Highlights of 2009

And here are some other highlights of the year:

Bells at Killcare on the New South Wales Central Coast is home to leading Sydney chef Stefano Manfredi’s latest venture - a superb restaurant that hosts regular gourmet dinners featuring top chefs and leading winemakers. The boutique hotel is a luxury European-style coastal retreat and offers accommodation in deluxe spa villas or single-storey king spa suites. Manfredi serves up imaginative Italian-inspired cuisine using local produce wherever possible. Herbs and vegetables come from the kitchen garden, while the eggs come from Manfredi's own chickens. Phone (02) 4360 2411. www.bellsatkillcare.com.au/.

Black Cow Bistro is the new hotspot in Launceston – having quickly established itself as one of Tasmania’s leading destination restaurants. Staff from long-time favourite Stillwater opened this new bistro/steakhouse that showcases premium Tasmanian beef – appropriately as the building is a former butcher’s shop. The wine list highlights the best of the island state with an excellent selection of pinots noir from all over Tasmania. Phone (03) 6331 9333. www.blackcowbistro.com.au/.

Grazing at Gundaroo, about 35 kilometres outside Canberra, sprawls through several rooms of the funky old Royal Hotel, which dates back to 1865. Chef Tom Moore champions local produce, grows many of his own vegetables, fruits and herbs, and farms his own free-range eggs. The wine list is made up almost entirely of Canberra region wines while the menu features modern Australian cuisine as sophisticated as you could hope to find in the country - and all the dishes on the menu are matched with wines by the glass, including the Capital wines made by the building’s owners. Grazing is open Thursday-Saturday for dinner and Friday-Sunday for lunch. Phone (02) 6236 8777. www.grazing.com.au/.

Geelong has become something of a culinary hotspot with newcomer Loam a rising star at Bellarine and Pettavel Winery Restaurant the established star with a superb cellar door and restaurant. The food is excellent, featuring local produce when possible, and merits a hat in The Age Good Food Guide. Throw in an excellent wine list and knowledgeable staff and Pettavel is one of the imperatives for any visit to the Bellarine Peninsula. Five courses cost $75, or $105 with matching wines. Phone (03) 5266 1120 or see www.pettavel.com/

Abu Dhabi

IT’S the fashionable new stopover en route to Europe; buzzing with ultra-luxe hotels and resorts. It’s the venue for international food and wine festivals like Gourmet Abu Dhabi and top international sporting events like the Formula One Grand Prix.

Offshoots of The Louvre and the Guggenheim Museum are currently under construction, along with a new cultural precinct. Abu Dhabi is booming despite the global economic crisis.

It may have a lower profile than neighbouring Dubai, but it is the largest, and wealthiest, of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the federal capital. With Etihad now flying direct from major Australian capital cities, it is very much on the radar as a destination for travellers from Down Under looking for a different holiday experience.



Surveying the beachfront boardwalk and the high-rise buildings, it is hard to imagine that as recently as 50 years ago, there was not a single tarred road in Abu Dhabi and the 4,000 locals lived a Bedouin existence, herding camels, fishing and living on their catch, mutton rice and dates. Oil was discovered in 1958, however, and the once-sleepy backwater today has a population of over 1.1 million.

Today, Abu Dhabi is a fascinating dichotomy; a modern metropolis with traditional values, where mosques sit alongside department stores.

The new Grand Mosque is open to non Muslims and guided tours are available, while the Heritage Village on the waterfront recreates aspects of the traditional Bedouin lifestyle.



Where to stay: Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi.

For further information: http://www.blogger.com/www.visitabudhabi.com. Phone (02) 02 8268 5504 or email info@abudhabitourism.com.au