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The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
'Old-school feel': new chapter for historic Islington hotel
The painted black walls and windows are gone, the sticky floors replaced, and potted plants hang from the ceiling. The Newcastle Hotel on Maitland Road is now the Islington Barracks Hotel, and its shift from a nightclub to family-friendly local pub has rendered it almost unrecognisable. Newcastle locals Lukas Thodas, and brothers John and Phil Elsley, wasted no time putting their stamp on the 135-year-old hotel after agreeing to take over the lease earlier this year. "The owners approached us about the hotel and asked if we wanted to have a go, and we're all Newcastle boys, and we'd always look at the pub and go 'Oh, it could be awesome', so we took it on," Thodas said. "I used to go there with work colleagues when I was 18 or 19 and worked at The Exchange, it was the only place open when we finished our shift, so I had a bit of a soft spot for the place." The trio also lease the Lambton Park Hotel and own the Grand Hotel in Newcastle, while the Elsleys own "a bunch of other venues" including Bartholomew's in Newcastle and Good Folk Brewing Co. in Hamilton. "All our pubs are proper pubs. What we've done at the Grand is to restore it back to that traditional style, and with the Islington Barracks, it's got that original old-school feel as well," Thodas said. "We just wanted to make sure we made it a locals' pub, and so far, so good. The feedback has been great from the community." The 139 Maitland Road premises has had various names over the years, including the Criterion, the Barracks, King George Tavern, the Newy and the Gateway. It looked very different, Thodas says, when he was first handed the keys. "All the windows in the bar were blacked out when we took over. There was a DJ set-up in the main bar and in the dining area, there was a DJ set-up in the front room, and then there was the ballroom section which has the full stage set-up as well," he said. "The whole venue was operating as a club. "We've gutted the dining area. Every surface in there is new, there's new booth seating ... there's even a new soundproof ceiling. We put a completely new kitchen in, and we redid the beer garden. There's a totally different feel now. It's come up well." The hotel's new colour palette was inspired by the original tiles in the bar area, some of which feature a lion motif. "I look at this pub as a bit of a mix between the other two pubs. We're going for that community focus - family friendly, dog friendly in the beer garden, the menu is all gluten-free - but we'll also have the live music element in the band room, and lots of different sports on televisions in the front bar," Thodas said. It was certainly a warm and welcoming space to visit for lunch on a cold and rainy day, and the beer garden will no doubt be popular in the summer months. The food offering is a definite point of difference. It's gluten-free and coeliac-friendly, and executive chef Jeremy Fahy cooks on a spit rotisserie which he says is "partly French-influenced, partly classic Aussie '80s bistro" in style. The mixed rotisserie plate for two is a must-try: a flavoursome mix of pork, chicken and lamb with drip-pan potatoes, endive, apple and walnut salad, and sauce. Delicious. So, too, were the rotisserie chicken croquettes (slow-cooked rotisserie chicken with chicken fat bechamel). Fahy says the rotisserie rolls are popular: the Classic Chicken Roll (herb-roasted chicken, butter, gravy and fries), Pork and Apple Roll (salsa verde apple slaw, mustard mayo and crackling lamb), Mint Roll (pulled lamb, minted yoghurt, cucumber and pickled onion) and the Mushroom and Brie Roll (garlic mushrooms, brie, caramelised onion and dijon mayo). All the pub classics are there, too, and in gluten-free form: schniztels, burgers, rump steaks and fries. The wine list has a strong Hunter Valley presence. The upstairs rooms are being refurbished, and a variety of live gigs have already been booked, including I See Stars (US), Justice Crew and comedian Julian Woods. "We're not going to pigeonhole ourselves into a certain style, and we'll have regular non-ticketed events too," Thodas said. "Now that we're open, plus the The Oak, Cross Keys Hotel, The Oriental, you can actually go on a suburban pub crawl on the fringe of the CBD, kind of like Enmore, Surry Hills and Newtown on Sydney's fringe. "It's good for the area, I think, to have these places open up to the community." The painted black walls and windows are gone, the sticky floors replaced, and potted plants hang from the ceiling. The Newcastle Hotel on Maitland Road is now the Islington Barracks Hotel, and its shift from a nightclub to family-friendly local pub has rendered it almost unrecognisable. Newcastle locals Lukas Thodas, and brothers John and Phil Elsley, wasted no time putting their stamp on the 135-year-old hotel after agreeing to take over the lease earlier this year. "The owners approached us about the hotel and asked if we wanted to have a go, and we're all Newcastle boys, and we'd always look at the pub and go 'Oh, it could be awesome', so we took it on," Thodas said. "I used to go there with work colleagues when I was 18 or 19 and worked at The Exchange, it was the only place open when we finished our shift, so I had a bit of a soft spot for the place." The trio also lease the Lambton Park Hotel and own the Grand Hotel in Newcastle, while the Elsleys own "a bunch of other venues" including Bartholomew's in Newcastle and Good Folk Brewing Co. in Hamilton. "All our pubs are proper pubs. What we've done at the Grand is to restore it back to that traditional style, and with the Islington Barracks, it's got that original old-school feel as well," Thodas said. "We just wanted to make sure we made it a locals' pub, and so far, so good. The feedback has been great from the community." The 139 Maitland Road premises has had various names over the years, including the Criterion, the Barracks, King George Tavern, the Newy and the Gateway. It looked very different, Thodas says, when he was first handed the keys. "All the windows in the bar were blacked out when we took over. There was a DJ set-up in the main bar and in the dining area, there was a DJ set-up in the front room, and then there was the ballroom section which has the full stage set-up as well," he said. "The whole venue was operating as a club. "We've gutted the dining area. Every surface in there is new, there's new booth seating ... there's even a new soundproof ceiling. We put a completely new kitchen in, and we redid the beer garden. There's a totally different feel now. It's come up well." The hotel's new colour palette was inspired by the original tiles in the bar area, some of which feature a lion motif. "I look at this pub as a bit of a mix between the other two pubs. We're going for that community focus - family friendly, dog friendly in the beer garden, the menu is all gluten-free - but we'll also have the live music element in the band room, and lots of different sports on televisions in the front bar," Thodas said. It was certainly a warm and welcoming space to visit for lunch on a cold and rainy day, and the beer garden will no doubt be popular in the summer months. The food offering is a definite point of difference. It's gluten-free and coeliac-friendly, and executive chef Jeremy Fahy cooks on a spit rotisserie which he says is "partly French-influenced, partly classic Aussie '80s bistro" in style. The mixed rotisserie plate for two is a must-try: a flavoursome mix of pork, chicken and lamb with drip-pan potatoes, endive, apple and walnut salad, and sauce. Delicious. So, too, were the rotisserie chicken croquettes (slow-cooked rotisserie chicken with chicken fat bechamel). Fahy says the rotisserie rolls are popular: the Classic Chicken Roll (herb-roasted chicken, butter, gravy and fries), Pork and Apple Roll (salsa verde apple slaw, mustard mayo and crackling lamb), Mint Roll (pulled lamb, minted yoghurt, cucumber and pickled onion) and the Mushroom and Brie Roll (garlic mushrooms, brie, caramelised onion and dijon mayo). All the pub classics are there, too, and in gluten-free form: schniztels, burgers, rump steaks and fries. The wine list has a strong Hunter Valley presence. The upstairs rooms are being refurbished, and a variety of live gigs have already been booked, including I See Stars (US), Justice Crew and comedian Julian Woods. "We're not going to pigeonhole ourselves into a certain style, and we'll have regular non-ticketed events too," Thodas said. "Now that we're open, plus the The Oak, Cross Keys Hotel, The Oriental, you can actually go on a suburban pub crawl on the fringe of the CBD, kind of like Enmore, Surry Hills and Newtown on Sydney's fringe. "It's good for the area, I think, to have these places open up to the community." The painted black walls and windows are gone, the sticky floors replaced, and potted plants hang from the ceiling. The Newcastle Hotel on Maitland Road is now the Islington Barracks Hotel, and its shift from a nightclub to family-friendly local pub has rendered it almost unrecognisable. Newcastle locals Lukas Thodas, and brothers John and Phil Elsley, wasted no time putting their stamp on the 135-year-old hotel after agreeing to take over the lease earlier this year. "The owners approached us about the hotel and asked if we wanted to have a go, and we're all Newcastle boys, and we'd always look at the pub and go 'Oh, it could be awesome', so we took it on," Thodas said. "I used to go there with work colleagues when I was 18 or 19 and worked at The Exchange, it was the only place open when we finished our shift, so I had a bit of a soft spot for the place." The trio also lease the Lambton Park Hotel and own the Grand Hotel in Newcastle, while the Elsleys own "a bunch of other venues" including Bartholomew's in Newcastle and Good Folk Brewing Co. in Hamilton. "All our pubs are proper pubs. What we've done at the Grand is to restore it back to that traditional style, and with the Islington Barracks, it's got that original old-school feel as well," Thodas said. "We just wanted to make sure we made it a locals' pub, and so far, so good. The feedback has been great from the community." The 139 Maitland Road premises has had various names over the years, including the Criterion, the Barracks, King George Tavern, the Newy and the Gateway. It looked very different, Thodas says, when he was first handed the keys. "All the windows in the bar were blacked out when we took over. There was a DJ set-up in the main bar and in the dining area, there was a DJ set-up in the front room, and then there was the ballroom section which has the full stage set-up as well," he said. "The whole venue was operating as a club. "We've gutted the dining area. Every surface in there is new, there's new booth seating ... there's even a new soundproof ceiling. We put a completely new kitchen in, and we redid the beer garden. There's a totally different feel now. It's come up well." The hotel's new colour palette was inspired by the original tiles in the bar area, some of which feature a lion motif. "I look at this pub as a bit of a mix between the other two pubs. We're going for that community focus - family friendly, dog friendly in the beer garden, the menu is all gluten-free - but we'll also have the live music element in the band room, and lots of different sports on televisions in the front bar," Thodas said. It was certainly a warm and welcoming space to visit for lunch on a cold and rainy day, and the beer garden will no doubt be popular in the summer months. The food offering is a definite point of difference. It's gluten-free and coeliac-friendly, and executive chef Jeremy Fahy cooks on a spit rotisserie which he says is "partly French-influenced, partly classic Aussie '80s bistro" in style. The mixed rotisserie plate for two is a must-try: a flavoursome mix of pork, chicken and lamb with drip-pan potatoes, endive, apple and walnut salad, and sauce. Delicious. So, too, were the rotisserie chicken croquettes (slow-cooked rotisserie chicken with chicken fat bechamel). Fahy says the rotisserie rolls are popular: the Classic Chicken Roll (herb-roasted chicken, butter, gravy and fries), Pork and Apple Roll (salsa verde apple slaw, mustard mayo and crackling lamb), Mint Roll (pulled lamb, minted yoghurt, cucumber and pickled onion) and the Mushroom and Brie Roll (garlic mushrooms, brie, caramelised onion and dijon mayo). All the pub classics are there, too, and in gluten-free form: schniztels, burgers, rump steaks and fries. The wine list has a strong Hunter Valley presence. The upstairs rooms are being refurbished, and a variety of live gigs have already been booked, including I See Stars (US), Justice Crew and comedian Julian Woods. "We're not going to pigeonhole ourselves into a certain style, and we'll have regular non-ticketed events too," Thodas said. "Now that we're open, plus the The Oak, Cross Keys Hotel, The Oriental, you can actually go on a suburban pub crawl on the fringe of the CBD, kind of like Enmore, Surry Hills and Newtown on Sydney's fringe. "It's good for the area, I think, to have these places open up to the community." The painted black walls and windows are gone, the sticky floors replaced, and potted plants hang from the ceiling. The Newcastle Hotel on Maitland Road is now the Islington Barracks Hotel, and its shift from a nightclub to family-friendly local pub has rendered it almost unrecognisable. Newcastle locals Lukas Thodas, and brothers John and Phil Elsley, wasted no time putting their stamp on the 135-year-old hotel after agreeing to take over the lease earlier this year. "The owners approached us about the hotel and asked if we wanted to have a go, and we're all Newcastle boys, and we'd always look at the pub and go 'Oh, it could be awesome', so we took it on," Thodas said. "I used to go there with work colleagues when I was 18 or 19 and worked at The Exchange, it was the only place open when we finished our shift, so I had a bit of a soft spot for the place." The trio also lease the Lambton Park Hotel and own the Grand Hotel in Newcastle, while the Elsleys own "a bunch of other venues" including Bartholomew's in Newcastle and Good Folk Brewing Co. in Hamilton. "All our pubs are proper pubs. What we've done at the Grand is to restore it back to that traditional style, and with the Islington Barracks, it's got that original old-school feel as well," Thodas said. "We just wanted to make sure we made it a locals' pub, and so far, so good. The feedback has been great from the community." The 139 Maitland Road premises has had various names over the years, including the Criterion, the Barracks, King George Tavern, the Newy and the Gateway. It looked very different, Thodas says, when he was first handed the keys. "All the windows in the bar were blacked out when we took over. There was a DJ set-up in the main bar and in the dining area, there was a DJ set-up in the front room, and then there was the ballroom section which has the full stage set-up as well," he said. "The whole venue was operating as a club. "We've gutted the dining area. Every surface in there is new, there's new booth seating ... there's even a new soundproof ceiling. We put a completely new kitchen in, and we redid the beer garden. There's a totally different feel now. It's come up well." The hotel's new colour palette was inspired by the original tiles in the bar area, some of which feature a lion motif. "I look at this pub as a bit of a mix between the other two pubs. We're going for that community focus - family friendly, dog friendly in the beer garden, the menu is all gluten-free - but we'll also have the live music element in the band room, and lots of different sports on televisions in the front bar," Thodas said. It was certainly a warm and welcoming space to visit for lunch on a cold and rainy day, and the beer garden will no doubt be popular in the summer months. The food offering is a definite point of difference. It's gluten-free and coeliac-friendly, and executive chef Jeremy Fahy cooks on a spit rotisserie which he says is "partly French-influenced, partly classic Aussie '80s bistro" in style. The mixed rotisserie plate for two is a must-try: a flavoursome mix of pork, chicken and lamb with drip-pan potatoes, endive, apple and walnut salad, and sauce. Delicious. So, too, were the rotisserie chicken croquettes (slow-cooked rotisserie chicken with chicken fat bechamel). Fahy says the rotisserie rolls are popular: the Classic Chicken Roll (herb-roasted chicken, butter, gravy and fries), Pork and Apple Roll (salsa verde apple slaw, mustard mayo and crackling lamb), Mint Roll (pulled lamb, minted yoghurt, cucumber and pickled onion) and the Mushroom and Brie Roll (garlic mushrooms, brie, caramelised onion and dijon mayo). All the pub classics are there, too, and in gluten-free form: schniztels, burgers, rump steaks and fries. The wine list has a strong Hunter Valley presence. The upstairs rooms are being refurbished, and a variety of live gigs have already been booked, including I See Stars (US), Justice Crew and comedian Julian Woods. "We're not going to pigeonhole ourselves into a certain style, and we'll have regular non-ticketed events too," Thodas said. "Now that we're open, plus the The Oak, Cross Keys Hotel, The Oriental, you can actually go on a suburban pub crawl on the fringe of the CBD, kind of like Enmore, Surry Hills and Newtown on Sydney's fringe. "It's good for the area, I think, to have these places open up to the community."
San Francisco Chronicle
08-07-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Chicken sandwich hotspot opening first S.F. location
Gregoire, a Berkeley favorite for French-influenced chicken sandwiches and lunch, is expanding into San Francisco this year. Owner Gregoire Jacquet confirmed to the Chronicle he is opening a franchise location at 1300 Ninth Ave., a former Jamba juice shop at the intersection with Irving Street. Inside, the menu will include favorites such as Jacquet's potato puffs, salads and more. Plans are to open in November. 'I'm very excited,' Jacquet said. 'San Francisco is where I first landed, so it's near and dear to my heart.' Jacquet has been working to franchise Gregoire for roughly three years, and has plans for more locations. To help, he has leased a commissary kitchen in Emeryville to prepare all ingredients for each future outpost. The idea is to offer items that change each quarter but to reduce cooking and labor as much as possible for operators: just assemble and serve. 'It's the best way of having consistency. You don't need chefs, and it helps keep the footprint small,' he explained. Jacquet arrived in the Bay Area from his native France in 1989 with a background in fine dining. His first local job in the industry was under famed chef Jacky Robert at his restaurant Amelio's, later cooking at the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton. (He also cooked at the luxury hotel's locations in Boston and Puerto Rico before settling down in the Bay Area.) He later opened the first Gregoire alongside his wife Tara in 2003. While some were skeptical of the fine dining chef turning to a casual model, the potato puffs and sandwiches won people over. 'I remember a guy telling me it's never going to work. But we're still here after 23 years,' Jacquet said. Jacquet has expanded in the past. The couple ran a second location in Oakland from 2006 through 2017. They chose to close the location, which served as a commissary for the two restaurants, due to burnout and to spend more time with their children. 'Now that my kids are gone, my wife and I decided we need to grow again,' he said. This isn't the Gregoire brand's first foray into the city. A Gregoire food truck serving sandwiches and potato puffs is regularly stationed outside Salesforce Tower and Levi's Plaza during the midweek lunch hour, and it often makes other appearances around the Bay Area.
The Independent
02-05-2025
- The Independent
Say hello to the Seychelles: breathtaking beaches, tropical landscapes and rare wildlife, discover the perfect island for your idyllic getaway
Made up of 115 islands and atolls, the Seychelles is blessed with some of the most incredible biodiversity on the planet. Wherever you go, endless white powder sands and turquoise waters encase lush forests that are home to rare plants and endangered creatures. The archipelago lies off the coast of Africa and is a merging of cultures and cuisines, and home to friendly locals and luxury resorts. So how do you choose the right island for you when there is so much on offer? Worry not, we've rounded up some of the best for you. Big town energy in Mahé Home to the buzzy capital of Victoria, the largest island of the Seychelles is a good place to base yourself, whether you're keen on island-hopping or you prefer to stay put in one part of paradise. The main town offers a taste of local life – visit the harbour, museums, famous clock tower, French colonial buildings and the magnificently decorated Hindu Temple. Fill up on a mix of Creole dishes and French-influenced pastries, with a visit to the renowned Marie Antoinette restaurant a must. Finally, head to the Botanical Gardens for a stroll around its lush environs, which boast 500 different species of plants, including 40 different palms and a variety of exotic fruits. Leave the capital behind for the lush greenery of Morne Seychellois National Park, which you can drive or hike through, looking out for rare birds, bats and giant tortoises along the way. Make a day of exploring Mahé's powder-soft beaches: choose from the busy vibrancy at Beau Vallon, secluded and scenic Petite Anse or Anse Royale, snorkelling at Anse Soleil, or Anse Intendance for a good mix of everything. Book into the luxury Constance Ephélia to be really spoiled, as the resort's hilly, leafy surrounds are sandwiched between two breathtaking beaches. Check little ones into the Constance Children's Club before winding down at the resort's tropical spa – one of the best in the Seychelles. Be at one with nature in Praslin A 15-minute domestic flight from the main island sits the blissful utopia that is Praslin, a magnet for nature lovers who want to explore the vast primeval forest of Vallée de Mai. So impressive is the flora and fauna here it's been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status, and the site is home to both the protected Coco de Mer palm tree and the endangered Seychelles black parrot, which can't be found anywhere in the world but Praslin or neighbouring Curieuse Island. Make a home-from-home in one of the 86 idyllic villas with private pools at Raffles Seychelles. The five-star resort is nestled between a tropical hillside and the ivory sands of the beautiful Anse Takamaka Beach. Here you can experience the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean through many of the watersports or diving on offer, or choose to rejuvenate at the award-winning spa, complete with yoga pavilion and beauty salon. If you can tear yourself away from the five restaurants and bars at the resort, head to Cote d'Or beach to one of the family-run restaurants serving Creole dishes such as parrotfish or octopus curry. The beach is also great for snorkelling and exploring secluded coves and inlets. Make time to pop over to the picture-perfect granite boulders and azure waters of Anse Lazio beach, which has deservedly been included in numerous 'World's best beach' lists. Praslin is also a good base for island hopping to nearby Cousin, Curieuse, St. Pierre, La Digue, Chauve Souris and Aride islands. Book yourself onto an island trip via catamaran, leaving from Raffles' Anse Takamaka Beach. Savour untouched paradise in Silhouette Island For those looking for a slower pace of life, or a hidden idyll, then Silhouette Island will tick all your boxes. Here over 90 per cent of the land is a protected national park and the surrounding waters are a Marine park. A handful of houses and the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa occupy the only bit of land that doesn't form part of the virgin rainforest that surrounds Mount Dauban – the second highest peak in the Seychelles. Fortunately, this small area includes a pristine, stretching shore that slopes into gentle crystalline waters. Set a few steps from the sand, the secluded haven of The Hilton Seychelles offers everything you'll need while you're cut blissfully off from the world. From luxury villas with sea views or mountain vistas to the Eforea Spa and eight dining options that include multiple Asian and Mediterranean restaurants. Don't miss the local dishes at the resort's Grann Kaz – cooking up and celebrating the island's Creole heritage. Silhouette Island is accessible by boat or helicopter, and perfect for watersports including snorkelling and diving at the Labriz Dive Center. The reefs teem with a variety of fish, and some of the quieter beaches are breeding grounds for green turtles. And naturally, exploring the national park, regarded as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Indian Ocean, is a must. Take on the many criss-crossing hiking trails and spot native birds, bats and geckos. Don't miss La Digue and Sainte Anne Island While it's impossible to get around all of the islands, here are two worth checking out on a day trip or as part of a boat tour. La Digue, a short trip from Praslin, is home to the world famous Anse la Source d'Argent beach where the scenery is so breathtaking, it's hard to believe it's real. The island is mostly navigated by bike, so cycle from one beach to the next, taking time to see traditional crafts at Union Estate and rare birds and terrapins at La Digue Vev Special Reserve. A quick boat ride from Mahé, and a worthwhile visit, is Ste. Anne Island, which along with five other islands, make up the Sainte Anne Marine National Park. The island's numerous coral reefs are home to sea turtles and dolphins, while back on terra firma, you can explore dazzling beaches or hike a network of trails that show off more of the Seychelles much-cherished biodiversity.
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Forbes
Adventure—And Quiet—Awaits At The End Of The Road In Tahiti
At the end of the road on Tahiti Iti, the smaller island of Tahiti that hangs from Tahiti Nui like the tail of a fish, lies a singular kind of getaway. Aimatarii and Hitinui Levy's airy guesthouse is built on land that Hitinui's family has owned for generations. Called A Hi'o To Mou'a, its back porch looks out on soaring jungled peaks and sea birds diving on shrimp ponds. The front porch, with its long breakfast table where Aimatarii serves her guests fresh fruit, juice, eggs, and Tahitian donuts, offers glimpses of the ocean across the road. It's the kind of place that invites a slowing down, island style. Teahupo'o sits on the shores of a calm lagoon. Just a year ago, Teahup'o, where the Levy's live, was buzzing with excitement. This sleepy rural town had blasted onto the international map as the site of the 2024 Olympic surf competition. Now it's quiet: the little beach on the lagoon is empty save for the dogs that wander Teahup'o's streets, a chicken or two, and some locals alternating between socializing and offering the handful of tourists boat rides past the reef to see the famous wave. The roar of it can be heard breaking on the outer reef. It's a fitting soundtrack for the monuments to Tahiti's surfing lore that line the new waterfront bridge put in for the Olympics. The Levys not only had front-row seats to the competition; their family hosted Team USA for it. Nods to surfing lore are everywhere around Teahupo'o's waterfront. Hitinui grew up in the house across the street on the ocean, surfing, rowing, and fishing. He moved to the capital, Papeete, and worked an office job for years. But he wanted to live closer to the natural world again, and a few years ago, came back home and built the guest house. He became a hiking guide to take guests and other tourists on adventure outings along Tahiti's wild southern coast, and Aimatarii took on running A Hi'o To Mou'a. Guests here get their own spacious, white-tiled room and bathroom full of tropical plants, and a private slice of patio with a jaw-dropping view of the mountains. While guests can join Hitinui for a guided hike—an option highly recommended to get to spots difficult for tourists to access on their own, and to hear his stories of this place—DIY adventure options abound here, too. Just across the bridge, friendly reef snorkeling offers a swim around bright coral, electric blue clams, rays, eels, and a dazzling array of fish. The Levys have a glass-bottomed kayak guests can take out paddling when the lagoon is calm. And a path on their property leads up toward the mountains, through a riot of flowering trees and a herd of white horses that Hitinui's mother tends, to a high tumbling waterfall. The A Hi'o To Mou'a guest house backs up to high jungled mountains. The Levys built A Hi'o To Mou'a with an enormous open kitchen in the center of the house; they both love cooking. Hitinui offers cooking lessons in the French-influenced Polynesian dishes that make the food here internationally famous—complete with foraging for faa'a, akin to wild spinach, and teaching guests how to shuck, halve, and grate coconuts. He makes shucking a coconut, on a spike in the front yard, look easy. But for the uninitiated, it's an almost comically difficult and lengthy process. Hitinui can do it in ten seconds flat. And then both Aimatarii and Hitinui are generous with sharing both their company and their stories while guests eat their meal on the covered porch with its flash of the sea. If you're looking for a slice of Tahiti that's peaceful, welcoming, with just the right amount of adventure of your choosing, it's here at the end of the road in Teahopo'o. The Levys on the patio of their guest house in Teahupo'o.
CNA
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Celebrity food travels: Class 95 DJ and musician Rai's top places to eat in Ho Chi Minh City
Musician and Class 95 DJ Rai Kannu's love for Ho Chi Minh City is evident in the fact that he's visited the Vietnamese metropolis four times since pandemic travel restrictions were lifted. He's even learned to say 'Happy new year' in Vietnamese. In this city that's 'a proportionate mix of order and chaos', 'I love that you get the best of all worlds there, from streetside fare and humble food shops to more sophisticated, French-influenced offerings,' he said. He's also played gigs here, where he discovered an audience comprising an eclectic mix of Vietnamese youths who love grunge music and teachers from all over the world. 'We did have a few people up on the tables of Yoko Cafe, banging their heads fervently to our encore track by Rage Against The Machine,' he recalled. Off-work, the joy of travel for Rai is in long walks, soaking in the culture and dining where the locals do. Although he's 'one those who can be categorised under 'eats to live',' he said, 'I do enjoy quality food and drink. I'd like to think I know what is good and what is not.' For affordable accommodation, he recommends Hammock Hotel, where 'the rooms are chic and cosy. They have beds – you don't need to sleep in the hammocks – but what I loved about it was the 24-hour pantry with a free flow of drinks all stocked up in a fridge, beer included.' His travel tip for discovering the city is to 'break your journey up into parts. It's no point exploring different districts far apart from each other in a short span of time. Plonk yourself somewhere – District 1 is a good start – and walk your way to every nook and cranny you can find. You'll uncover your own little gem collection of banh mi, pho and egg coffee, as well as art, history and culture.' Here are his top recommendations for food and drink in Ho Chi Minh City. BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO I've been here regularly since I first discovered it, and no, there is no menu. You just order according to how many bowls you want. Bun thịt nuong is a popular Vietnamese dish of cold rice vermicelli topped with grilled pork and fresh herbs like basil, mint and veggies. The bun thit is cooked streetside, beneath a rustic building, and you sit across the road, along an uneven pavement, on plastic chairs with legs half sawn off. Quite like squatting with some support. I don't know if it helps the crowd to move along since one can't sit back and relax, but the pork is sublime and you don't really need to find another spot to have this dish. PHU VUONG PHO Simple. Basic. Hearty. That's all you need to look for when having one of Vietnam's most popular offerings. I always have the mixed bowl, because a pho is not a pho unless you have everything in it, tripe included. A no-frills place with reasonably priced pho. HUM GARDEN I found this spot because I was planning for a more elegant date night – a place with dim lights, clean food and good service. I highly endorse Hum Garden especially when you are looking for vegetarian fare that is fresh and cooked to traditional tastes, containing a slightly modern twist. All the veggies are sourced directly from farmers too. I'd five-star this place in a heartbeat because it fulfilled all that I was looking for, and greens never tasted better. One of my favourites was the steamed brown rice with purple yam, lotus seeds and peas. Even something as simple as stir-fried chayote with peanuts was mind-blowing! YOKO CAFE I am particularly biased to Yoko Cafe because I have performed a few times there with my grunge tribute band DYRT, and done some open mic sessions as well. Simply put, it's a dive bar with music. That's probably the best way to describe the place. The decor reminds me of the legendary Crazy Elephant at Clarke Quay – rustic and woody with a mix of high and low tables and chairs. From what I know, they don't have a particular regular band but instead they do lots of showcases, open mics and jams. As a musician, I'm glad they know how to set up a good sound system, and coming from the frontman of a band playing 90s grunge, that helps a lot! One for those who enjoy the gritty, indie singer-songwriter type feels. Primary objective: Drink beer, watch bands. KRYSTALINI HIDDEN COCKTAIL BAR Getting here is a mini adventure in itself. It's located in a more commercial area of the city, but the hunt to find the place is almost like marching up People's Park Complex in Chinatown, and getting lost while you're at it. The musty smells of an old stairwell accompany your trek to Krystalini, but once you're there, it's a small, plush, yet cosy little hideout with friendly bar staff ready to make you your fix or fixes for the night. I wanted something with a bit of a kick in the butt so I went for a Golden Glow, which had bourbon, Fireball whisky, amaretto, lime juice, Angostura bitters and a touch of cinnamon. Spiced, tasty and definitely strong enough.
