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Beach
Shack Restaurant Review -
Relaxed outdoor dining is a Port Douglas
specialty. It’s not so much a style
thing as a reaction to the heat that
encourages the unbuttoned vibe this town
is famous for. Places like the Beach
Shack Restaurant, with its chilled atmosphere
encapsulate the Port Douglas spirit. |
The
Beach
Shack Restaurant is anything but stuffy, even when the
weather is. The casually dressed staff,
sandy floor, cosy bar area and the retro
radio soundtrack create a snob free zone.
Leave your pretensions under the table, with
your thongs.
The
menu underlines this with its broad,
approachable range, albeit with a Modern
Australian/Italian feel. There’s also a
pizza oven out back, serving a selection of
traditional and mind blowing gourmet styles.
Or, you can simply pull up a pew and have a
drink and enjoy the live entertainment on
weekends.
Although
Beach Shack Restaurant has the feel of a ‘local’,
it does creative twists on family restaurant
food. For a start they do this wonderful
Pesto & Parmesan bread. Served warm,
it’s at once earthy and gourmet. To be
honest, it’s difficult not to fill up on
it and forget the rest. (A cheap alternative
for the kids, perhaps.)
The
mains run the gamut from old school pasta to
inventive takes on fish of day and, of
course, steak. It’s also worth running the
radar over the specials, because the shack
kitchen specialise in specials (if you’ll
pardon the pun).
Anyway,
my partner and I decided to go for the
creamy chicken carbonara and a scotch fillet
special from heaven. The former was classic
peasant fare, full of big, rich flavours
which brought to mind Nona in her kitchen.
The steak was super tender and drizzled with
a fantastic, almost delicate shiraz
reduction. It was big without being
ridiculous and certainly satisfied a
craving.
For
dessert we went for an Oz standard, Sticky
Date Pudding. Well, yes, it was sticky and
it filled the mouth with rewarding sweetness
and the hips with a bit more rubber.
What’s more, the portion was generous
enough to share, something uncommon in
contemporary dessert land.
Situated
in Four Mile Beach Port Douglas, The Beach Shack
Restaurant and Bar is 60 seconds walk
from the beach and five minutes drive from
the centre of Port Douglas. Not only does it offer a
sandy tropical hang out but good, affordable
nosh. It’s unpretentious, won’t fleece
you or make you feel you shouldn’t have
beer with your meal.
Beach
Shack Restaurant - Port Douglas Australia
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