By INGRID HARRISON
Beltana Hotel, Main Rd Lindisfarne Tel: 6243 8677
MUCH has already been written in this paper by my colleague Bev Brill about the Beltana hotel and its newly-refurbished restaurant as well as the quality of the food. Friends of ours decided that we would drop in on Anzac night for dinner and we were very pleasantly surprised. After having not visited the Beltana for many years – too long ago now to remember – we were pleased to see how smart and modern is the refurbishment. The Beltana is one of many owned by the Kallis Group and Emmanuel has done a fantastic job modernising the place and through Paul Foreman (formerly Gondwanna and Marque IV) who oversees his restaurants, has ensured that the food is up to great standard. One of our friends and hubby and I decided the porterhouse steak and chips with salad (OK, so it is real pub grub but it was done to our perfection). Medium rare and the best chips which while not on the heart -friendly menu were amazing. We convinced ourselves that they were baked not fried. Another in the party had scallops and while it is always dicey ordering seafood in a non-seafood establishment, he said they were terrific. Our meal was washed down with a delightful Bream Creek Pinot Noir. The Beltana has a vintage menu which is available all day (good pub food) and some more specialised offerings with the winter range including twice roasted duck (A Paul Foreman signature dish), ballotine of Huon ocean trout, filet mignon, pork belly and Eagle Hawk neck wallaby pot-au-feu.
It’s great to go back to establishments that remember from your childhood and find that they have moved with the times and the Beltana has done just that. The place was packed with families and the atmosphere convivial. The waiting staff were very friendly and service good. Prices are affordable with the average main courses range from around $25 (vintage) through to around $30 (for more specialised fare).
So my advice is to give it a try.
Navigators Cruises and Private Charters Brooke St Pier Tel: 6223 1914
TO celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking on its maiden voyage, we joined about 100 Hobartians from business and the community on board the Cartela to commemorate (not re-enact) the event. It was a fantastic night organised by Hobart Rotary and a small organising committee and in just three weeks! It began at Brooke St Pier with the welcome on board by captain (and Lord Mayor of Hobart) Damon Thomas. After drinks and canapés we sat down to a meal that would have been similar to what was served on that evening, salmon and lamb fillet. The evening was MC’d by Hobart actor and comedian John X, who kept everyone thoroughly entertained with some very good, and some not so good jokes. There was a merry old sing a long with some great renditions of Home on the Range, If You Knew Suzie, Beautiful Doll, Show Me the Way to Go Home, Daisy, There is a Tavern in the Town, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, I belong to Glasgow and Auld Lang Syne to name just a few.
The evening had a serious component with an auction of Titanic memorabilia. Combined with the ticket price, the night raised some $12,000 for charity. The reason for mentioning it in this column is that a night on the Cartela which takes you up and down the river is a truly wonderful evening. You shouldn’t forget about this wonderful vessel, which also celebrates its 100th birthday this year, for any function that you might be organising, large or small. The Cartela caters for all occasions, and sitting watching both sides of the river go by is quite relaxing and a wonderful way to enjoy your special event. It also deserves our patronage as she is now Australia’s oldest continuously licensed passenger vessel and she is on our Derwent River!
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