Lotus Eaters

Funky chicks cooking up a storm in the kitchen, creating some amazing tasty meals for you. Lotus Eaters offers delicious wholesome food made with fresh, locally produced ingredients.  Its a small place on the main road of Cygnet packed with bright and sunny character. They have plenty of outdoor seating, but its wise to book, as lunch time fills up fast. I love the food and atmosphere here. Plates often come with large servings of salad, fresh leafy greens and herbs. The staff here are lovely and friendly, with a genuine compassion for making healthy delicious food and supporting free-range and ethical farming practices.

I relished in a glorious lunch of French onion tart with trio of salads, stocked up with plenty of salad greens. The Tart was delicious with a rich combination of flavours attributed to dill, onion and cheese. I loved the vibrant colour of the carrot salad that was speckled with nigella seeds, delightfully dressed in a sweet vinaigrette. Alongside this was a herby apple and red onion salad combined with creamy fetta cheese and light lemon dressing. The stark contrast of flavours and colours was enhanced by a red cabbage salad dressed in balsamic.

French Onion Tart with Trio of Salad

My companion had the chicken dumplings in a delicious vegetable broth accompanied also with plenty of fresh salad greens and crisp vegetables.  The chicken dumplings were delicious, superbly spiced and matched with fresh garlicy herbs.  The broth had a clean natural flavour which exuded healthy elements into the rest of the meal. These meals are very generous, with at least 12 dumplings to the bowl. Definitely check this place out, its worth the drive. They also offer great breads, cakes and pastries.

Chicken dumplings in Soup

Spice World

Spice World is the go to place for all exotic and standard spices, pastes, herbs, dried pulses, flours and rice varieties. They make up their own mixes and stock a number of standard herb and spice combinations catering for Ethiopian, Mexican, Indian, Iraqi, and Moroccan cuisine to name a few. You can find many imported products, sauces, curry pates and specialty ingredients. In addition they stock fresh ingredients, such as herbs, chillies, galangal and lemon-grass.  Where possible Spice World will stock Tasmanian produce, such as Tas Saffron.  You can also find cook-ware such as Tagine pots and Arabic coffee dullahs. Spice World is the first place to go if you are looking for that particular ingredient. Impress your friends and support this longstanding family run business, when you host your next dinner party. Located in Wellington Walk, they also have a website and do online orders if you just cant make it in, however, you will be delighted by the fragrance of the store.

http://www.spiceworld.com.au/

New Town Greenstore

Relish in a free-range and organic breakfast or lunch, knowing that the vegetables and products you're consuming are wholesomely grown, and sourced from Tasmania, supporting local growers and ethical farming practices. That's right the Greenstore out in New Town prides itself in providing fresh ingredients, deliciously prepared for your pleasure.  You can grab classic favourites such as bacon and eggs, eggs Benedict, shepherds pie and steak sandwiches. All made using free range, hormone free and organic produce.  I enjoyed a delicious steak sanga, with perfectly cooked minute steak, succulent, juicy, and rich in flavour with fried egg, rocket, caramalised onion and Tasmanian black cherry relish. The Greenstore, is in fact a store with the cafe attached. They stock a collection of Tasmanian products, many in which they use on their menu. Most meals range from under $10 to under $20, breakfast is served from 7:30 until 2:30 and service is friendly and swift. This place is a must, especially nice on a sunny day, where you can sit outside by the florist and enjoy their decorative arrangements.

 

Taco Taco

Located around Hobart CBD where ever the van may pull up, Taco Taco offer late night street style cuisine.  Fresh and contemporary, Taco varieties change, and there is even seating, comprised of up-turned milk crates and cushions. To give you an idea, we indulged in a black bean and red slaw with goats fetta cheese, deliciously spicy and moist. A chicken with white slaw, sliced pickled onions and spicy chipotle  mayo, heavenly. A Korean BBQ beef with pear and sesame slaw and a pulled pork with apple slaw, both exquisite and moreish. Some nights they offer beers and sangria, or hot chocolate and spicy corn chowder. All taco shells are gluten free and of the soft variety and all are made to order, very swift, beautifully presented and accompanied with a fresh slice of lime, for added flavour. They also have hot sauce on hand for those seeking extra spice. You can follow these guys and their movements on Facebook, often beginning service at around 6ish. get in there, its part of Hobart's new thing!

Dark Mofo-Winter Feast

This winter definitely had a different feel to it. No longer did I feel like staying in at nights and hiding behind a bottle of red and a book by the fire, although not complaining if that was the only choice.  No, it was the first year that MONA went out and launched their winter dark MOFO in celebration of the winter solstice. A time when Hobart shuts down and is in need of social festivities to warm its inhabitant's and remind them of why they live here.  I was very impressed with the getup, walking into the Elizabeth st. shed was nothing like the Taste, more edgy, with more people crammed in like sardines, excited wide eyed looks on their faces as we all made our way around, keen to embrace this new cultural phenomenon. Soft, red lighting and candles enhanced the muses which danced around as part of the scenery. Outside gas flames lit up the street and laser works stunned the new comers that had flocked to check out the edible art.  No one cared that it was raining and freezing, because this was a new experience, nothing to complain about, the winter feast had definitely started off well. Queuing was a key negative here, as the crowds were massive, with not enough food stands to cater, also there was no flow to the crowd, with everyone battling each other to go their way. We saw there were some of our favourites here, including Rin and Pacha Mama.  But we couldn't go past Bruny Island Cheese company.  Indulging in a welsh rarebit and sauteed mushroom jaffle. With a glass of MONA cab merlot, sat outside by the fires it was a comforting, thematic and lovely experience. Following our melted cheesy treats and caught up in the moment we downed a super creamy goats milk ice cream with a hazelnut chocolate fudge sauce, also from Bruny.  Still feeling peckish, we later had a soft shell goat taco from Olli Bella, another super warming and spicy experience. I hope the Winter Dark MOFO is catered for every year, as I really feel that this event has changed the experience of Hobart's winters, and the community's indulgence in it.  

Jam Jar

I have been to the Jam Jar a few times now, a couple of times for coffee with cake, and a few times for breakfast, enjoying an exquisite take on french toast or smokey cod omelette.  Each time I have enjoyed the food and atmosphere overall, a dark and rustic feel brought about by the decor of second hand vintage furniture and low hanging art-deco light shades.  This place is dog friendly, as there are always dogs outside in the courtyard, so you can bring your pooch if you have one. In our most recent visit we decided to have lunch. With a couple of glasses of sparkling, we had the trio of wonton dumplings, which came with a sour and vinegary sauce. Each dumpling was different, one being seafood, one chicken and one vegetarian. Neither one tasted the same and exhibited its own individuality, accompanied by a lightly steamed bok choy, refreshingly crunchy and retaining its bright green colour.  This dish demonstrated a capable and enthusiastic chef at the helm and although it was on the light side for a lunch meal I would highly recommend it, if you were to order something else, or just after a light snack.  We also had a ceasar salad, which was fresh and classically prepared, although I would have liked to have a little more anchovy in the flavourings.  Check it out, located in Battery Point, making it central and quaint.

  

Chatterbox

For a quick bite at dinner chatterbox is as good as any other place.  Offering basic dishes inspired by South East Asian, Singapore and Malaysian cuisine.  I stopped in here with a friend one night as it recently received a favourable review in last weeks Mercury. I had a spicy prawn laksa which I must say was delicious, I wouldn't say 'the best in Hobart' as claimed, but very creamy, sweet and spicy from the fusion of coconut cream and chilies. It was a generous portion bulked up by thick egg noodles and fat juicy prawns.  I'm keen to go back and try their soya duck noodle soup, along other classic soups such as wonton and tom yum.  As well as a modest selection of soups to choose from, you can also get the typical dishes found in any bain-marie Asian restaurant. There are plenty of places like this around Hobart, some are better than others, specialising more in one thing than the other. However, Chatterbox is simple, cheap and convenient, offering nice food so why not?!