Restaurant Spy

Benalla is where Ned Kelly's gang hung out, and very near the town where they had their final shootout. He's celebrated as a tourist attraction in these parts, and almost every outfit refers to him in some way. Hence the name of this establishment. Everybody said Georgina's was the best food in town, but on the door were two notices. The first said "Open Seven Days" and the second said "Closed" Perhaps our visit was not on any of the seven days it was open. So we went a few doors along to Ned's, with little hope, frankly. It's run by a single mum and her teenage son - about 14 I reckon. She bought a franchise, but has also started making and selling her own range of gourmet pizzas, and we each chose one of these, with a side salad. It was one of the best pizzas we have ever eaten, great big prawns and scallops on one, lots of chicken and veg on the other, light pizza dough, crispy base. Side salad of rocket and spinach could not have been fresher. She was also dashing next door, selling take away pizzas. Forget Georgina's, if you ever visit Ned Kelly country, this woman deserves your business. And not expensive, either.

Ignore all the expensive Afternoon Teas offered by the big hotels, the Erawan Tea Room High Tea at 150 baht per person is a tenth the price and a far more original and delicious experience. You get Thai appetisers and pastries, as well as scones, jam and cream, with a wide choice of tea - I had Jasmine, L had Ginger. It's right next door to the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and if you plan to try it, don't bother with lunch first - and you might not want much dinner later, either. They just keep bringing the goodies out: things like prawns in filo pastry, marzipan petit fours, etc. Each plate is quite small, so you don't think you're eating that much. Nice room, sweet staff, ludicrous price. Dec 2006

The best restaurant I've visited all year - absolutely stunning, almost space age interiors, impeccable service & exceptional food. I know it is good because my husband is notoriously difficult to please (he's an architect, aka perfectionist!) & he was over the moon with Cafe Guru as the choice for his 40th birthday celebration. The restaurant coped admirably with our large (and probably quite noisy at times) group of 18. Everyone, without exception, vegetarians & meat eaters alike were very impressed with their food. I can personally recommend the Tandoori King Prawns (Starter) and the pan-fried leg of lamb (main course)...we were too full for dessert but coffees were served even though we had overun our booking time on the table. Heartily recommend this place - can't wait to go back!

Japanese food is far cheaper in Australia, and I'm not sure why. The ingredients are as easy to find (in London, anyway). I suspect it's a staff issue - so many more Aussies of Japanese origin who know how to prepare and serve Japanese food. And now that the Japanese government has abandoned its plan to certify Japanese restaurants abroad, to ensure they are serving authentic cuisine, they need not fear the Nippon Food Police creeping up behind them with a clipboard.

On our second night in Bendigo, we managed to book a table at what is generally held to be the top restaurant in town. The waiter showed us to our table, gave us the wine list, invited us to choose pre-dinner drinks, and left.

When she returned we asked for a menu, but she said she wanted us to order aperitifs first. We said we would choose our food, and then choose a wine to go with it. She had obviously been told not to give out menus until people had chosen pre-dinner drinks. To me, this kind of ploy is tacky and amateurish, and got the meal off to a bad start. Eventually we got menus and a wine list, and in the end were able to place our order. It was a laborious process.

This keeps happening to us on this trip. We land in a town, everyone tells us the best place to eat and we can't get in. Either the best place is full, as in Vincentia, or it is suddenly and unaccountably closed as soon as we hit town. So we go to some unpromising and unpretentious place, with no great hopes and end up having a wonderful meal.

On our first night in Bendigo "The Bridge" was suddenly and unaccountably closed, so we ended up at the Rising Sun Hotel, which is what in Britain we'd call a pub. You order and pay at a counter, they give you a table number, you get drinks from the bar and they bring your dinner.

No recommendation, we just thought this place looked good, and it certainly was. They give you a great big folder of a menu, with translations and lots of pictures for linguistically challenged foreigners. We shared a huge seabass with chili and limes, glass noodles with baked prawns and various other bits, everything arrived speedily, fresh and hot. Two big bottles of local beer and we were very happy, observing the bustle and the other customers. One thing I've never seen before is a bottle of whisky in an ice bucket by a table, being passed round and poured just as we would wine. It was Johnny Walker Red Label, and a couple of days later L's nephew, who has lived in Bangkok for a few years now, explained that this was quite normal, and that while Red Label is highly regarded, Black Label is the brand to which everyone aspires. Approved DM November 2006

Having looked around Canberra, we selected Ardeche because the Patron was French and on the premises. The staff were French too, and had difficulty understanding us. Everyone seemed to be new, and the Patron did no more than welcome and show people to their tables. Apart from that he stayed behind the bar, out of harm's way.

My grenouille in puff pastry was an ambitious failure. Nice idea, but the pastry was dry and pointless, really. Just four or five little snails, innocent of any sauce, in two crispbready things. L's pancake was not properly cooked - sludgy and tasted of flour. My lambshank was not cooked either - I think it had been microwaved. It certainly had not been cooked slowly in the sauce in which it was presented. I could hardly get any meat off it, and the sauce had been made from a commercial tomato paste, with frozen vegetables, still squeaky raw, chopped up in it. It was a disaster and I ate about a quarter of it. L's steak was tough.

Another recommendation (Stonehouse ? Smokehouse?) opposite the 3 Gringos was full, so with little hope of gastronomy heaven, we popped in here. Neither of us are Mexican food fans, and the $23 three course meal, the location (in a mall, next door to the Bi-Lo supermarket), the formica tables and Christmas parties of families wearing paper hats led us to believe we'd get something pretty unmemorable to eat.

Gunyah was recommended by a local as the very best place to eat locally. Booking is essential, and you have to take down the precise directions, because it's in the middle of a forest and people are always getting lost. You have to drive; you go to a certain point, park and then walk the final few yards. It's also a kind of eco-hotel, and the whole outfit is one big tree house. You climb up into the paperbark trees (there's a staircase, don't worry) to find a very well appointed restaurant.