Take off your shoes and let the golden white sands of the New South Wales South Coast greet you with purity and a breeze of crisp sea salt sprinkled air that awakens the senses. It is a large sparse of land that is full of not only world class dining adventures but seafood produce that is a food lovers dream. Pack the bags, fill the car up with petrol and take yourself on a tranquil gourmet adventure.
Upon my recent travels to the Sapphire Coast township of Narooma, I rekindled my love for all things fins, shells and tentacles. Home to an abundance of freshly caught fish, oysters from the bay and other seasonal catches I have been visiting here since I was knee high to a grasshopper and can safely say this is where my love affair with seafood begun.
Only 4.5hrs drive south of Sydney, Narooma is not only full of fresh seafood but local farmers markets showcasing freshly grown fruits and vegetables from nearby farms.
First stop is at Forsters Bay at Narooma Marina where an unsuspecting shed sells some of the best oysters in town. Keep an eye out for the signage and half wooden, half fly screen window door. Here you can purchase oysters unshucked in their natural shells by the net, freshly shucked and even in a jar. With a squeeze of lemon juice, a cold glass of beer or wine in hand and a view of the last winter day sunsets mirroring off the turquoise seas, this is a dining experience no seafood lover should miss.
If you are lucky enough to sneak in a trip out to Montague Island, I cannot recommend highly enough Montague Island Tours with Wazza . Looking every part the wild sea captain, the charismatic Wazza will take you out to see the local whales, dolphins and resident seals of the island, with other tours to swim with the seals also available.
On the way back out of town make a sharp turn once over the Narooma bridge ( Sydney bound) to Narooma Bridge Seafoods.
This is where you can get a true taste of what the local trawlers have dragged in including the likes of fresh lobster, flatheads, oysters and sweet tiger prawns. Forgot to pack the esky? Fear not, small bags of ice are available at 50c each to keep your catch of the day fresh for the fry up.
In my next post, I will share a simple flathead fillet and housemade tartare sauce recipe that is fresh, simple and is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh fish.