LOCATIONAt the Stewarts Bay Lodge in the historic town of Port Arthur, 60km south east of Hobart.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA The restaurant building, fit-out and decor are a stylishly modern blending of native timbers, natural stone, subtle soft furnishings and aquatic art and artefacts. Sitting in the sun on the patio looking through trees to the shimmering turquoise waters of Stewards Bay, you could hardly wish for a more idyllic coffee, lunch or dinner setting. Ken Petterson came from Victoria as sous chef to Ian Taylor to open the restaurant in 2007 and remained as head chef following a change in ownership last year. He says he’s never worked in a better place.
“I can get almost everything locally,” he says, “Line-caught fish come to me straight from the local boats, the oysters are from Cameron’s at Eaglehawk Neck, salmon from the farms here at our doorstep and quails and venison from just up the road. It’s great”. Those oysters come natural or spiked with a Champagne and lemon granita, the quails and venison appear on a composed tasting platter or as mains while a generous piece of grilled salmon with lemon butter and a vibrantly fresh Nicoise salad, artfully arranged on a white, scooped plate, is as pretty a plated picture as you’re likely to see – and tastes just as good, simple but perfect. The small wine list is strong on wines from the region and it’s all very relaxed and civilised.
Graeme Phillips