Australian Gourmet Traveller - (01)January 2020 (1)

(Comicgek) #1

I


t’sdifficulttoimaginea beachfront
settingbetterthanthespotenjoyed
byboutiqueByronBayhotel,Raes
onWategos.Thewhitestuccovilla
sitshighona knoll,overlookinglawns
andanarcofsand,withrollingsurfviews
framedbyspikypandanusandcasuarinas.
“It’snota terriblelocation,”laughs
JasonSaxby.HejoinedasRaes’ headchef
lastMarch,departingSydney’sbeachside
Piluat Freshwater,neatlyswappingone
coastalidyllforanother.
Saxbyhadn’tvisitedByronuntilthe
previousSeptember,whenheandwife
Tammytooktheirthree-year-oldsonOli
onholidaytonearbyKingscliff.They fell
sohardforthehinterlandtheybought
a blockat Chillingham,quietlyhatching
a two-yearescapeplansoOlicould
experiencea countrychildhood.
TheRaesvacancyrequireda
radicaladjustmentoftheirtimeline.
Sofar,therearezeroregrets.Saxby’s
flavoursome,cleverlylayered,Italian-leaning
dishesat RaesDiningRoomaregarnering
plaudits,as is hissmarttakeoncoastal
snacksat Raes’laid-backCellarBar.Both
menusareshapedbythesubtropicalclimate
andlocalabundance,and, likethepoolside
menuhe’screatedhere,gohardonflavour.
Dealingwithsmallproducersand
cookingina tinykitchenmeanlogisticsare
challenging.Butit’sa winfordiners.“It’s
allridiculouslyfresh,”saysSaxby.“Being
abletousePalisaAnderson’s(BoonLuck
Farm,Tyagarah)produceanhourafterit’s
picked– tomatoesstillwarmfromthesun


  • it’sa differentexperiencefromthecity.”
    Healsorelishes experimentingwith
    nativeingredients.AttheDiningRoom,
    nativelimemightboostbrinytropical
    lobsteralongsideanXObisque,while
    lemonmyrtleaddscitrusnotestotuna
    crudo,andDavidson’s plumstarsin
    dessertswithnativepepper.“To showcase
    thisregion,youhavetousethese
    ingredients,”hesays.“Davidson’s plum,
    macadamias,bunyanutsandfingerlimes
    growhere.Weusethemrespectfully.
    “I don’twanttochallengecustomers.I
    wantthemtobeintheircomfortzone, and
    forthefoodtobereflectiveofthetimeand
    place, sotheycanjustrelaxandenjoyit.”
    RaesonWategos,6/8MarinePde,
    ByronBay,NSW, (02) 6685 5366,
    raes.com.au➤


Menu


Snacks
Calamariskewers
with’ndujavinaigrette
Kingprawnsangas
Davidson’sPlumSour
Shareplates
Burratawithpeach,
fennel,macadamia,mint
andlemonmyrtleoil
Cobiafilletwithputtanescasalsa
Grilledcornwithparmesan,brown
butter,lemonandbottarga
Stone& WoodPacificAle

2018 LaViolettaPatio Nat

Dessert
Mango-macadamiapopsicles
withPiñaColadapineapple
Raes’ Piña Colada

CalamariPlatefromNikau.
Allotherpropsstylist’sown.
PREVIOUSPAGESPoppy& Co
ComohatfromHope& May.
SliceofHeavensunglasses
fromLucyFolk.Allotherprops
stylist’s own. Stockists p152.

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