Australian Gourmet Traveller - (09)September 2020 (1)

ChefAARONCARRshareshistoptipsforeating

and drinking on the south-west coast of WA.

A CHEF’SGUIDETO...

Margaret River,

Western Australia

A greatlocal

I alwaysfindmyselfatSettlers

Tavern.Thefoodis alwaysgood;

thebeeris alwaysgood;andit’s

gotthebestpubwinelistinWA.

It’sprobablytheonlyplaceinthe

worldyoucouldwatcha localband

likeTheSouthernRiverBandand

drinkexpensivebottlesofDiana

MadelinefromCullenoroldCape

Mentelle.Asforfood,I usuallygo

fortheparmyorwhateverhascome

outoftheYoderSmokerthatday– it

mightbebrisket,porkbellyorpork

shoulder.Themeatis smokedall

night. No one else is doing that.

All-Italianaffair

Barnyard 1978 nearSmithsBeachis

a reallygoodItalianrestaurantthat

keepsthingssimple.Theowners

maketheirownpasta,wine,beer

andhoney.They’vealsogotchooks

runningaroundtheproperty.It’s

definitelyworthcheckingout.

A brewerywith views

TheviewsatEagleBayBrewingCo

areexceptional.Thebreweryis set

onCapeNaturalisteandoverlooks

GeographeBay– youlookdown

overthepaddocksandstraight

outto the ocean. The brewers are

A

aronCarrhasn’tjustwitnessedthe

evolutionofMargaretRiver’sdiningscene

fromup-close;he’sbeenoneofitskey

players.For 21 years,Carrwaschefat

pioneeringMargaretRiverwinery-restaurantVasse

FelixbeforejoiningupwithwinemakersSnake

&Herringin 2018 toopenYarri,a warm,likeable

restaurant-barintheregion’snortherlyhubof

Dunsborough.“MargaretRiveris prettymuch

paradise,”saysCarr.“It’sgotthesurf,thefood,the

wine.There’ssomethingtodoineveryseason.”

Evenasa local,Carrfindsit hardtogettoevery

placeonhislist.Hisadvicetovisitors:giveyourself

time,breakyourwish-listdownintoregions– north,

central and south – then plan your itinerary accordingly.

114 GOURMET TRAVELLER

PHOTOGRAPHY

GETTY

IMAGES

(MAIN),

ADRIAN

GAUT

(BEEF)

& JESSICA WYLD (OCTOPUS & VOYAGER ESTATE).