Today, up early, we enjoyed a 90 minute coastal walk in the Noosa National Park and a morning swim on Sunshine Beach, both lovely ways to start our last full day in Noosa.
Almost every course was exquisite. The only one that was slightly ordinary was the salad...and it was good, just not something unusual. We ate every morsel and almost, ALMOST, didn't have room for dessert, though we did manage to taste both plates of sweet sensations. As we finished our Degustation and bottle of wine, a storm approached with the hint of possible hail. The waiter said that in the last hail storm, the hail was as big as lemons, imagine!!! Luckily, our direction home was clearer skies and we arrived with just a bit of drizzle washing the car.
But the day was really about destination dining, which according to the latest edition of the Schwartz Travel Dictionary, is one of the following:
(1) Traveling to a specific city or destination specifically to spend your time and money on their unique cuisine.
(2) Vacationing in a city that has multiple award winning chefy restaurants and eating in one each night
(3) Researching and finding that special unique restaurant with spectacular food which requires you to drive at least 45 minutes and plan your entire day around a great meal.
San Sebastian, Spain qualifies for definition (1), with tapas bars and restaurants like Mugaritz. It was a food city that we loved.
Las Vegas, Nevada probably fits (2) with every big Food Network star having some gastronomic space in a casino hotel. Been there but passed on that kind of destination dining some years back. Ate instead at the highest rated Thai resto in the USA, which happens to be in a very dumpy shopping center that might make you hesitant to get out of the car....it was outstanding.
(3) is probably my favorite definition of destination dining and the one we had today.
Lucky for us, a Sydney foodie, upon hearing we were going to Noosa, told us we had to 'do a lunch' at The Spirit House in Yandina.
We had five days in Noosa and by the time I went on line, almost a week ahead, my only choice was Monday, between 1 and 2:30. Since destination dining usually also means eating only one meal that day, we opted for a 2:30 table, knowing we could easily skip breakfast and hold out, then come home so full and skip dinner as well.
This part of Australia has good roads, few towns and excellent signage so Steve, the
intrepid driver/navigator set off with only a questionable map that went off the page with the arrow pointing towards Eumundi. We knew Yandina was 15 or so minutes past there and counted on signs guiding us the 45 minutes easily. I think we strayed a bit from perhaps the fastest way and it did take us one hour, one stop for directions
(I KEEP telling Steve not to send me in to ask directions) and one big U-bee but we arrived at this hidden Thai oasis, part restaurant, part cooking school only five minutes late.
(I KEEP telling Steve not to send me in to ask directions) and one big U-bee but we arrived at this hidden Thai oasis, part restaurant, part cooking school only five minutes late.
The open pavilions with tables around the bubbling pond, was breezy with the sun peeking through the bamboo, lighting up the temple like structures. Water dragons, lizard like creatures and quite assimilated to diners, froze at your feet to stare. It was all quite exotic but nothing compared to our meal.
We started with a lovely 'End of the Bin' Pinot Noir and quickly agreed to go for the set menu, something like an eight course feast. I could recite each dish, try to describe the tastes and smells but instead, we have gotten a bit wiser....Steve just photoed the menu so we wouldn't have to jot down everything we had, or make up half the ingredients we couldn't recall.
Almost every course was exquisite. The only one that was slightly ordinary was the salad...and it was good, just not something unusual. We ate every morsel and almost, ALMOST, didn't have room for dessert, though we did manage to taste both plates of sweet sensations. As we finished our Degustation and bottle of wine, a storm approached with the hint of possible hail. The waiter said that in the last hail storm, the hail was as big as lemons, imagine!!! Luckily, our direction home was clearer skies and we arrived with just a bit of drizzle washing the car.
Tonight we pack, skipping dinner since we blew both our daily calorie intake and budget for the day and tomorrow we are on the road again. Another flight, another car rental and another adventure on the Great Ocean Road in South Australia. Stay tuned.
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