Desserts the perfect climax
THE dessert was so good there were a few exclamations bordering on When Harry Met Sally moments in the restaurant. One diner on a neighbouring table was the first to go, so to speak.
“This is soooo good,” she yelled to the restaurant. And diagonally opposite me, as Mr Antarctic (not because of his personality but because the wines from Lethbridge in Victoria had caused me a slight forgetfulness, and he had told us he had worked on the icy continent) took his first bite into the rhubarb and davidson plums, his eyes rolled a little and an audible “mmmmmm” escaped his lips.
The pepperberry and ginger panna cotta was one of those desserts you spend days thinking about after consumption.
The rhubarb was instant comfort food but when combined with the plum the flavour “went next level”, I believe is the technical term.
It was last Saturday night, in restaurant Rock Salt in Noosa.
The Noosa Food and Wine Festival was in full swing and diners were treated to Clayton Donovan’s creations in his Indigenous Kitchen event.
It was bush tucker, of that there is no doubt, and it was fancy.
Donovan is Australia’s only hatted indigenous chef.
From the first offering of oysters with finger lime and coconut water foam, the bar for the evening was set high.
And the courses did not disappoint. Even notoriously difficult-to-cook kangaroo was tender as lamb in the main course.
The Noosa Food and Wine Festival is riding a wave of foodie travel popularity in Australia.
Tourism Research Australia revealed in March that tourists spent more than $21 billion on food, wine and brewery experiences across the nation last year.
There were more than 70 events at this year’s festival to choose from. I’ll be back next year. Who knows what When Harry Met Sally moment awaits in a Noosa restaurant in 2018?