BlackCowBistro
Thoughit’sallaboutbeef,theambiencehereis
anythingbutsteakhouse.Low-lit,smallandsexy,this
formercornerbutchery(andsistereaterytoStillwater)
usesitsart-decofaçade,whimsicalmurals,moodlighting
anda wallofbanquettestoglamorouseffect.Thebeefis
exemplary:dry-aged,mostlygrass-fedandsourcedfrom
farmsinnorth-westTasmania,thencarefullyhandled
andexpertlychar-grilled.Bestinshow:a 40-dayCape
Grimribeyeonthebonewithfreshlygroundwasabi,
alsogrowninthenorth-west.Sides,too,area cutabove:
house-madekimchi,babycarrotsglazedinleatherwood
honeyteriyaki,steamedbeanswithyuzudressing.
70 GeorgeSt,Launceston,blackcowbistro.com.auGeronimoAperitivoBar&Restaurant
Outcropsofpendantlights,a concretebaranda sleek
fit-outofthisformeroffice-suppliesshopsetthescene
foraperitivo-friendlyshareplatesfocusedonthelocal
andseasonal.ChoosefromtheG&Tmenu,perhaps
HartshornDistillerySheepWheyginspikedwith
Tasmanianpepperberry,andteamwithSpringBay
musselsatopchickpeasandMountGnomonchorizo,
ormoreishfriedpolentadumplingsstuddedwithsweet
cornandchives.A listoftechnique-heavydessertsproves
Geronimohasstayingpowerbeyondaperitivi.A case
inpoint:fragrantsaffron-poachedpearswithsaffron
sorbet,nettlecreamandcinnamonmeringue. 186
CharlesSt,Launceston,geronimorestaurant.com.auHarvestLauncestonCommunityFarmers’Market
There’sfrostonthebreathandswingdancingunderway
as 50orsofarmers,brewers,butchers,bakersand
cheesemakersdobriskbusinessintheliveliestplacein
town– aninner-citycarparkonSaturdaymorning.A
truecommunityinitiative,theHarvestmarketstartedin
2012 with 24 stallholders.“Whenwestartedwehadno
ideahowimportantthemarketwouldbe– forgrowers,
forthecommunity,forrelationshipsacrossthecity,”
saysvolunteercommitteememberKimHewitt.“The
markethassavedsomegrowers,gaveothersthechance
totestnewideas,andallowedmanytogrowwellbeyondTasteWalkTalk
Primary-schoolteacherBrock
Kerslaketurneda loveoffood,
wineandLauncestonintoa new
careerwhenhestartedhiscity-
guidecompany,TasteWalkTalk,
in2016.“Launcestonis a small,
verywalkablecity,”hesays,“fullof
interestingbuildings,quirkystories
andterrificfood.”Heintroduces
hissmall-groupandprivatetoursto
venuessuchas Bryher(91George
St),whereAlisonBergnerand
TristanMorrisonfocusonbaking,
picklingandpreserving.Crowd-
pleasersincludeblack-pudding
Scotcheggs,andstrawberry
streuselkuchenmadewitha recipe
fromBergner’sgrandmother.
SaintJohnCraftBeerBar(133
StJohnSt)is a popularpitstop,
with 14 beersandcidersontap,
morethan 170 bottledbeers,a
foodtruckandanexpandingtop
shelfoflocallydistilledliquor.
AmongthemareAbelGinCo’s
complexEssenceandQuintessence
gins,distilledusingnative
Tasmanianbotanicalsbysparkling
winemakerNatalieFryarand
businesspartnerKimSeagram.
Kerslakeintroducesmetodistiller
JustinTurnerandhisThreeCuts
Gin;hisnewTurnerStillhouseat
nearbyTamarRidgeopenedlast
monthfortastings,toursandDIY
gindistillations.Andalongthe
wayKerslakesharesstoriesabout
thecity’sstreetscape,spanning
Georgian,throughVictorianand
Federationtomid20th-century
architecture.tastewalktalk.comCOMING UP
Mona Foma The magic of Mona
shifts north to Launceston for a
summer festival of unbrldled music,
art, performance and hedonism.
11-20 January 2020. monafoma.net.au
Festivale Historic City Park is the
backdrop to one of the state’s
premier food, wine and spirit
festivals, a showcase for northern
Tasmania’s stellar produce and
makers. 31 January-2 February- festivale.com.au
Barnbougle Polo Gather for a day
of polo, ponies and car-boot
picnics at Barnbougle Dunes,
near Bridport, about an hour’s drive
north-east of Launceston. 19 January - barnbougle.com.au/polo
More discovertasmania.com.au
the market. And it’s an important
place for everyone to meet and
connect.” Ethical pig farmer Guy
Robertson is a regular stallholder,
selling his Mount Gnomon
charcuterie and flipping bacon-
and-egg rolls. Apiarist Tristan
Campbell will likely be talking
about his hives in west Tamar,
Martin and Sophie Grace will
be selling their Lentara Grove olive
oil, and the folk at Provenance
Coffee Co will be brewing coffee.
Saturdays 8.30am-12.30pm,
71 Cimitiere St, Launceston,
harvestmarket.org.auKosaten
A former tool shop has been
transformed into a series of
old-Kyoto-style partitioned dining
rooms linked by a food train.
Launceston design firm Cumulus
Studio has cleverly used bright
murals, high dark ceilings, graphic
frames and digital projections to
create surprise and fun. Each table
has a tablet to submit orders –
sashimi, rolls, nigiri, plenty of
vegetarian options – and dispatch
is quick and comic. 254 Charles St,
Launceston, kosaten.com.au158 GOURMET TRAVELLER
PHOTOGRAPHY ANNIE BLAIR STILLWATER SEVEN & CHRIS CRERAR PRODUCE .