Keep It Coal! 5 Venues Where Charcoal Cooking Rules

There is something primordial about cooking with charcoal – the smoky aromas and flavours add to melt-in-the-mouth meat sure to appease your inner carnivore.

Charcoal has been used as a cooking fuel since ancient times, the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used charcoal for various reasons from smelting and blacksmithing to, of course, cooking. It is impossible to overstate the importance of charcoal in the evolution of early cooking processes.

These days, many Aussie restaurants use charcoal to impart delicious flavours to their menus…here are five where cooking with charcoal is the name of the game: 

Experience the idyllic and rich culture of the island of Crete without leaving Hobart at Urban Greek restaurant on Murray Street. Be transported to Greece with stunning wall murals of Gods and an authentic blue and white vibe at this warm and welcoming dining destination, where softly glowing pendents hang from exposed ceiling beams and a lively buzz of conversation fills the air.

 

Food isn’t just about nourishment, it is an embrace and a moment cherished, as every dish carries a whisper of time-honoured family recipes; start with octopus, slowly grilled over charcoal, drizzled with olive oil, vinegar and herbs, served with beetroot purée. For the main, think charcoal grilled lamb cutlets, eggplant purée, roasted pumpkin, cumin and spicy chickpeas, or pork skewers with pita, sidewinder fries and tzatziki dip.

Those looking for a good time and Japanese-inspired tapas head down Clarence Street in Port Macquarie to find Stick Bar. This hidden gem is well worth a detour to visit with craft cocktails and yakitori delights served in surrounds of recycled timber, glowing amber pendent lighting and an eclectic mix of artwork.

 

Grab your mates and perch on a stool at the bar while sipping a smoked maple rye Old Fashioned cocktail to go with snacks liked charred edamame sautéed in butter and sake; before devouring charcoal grilled yakitori chicken skewers, or sticky pork belly with sides of sweet potato fries, grilled broccolini and Brussels sprouts. For a sweet finish, try pandan tiramisu with pandan pastry and mascarpone cream.

Indulge in smoky sensations at Hoosegow Charcoal Restaurant on Magill Road, a popular venue inspired by exotic tastes in St Morris. Encompassed in an ambient vibe, dine surrounded by vibrant red, pink and orange hues, dark timbers and colourful artwork, mesmerised by wafting aromas. Embracing fresh, local produce, Hoosegow offers tantalising Latin American, Eastern and Asian fusion dishes cooked on crackling Mallee Root charcoal to seal in enticing textures. 

 

Delve into seared yellowfin tuna to start, with herb-crusted avocado, chipotle aioli, edamame, sesame seeds and a blue corn tortilla; move onto smoky, spicy, sticky pork ribs, with char-grilled pineapple salsa, chips, chipotle aioli and sesame seeds, or lamb cutlets with cauliflower truffle mash, char-grilled onion, broccolini, confit garlic and red wine jus. 

Find Thai and European flavours on the plate at Skara Rama on Horsley Drive in Horsley Park and treat your taste buds to fusion fare with flair. Named after the word for grill in Macedonian and Thailand’s beloved King Rama V, this Sydney dining destination is all style with recycled timber, stacked stone and steel chairs setting the scene for inspired dining with family and friends.

 

From the European grill menu, start your journey with a Skara board of grilled halloumi, pan-fried smoked Macedonian sausages and ham and cheese spring rolls; for the main, think tender char-grilled rib eye steak, served with chips, salad and mushroom sauce, or grilled marinated chicken skewers, with chips, a side salad and roast capsicum, eggplant and tomato relish.

Experience a symphonic, curated, yet unpretentious experience of Japanese cuisine at Kura Robata & Sake on Lygon Street in Brunswick. Meaning ‘cellar' in Japanese, Kura is a modern Melbourne dining destination where a treasure trove of sake awaits guests as the ideal complement to robata-yaki dishes.

 

Dedicated to the art of charcoal grilling, expect the sights, sounds and smells of Tokyo's famous laneways as you settle in with a glass of premium sake and ponder an extensive menu of sashimi, soup, grilled skewers, steak, salad and dessert. Take flight with an appetiser of wood-fired edamame and shiso salt flakes, then chow down on hibachi grilled eel skewers, or pork belly with a pickled cherry tomato salad on the side.