It’s going to be a special night for the long-suffering mother of your two naughty little boys. You visit the Nautilus restaurant, famous for Bill Clinton’s visit in another century, two days before hand and pre-book two mud crabs. You want it to special and when you arrive you tuck into a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Brut at $150. It all goes swimmingly until what are meant to be two whole chilli mud crabs turn up. The waiter says it has sold out. The Maitre d’ refuses to come over at first. Finally he says they had none in the first place. As a concession, they give it to you at $90 a head and you leave $650 lighter. The next day you cancel your second booking vowing never to return. Instead you enjoy 1.5 kilos of mud crab from the fishmonger for less than $40. Priceless.
Posts Categorized: Port Douglas
George Orwell's Moon Under Water versus the real thing

Moon Under Water, George Orwell, Evening Standard, February 1946 George Orwell: My favourite public-house, the Moon Under Water, is only two minutes from a bus stop, but it is on a side-street, and drunk[...]
Should I attend Taste of Melbourne 2012?

Win prizes by reviewing restaurants for Google and Zagat The good news is that after years of decline Taste of Melbourne has rejuvenated itself, upgrading the restaurants exhibiting their food and moving t[...]
8 of the biggest restaurant review takedowns ever

This week a review of a TV chef's restaurant in the New York Times went viral after a slamming from critic Pete Wells (below). These kind of reviews are as much about entertainment, especially coming from U[...]
Takeaways from Eat Drink Blog 3

The SA Tourism Minister Gail Gago talks to food bloggers. Who'd have thought it? The South Australian Minister for Tourism Hon Gail Gago speaking to 90 or so food bloggers at Eat Drink Blog 3 conference. M[...]
A Mexican Table fights for Fitzroy St

There I am, sitting opposite someone who has had more botox than expected and a smooth, smooth forehead. It's the polar opposite to the chef to my left who has the hairline of Mel Gibson, the intensity of R[...]
Fringe Food events
- Farewell to Mushrooms 2013Ahh… wild mushrooms. Furtive, secretive, hidden little (and big) things that they are … your time is so short, but your stay is so delicious! What: Dinner to farewell the 2013 wild mushroom season. When: Friday 28 June, 7 pm Where: The Auction Rooms Cafe, 103-107 Errol Street, North Melbourne How much: $89.30 including booking fee. […]
- Derby & Well – a dinner series at The VineHello fringe foodsters, I realise it’s been quite a while between drinks, and just a little bit more time needs to pass before we’re ready to tempt you again with a couple of truffle dinners, some old favourites will be revamped and returned and I’ve got a new project that I’m really excited about and […]
- Amphora wine dinner in Gourmet TravellerMax Allen mentions our Amphora wine dinner being held at Virginia Plain next Tuesday in Gourmet Traveller: “A growing number of our most talented and adventurous winemakers are fermenting and maturing grapes in almost exactly the same way our distant ancestors made wine thousands of years ago – by throwing large bunches of grapes or […]
- Amphora dinner menuGlenn James from Ducks in a Row with T’Gallant’s Kevin McCarthy and the vessel used to make Pandora’s Amphora. What: Amphora Wine Dinner at Virginia Plain When: Tuesday 13 November 2012 7pm Where: Virginia Plain, 31 Flinders Lane (next to Cumulus Inc) How much: $110.00 (plus 30c booking fee) How to book: Booking only through […]
















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