Australian Gourmet Traveller - (02)February 2021 (1)

D

on’tbefooledbythename.
OaksKitchenandGarden
mightsoundlikea thousand
non-descriptbistrosanywhere
in Australia,whereyoucould
expecta nicepieceoffish,
anunremarkablesteakand
somethingthatincludes
granitafordessert.It’snone
ofthesethings.Whatyou
soonrealise,whenyoubump
downthemuddydriveway,
around 15 minutessouth
ofPortDouglas,andpark
beneaththegrovesoffoxtail
palms,is thatyou’vefound
yourselfin a pieceofwild
paradise.Andthere’snot
a neatlittlesquareofAtlantic
salmonanywherein sight.
Co-ownerandLeeHo
FookalumnusRachaelBoon
greets you as you walk

towardsthecorrugated-roofed,

open-airpavilionwherelunchwillbe

served.StashyourBYObottlesin the

outdoorfridgeandBoon,workboots

onherfeetanda chook

featherin herhat,guidesyou

andyourlunchcompanions

throughherrambling

permaculturegarden.

Shepointsouttrellisesof

aerialyams,rosellabushes,

galangalandmangotrees,

encouragingyoutotaste

asyouexplore.Everynow

andthenshe’llpullback

a thatchoftangledvinesto

discoveroneofherchickens

hasestablisheda secret

cacheofeggs.

Onceyou’venibbledon

sweetbasilandcompared

theflavourofa tamarindleaf

to its fibrous fruit, you’re led

toa setofreclaimedwoodentables

togetstuckintowhateverRachael’s

husbandBenWallace– ex-Longrainin

Melbourne– hasbeenassemblingin

hisoutdoorkitchen.Therearearound

sevenexpertlybalanceddishestothis

longThai-centriclunch,plusriceand

condiments.Youmightgeta lively

smudgeofcoconutandchillirelish

ontopofa wedgeofcucumber,or

a muddleofcoraltrout,kaffirlimeand

nahmjimtoppedwitha sprinkleof

nativegreenants,whosefriendsand

familyyouprobablymetscurryingover

thegardengatejustmomentsbefore.

Largerplatescouldbea yellow

curryofShannonvalegoatornuggets

ofredclawcrayfishtwirledintoa green

mangoandpapayasalad.Thestereo

blendsFatherJohnMistyandEdithPiaf

withthebusyhumoftherainforest.

Tinyyellowsunbirdsandelectricblue

butterfliesdartaroundtheThaiBuddhist

shrinesthatbookendWallace’skitchen

andyou’reencouragedtowanderover

tothefridgetotopupyour own wine

asmuchasyoulike.

Youleavefeelingthatyou’vespent

thedayata mate’slaidbacktropical

gardenparty– if onlyweallhadmates

whocouldmakeyoufeel as welcome

and well-fed as this.●

Left:Shantofuwithsweettamarind.

Below:theopen-airpavilion at Oaks

Kitchen and Garden.

TH

EN

EWCOM

ER

Oaks

Beach,

Qld

ChefBenWallacedeliversa laidback,tropicalThai-style

dégustation, writesALEXANDRA CARLTON.

TROP FEAST

QU

ICKLOOK

OAKSKITCHEN

ANDGARDEN

Lot3,11-13NancyCl,

OaksBeach,Qld

oakskitchenandgarden.

com

CHEFBenWallace

OPENINGHOURS

Thurs-Sat1pm

(Mar-Nov);3.30pm

(Dec-Feb).

PRICEGUIDE$$$

BOOKINGSEssential

• atleastsixweeks
  in advance.
  VERDICTTherainforest
  is theroomatthisThai-
  styledégustation.

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