Platy

With the upcoming Ozfest Friday dinner venue now revealed, it's a good time to pen a mini trip report on North's Restaurant. North's is part of the same operation as Ba8 and thus on the SE corner of the Pier complex, close to the reception to the Shangri La, a 5 minute walk to the Hilton and 10 minute walk to the Holiday Inn along the water front in both cases.

North's offers tables on the deck overlooking Cairns marina so diners are seated between the water and the open plan kitchen (revealing your kitchen is always a good sign in my book!) and next to the lounge area of Ba8. The concept is based on a successful sister restaurant in Sydney and the restuarant manager, Dena, has worked in some of the better known Sydney restaurants.

After a warm up drink in Ba8, myself TurtleMichael and my American friend Pam are seated for dinner. I instantly order a bottle of Kooyoong Reserve Pinot Noir 2005 ($70), one of my favourites, and excellent example of the Victorian style of Australian Pinot Noir, despite the supplies of the earlier outstanding 2003 vintage being long since drunk. Complimentary bread arrives alongside a dipping plate of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which is just as well as the Pinot slips down easily, especially with very attentive waiter service efficiently topping up our glasses!

Whilst we ponder the menus a complimentary appetiser arrives in shot glass, the luscious green colour is matched by a bolt of lime and avocado. Things are definitely off to a good start! There is a background buzz from the Friday night drinking crowd, but the dining area in relaxed and the lapping of water and bobbing of boats add to a sense of occasion.

Michael and Pamela choose the spatchcook, whilst I pursue my current fascination with grilled tuna. The chicken is nicely cooked and comes with a light asian influenced sauce based on ginger, chilli, shallot and garnished with chinese vegetables (bok choi). Yummy! The yellow fin tuna steak is perfectly seared (as requested) and a vivid red in the middle, it melts in the mouth, flavours offset by the salsa verde. The nicoise salad is delicate, the egg perfectly cooked.

Tonight the side dishes are large cut french fries with a pot of garlic aioli and a scrummy dish of pea, eschallot and feta. Somehow the Pinot bottle is empty already and it's Michael's turn to choose! Typically he elects for a heavier red, a shiraz, and we opt to sample the house wine ($30), which proves to be most enjoyable.

Plates are cleared and enjoy the waterside surroundings and lively atmosphere of the boardwalk waiting for desserts. Both Michael and Pam chose the chocolate pudding without a hint of hesitation. I tell our hostess Dena simply to bring me something of her choosing. The warm chocolate pudding is rich and moist without being overly sweet and offset nicely by the cool cinnamon gelato. It is the equal of my other Cairns favourite dessert (the bitter chocolate tart in Vivos Palm Cove). I am served the vanilla bean pannacotta, which has the requisite "just wobble" factor for a well balanced pannacotta and is most tastey alongside a light and delicately flavoured strawberry consommé - crusted toasted marshmallows add the indulgence factor.

The bottle of shiraz emptied, and after a quick trip to the kitchen area to say thank you to staff, we leave North's as the DJ is just starting to transition the musical offerings from background to lively - for those not replete with food and wine, the evening is just starting, but for us it's time to find a taxi home...