Port Stephens is a sleepy seaside town two hours north of Sydney. Home to exquisite beaches and peaceful bays, it captivated celebrity chef Rick Stein enough for him to open a restaurant making the most of the area's exceptional seafood.
We arrived ... after a siesta in our room in the newly refurbished Bannister hotel, conveniently attached to the restaurant. Set in a lofty cliff face overlooking the ocean, the complex is a slice of coastal lux with bright white spaces, pastels and soft wooden furnishings.
Our first impression was ... we could definitely while away the evening here. The restaurant space is huge, yet warm and inviting, with floor to ceiling windows that allow panoramic views of the water, framed by the curling branches of old Aussie gum trees.
We chose here because ... you can't really visit this town without taking up the opportunity to dine at a Rick Stein restaurant.
We started with ... a colourful plate of sashimi and a generous glass of semillon. Produced in the nearby Hunter Valley wine region, it's like a sauvignon sans the grassy notes - and it was a great match for the fish which was clean, delicate and accompanied by a light wakame salad, pickled ginger and wasabi.
