LOCATION
Right on the beach at Cullen Bay.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
La Beach Restaurant in Cullen Bay should be reserved for those special occasions and romantic nights out. It’s so close to nature that it’s a mere step off the verandah and across the lawn to the beach, the sunset viewing is unparalleled, so time your visit early enough to enjoy it. La Beach offers French cuisine with the freshest seafood available and an excellent wine list to match. The whole red emperor is a specialty, and there’s a superb selection of hot and cold oyster dishes. The Northern Territory barramundi with crisp ginger shavings and fresh coriander is divinely fragrant. And if the waitstaff tell you the ocean scampi isn’t available, it’s only because the fish didn’t cooperate with the fishing boats earlier in the day. There are also delicious non-seafood options including duck, scotch fillet and the tender chicken breast with brie and macadamia stuffing, and a delicate orange sauce. And since this is the Top End, it’s not surprising to see “crocodile on the beach” as a menu item (the genuine article). All this is tempting enough and there’s still the dessert list – homemade ice-creams (rosemary and pecan is one of the unusual flavours), a host of decadent puddings (the homemade chocolate hazelnut self-saucing pudding is simply delicious), affogato and liqueur coffees.
La Beach has won so many awards that the internal dining room is lined with framed certificates and gold plates. The huge tiled verandah is perfect for alfresco meals and the elegant inner room offers a cool refuge if the Darwin heat becomes overwhelming. Staff are welcoming and attentive, bringing iced water when needed, and seeing to the details which make this a dining experience a little out of the ordinary.
Merridy Anne Pugh