet pies, sandwiches and salads from AU$5. In the CBD, lunch options are endless, but a fun and inexpensive place at the far end of Smith Street Mall is Café 21. Located near Parliament House, it has indoor and outdoor seating, and a good menu featuring everything from AU$5 sandwiches to light meals starting at AU$10.

Best Asian Fusion

It’s said that Darwin boasts the cuisine of over 50 nationalities, which can make choosing what and where to eat a dilemma. At Hanuman Restaurant, you can experience three classic Asian styles in one meal. Owned by local foodie legend Jimmy Shu, the eclectic menu features Indian, Thai and traditional Nonya-style Malaysian dishes. Shu describes his food as “east looking west”, and clearly draws inspiration from the flavours and produce of the north. Dishes include meen moolie of wild barramundi fillets cooked with turmeric, fresh curry leaf and coconut (AU$24) and masala lamb cutlets (AU$18.50).

Best Market Food

Chill out on Mitchell Street
Photo: Tourism Northern TerritoryFor many locals, Saturday morning involves an obligatory trip to Parap Village Market. Established in 1982, it’s the best-known of Darwin’s famous markets, as well as the place to check out local produce – flowers, fruits and veggies – and rub shoulders with some quirky residents. Other incentives include the cheap eats from the Asian food stalls, including the famed Mary’s Laksa (AU$6 a bowl) and Bobby’s Indonesian satay (AU$2 per stick).

According to Hanuman owner, Jimmy Shu, Parap is a “must-do” for visitors too. “For me, going to the markets is a ritual.” He explains: “You walk in and are overwhelmed by all the activity, to the point where you think: is this a part of Asia?” On Thursdays and Sundays during the dry season (May to Oct), Mindil Beach Sunset Markets is a great alternative.

Best Modern Australian Fusion Cuisine

Darwin’s downtown hub is brimming with top-class restaurants, one of which is Char Restaurant @ Admiralty. This elegant dining venue is situated inside the beautifully refurbished Admiralty House and has a large garden with fairy-lit trees for dining under the stars. The menu features everything from steaks and seafood to eclectic vegetarian dishes, all of which are created with the best of local produce and touched with European and Asian accents. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the Territory croc and crab lasagne with steamed asparagus, scallop, abalone and tomato sauce (AU$17 for a starter, AU$28 as a main).

Best Food With A View

Tuck into some tapas at the
Moorish Café Photo : Ben HallFor a no-fuss, family-style eatery with views to die for, it’s hard to beat Cee Cea’s Bistro. Situated on the picturesque foreshore, it’s a top spot for the family to take in one of Darwin’s famous sunsets and a AU$15–$25 main course. If you want to splash out on a romantic dinner for two with an unbeatable location, however, head out to Pee Wee’s At The Point. Nestled among tropical palms in Darwin’s favourite playground, East Point Nature Reserve, it also boasts uninterrupted views across the Arafura Sea, and a menu featuring local specialities including fish and seafood (starters from AU$16, mains from AU$25).

Best Alternative Dining Experiences

Darwin’s culinary revolution hasn’t limited its menus to only seafood and Asian cuisine. For great Spanish tapas with a distinctly local accent, try the downtown Moorish Café. Run by husband and wife team, Marc Wagnon and Gertrude Knight, it fuses a funky design with an innovative menu of tapas starting from AU$2. “We got the idea of having a tapas restaurant after spending a lot of time in Spain,” explains Knight. “But we use a lot of the best local produce to give our tapas a unique, local flavour.”

And no trip to Darwin is complete without a visit to Crocodylus Park and Zoo. There are four daily guided tours of the crocs starting at 10am, and after witnessing their terrifying might with a feeding demonstration, you can get your own back by chowing down on a croc burger (AU$6) in the park café.

Best Gourmet Sunset Cruises

Sail away into the sunset for
a night to remember
Photo: Tourism Northern
Territory One of the best ways to beat Darwin’s heat, and enjoy a culinary experience, is to take to the water. Every day at 5.15pm, the Darwin Harbour Cruises’ Tumlaren departs from Stokes Hill Wharf for a leisurely two-anda-half hour cruise around Darwin Harbour. Costing AU$60 (adults), guests get to take in the local sights while enjoying gourmet antipasto and sparkling wine. If you want to splash out a bit more, opt for a sunset dinner cruise aboard its sister ship, the Alfred Noble. Costing AU$90 (adults), and departing at 5.45pm daily, guests are treated to an Australian gourmet dinner featuring chilled local seafood and a barbecue of locally caught fish.

For all your travel choices, go to www.jetstar.com

Young chef to watch

Nineteen-year-old Lauren Jacobsen is an apprentice chef with the Novotel Atrium’s Zest restaurant, set to go places after placing second in the Northern Territory section of the World Skills cooking competition in 2007. She was also Employee of the Year 2007.

What’s the must-order dish at Zest?
The Northern Territory Tasting Plate to share. It comes with chilled banana prawn ceviche, cured kangaroo, crab spring rolls and crocodile chipolata.

What’s your favourite cuisine and where do you go?
I love Chinese food. My favourite is Happy Garden Chinese Restaurant in Parap.

What should people try when they visit Darwin?
Bush food, definitely, and also buffalo, crocodile and kangaroo meats.

Is there a foodie event you recommend highly?
The Darwin Seafood Festival takes place on Fishermans Wharf every year – it’s on 15 June. You’ll be able to enjoy wild barramundi and mud crabs. – Anne Loh

Zest
Novotel Atrium, 100 The Esplanade tel: +61 (8) 8941 0755

FIND IT:

Salvatore’s Café
21 Knuckey St, tel: +61 (8) 8941 9823
Dolce Espresso
Shop 18A, Paspalis Centrepoint The Mall, 48 Smith St, tel: +61 (8) 8941 6382
Café 21
21 Smith Street Mall, tel: +61 (8) 8942 3111
Hanuman Restaurant
93 Mitchell St, tel: +61 (8) 8941 3500
Parap Village Market
Parap Rd, Parap, tel: +61 (8) 8942 0805
Mindil Beach Sunset Markets
opposite SkyCity Casino on Mindil Beach, off Gilruth Ave, The Gardens, tel: +61 (8) 8981 3454
Char Restaurant @ Admiralty
cnr The Esplanade and Knuckey St, tel: +61 (8) 8981 4544
Cee Cea’s Bistro
Darwin Trailer Boat Club, Atkins Dr, Fannie Bay, tel: +61 (8) 8941 6688
Pee Wee’s At The Point
Alec Fong Lim Dr, East Point Reserve, tel: +61 (8) 8981 6868
Moorish Café
37 Knuckey St, +61 (8) 8981 0010
Crocodylus Park and Zoo
815 McMillans Rd, Berrimah, tel: +61 (8) 8922 4500
Darwin Harbour Cruises
tel: +61 (8) 8942 3131