I love visiting somewhere new and discovering what makes it tick, especially food-wise and this was very much the case with Darwin. I had never been to Darwin… or even anywhere close to Darwin, so I had no idea what to expect. Having a great interest in regional food, I did some research on local produce, which proved to be a bit of a challenge… I couldn’t really find any, well other than the odd croc meat mention. Surely there had to be more??
Need less to say, I was a little excited when Pee Wee’s at the Point flew under my radar.
Pee Wee’s at the Point is just that… at the point, as in East Point Nature Reserve. It’s position is unsurpassable, nestled on the edge of the aforementioned point with fabulous views of Fannie Bay with a sparkling skyline of Darwin in the background – we even had a fireworks show adding extra dazzle, though I am not sure what it was in aid of.
Pee Wees’ is sprawling. Taking advantage of the waterside expanse, and the wonderful winter dry season weather, the heritage listed building opens to a huge outdoor courtyard. While the position is undoubtedly beautiful, it is a little difficult to appreciate fully in the dark, and I was wishing I had extra time for a revisit in daylight… something for next time.
Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris in hand, it was time to appreciate the menu.
Finally, some local produce. Probably not like local produce you would find elsewhere, but local produce just the same. Wild caught saltwater barramundi, Lambells Lagoon buffalo cheese, buffalo fillet, crocodile tail (which I am assuming is locally caught – the menu quips that it is ‘wrestled by the chef’) and an interesting inclusion of Paspaley pearl meat *little squeal*.
Entrees were easy. I was having the NT Seafood Assiette. And that’s that! Cherry babe was having the coconut crusted crocodile tail – which I was quite happy about – it ensured a test taste. My son was ditto-ing my choice of the assiette.
The assiette was a trio of seafood delicacies; Yellowfin tuna tartare, Spanish mackerel gravlax and Paspaley pearl meat sashimi.
The tuna tartare was presented as small disc with shavings of ginger and horseradish, beautifully fresh. The Spanish mackerel gravlax was quite interesting, it had a really smooth consistency that I wasn’t expecting, dressed with a caperberry. Lovely. The pearl meat needed no adornment, it was nice to be able to appreciate this delicate sweet flesh just as it was.
For the uninitiated, pearl meat is actually the adductor muscle that attaches the pearl oyster to the shell – naturally the pearl oyster is somewhat larger than the oysters we are normally exposed to and the translucent meat best described as a cross between abalone and scallop meat… and yum.
We both thoroughly enjoyed out little trio.
I snuck a sample of my cherry babe’s crocodile tail. It didn’t look unlike calamari, thin crumbed, crispy fried strips with a mini yoghurt pannacotta, sprinkled with some dukkah and a mound of green pawpaw chutney, a nice combination. I had eaten crocodile before, so no surprises there. What does it taste like? It could easily be mistaken for calamari or chicken, but I quite like it.
Next it was the Confit Pork Belly – I am such a sucker for pork belly, and I wasn’t about to watch my cherry babe devour that awesome strip of crackling without having some too. The honey citrus braised cabbage was delicious, and reminded me of a cabbage dish from my childhood *flashback*, and the apple marmalade a welcome bite of sweetness.
My son surprised me by ordering the venison dish, which he really enjoyed. I restrained myself from making any Bambi quips, as I didn’t want to draw attention to his choice, just in case he hadn’t made the connection. Served medium rare it was a beautiful looking striploin accompanied by a shank and wild mushroom pie, carrot puree, truffled mash, braised witlof and a red wine jus. I have to say, it looked pretty darn good – and I was assured it was… and he had made the connection.
And then there was dessert…
Oh dear. I was glad there was room. It would have been a devastating case of dining envy if there wasn’t, even if I did have to share to make it happen.
I wonder how many people order Pee Wee’s Chocolate Slut just so they can say, “I’ll have the chocolate slut, thanks?” Of course after a couple of wines, predictably that is what we asked for and I am sure there was an inward roll of eyes disguised by a good-humoured smile.
And what a slut she was… (the dessert). There was a bit of duelling of spoons as we fought to preserve our share of this wanton collection of chocolate imbued temptations. Chocolate macaron, chocolate sable, raspberry compote and white chocolate and raspberry ice cream… oh #yesplease… and so pretty too. We were done with the slut all too quickly.
Having said that, I wasn’t quick enough to secure a taste of the vanilla bean crème brulee, cardamom infused lychees, fig, pistachio and wattleseed biscotto, but I was assured that it was very good.
And so the evening came to an end…
I had read a number of mixed reviews prior to visiting, a couple criticising the price. Pee Wee’s is definitely in the ‘up there’ price range, but you know, it really didn’t matter. The food was exceptional and a wonderful showcase of Darwin’s local produce, although I would still like to see more.
The service attentive without being intrusive, though perhaps a little impatient in instances – the venue beckons a certain serenity that invites the diner to take their time… and the views… gorgeous. We couldn’t really fault it and felt it was worth every cent. My only regret is because of the beautiful ambient light (or lack there of), I didn’t get better photos to share – and that is only a regret, not a complaint.
BTW, their wall full of awards is pretty impressive and I would say well deserved; one of Darwin’s finest.
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This story was written by Petra Frieser – Pebbles + Pomegranate Seeds. Petra’s visit was paid for and unannounced.
