Gluten-free Down Under

It was surprising to us how much more sophisticated than the United States that Australia and New Zealand were about gluten-free eating. When I say gluten-free in America in any place other than Whole Foods Market, I get puzzled looks as if were speaking in tongues. The most irritating response is the person who almost [...]

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Quay (Sydney, New South Wales)

Quay (pronounced “key”) has been voted Sydney’s best restaurant for several years. It’s easy to see why. In addition to an unbeatable view–just across Circular Quay from the famous Sydney Opera House. Quay lives up to its view…and then some.
Our dinner started with a surprise from the kitch of ocean trout tartar served in [...]

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Photo Highlights From The Sydney Fish Market

Today we took a brief tour of the Sydney Fish Market. Sydney’s Fish Market is the second largest in the world in terms of variety (Tokyo’s is first). It is the largest market of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Here is just a sample of the wonderful, fresh seafood we saw on our tour.
SFM [...]

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Cicciolina (Melbourne, Victoria)

Cicciolina (prounced chee-chee-o-lina), was a great find for us in Melbourne. Located in the beach suburb of St Kilda, this casual and laid back eatery has a very loyal following among the locals. They do not take reservations, and the wait can be long. Enjoy a drink at the back bar while you wait [...]

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Oyster (Melbourne, Victoria)

After spending the day at the Australian Open, we headed to Oyster on Little Bourke in the Melbourne Central Business District (CBD) for dinner. We started with a half dozen of local oysters and moved on to a rocket and parmesan salad. Jan ordered the special fish of the day, and I had the eye [...]

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Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder (Melbourne, Victoria)

In the nearby Melbourne suburb of Richmond lies the Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder. Quite frankly it is a cheese eater’s paradise. The Cafe & Larder has a casual coffeehouse atmosphere, and you can enjoy more than just cheese, but if you like cheese (even a little bit), this is a must see Melbourne site. [...]

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Hopetoun Tea Rooms (Melbourne, Victoria)

The Hopetoun Tea Rooms are a Melbourne classic. Located just inside the Block Arcade on Collins Street, Hopetoun traces its rooms to a tea room operated by the Victorian Ladies Work Association back in 1893. It definitely offers quaint charm. Happily, there were several gluten-free desserts offered on the menu, and the tea was very [...]

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How to Order Coffee In Australian

If you thought Starbucks was a confusing place in which to order coffee, you’ve neve tried in Australia. They don’t seem to call it the way we call it in America, and it took us a few days (and a few misordered products) to work it all out. Of course, once you learn the lingo, [...]

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Ezard (Melbourne, Victoria)

Ezard is one of Melbourne’s top restaurants, and after dining here, it’s easy to see why. The food is Asian fusion with the primary fusion influences coming from Chinese and Thai cuisine. From the start, both the food and the service was exceptional.
We arrived without a reservation and despite a book full of evening [...]

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Gauchos (Adelaide, South Australia)

After hitting it up on the grass courts, we headed back to Gouger Street for one of the best steaks we’ve ever eaten. Gauchosoffers Argentinian cuisine complete with Argentinian beef—succulent, free range, and grass fed.
The portions at Gauchos are quite generous (even by American standards). The smallest steak on the menu was the 350g filet [...]

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