Securing a seat at Fleet is like winning the lottery. And, like winning the lottery, dining at this Brunswick Heads restaurant is a life-changing experience not to be forgotten. With space for only 14 diners per service, each guest is given the VIP treatment. Affable front of house staff set a cool and calm vibe in the dining room, while in the incredibly compact kitchen – just a few steps away – chef-owner Josh Lewis executes memorable dishes that feel familiar yet wonderfully original, using whatever produce is flourishing in the Northern Rivers region, from both the land and sea. The tasting menu kicks off with a flurry of small plates, including a fanciful chip and dip made from mullet that has been cooked over pine cones. The smoky, salty snack has been on the menu since the restaurant’s inception, and for good reason. A slew of well-portioned, expertly balanced courses – and matching low-intervention wines, sake and beer – follow at a steady but leisurely pace. Currently operating as pop-up Roco Ramen, Fleet is set to return to regular programming in January.
2/16 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads, NSW, fleet-restaurant.com.au
The pocket-sized dining room at Fleet.
(Photo: Avalon Lane)With travel limited to our own backyards, escapist daydreams have turned inward; to historic country inns warmed by roaring fireplaces, to local wines and to plates filled with produce pulled from nearby patches. This elusive, agrarian fantasy is manifested in the diminutive town of Gundaroo, where chef Kurt Neumann dispenses comforting dishes constructed with neighbourhood ingredients under the historic tin roof of the 1865 Royal Hotel. Like the character-filled building that once protected travellers from bushrangers, Neumann’s fare is warm and homely, yet hints at something thrilling. Lightly grilled oysters topped with miso caramel and beurre noisette; a prawn cavorting in a buttery sauce with peas and clams; or beef cheeks sweetened in Pedro Ximénez then fried until crisp. With a tight list celebrating local Canberra-region winemakers and service suggestive of a family meal, your Grazing experience will leave you thankful for the opportunity to explore the lands a little closer to home.
Corner of Cork and Harp Streets, Gundaroo, NSW, grazing.com.au
At Grazing in Gundaroo, chef Kurt Neumann’s fare is warm and homely, yet hints at something thrilling.
(Photo: Ashley St George/Pew Pew Studio)With its picture postcard views, white Mediterranean-via-Hollywood Hills façade and impeccably curated interiors, Raes is very much a scene. But it’s what happens on the plate here that you’ll remember beyond any aesthetics. Parfait choux buns and granita-topped oysters set the tone for the meal to come: indulgent but clever (and available to enjoy at the more casual Cellar Bar downstairs if Raes is booked out). To follow, you might find sweet lobster meat dressed in garum butter and served in its shell, alongside a tangle of tagliolini. Or just-seared coral prawns with ‘nduja crumb served atop a thick garlic emulsion. It would be easy for this Byron mainstay to rely purely on its good looks, but chef Jason Saxby brings genuine substance to the table; balancing bold and unique flavours that are presented as beautifully as the room which surrounds them.
6-8 Marine Pde, Byron Bay, NSW, raes.com.au
At Raes in Byron Bay, chef Jason Saxby brings genuine substance to the table.
(Photo: Madeline Johnson)
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