We hear the phrase coined constantly in reference to dining, but do you really know what is Modern Australian cuisine?
As a melting pot of cultures, Australian modern cuisine is a fusion of influences designed to create something new, mainly taking inspiration from the country’s history and different cultures contributing to it.
Continuing on our voyage of culinary discovery, here are six Chef Hat-awarded Modern Australian venues worth the road trip:
Only Accessible by Water
Imagine a fine dining restaurant that is only accessible by water, has been redesigned several times and still maintains a Chef Hat 43 years after it was first awarded. Welcome to the Berowra Waters Inn on Calabash Point in Sydney where Executive Chef and owner Brian Geraghty delivers food to take your breath away along with water views that have to be seen to be believed.
Originally described as a ‘verandah by the water’, this restaurant dishes up a degustation menu with temptations like Kiwana beef with smoked bone marrow and onions, or snapper, prawn and desert lime, paired with a glass of Chardonnay.
Fin-to-scale Dining
Pioneering fin-to-scale dining is what you’ll find on the menu at Chef-hatted Saint Peter on Oxford Street in Paddington. The brainchild of innovative Chef Josh Niland and wife Julie, this sustainable seafood restaurant has been at the forefront of fish butchery and dining in Australia for some time; alongside sibling venues The Fish Butchery and Petermen.
Renowned for using every part of the fish, Josh delivers not only art on the plate but also the palate, as seen in a seven-course daily changing tasting menu with dishes like dry-aged yellowfin tuna in juniper smoked hapuka milt with a selection of extraordinary vegetables.
Seasonal Mod Oz Menu
A striking heritage-listed sandstone cottage is home to Eschalot restaurant, an award-winning eatery on Old Hume Highway in Berrima. A popular Southern Highlands dining destination since 2003, Eschalot embodies classically refined style with white tablecloths, chandeliers and draped curtains combining to infuse elegance throughout.
Sit by a sunny window overlooking the garden, or around the fireplace during cooler months, while enjoying a seasonal menu. Discover the exquisite taste of paddock-to-plate dining at its finest with lamb cutlets, garden peas, Persian feta, charred onion and red currant jus.
Overlook Manicured Gardens
Contemporary dining overlooking manicured gardens beckons guests to Wild Swan at Mandoon Estate on Harris Road in Caversham. This elegant restaurant mixes clean lines with colourful abstract artwork as diners relax at tables set with white linen, or chill out on tan leather couches with a drink and ponder modern, innovative a la carte and degustation options.
Combining classic techniques with the finest local and seasonal produce, expect starters like heirloom tomato, anise myrtle, river mint, buttermilk and white kunzea, followed by pork collar, pineapple al pastor, fresh herbs and spiced jus gras.
Lush Garden Setting
Cocooned within a lush garden setting, Nautilus on Murphy Street in Port Douglas successfully melds the relaxed ambiance of the tropics with elegant dining. Explore a Modern Australian menu inspired by the produce and vibrant flavours of Far North Queensland while seated amidst an open-air dining room with nothing but the swaying palm trees and stars overhead.
The Chef-designed degustation menu is a mouth-watering exploration of flavours, textures and techniques; think dishes such as live mud crab, wok-tossed Asian or French-style, or Black Angus beef fillet, colcannon, mushrooms, smoked cauliflower, garlic and soy broth.
Space for Everyone
There’s space for everyone at your new local watering hole, The Milton Hotel on Princes Highway in Milton. This thoughtfully restored historic building has great indoor-outdoor dining with a view out to the ocean from the deck, where soaking up the sun with an icy brew is the name of the game; or sip a whiskey in the lounge before a memorable meal with family and friends.
The in-house micro-brewery makes this pub the House of Dangerous Ales – grab a Crispy Boy Lager to go with wood-fired prawns, curry butter, tamarind and lime; or devour lamb shoulder, harissa, labneh and pickles with BBQ cabbage and chippies on the side.
