.
However, Paul’s
sister, Renée, has put me on track ... and I’ve got into gear. While the family
were escorting Paul to Straddie, we two went down to the riverside, to a
nice-looking place called Austin and Co for a little lunch. Nice menu, too.
Renée had the Thai Pork Mince Salad, I opted for the Seafood Gratin.
Wholly
scrumptious. I even ate the tomatoes (having carefully removed the skins). This
is a must-repeat place. I scanned the dinner menu. A must repeat for dinner!
With one thing and
another (and the flu) the repeat didn’t happen for a couple of weeks. In
between, we visited Straddie, Rod and Veronica drove me to lovely seaside Yamba,
where we had an excellent pub lunch with a superview at the Pacific Hotel, then
finally we all got to go out together for supper at Austin & Co. Sadly,
ingredient availability meant the menu had undergone a change, but it still
looked pretty good. Although the fact that one dish included iceberg, another
noodles, another brussels sprouts (add anchovies and tomato-skins and you’ve
got almost the whole of my personal no-no list), limited my choice. Never mind,
I went for a splendid lamb rump with bulgar wheat and beetroot. Lightly cooked
and delicious. The pork with cauli and prunes looked just as good, and the
salmon with celeriac and radish … I don’t think anyone was game to try the
Turducken. It didn’t sound like a good idea at all. And anyway it came with
sprouts.
Other folks had
sweets, filo with honey and pistachio, bloodorange with plum mint youghurt … I
don’t often have sweets, but I tried a spoonful of beetroot soufflé … next time
I will!
A highly enjoyable
meal … must investigate the menu further. A bientôt!
And now, we’re all
back in Yamba. A family gathering to pre-celebrate Rod’s 70th birthday with
four children, spouses and most of the twelve grandchildren. Fiesta!!!!! We’re
all holed up in the Blue Dolphin Holiday Resort, in cabins in the front row of
the stalls, inches from the beach and the river, amid the lorakeets, pelicans,
ibises, cranes, crows et al, and under clear blue skies and warm winter sun.
And last night, a real ‘blue moon’. I didn’t know, I was expecting it to BE
blue.
Today, Saturday,
was a copybook day. The beaches of Yamba were glistening …
as all the
children shepherded off to their preferred activity. This child fell to Renée
and we headed for main street and the Beachwood Café. Yes, more food. The Beachwood
Café is a Turkish restaurant-café. Par excellence.
You mightn’t know
that from its frontage, but I knew, once again, from its blackboard menu.
Trouble is
choosing! Well, I’d been tempted from my sun-drenched torpor by the prospect of
peppered chicken livers … so that was for me. Yesssss! Perfectly pink and
bulging little beasts … great! I couldn’t eat all the greenery and bread that
came with them, but the man at the next table did. I just revelled in my
livers. A splendid and succulent lunch. Again, I’m in a hurry to try the rest
of chef Sevtap Yuce’s menu … especially after glancing through her cook books,
full of yearning Turkish dishes …
While lunching, I glanced to the side and saw a sign for Massage, two doors down. Ohhh. My poor flu-aching neck and back, my poor limpy leg. I’m a little wary of masseuses in holiday-spots. Too often the ‘body-polish’ kind. But Renée knew this lady, and in five minutes I had an appointment. Amanda doesn’t go in for body-polishing. I had a top-notch tough massage … oh! places that have never hurt before were sooo tender … and oh! now five hours later, how much better I feel.
While lunching, I glanced to the side and saw a sign for Massage, two doors down. Ohhh. My poor flu-aching neck and back, my poor limpy leg. I’m a little wary of masseuses in holiday-spots. Too often the ‘body-polish’ kind. But Renée knew this lady, and in five minutes I had an appointment. Amanda doesn’t go in for body-polishing. I had a top-notch tough massage … oh! places that have never hurt before were sooo tender … and oh! now five hours later, how much better I feel.
Home to collapse.
But up soon, as Renée arrived with a huge package of Yamba prawns.
I ate … well, a
large number … while the pelicans a few metres away queued for their supper,
just like Gerolsteiner peacocks …
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