The idea first struck while visiting Sydney recently: Hobart has a lot to learn about divine dining experiences.
Forget fine dining … I think that phrase has lost its meaning, but to those who care and seek out the divine, Hobart has a lot to learn.
I won’t even go into Sydney as a comparison, that is too cruel. But let me tell you … Hobart could learn something from Novaro’s in Launceston. And before you snigger behind your parochially Hobartian hand, I will have to ask you to trust me.
Novaro’s is an intimate establishment, in the true sense of the word. It is small, it is hued in rich, moss green walls and candlelight, and the cuisine is unashamedly skewed towards flavour over calorific frugality.
But don’t be afraid, these flavours are fresh and light and sparkle on the palate. And portion sizes herald a return to the ample rather than the gratuitous.
The cuisine is Italian (in case you couldn’t tell by the name), with a subtle tilt at the Asian fusion style.
Seafood and chilli are prominently represented on the menu – alongside quail, lamb, venison, and chicken.
Tantalising wine list
This is my second visit to Novaro’s. On both occasions I have been dazzled by the food and most certainly by the service – hats off to co-owner Sarah and self-described “helper” (read: excellent wait staff) Ilana. Their names are reassuringly mentioned on the menu, in case one has any special dietary requirements, to which Novaro’s will happily cater.
The wine list is tantalising and representative of the best on offer from Tasmania (although sadly lacking a nod to Craigie Knowe’s Cabernet Sauvignon, surely Tasmania’s best heavier-style red), and from the traditional mainland regions. A nice surprise is the selection of Italian wines on offer. From all regions and styles there is a choice of wines available by the glass. I started with a Janz sparkling, followed by a delicious Italian white – the 2002 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio from Cortaccio in Italy ($11 by the glass or $44 by the bottle). Spectacular! A subtle, smoky, fruity nose, with an initial delicate hint of honey followed by a spicy back palette. The Tiefenbrunner was perfectly matched with my meal (by Sarah’s expert recommendation, not by my meagre knowledge).
Delicate balance of the subtle with the rich
Knowing my eyes-bigger-than-my-belly appetite, I ordered an entrée from the specials menu: Prawns pan fried and served with linguine and an apple and chilli sauce. I paired this with a salad of roast chilli, peas, baby spinach leaves, and fetta. The prawns were perfectly cooked, preserving their freshness and tenderness. The sauce was not adequately described by the above menu description – think of a creamy clover honey delicately melded with butter and molten spring onion and apple, and delicately spiced by chilli.
This delicate balance of the subtle with the rich is typical of Novaro’s style and points to the talents of Novaro’s chef and co-owner Nick. Due to a lapse in communication on my part, the prawns came to me as a main size rather than an entrée, and the salad was more than enough for two to share (alas I was dining alone). Need I say I almost licked the plate of every last skerrick of prawns and that wonderful sauce.
The salad was a fantastic contrast, and so fresh. Its flavour was enhanced by the addition of an excellent olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The combined effect left the impression that the fetta had been marinated in lemon zest – which it hadn’t, I was reliably informed.
In short, my second meal at Navoro’s only acted to reinforce my first impression of this wonderful restaurant. Unfortunately it left me (a) very full, (b) wishing I wasn’t dining alone, (c) jealous of Launcestonians, and (d) frustrated at being no closer to solving my Hobartian dilemma du jour: Where to take my husband for dinner (for his very special birthday) where we won’t be disappointed by either food, service, or ambience. If only I could transport Novaro’s to Hobart, all my problems would be solved.
A deserved reputation for quality dining
Launceston is developing a quiet reputation for quality dining. Novaro’s and Fee & Me (the only venue for a truly great degustation experience) are carrying the candle for this reputation within the Launceston city centre. I can also attest to the food-service-ambience qualifications of Mud at the Old Seaport, and certainly the Stillwater River Café (believe me, a breakfast and view worth getting out of bed for!).
I know I have left some glaring omissions, and many travel magazine and newspaper articles, not to mention television travel shows, have long trumpeted the value of visiting the northern wine trails for great wine and food experiences. We all know this to be true – I’ll leave it up to you to write and tell me about your adventures on that score.
In the meantime, I’m off home to beautiful Hobart to remind the ‘establishments’ there to stop resting on their laurels and remember that the holy trinity of a divine dining experience – excellent food, excellent service, and excellent ambience – must be acting in unison.
A complacent reliance on water views, good wine lists, and past awards is no longer enough. Do those craving a divine dining experience a favour, visit the Macleay St Bistro in Potts Point in Sydney, and then visit Sarah, Ilana, and Nick at Navaro’s in Launceston…
Then tell me I’m wrong.
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