karnak cafe
Karnak Cafe - Whyanbeel Rd, Whyanbeel Valley Ph: 07 4098 8111
Karnak Playhouse Theatre Cafe - this national treasure has been called the most beautiful theatre in Australia with its open air amphitheatre nestled beside a tranquil lake at the foot of Manjal Jimalji and set against a backdrop of lush rainforest. It is one of the most gorgeous places on earth to enjoy a light lunch or homemade sweet treat.
Oscar nominated actor Diane Cilento turned her back at stardom in the 1980s; from Broadway and London to Whyanbeel Valley, where she settled and created Karnak Playhouse and Cafe, a unique centre for the arts. Just 25 minutes north from Port Douglas, Karnak is another world.
The café/gallery is open daily between May and year’s end serving food made fresh from the region’s exotic produce and their very own garden. The Karnak Cafe cast have created a personalised menu with the accent on handmade cakes and a smattering of Moroccan influenced dishes.
On the savoury side it’s hard to go past the taro fish cakes. Made with taro grown in the valley and herbs from the garden, they have an old school earthiness that’s positively uplifting. Forget what you’re used to from commercial kitchens these little beauties are redolent of old style home cuisine.
At the sweet end, my vote goes to the soursop cheesecake with clotted cream. This is a sensuous little number, simple but unquestionably sexy. Its creaminess and not so sugary taste conjure up … well, I’ll leave that to your imagination.
Elsewhere the Karnak Cafe menu is loaded with homemade specialties: black sapote cheesecake, kaffir lime cake with apricot and chocolate and an array of genuinely different juices made from Karnak’s own garden grown tropical fruit. The net result is a feast of truly bespoke flavours.
However, if table service is not your thing, you can order a hamper and indulge down by the lake. This is somewhat like being in a Renoir painting, with the still water, pontoon, and Manjal Jimalji looming atop a lush hillside. Classic honeymoon stuff.
Speaking of art, Karnak is also home to a collection of extraordinary hand made Moroccan objet d’art, including rugs, tajines and silverwork. At once rustic and refined these beautiful pieces underline the Karnak ethos.
Diane and new chef Karen have created a garden of earthy delights. It’s individual, sensual and fully licensed. However, it’s the truly welcoming vibe that really pulls you in. If they had rooms, you’d probably never leave.
