The best meal of a 5 week trip to Australia! and other Cairns, Australia Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Cest Bon

First off, as a rule we do not put a lot of restaurant reviews in our VT pages. The reason is that we eat out a lot, and there is not point in writing reviews for other travellers about average restaurants. If we do a review about a restaurant, to us it means that it is somewhere where our friends have to go if they are in the area.

Saying that, this place qualifies as a must go in our mind. (How about that for an endorsement)

This is a small french restaurant, with a proper clean, high end appearance. Fresh table linens, unbeatable service by true restaurateurs, a wine list chosen by a wine drinker and not sold by a wine rep and most of all > stunning food.

You can always tell when a restaurant is great, it is off the beaten path, it always has customers and most of them are locals. this is one of those great examples of this trait.

Be careful about when you want to go though. It is only open from Tuesdays till Saturday, and only for lunch (with a break in the afternoon) then supper. This is not a lounge type place, but a pure eating establishment. Have no doubt, this is about great food.

Favorite Dish: Amelie owns and runs the place. She will most likely greet you, seat you, take care of you and make you feel special, all while also taking care of her other patrons.

The menu was created by her father, a famous french chef who is also based in Australia. All the food is provencial styled, but modern and exceptionally well prepared. We had many favourites, the pork loin was great as well as the sea bass and the calamari. There is enough variety in the menu to take care of all tastes.

The wine selection is well developed. All wines in all price ranges were of great quality and chosen for the consumer. Prices are very reasonable for the quality served. Amelie will always help to chose a wine that will compliment the meal, while making you feel comfortable with the selection no matter what your criteria (price, taste, name). The sign of a great restaurateur.

Lastly, the deserts in this place are stunning, works of edible art. The selections differ from the traditional (creme brule) to the exceptional (Vacherin glace). The deserts again are another reason to save some room from dinner.

Overall, this is one of the best restaurants we have eaten in. And we would not give this endorsement if we did not truly believe it.

Lastly, if this restaurant was in Sydney, the prices would be at least twice as much and it would still be worth it.

Bon apetit!

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Theme: French
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 07 4051 4488
Address: 20 Lake Street Cairns
Directions: Very close to the casino, but not on the water front. Just down the road from Inn Cairns headed south. 5 minute walk from the harbour.
Website: www.cestbon.com.au

Restaurant Name: Red Ochre Grill

The problem with going to tourist destinations is that invariably most restaurants are geared towards lowest cost to price ratios. Most restaurants do not expect you to come back, so cheap is good. This is not one of those restaurants.

Red Ochre represents pride of quality and service. Nestled right in the heart of Cairns, this gem of a restaurant features modern Australian and international dishes. We were referred to this restaurant by some people we met in Sydney. They said we should not miss this place while up in Cairns. We were glad for the tip because this restaurant represented one of the two memorable dinning experiences we had in Cairns. Decent dishes at reasonable prices, this was a good dining experience.

Favorite Dish: Red Ochre serves many different dishes, but they specialise in native Australian products. If you were looking for a chance to try crocodile, kangaroo or emu, this is the place. You can have little nibbles to try with the Australian Antipasto plate or you can go full bore with one of the main courses.

Besides the local fare prepared with serious flare, there is also a well developed modern menu with variety and depth that should satisfy just about everyone. I enjoyed the Pork shoulder and the coral trout (we went twice), while Jennifer loved the duck.

In the end, we are foodies. It is always nice to find a restaurant that rises above average and moves into a great eating adventure. This little spot gets the marks for making it worth it.....

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 07 4051 0100
Address: 43 Shields Street, Cairns.
Directions: Corner of Shields Street and Sheridan. About 4 blocks from the casino or harbour, perhaps a 6 - 8 minute walk. (The blocks are small in Cairns).
Head up Spence street from the harbour or casino and turn Right on Sheridan.
Website: http://www.redochregrill.com.au/