HOTEL REVIEW: Silver Sands - Hervey Bay

Located at 47 Charlton Esplanade, Torquay - Hervey Bay QLD.

I booked the Bedsitter through Bookings.com for a mere $73.70 for the night.
The room was clean, tidy and had nice decor. The shower had low pressure and the bed was very hard.
The stay was peaceful and as I was at the back of the complex did not hear a peep from anyone or anything all night.
Brilliant location and easy access to the beach and restaurants.
I did a review on the Italian up the road called "Santini", this was a must and I can't wait to come back and do the food there again.
The staff at the accommodation were very lovely and suggested things to see and do.
There is an on-site laundry and parking plus free WiFi.

HOTEL REVIEW: Stockyards Distillery - Rockhampton

Situated at 52 Gladstone Road, Allenstown in Rockhampton QLD.

This quaint old pub turned into a distillery is worth a look. From the outside she screams for a little TLC but when you open the door to the inside you will change your mind.

The distillery is currently making Rum and Gin, and is quite an point of interest. I booked for one nights accommodation here and was surprised that they were only charging $65 a night.

The room has ample space, is clean and recently re-decorated. The wall had a fresh painting by a local artist and made the room look a little boutique like.
There is no TV so if you are planning a night in... ensure you have your laptop with you. There is free WiFi and I had no problems connecting.
The water is hot and not too bad on the pressure side.

The bed is comfortable and not too hard.

The staff here are very friendly and especially Carla, who made me feel welcome. Carla went out of her way to assist me in finding what I needed in the area and was lovely to chat with. There is off street parking available, all though limited, so get in early.

There is a cafe on-site that is open for breakfast and lunch. I did not get the chance to try this due to my schedule but I was informed they make all their own cakes on premises and that the breakfast is a definite for next time.

Restaurant Consultancy

See my new Restaurant Consultancy Tab for more information on how I can help your business TODAY!!!! or go to www.nutmegandpepper.com for more information and pricing.

Recipe Creation and Menu Creation are just a part of the services on offer.

Front of house styling.

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Everything you need help with: HACCP, Franchise Manual, Food Costing, Wastage, Training and much much more.... phone Chef Nadene today on 0403800010 leave a message if I am on the road and I will call back within 24 hours or email on nutmegandpepper@outlook.com.

REVIEW: The Grazing Goat Cafe - Mackay City

Located at 58 Wood Street, Mackay.

Wow....looking for a place to brunch today, I headed down the main street and took a turn down past the old Australian Hotel. I found this little hidden gem. The locals must be keeping this one to themselves. I wandered in to a very active little cafe with lovely outdoor and indoor seating options. The staff are friendly and courteous. Pricing is reasonable for what you get. 

I ordered the Eggs Benedict with Bacon and the Hollandaise is home made and very very good. Gave compliments to the chef on this one. Presentation was fantastic and even came with watercress spinach and Avocado which wasn't on the menu and a very nice touch indeed. All though the Sourdough was a little over toasted and quite hard, the rest of the food was fantastic and I struggled to finish the whole meal. 

My English Tea didn't disappoint either. The flavour of the tea they used was spot on, nice and strong and just what I needed this morning. I chose to sat outside as inside was a little noisy if you are trying to talk. I highly recommend this Cafe for brunch ...with Fathers Day tomorrow it would be a great treat for Dads.

Thank you for a pleasant experience and I will come back before I leave Mackay.

REVIEW: Avenue Cafe - Mackay North

Located on Evans Avenue, in North Mackay.
This little cafe is a nice treat, for both the food and ambiance. For a small cafe it certainly is of Restaurant quality.
Being a huge brunch fan, I was not disappointed by the home made Hollandaise Sauce and my eggs were cooked perfect. Sorry no photo for this one as it came out just in time to fix my hunger pains. lol.
The staff were friendly and quick. The tables were clean and they even bring water without asking. Great reflection on the company that the staff are trained well and are on top of everything, even on a day that seamed a little hectic. Noticed they were out of a few things being asked for by previous customer to me. Shows that if  you have a favourite item at this venue you will need to get in early.
Parking is easy as there are rows of parking out the front, center of the road and across the road.

RECIPE: Vanillabean, Lemon and Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

4 lemons juice
4 tbsp dill chopped
2 lemons zest, finely grated on a microplane
100 ml white wine
100g butter diced
2tbsp vanillabean paste
2tbsp cornflour diluted in water

Method:

In a small sacepan, add lemon juice, zest and white wine. Place on stove over medium heat and allow to come slowly to the boil.

Whisk in dill and vanillabean paste, then add in cornfliur mix. Once the sauce has boiled again reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, a little at a time, making sure each piece is completely incorporated before adding the next. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve immediately nape over Salmon or other fish. May also be used over chicken or asparagus.

REVIEW: My Rainbow Cafe - Cannonvale

 I set out on a mission to go for brunch in Airlie Beach today. On my way I stopped at a little harbour just outside of Cannonvale to nab a few photos of the glorious day and accidentally stumbled on this little gem.
My Rainbow Cafe is on the first level of the Shingley Bay Resort in Cannonvale. With an alfresco balcony boasting amazing views of the harbour, I could not resist.

I first walked in to see a well stocked cabinet of pastry selections. Everything is made on the premises and I could not go past the Beef Pie.

You can choose to have this with Salad and Chips or if you are like me and prefer not to overload, I just had the pie.

The staff are friendly, attentive when required and most of all they care if you are having a great experience. The owner of this business should be proud of the effort and ease at which these girls work.

My tea came out in this cute little pot, I felt like I was at a high tea rather than just a mere lunch. Nice touch with the home made shortbread biscuit as well. The whole experience mad me want to drive back the 1 hour and 45 minutes from Mackay again. This was worth the drive by itself.

Make sure you try a pie or take one away for a light dinner. They are not filling... but the pastry is light, flaky and sensational. Above was the view from my table.

Thank you for an enjoyable experience to both the owner and the staff that were on that day. Keep up the great work I will be back.😉