The Lotus Eaters Cafe

LOCATION
56K'S south of Hobart

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Chefs Olivia Chapman and Giselle Barton's first place of their own takes the form of this small, appealingly relaxed cafe which opened in mid-January 2007. Now, they say, they can cook what they like, regularly vary the menu and do their own thing. And "doing their own thing" has resulted in them serving the best, most varied and perfectly cooked cafe food in the state. Without fail, across all the dishes, the flavours are fresh and definite, the combinations intelligent and beautifully compatible, the seasonings sure-handed and the cooking spot on - and there isn't a chicken Caesar, a door-step focaccia or any garish garnishing in sight.

From a sampling across every dish on the menu one Sunday lunch, their beef, red wine and bay leaf pie is the best pie in the state; the beautifully spiced Indonesian beef and coconut curry, authentic and delicious; the pizza, crisp, thin-based and wearing simple, clean flavours as a good pizza should; and the subtle seaweed and chicken miso broth and a flavour-packed mushroom tart on perfect pastry are better than most anywhere. The bread is baked daily from a sourdough starter, the baby salad and peppery nasturtium leaves are picked fresh from the cafe owners' gardens, desserts are luscious, and the coffee as good as the best around. Simply fabulous.

Graeme Phillips