Final Post

Hi everyone, we know that there has been a delay and a bit of lag in posting of late, and the reason for that is that we are no longer in Cairns as often as we would like. As such, there wont be any more posts to this blog, however people may find the reviews (although of course they will now become dated) of some value for some time yet. So, we will leave them up and we hope that they can provide some useful information about where to go, and where to avoid while on holiday in Cairns.

It's been a pleasure undertaking the research and writing reviews for you all to enjoy. Thanks to all of you for your feedback, comments, and criticism, it's all helped to make this a better blog.

Donnini's Ristorante Pizzeria

Donnini’s Ristorante Pizzeria

Address: The Marina @ The Pier, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia.
Ph +61740511133 and Fax: +61740316532

Also
320 Lygon Street, Carlton, Melbourne, Victoria 3053,
Ph +61393473128 and Fax: +61393478963

Summary Information

Name: Donnini’s Ristorante Pizzeria
Cuisine Type: Italian
Licensed: Full bar and extensive wine list
BYO: No
Price Range: $20-$40+
Parking: There is ample parking outside and under the Pier
Disabled Access: Yes
Deals: None known
Dress Code: Casual
Family Friendly: Yes, but no children present when we visited.
Smoking: Yes
Overall Rating 8 out of 10
Food: 7 out of 10
Drinks: 9 out of 10
Service: 9 out of 10
Ambience: 8 out of 10
Value for Money: 8 out of 10
Recommended: Yes. Overall the best Italian restaurant in town.

Review

Donnini’s is located at Cairns ‘premiere’ location, the vastly hyped Pier complex located on the headland near the centre of town, and directly opposite the tourist pool centre in town. Donnini’s is on the seaward side of the Pier with marina and sea views from the restaurant and deck area, a supremely good location, and about as good as you could get in Cairns. This is the Cairns branch of a Melbourne based restaurant and brings with it professionalism and service that is sadly lacking in some of the other venues around Cairns. We have yet to isolate a reason for the poor service in this town. The most popular theory so far is that most of the service industry relies on touring backpackers for labour. They have no interest in the success or otherwise of the venue as they only here for a short, and usually good time. Donnini’s is a welcome change from the usual mediocre or downright poor service. We were shown to our table and generally served superbly throughout by knowledgeable and polite staff during our visit for lunch on a Sunday afternoon overlooking the sea.

In our opinion it is no coincidence that this restaurant has a sister site in Melbourne. The professionalism, attention to detail, and knowledge of the industry has given Donnini’s the edge in Cairns over other local restaurants. We haven’t yet had the chance to check out the Melbourne version, however if we ever make it to Carlton we will certainly look it up and give it a shot to ad to this site and see how it compares with its Far North cousin!

Ambience

The outfit of the restaurant was plain and not overstated. The furniture was comfortable, modern, and functional. Nothing remarkable but in keeping with a sophisticated but unpretentious modern restaurant. The outfit is essentially same for dining inside as the outside tables. We were seated promptly and drinks were offered immediately, the ubiquitous free water which is appreciated very much outside in the Cairns summer. We were outside and there was no mood music, which was a nice change from the muzak played in most joints around town as if that will keep you happy.

Wine List and Menu

We were presented with a wine list, and I have to say it is the kind of wine list that shows a lot of thought. Rather than an abundance of wine in a misguided attempt to try and have everything that punters might like, this wine list was of a manageable size and clearly thought had gone into the wines included on the list. They not only matched the menu very well, there was something of good quality for everyone without being overly priced. A great start, and of course there was also a list of other beverages available including Italian beer which was nice to see.

We were also presented with a menu and there was also a specials list that accompanied it. The specials were an excellent accompaniment to the main menu and offered some dishes that were just clear deviations from the main menu and gave us a good choice. We asked the waitress what her recommendation was from the kitchen and were advised that the pizzas were especially good. We were a little skeptical at first, however the recommendation once given must be accepted and so one of our number ordered the pizza of their choice, being the Meditteraneo. The rest of us eventually settled for the Seafood Carbonara and the extra large scallops wrapped in salmon on top of a green salad (entree size).

Food

We opted for a foccacia bread as a starter as we were taking our time with the menu. When the bread arrived we were impressed. Sometimes you get the simple bread without too many toppings and herbs on it and it just tastes fantastic. Donnini’s, as we found, specialise in this type of Italian food. It seems to me that Italian food is best when done simply, and Donnini’s do this well. The foccacia bread was divine and an excellent warm up for what was to come.

Our mains arrived along with the second wine and other drinks for the afternoon and we got straight into it. The Seafood Marinara was good, however our guest felt that it was missing something. Fresh cheese was available and added to the meal before tasting, and was black pepper from the enormous pepper grinders that seem to be around in every eating house of any substance these days. We weren’t able to put our finger on what was missing from the marinara, and make no mistake it was good, but it just seemed that it needed a little something else to round out the flavours that the chef was trying to marry up in the dish.

The pizza lived up to its recommendation, and the bread was an ideal indication of what was to come. It had been simply done, and cooked in a wood fired oven for that great taste that the wood fired oven can only impart to the pizza. It was simple and superb, ideal for anchovy lovers which we are. A small amount of tomato as a base sauce for the pizza, a moderate amount of cheese, olives and anchovies spread over the pizza, but not in such a way as to become overpowering of the subtle flavours in the bread base. Fantastic, and we could see why this was recommended.

The extra large scallops wrapped in Atlantic salmon on green salad were from the specials menu, and sounded great. The scallops were nice, but not fresh I would suggest. The Atlantic salmon had clearly been cooked at the same time as the scallops wrapped around the outside which lead to it being too well done fort my liking. It was nice, but tended to lose that oily texture and taste that is so great about salmon, especially when mixed with scallops. I would recommend that if this dish is to be taken in future, the scallops should be cooked on the skewer and the salmon added only at the last minute to infuse the flavour, while minimizing the ill effects of over cooking the fish. In spite of that, it was nice and a good size for an entrée, however it accounts for the lower than average score in the food section that we would have otherwise given Donnini’s.

On this occasion we also sampled a desert which was a coconut and lime crème caramel. This sounded fantastic, and the presentation was wonderful. However, the flavour of lime and coconut was understated in the desert and overpowered by the sauce that came with it. It was still nice, but not quite the tropical variation of the dish that we were looking for. The consistency of the crème caramel was perhaps a bit too firm and the colouring of the sauce made it look a little more like a crème brulee. However, it was a nice finish to the lunch and we were possibly being a bit picky. The rest of the desert menu was superb and we’d suggest trying one of the other deserts if you do chose to visit Donnini’s.

Price

The cost of dining at Donnini’s was at the upper end of the scale in terms of Cairns. However, we felt that we got value for money. $90 for four people was pretty good with a couple of wines into the bargain. There was room in the menu to go much higher in cost than that with such things as seafood platters and so on, however we were not so inclined on this occasion.

Internet Presence

Donnini’s does not maintain any web presence that we were aware of. In addition it does not seem to have any e-mail facilities at all in terms of booking or making enquiries. We stand to be corrected on this point, however in the information age we prefer restaurants that you are able to get a feel for online before you actually go, and better yet consider menus and wine lists before actually being there to ascertain what they are like.

Recommendation:

We were impressed with Donnini’s. We would recommend it without hesitation, and with the exception of the comments about the scallops and salmon, our food was superb and we had a wonderful afternoon at this restaurant. The ambience in terms of the location, view, and the professionalism of the staff and quality food would make it pretty difficult not to have a good time here. 8 out of 10 overall, our highest so far!

Cafe China

Cafe China

http://www.cafechina.com.au/

Address: Cafe China Seafood Restaurant, Rydges Plaza Complex, Cnr of Spence and Grafton Streets, Cairns 4870, Australia.
Ph +61740412828
Fax +61740412818

E-mail: admin@cafechina.com.au

Also
Café China Noodle Bar at Spence Street: 32 – 40 Spence Street, CairnsPh +61740412828
Fax: +61740412818

Also
Café China at The Reef Hotel Casino, 6A Abbott Street, CairnsTel: +61740417077
Fax: +61740413877


Summary Information

Name: Cafe China
Cuisine Type: Chinese, Seafood, Yum Char.
Licensed: Full bar and extensive wine list.
BYO: No.
Price Range: $72.90 incl GST for 2.
Parking: Nil - street parking only
Disabled Access: Yes
Deals: VIP Club with deals
Dress Code: Casual.
Family Friendly: Yes.
Smoking: Yes.
Overall Rating 7 out of 10
Food: 8 out of 10
Drinks: 7 out of 10
Service: 9 out of 10
Ambience: 5 out of 10
Value for Money: 6 out of 10
Recommended: Yes. The best yum char in town.

Review

Cafe China is centrally located in Cairns, and is a very successful establishment and one of the few quality yum char joints in town. It is allegedly so successful that it operates from a claimed three premises. However, in reality there are really only two premises, the Noodle Bar and Seafood Restaurant actually being the same place with two entrances off Spence Street and Grafton Street.

The Noodle bar is a separate area of the restaurant, but there is a free flow between each area. This review is of the Grafton and Spence Street restaurant and the yum char served there at the weekend. We booked early as we had heard that it was a popular, and this proved to be correct. We were seated at 11:30 by our waitress who was extremely helpful, and were plied with dumplings immediately and the ubiquitous green tea in antipodean stainless steel tea pots. While not exactly what we would normally expect at a yum char venue, these had the advantage of actually working, and thus our table cloth wasn't soaked in green tea by the end of the meal.

Café China operates at street level and fronts directly onto the footpath on both Spence and Grafton Streets. The Spence Street entrance can’t be missed and on the way past you can check out the noodle bar at this side of the restaurant. This is more popular with the punters at lunch time or for small meals in the early evening. The Grafton Street entrance is a little out of the way as it is located near a major hotel, and features the fish tank so popular with this sort of restaurant. On arrival the full area of the main restaurant is visible from the Grafton Street entrance and guest are treated to a commanding view of the bar area and get a good impression of the inside of the venue.

Ambience

The outfit of the restaurant was pretty plain and in keeping with the style that many of these restaurants have. There was nothing of any great note and we were seated at our table by the waiting staff without any waiting at all. We were immediately offered an array of steamed yum char food on being seated and ordered our drinks. There was an extensive wine list and a full range of beer was also available. There wasn’t much of an atmosphere as such, nothing really to recommend the place in any event.

Food

Initially we attempted to ascertain what each dish was, however it proved difficult to understand what some of the items we were being enticed into ordering were. The vast number of different stuffings for dumplings and rolls was too much and we lost track after a while and just order whatever looked nice. And pretty much we were right on the money each time and the food that was served up was of a high standard and compared favourably with the yum char venues we have been too overseas.

The two dishes that really made an impression were firstly the crispy skinned pork and secondly the calamari dish. The crispy skinned pork is a personal favourite of mine and the dish served at Café China was not disappointing. It was well worth the time it took for the pork to be delivered to our table (unfortunately we had to ask for it as after a while we did see the same tired dumplings coming past for the second and third times and we had reached our limit of dumplings at that stage). The skin was very tasty and crispy and the pork had been cooked to perfection, remaining moist while being well cooked for taste.

The real star though was the calamari which was recommended by our waiter. On arrival it didn’t look like much, and the presentation really did leave something to be desired. However, once you popped a piece into your mouth, all was forgiven. It may be a tad salty for some palates, but for us, it was perfect. The entire plate was devoured in record time and had we been introduced to it prior to the dumplings, we would possibly have partaken of another plateful before the end of the meal. However, we couldn’t and finished up feeling replete, our gastronomic rapacity having been sated.

Price

Unfortunately the pleasure of the calamari was rather quickly undermined by the delivery of the bill which we asked for after the meal was complete. We had to make our way to the cash register where we were served by the owner who added up our bill. I nearly fell over when it came to $72.90 for two people. I politely inquired if he had recently purchased a large boat and needed to make the next payment the following day, however the joke was clearly well over his head. I did feel that I had been stung a bit too harshly for the meal that we had indulged in, excellent though it was. If you are looking for value for money, then this is not the place to come. However, if you want good yum char and don’t care what it will cost you, then this is as good a place as you will find in Cairns.

Internet Presence

Unlike most places in Cairns, Café China maintains a decent web presence (see link above) with the best web page that we have come across so far. There is a sample menu, some recipes, and even a review or two included (although these are fairly lean on the verbiage and not terribly informative). I would suggest having a look around before you head into the restaurant and see if it runs to your tastes.

Overall we were impressed by Café China and would recommend it, subject to the caveat on price. The ambience is nothing special either, however the service was very good. There is no parking other than chancing finding a park on the street outside Café China. This can be difficult as it is very close to Rusty’s fruit and vegetable market and at the weekends that place can get really busy. We did not see any disabled access to the restaurant, however the Grafton Street entrance is at street level and did not have any stairs. If you are looking for yum char, you could do worse than Café China, however bring plenty of money. 7 out of 10 overall.

New Contact Details

Hi again everyone,

Since I started this blog I have had a few requests that I place contact details on my site for people who want to contact me about reviews and comments that have been made on this site, but who don't necessarily want to leave a comment for everyone to read.

I have now set up an e-mail address for those who wish to contact me. While I wont guarantee that comments made by way of e-mail wont end up being published, you can e-mail me at cairnsgourmet@hotmail.com.

However, rest assured readers of cairnsgourmet.blogspot.com, no back room deals will be done in return for favourable reviews. I will continue to bring you independent anonymous reviews of the restaurant, bar, and nightclub scene in Cairns. I value the independence that I have from the industry and recognise that unbiased reviews are crucial to our readers. I will not allow our independence to be compromised and will report any attempts to sway our reviews to the readership.

Having said that, I am looking forward to reviewing a place or two over the weekend and reporting to you all what I find.

Cheers,

The Chief Gourmet.

P J O'Briens

P J O'Brien's

Key - Summary Information - Bar

Name: P J O'Brien's
Address: 87 Lake Street, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
Phone: +61-7-4031 5333
Cuisine Type: Pub Style
Price Range: No Cocktails, no wine list (Jacobs Creek range)
Beers: Good range including Guinness and Kilkenny on tap.
EftPos/Credit Cards: Yes, all accepted
Parking: Nil - street parking only
Disabled Access: Two stairs at main entrance, only visible access.
Deals: None known
Dress Code: None known.
Smoking: Yes.
Overall Rating 6 out of 10
Drinks: 6 out of 10
Service: 5 out of 10
Ambience: 6 out of 10
Value for Money: 5 out of 10
Recommended: Yes. It’s a pub, take your mates.

No web presence.

Review:

One of several proud Irish bars in central Cairns, PJ’s as it is known to the locals is an interesting eclectic blend of Irish and the antipodean. The bar itself is decked out in the traditional Irish bar manner for the antipodes, featuring glass enclosed bookshelves stocked with old style bound literature, newspaper headlines feature around the bar, and there is of course the old style machinery and other trinkets in pride of place on the wall. The bar is not air conditioned, in keeping with this style, and is a fairly dark affair providing anonymity and a good place to have a few quiets.

PJ’s also features sports and there are plenty of television sets throughout the bar. PJ’s has a central bar that is circular in shape and patrons are able to order from anywhere around the bar.
PJ’s features a number of unique items that we haven't ever seen in other Irish bars. Most notable were the 'Coyote Girls' and the 'Pole Idol' competition. We were at PJ’s on a Saturday and the Coyote girls were allegedly there, performing. However, we must have missed the show, if there was one. The only girls remotely resembling ‘Coyote Girls’ were five young women in matching short skirts and leather boots wandering the bar in a pack talking with some of the customers.

A rugby league game was being screened the night of the review. This may why the Coyote Girls weren't drawing more attention to themselves, or frolicking on the bar wasting alcohol left, right, and centre. Nevertheless, unless you're looking for this style of entertainment, you might be better going elsewhere, or avoiding Coyote night. The Coyote girls are allegedly about on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

Still on the entertainment theme, PJ’s run a pole idol night where the local talent gets up on stage and struts their pole dancing stuff to win cash prizes. No doubt this was developed for the backpacker and younger locals market, and it seems to pull in quite a few punters. Pole Idol nights are on Tuesdays, and unless you're into that sort of thing you might want to avoid it. Watch out for the ads on television and you'll know when to go, or when not to, depending on what you're after.

There is the usual range of Irish beer available on tap, along with the local drops as well. Guinness, Kilkenny, VB, Carlton Draught, and Stella Artois are all available on tap. In addition, PJs has a well stocked fridge with plenty of bottled beer on offer. There are no cocktails, nor was there a wine list available. We were told that PJ’s has the Jacobs Creek range of wines, and it appeared that there were one or two others available as well. However, if you're looking for a place for a quiet wine, then PJs isn't what you’re looking for. This is a beer and spirits bar. A Kilkenny, accompanied by a double spirits will set you back around $12.50 which isn't bad.

PJ’s also has the Guinness 100 pints club, where you get your name on an honour board when you have consumed 100 pints of Guinness from the establishment. We didn't make any enquiries as we weren't interested in doing the 100 pints again, but this is a loyalty scheme offered by Guinness in a number of bars over the world. It commits you to drinking Guinness for quite a while, but making your mark on bar, other than contributing to the profits, is a nice additional extra for a pub to have. If you might be into this, make sure that you approach the bar staff before beginning your 100 so that all Guinness you consume is counted towards your total.

Staple bar food is available at the rear of PJ’s. There is no table service of food and instead you are handed a 'Guest Pager' gizmo when ordering. This is a beacon about the size of a saucer and it flashes when your food is ready to be collected from the kitchen. When the beacon flashes, off you go to get your own food from the kitchen. The bar food comes in generous sized portions and is pretty good value for money, and of a passable standard. During the day, and early evenings, PJ’s has tables outside that patrons are able to sit at, however you still need to order inside at the bar and collect your own food. It can be nice sitting outside having a few quiet ales in the sun in the early evening. PJ’s also has pool tables at the rear near the kitchen for those that want a game.
Overall we enjoyed our night at PJ’s, cold beer in pints, and it's good for what it is.

There was a good crowd and the atmosphere was friendly. In terms of music PJ’s was essentially a rock venue, with music videos by the Red Hot Chill Peppers, U2, Midnight Oil, and a few other classics being played at random. While the sport was shown, it didn't overwhelm everything else and there was plenty of fun to be had. Recommended so long as you know what you might come across when venturing to PJ’s! Take your mates is our verdict.

The Chapel Cafe

The Chapel Cafe

Key - Summary Information - Bar

Name: The Chapel Cafe
Address: 91 The Esplanade, Cairns.
Cuisine Type: Modern Auz
Price Range: Cocktails $8.00-$13.00
Beers: Mainstream beers only. XXXX, VB etc…
EftPos/Credit Cards: Yes, all accepted
Parking: Nil - street parking only
Disabled Access: Main entrance street level. Stairs only to upstairs.
Deals: 1/2 price cocktails night Friday and Saturday
Dress Code: Smart Casual.
Smoking: Yes, but confined to some areas only.
Overall Rating 5 out of 10 – just, and only because it was cheap.
Drinks: 5 out of 10 (signature drink saved them)
Service: 3 out of 10
Ambience: 5 out of 10
Value for Money: 6 out of 10 (on cheap night)
Recommended: No, unless cheap night and service not important.


Hours:
DOWNSTAIRS
7am - 11pm 7 days
Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

UPSTAIRS
Saturday – Thursday 6pm - 2am
Friday 4pm - 2am
Phone: (07) 4041 4222
Email: chapelcafe@ozemail.com.au

Review:

The Chapel Cafe is located in the heart of Cairns CBD just a hop, step, and jump away from the central pool area on the Esplanade. The Chapel has a bar and restaurant upstairs and downstairs. The downstairs restaurant and bar caters to the street level crowd, and also boasts an outdoor seating area.

There are plenty of televisions in the downstairs bar area featuring sport, and other television from the free to air channels. The downstairs area has an open bar feel to it and you are able to watch the people pass the by the bar on the Esplande and enjoy a cold ale or two. This is a good area to relax in with a group of friends.

When reviewing the Chapel, we were interested in reviewing the bar side of the establishment, however the Chapel will be reviewed in future as a restaurant. It is important to note that you can come here for a full meal with all the trimmings, however this side of the Chapel is not being reviewed at this time.

The staircase leading upstairs is on the right hand side of the bar as you face it from street level. The decorations on the staircase were a bit ‘ho hum’. There were lots of photos of frolicking young people taken in the bar at various times. These were put together in montage format and placed in between Henri Matisse prints from the nude blue series.

The upstairs area is glassed off from the staircase itself to create an almost atrium like effect on the stairway, which was a little unusual, however it does emphasise the distinction between the upstairs and downstairs areas. It provides a grand entrance to the upstairs bar area. We elected to go upstairs and see if we could enjoy the view across the Esplanade and out to the harbour.

We had heard that if you are seated outside just before dusk you can get an excellent view of the bats flying around as they head out to feed for the evening. Unfortunately we were a bit late starting to see them, however if you are able to be seated outside and are a wildlife fan this is something to look out for. Of course the usual lorikeets are present for early evening frolics.

The upstairs area is very different to downstairs and the owners are clearly trying for a lounge feel to the upstairs area. The lighting is quite dim, lots of candles, and lounge music was the main fare. DJ Jodie was spinning the discs that night and played Kylie Minogue and Michael Buble lounge music.

As soon as we got in the door we were informed by staff that we would not be able to be seated on the deck because all the seats were booked. There was only one couple sitting on the deck when we arrived and the bar itself was deserted. However, apparently all the tables were booked, so we took a seat at one of the booths. If you want to seat outside, we’d recommend booking in future, however it was a bit galling to be told that we couldn’t sit where we wanted to in a nearly deserted bar.

There was an extensive drinks list (including a fair to average array of wines), however we had to get the drinks list ourselves from the bar. The waiting staff were apparently too busy looking after all the punters that weren’t there to provide us with a drinks list or menu. Once we had decided, we then also had to order from the bar ourselves. Again the waiting staff must have had something better to do than look after paying customers. The Chapel could benefit from training their staff and informing them of what waiting staff are supposed to do. I don’t think they get paid to sit in the back of the upstairs bar area gossiping with the DJ and ignoring patrons.

I ordered a Boddingtons to wet my thirst on a warm Far North Queensland evening, and my associate the Pink Chapel Absolution, the signature drink of the Chapel. On ordering the Boddingtons from the drinks list we were advised that they didn't have Boddingtons, and hadn't had it for a year. One would think that they could have updated their drinks list in that time, but apparently that’s expecting a bit much. A pint of Heineken from the tap was substituted for the Boddingtons at short notice and fortunately there was plenty of that.

The Chapel Absolution arrived quickly along with the pint. As a signature drink, it was a little surprising when first tasted. It consisted of Absolut Citron, peach schnapps, cointreau, grenadine, with some coconut (desiccated) all blended in with the ice to form a slush. The Absolution initially struck the palate quite hard, but as you got further down the glass it did get a lot better and grew on you. That probably had something to do with the alcohol content, and it might be better to start with a wine and then graduate on to the Absolution. The Chapel Absolution was an interesting drink and worth trying again if you can put up with the poor service. On 1/2 price nights it is also good value and that might explain the lack of service we experienced, although I doubt the staff work on commission. Next time we might also find room for the Toblerone Daquiri and the Mango Daquiri which both sounded pretty good.

As the crowd increased it was apparent that The Chapel mainly draws in a younger crowd. Downstairs tends to have a mixed age level, and the younger crew come upstairs. The bar staff became more friendly during the evening, and we couldn’t help but wonder if that was because they learned we were locals. I can’t emphasise enough how disappointing the service was. No doubt the DJ featured at the Chapel helps bring in the younger set, and in the later hours The Chapel would definitely rock. Overall not recommended, unless on a cheap night and you don’t care what kind of service you get. The Chapel is not a beer lovers bar by any stretch of the imagination. Only run of the mill tap beers are available, The Chapel could do with getting some interesting brews in there, like Boddingtons which they falsely claimed to have.

The Courthouse

The Courthouse

Key - Summary Information - Bar

Name: The Courthouse Hotel
Address: 38 Abott Street, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
Phone:(07) 403-18672
Cuisine Type: Pub Style – separate kitchen.
Price Range: No Cocktails, small wine list, $4.40 to $6.00 per beer.
Beers: Beer - 10x tap beers, 19 bottled beers
EftPos/Credit Cards: Yes, all accepted
Parking: Nil - street parking only
Disabled Access: Main entrance not at street level, some stairs.
Deals: None known
Dress Code: None known. Tidy Casual.
Smoking: Yes.
Overall Rating 6 out of 10
Drinks: 7 out of 10
Service: 6 out of 10
Ambience: 6 out of 10
Value for Money: 6 out of 10
Reccomended: Yes. Take your mates.

No web presence.

Review:

The Courthouse is an impressive establishment, and aptly named being the former Cairns Courthouse. A lot of hard work and money have gone into lovingly restoring the old building and turning it into a nightclub/sports bar in the centre of the Cairns nightlife district. A truly fantastic job has been done on the restoration of the Courthouse. The original marble has been retained where possible, and the facade has been kept in place. The marble colums, coat of arms, and exceptional flooring really make this a stand out venue. In keeping with the style of the building, the Courthouse is not air conditioned. The Courthouse grounds at the front of the building facing Abbott Street are used as an an outdoor viewing area to take in sports games, and also house an outside bar and bbq that is put into action for big games to handle the large crowds. There is a huge outdoor screen complete with projection tv and good sound for the games. Also, the Courthouse shows movies outdoors during peak tourist season.

The Courthouse is associated with the Cairns Resort by Outrigger and is in the same building as the resort, however it is open to, and easily accessed by the public. Patrons can enter through the hotel, or from Abott Street. There are security staff usually working at the Courthouse and they are friendly and very professional. Enetering the Courthouse from Abbott Street, patrons are required to walk through two rooms of seating before entering the main bar area. Off the right hand side before enetering the bar area is a gaming area for those who like the pokies, and to the left is an area where you are able to order snack foods. Unfortunately when we were there, there was a one and a half hour wait to order a bowl of fries. It is fair to say that it was a busy night, however that seems a bit ridiculous, and essentially our only option was the sausage sizzle outside for $2.50 a banger, but that didn't really take our fancy.

The main bar area has two separate rooms off to each side, one of which houses open air seating that is utilised by the restaurant that operates from the same premises. The other area has pool tables, however this was closed for a private function when we were at the Court house. It was easy to get a seat inside, even the couches were free as most people were there for the sport and were seated outside, watching the action on the big screen. The Courthouse is set up as a sports bar/nightclub and has four televisions, two side by side on two walls, in the main area. On each wall one television will be playing sport, while the other plays music videos that each feature advertising at the end of each clip. The music was mostly recent hip hop and R&B played at a fairly high volume, not the place for a quiet chat, more a place to come for a big night out. Whie inside it is not possible to hear the commentary to the sport because of the music, however the commentary to the sport fixture is available outside.

The Courthouse bar is an elliptical bar in the centre of the room with service available at any point from the bar. The bar serves beer, wine and spirits, however we were advised that there were no cocktails available. The Courthouse has 10 beers availalbe on tap, including XXXX (both Gold and Bitter), Hahn Premium and Light, Tooheys New, Tooheys Old Dark, Becks, VB, Stella Artois, and Carlton Draught) and 19 bottled beers available. The tap beers range from $4.40 to $6.00. Unfortuantely when we were at the Courthouse they were serving beer in plastic cups which wasn't that good, however this was probably due to the large numbers of people there to watch sport, and would be because the drinks were being taken outside for watching the game.

Overall we enjoyed the Courthouse for what it was, a sports bar come nightclub featuring hip hop and R&B in the Cairns scene. This bar is reccomended to those who are seeking a fun night out with a younger crowd. A good place to go to enjoy a few beers and a bit of music.

Revisit:

Just a small addendum to our original review, we recently revisited this establishment and can advise readers that there is a sepcial on Friday nights at the Courthouse. All beers are $4.00 per bottle. Not the best value in town and this might account for the lack of punters, if you're looking for a quiet sports bar to watch the footy, this place is one to consider if a quiet place is what you are after.

While the staff were very friendly, and helpful in putting on the game that we wanted to watch, you are strictly informed by signs all over tables that absolutely no food can be consumed on the wonderful leather couches that are perfect for watching sport from, being placed right in front of a big screen rear projection TV (not the best definition, but good enough) as they are. It gives you the impression that the establishment consider that they are doing you a favour by allowing you to go there and purchase alcohol and food. Newsflash, this is known as the hospitality industry, be hospitable, and if that is too much to ask, at least be hospitable to the customers.

We didn't consider that the prohibition on food was very responsible given the availability of comparatively cheap booze that you are encouraged to indulge in. Although the kitchen was open, and we ordered some passable fries and tempura battered fish, we were informed that should we wish to have cutlery we would need to move to the 'dining room' because it was against Queensland's anti-smoking legilsation to allow us to use knives and forks to eat our food.

I beg your pardon? Eating in the bar in a civilised manner is against legislation? Perhaps one day someone might be able to tell me how this works, however for now I am content to wonder how on earth the government can possibly think you need cutlery to smoke a cigarette, or that somehow, if you don't have cutlery to eat food in the main bar area, this may, or may not, have some relevance to smoking. If anyone out there knows the answer to this conundrum, please feel free to comment.

There was no reason to revise our original review of the Courthouse.

The New Casa de Meze

The New Casa de Meze - Cairns Premiere Latin Dance Venue & Restaurant


Address: Upstairs Level 1, Trilogy on the Esplanade, Corner Aplin Street & The Esplanade,
P O Box 5399, Cairns 4870, Australia.
Ph +61740515550
Fax +61740410166
(after 2pm) Mobile +61401609056
E-mail: info@casademeze.com.au
Homepage: http://www.casademeze.com.au/casa2001.htm

Summary Information

Cuisine Type: Mediterranean and Mexican - Tapas/Meze
Licensed: Full bar and extensive wine list. Sangria on tap.
BYO: No.
Price Range: $20-$40 per main (excluding specials and seafood buffet)
Parking: Nil - street parking only
Disabled Access: Stairs part of main entrance, no wheelchair entrance.
Deals: Early bird discount - 30% reduction of bill if finished by 7:30.
Dress Code: Casual.
Family Friendly: Yes.
Smoking: Yes
Overall Rating 6 out of 10
Food: 6 out of 10
Drinks: 6 out of 10
Service: 7 out of 10
Ambience: 7 out of 10
Value for Money: 7 out of 10
Recommended: Yes. Take your mates, not your dates.

Review

The New Casa de Meze is centrally located in downtown Cairns on the corner of Aplin Street and The Esplanade. Meze has a corner site on the first level of Trilogy on the Esplanade. Presumably this is the more recent incarnation of a previous meze bar owned and operated by the same people. Also, Meze specialise in Latin dance held weekly.

Like a lot of upstairs venues, Meze has competition directly downstairs from the Italian Restaurant, Villa Romana. Villa Romana has superior street frontage and is very popular with those wishing to dine outside at street level. Meze have hired friendly staff that work on the Esplanade and escort patrons upstairs to available tables in the restaurant. The staff are happy to explain the early bird special and are very friendly. The restaurant is located at the top of a staircase where there is a bulletin board of photos from the Latin dance evenings. In addition the board advertises upcoming entertainment events being held at Meze. On the evening Meze was reviewed there was no dancing being held so we are unable to comment on these events, however we expect to cover these in future.

Patrons are greeted in the bar and waiting area of the restaurant on arrival. This is a comfortable area with bars and bar stools where you can enjoy a beer, wine, or sangria on tap if the mood takes you. The sangria is excellent and very refreshing. Alternatively you can just have a bit of chat before heading off to the restaurant proper, or wait for others to arrive. You can even engage in banter with the humorous waiting and cooking staff on site. Frequently the owner will be serving behind the bar and there are some funny exchanges between the groups. The bar is located next to a small 'dance stage' and 'dance floor'. While these are not big enough for a night club, it was our impression that they were adequate for their purpose. Importantly they do not intrude on the overall ambience of the restaurant, which I would describe as "Mediterranean". These areas are utilised for additional table space when there is no dancing. The kitchen is in full view of the patrons which I like, you can keep an eye on things and see how clean they are.

The main attraction of the restaurant itself is the outdoor deck where diners are able to eat a meal whilst making the most of the view of the Cairns waterfront. Diners are seated here first by the staff, and with good reason, it is one of the best views of any restaurant in Cairns. I recommend an early dining experience here to ensure you get a table on the deck with a good view, and are able to be serenaded by the evening Lorikeets. The early bird specials provide an additional incentive to get in early if you needed one.

We weren't too sure what type of cuisine to expect, and that was just as well because what we found was a mixture of Mediterranean, Mexican, Latin, and Italian foods. In short, it was mixed bag with something for everyone. The menu was large (8 pages) plus specials that were explained by our waiter. The size of the menu was daunting, however there were rewards for those that were willing to search through the material. Our waiter was very helpful and recommended the steak 'surf and turf' and the local Moreton Bay Bugs dish. We ordered those two dishes along with the mud crab from the specials board and good old fashioned spaghetti bolognaise to see how the Italian food compared at Meze.

We started with a plate of nachos that were well done. They were actually over done and unfortunately most of the cheese had melted directly onto the stainless steel serving plate that they came on. However the serving size was generous enough to be shared by our table, and there was plenty of sour cream so the nachos weren't completely dried out. With some effort it was possible to extract the cheese from the dish and get some of it onto the chips, however it would have been better if you hadn't had to do this.

The wine list was adequate and featured many wines from overseas (mostly New Zealand) as well as a large number of local wines. There was a lot of chardonnay on the list, however there was something for everyone. The full bar included imported and domestic beer and was a good range. All were listed in the drinks menu, and there was a featured cocktail of the week on the specials boards. That night it was the famous Gypsy King, a concoction of Havana Club, Kahlua, Cream and Cola.

Reef and Beef. This dish came recommended by the waiter and was ordered medium rare. The seafood was said to be fresh, and the beef grain fed for extra tenderness. When it arrived, the presentation of the dish was a little surprising. It appeared as if someone had dropped a seafood chowder on my meal, however once that was gotten over, a treasure trove of fresh seafood awaited in a creamy sauce that mixed with everything else on the plate well. I think that initial impression was created by my expectation of a traditional reef and beef where a few prawns are laid across the steak. This was a welcome departure from the norm when I ventured in to try the dish. While the sauce did not do all that much to enhance the flavour of the steak, it was a welcome accompaniment and rounded out the meal, making it very filling when combined with the potatoes and bok choy. The steak was tender as well as being cooked perfectly as medium rare. The seafood proved to be very fresh as claimed. The seafood 'sauce' included calamari, prawns, fish and mussels. A satisfying dish, sizeable and enough to fill most punters.

Moreton Bay Bugs: Again, this dish came recommended by our waiter. This dish was smaller in size than the reef n beef above and consisted of two bugs cooked and cut in half lengthwise so that the flesh was easy to get at. The bugs was served with boiled rice, salad, and a stick of lemon. The bug had been herbed and flavoured very nicely. While not a large meal, it was extremely well prepared and very tasty. The herbs used enhanced the flavour of the bugs, which again were very fresh.

Mudcrab: This dish was from the specials board and consisted of one steamed mudcrab served with spaghetti tossed in olive oil with tomato, red onion, lemon juice, and basil. The crab had been steamed with herbs which permeated the crab meat and gave it a delicate and tasty hint of herb throughout. This is, as always, a messy dish and came with all necessary equipment to crack the crab open and get into it. It is better to be experienced in this art before ordering this dish or else your tablemates, and other patrons can end up with more of your dinner than you did. The dish was presented well and looked the part when it arrived.

Spaghetti Bolognaise: Meze came up trumps with a huge serve of one of Italy's most famous dishes. Good traditional spaghetti noodles with a rich meat and tomato sauce. Heavy influence of garlic and herbs really rounded out this dish and made for good eating. I could not eat the entire dish and had to leave some for the restaurant, and was mightily full when I left Meze. I was disappointed not to be offered parmesan cheese, or for any to be on the dish as the perfect garnish to this dish.

The service was good on the whole. When we first arrived it was excellent, however there was a personnel change during the course of our meal. The waiter who took our orders and seated us was friendly, efficient, funny, and most helpful. He arrived at the right time, wasn't pushy in terms of taking our order or the time we took to decide and made good recommendations. However, when our meals were delivered by our second waiter of the evening, while he was friendly and efficient, we were disappointed that some of the basics weren't followed. We weren't offered black pepper for any of the meals, nor was cheese made available for the Italian meal.

We were all replete after our mains and no one had room for the deserts that were featured in the desert fridge located in the restaurant. The deserts included a very rich looking mud cake, mango cheesecake, and other assorted cakes. It might pay to save some room for the deserts as they did look very good and we hope to go back to Meze again and try the deserts on offer. Our review will be updated when we are able to do this.

Meze maintain a web presence with a simple home page. The web page has a small photo montage of shots from the restaurant and of the view off the deck. It also contains contact details including an e-mail address. The web page is the bare minimum and could do with the inclusion of menus and wine lists.

Overall we were impressed by Meze and would recommend it to those seeking standard food. Meze is family friendly, and when dining in the early evening you can expect that children will be present. With the early bird discount our meals were very reasonably priced. There is no parking offered by Meze as far as we could tell, and it did not seem like there was any disabled access to the restaurant, the only access that we saw was via the stairway. If you are out with a bunch of friends looking for some good hearty food, Meze is the place to go. If you time it right, there'll even be some Latin dancing thrown in! Overall I’d give it a 6 out of 10 for the gourmet.