Head down to Jordy’s ASAP.
Head down to Jordy’s ASAP.
Taking a roadtrip just to visit a restaurant is a thing we absolutely used to take for granted and something we’re absolutely going to do more of from now on. Especially if said restaurant is just a short drive away but promises to be a dining experience you’ll want to have again.
The restaurant we’re here to discuss is Jordy’s in Casuarina and it’s by a few people (the creators of Tucker Casuarina) who absolutely know what’s what when it comes to creating a place that offers both a stunning setting and exceptional eats.
The space itself is laidback and beautifully put together with choices of outdoor seating within the thriving precinct of The Commons, or at the tiled bar overlooking the chefs making magic.
The menu is packed with fresh, comfort-style food and absolutely everything is sourced from the surrounding Northern Rivers area, Tweed Heads to Byron Bay so you know it’s of the highest quality. Suppliers are listed on the menu so you can see exactly where your dinner came from and send up a little thank you as you bite into each tasty morsel.
And tasty morsels they are Gold Coasters. To start, you’ll want to go with the Pork, Peppers and Pickles which is indeed a plate filled with ’Nduja, Mortadella, Piccante and Finocchiona Salumi w/ith Pecorino, Bocconcini, hot peppers, gherkins and pickled shallots. Sounds like heaven in your mouth, does it not?
There are also treats like warm, marinated olives and toasted focaccia with organic olive oil and balsamic vinegar to go along with it. The flavour combinations are unique and very special and honestly, our surrounding areas are absolute world-class when it comes to produce.
Sourdough pizzas are the main event and they are the type of pillowy, flavour-packed goodness that will render all other pizzas null and void.
The Byron Bay comes with Heirloom Tomatoes, Cashew Cheese, Artichokes, Kalamata Olives and Hemp Seed Parmesan, while the Billinudgel will see you chomping on Piccante Salumi, ’Nduja, Ricotta, Red Onion, Pickled Jalapeños, Honey and Thyme. Have you ever heard of such mouth-watering goodies? We think not.
Of course there are plenty of varieties to choose from and you’ll need to go back a few times to try them all. Which won’t be a problem.
For dessert you’ll want to try the Torte Caprese and Dulce de Leche Cream and maybe some gelato from Mermaid Beach favourites Heven-yah.
To drink, there are tinnies from both local and Australia-wide brewers and a range of white and red wines, a few Pet Nats and of course, bubbles to choose from. All Australia’s finest.
In summary, if there is one place you absolutely want to jump in the car for, it should be Jordy’s. Fresh, locally sourced produce is our absolute favourite thing and we absolutely adore venues who champion it too.
Try it for yourself, you’re gonna love it.
LOCATION: The Commons, 480 Casuarina Way, Casuarina
HOURS: Wednesday to Sunday 5pm to 10pm
Words by Kirra Smith. Photos supplied.
Every January the Australian Good Food Guide (AGFG) bestows upon us its much anticipated Chef Hat Awards, a discerning and definitive ranking of culinary excellence. Aka, the foodie holy grail. For hardcore dining devotees, it feels a lot like Christmas morning. Our very own cheat sheet to work our way, hungry caterpillar style, around the most esteemed and decorated local destinations.
It leaves us with a lot to unpack and, in the case of our neighbouring Northern Rivers hat recipients, plenty of reasons to pack… our appetites and venture south, post-haste. Here are 9 of this year’s most road trip worthy restaurants.
Pipit
Founded by former Paper Daisy chef, Pipit owner Ben Devlin is no stranger to the art of crafting exquisite eats – nor has he pulled any punches when it comes to his first solo venture. And AGFG clearly agrees, with Pottsville’s Coronation Avenue darling taking out the coveted top spot among this year’s most noteworthy Northern Rivers Hat recipients.
Pipit’s near-perfect 17/20 score (an elusive 20/20 has never been seen in the award’s history) immediately propels it to pole position on the day trip priority list in our books, and also according to the AGFG ‘worth a detour’ designation.
Set aside a few hours and treat yourself to the revelatory set menu dining experience, a curated sequence of flavours, textures and ideas spanning over several hours, one which Ben likens to ‘a day trip around the Northern Rivers’ in and of itself.
Where: 8 Coronation Avenue, Pottsville
Paper Daisy
Halcyon House’s beloved Paper Daisy of course also earned itself a nod, with an honourable 14. The esteemed and elegant eatery, sitting pretty against Cabarita Beach’s stunning shores – is mostly reserved for sandy-footed in-house guests, but it’s not all bad news for locals.
If you’ve got an arvo to kill, we’re all invited to see what the fuss is about courtesy of the bar, open from 3pm, or for dinner. Led by Jason Barratt, the kitchen shoots for ‘sophisticated simplicity’, where you can expect to delight in inventive and delectable dishes like Toasted macadamia kangaroo tartare or Riverina lamb rump, served with eggplant, green mango.
We’d recommend packing your appetite (and your towel, because, y’know, Caba #phwoar).
Where: 21 Cypress Cres, Cabarita Beach
Rae’s Dining Room
Byron Bay institution, Raes on Wategos came in a close second, with a stellar score of 16, with the astute AGFG gang deeming it to be (very) ‘worth a detour’ – and yes, we did take some liberties with the parenthesis.
The chic, boutique retreat, an icon set amongst Byron’s idyllic beaches, delivers a fine dining experience in its Dining Room, headed by Executive Chef Jason Saxby. A culinary showcase of the region, curated with Mediterranean influences, the menu offers Caviar service, 3-course a la carte and 6-course Tasting Menu options.
A word of warning, though – after tasting dishes like Australian Bay Lobster (bug), glazed in fermented chilli, hand-rolled fregola pasta, and the Lemon Meringue Bombe, served with lemon aspen sorbet and lemon myrtle semifreddo, you might just want to move in.
Where: 6 – 8 Marine Parade, Byron Bay
Tweed River House
Murwillumbah’s aptly named Tweed River House, perched just a stone’s throw from its banks, also scored a hat – earning a rating of 14 for its gastronomic bistro and bar experience.
The venue, housed in a spruced up, century-old colonial-style mansion – offers a panoramic river vantage flanked by wraparound verandas, and elevated eats to match.
The luxurious and immaculately appointed interiors alone make it worth filling your tank, but decadent dishes like Confit tuna, brandy flambéd Australian Bay Lobster and pan-fried Spatchcock, served with Lyonnaise sauce certainly sweeten the deal.
Where: 131 River St, South Murwillumbah
Bistro Livi
Another noshery deemed to be one of the best in the Northern Rivers Restaurant category is Murwillumbah’s Bistro Livi, scoring the prestigious hat accolade with its total of 14.
A short 30km trek from Cooly and one of the fresher faces among its culinary cohort – if you’re yet to be acquainted with Livi, it’s an easy one to tick off the list when you’re looking for a low effort adventure snap you out of the Sunday lazies (or scaries).
Tucked within the arts precinct of the tight-knit Murbah community – the European-inspired venue radiates romance with rustic textures and an inviting, intimate ambience, while Spanish influences inform the menu. It’s certainly not just the AGFG critics that this regional gem has succeeded in winning over… #swoon.
Where: 1A 1-3 Brisbane St, Murwillumbah
Mavis Kitchen
Nestled in the foothills of Mt Warning, Mavis Kitchen & Cabins is a Tweed Valley culinary treasure, offering Modern Australian cuisine with a Middle-Eastern twist.
Set in an immaculately restored 120-year-old Queenslander and owned by Tindal Magnus and Sam McCormac – Mavis is the culinary pot of gold that awaits on the other side of a meandering day trip through the postcard-esque rolling hills of Wollumbin National Park.
Equally swoon-worthy are the signature bites, such as Grilled Kangaroo Loin and Tender Chickpea Gnocchi, crafted with love, and scoring the spot a commendable ranking of 12.
Where: 64 Mount Warning Road, Uki
Potager
Capitalising on Carool’s sweeping valley views, Potager – A Kitchen Garden has long been a favourite destination among locals and discerning visitors. The charming nosher is also somewhat of a teacher’s pet, earning a score of 13 for its Modern Australian style eats in this year’s Chef Hat Awards – along with a near-perfect 4.8 score on Google, might we add… and honestly, we’re not sure which is harder to pull off.
Set on a small 10-acre farm, the seasonal menu is informed by locally sourced produce, much of which is grown on the property. Dishes like the Macadamia & saltbush crusted Lamb backstrap, served with Stone & Wood pickled onion, are a testament to the community-minded culinary experience, while the Summer Stonefruit “Melba” Pavlova gets a mention, because #yum.
Where: 502 Carool Rd, Carool
Fins
Another ‘big fish’ in the Northern Rivers end of town, is Kingscliff’s seafoodie haven, Fins, which also earned another honorary hat for its rack with a ‘commended’ rating of 13.
Located by the beach at Salt, the Tweed Valley institution has been going strong for some 30 years now, netting a slew of awards along the way – officially Australia’s most-awarded regional seafood restaurant, if we’re getting technical.
Specialising in sustainably-minded ocean fare, the famed destination’s Degustation menu is a particular highlight, expertly paired with a curated selection of local and international wines and cocktails, of course.
Where: 5/6 Bells Boulevard, Salt Village, South Kingscliff
Harvest
Another Modern Australian nosher earning some serious cred is Newrybar’s garden gem, Harvest, awarded a hat, and an accompanying score of 13. Specialising in ‘simple and honest’ dishes with a focus on locally sourced, seasonal produce (are we sensing a theme here?) served with a side of spectacular surroundings.
Harvest’s whimsical, cottage garden residence falls right in the day trip sweet spot for those of us residing this side of the border – a scenic, one hour commute from Cooly, which is exactly enough time to work through a solid assortment of road trip bangers, if you ask us.
With everything from a hefty selection of Housemade digestif to Charred ballina prawns, served with prawn mousse & finger lime on the menu, you’ll want to take your ‘hat off’ to them, too.
18-22 Old Pacific Highway, Newrybar Village
Words by Kellie Leader.
