Bellingen has a Byron Bay vibe without the flashiness, Writes Dan Hall.
Stepping into Bellingen's renowned No.2 oak Street restaurant on a crisp, early spring evening is like stepping into a warm, familiar hug. The fire is roaring, the venue is scattered with locals and the dimly lit main dining area oozes country charm — nothing too fancy or contrived about this place, or its food. For those who live in and around the NSW Coffs Coast town, No.2 oak Street has become something of an institution, but the familiarity with which staff greet guests makes the wayfaring diner feel right at home.
on the suggestion of local B&B owners Suzanne and Fritz Dimmlich, who run the stunning CasaBelle Country Guest House on the other side of the Bellinger River to No.2 Oak, our table starts with the Oak Street potted bread with oven dried tomato salsa and roasted garlic olive oil. It's a dish that recalls memories of early morning visits to the local bakery for simple, pillow-soft white loaves
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A verdant patchwork of river bends and rainforest, the NSW mid north coast inspires music, poetry and many big city migrations
The road that winds down the great Dividing Range, and links the towns of Dorrigo and Bellingen on the mid north coast of NSW, is one of the most scenic in Australia. Its name, Waterfall Way, is a good clue to the sort of scenery you you'll pass as you descend through the rainforest to the town of Bellingen near the coast. The 12,000-hectare Dorrigo National Park not only divides the two towns but also links them by water. Streams plunge from the Dorrigo Plateau down to the fertile Bellingen Vally. The park's lush vegetation is part of the region now called the Gondwana rain forests of Australia and home to numerous flora and fauna species.
Looking up form the forest floor, one stands in a green cathedral, the towering trees tracing lacework patterns against the sky. Set out from the Rainforest Centre and you'll hear the bush band: the golden whistler and grey shrike-thrush singing melody, the conga pigeon's single-note solo and the lyrebird on bass. Waterfalls are also synonymous with the area and one of the things Kathryn Wood, manager of the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre and Skywalk, rates as a favourite in the park
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Whatever it is the Urquhart family have, it should be bottled. Owners ray and Toni's children are all grown up, and work in the restaurant as through they were born to it, which, of course, they were. Michael and Shani were toddlers when their parents first opened the front door of this delightful timber cottage in 1995. The family shares an innate sense of hospitality, so an evening here is one that promises fun and good food, from Ray's ubiquitous flower-pot bread (hard to believe how good it is, still warm and slathered with roast garlic oil) right through to the last finger-lick of the espresso syrup that furls around orange-scented goat's curd semifreddo. Between start and finish a succession of robust flavours is handled with elegance: crab bisque-soused prawn revioli, marbled beed with earthy mushroom regout, roasted bone marrow and cafe de Paris butter; and duck crusted in pepper atop shredded red cabbage with hazelnut cream. Everything is delivered with that trademark
Urquhart je ne sais quoi
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Mystery Diner - Hospitality Magazine |
Published Hospitality Magazine January 2010
BELLINGEN IS not your typical New South Wales country town. Its wide undulating streets,lined with leafy trees and hosting some very trendy shops, give the place a dash of Double Bay.
It has become a town of destination since the opening of two excellent establishments which work together in the town’s interests—Lilly Pilly B&B and No 2 Oak Street. A recent visit there was no disappointment.
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True Blue Country - Country Style magazine |
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RAY URQUHART, owner and chef of Bellingen restaurant No 2 Oak Street, is a reluctant interview subject. And good luck getting him in front of the camera. It doesn’t take long before he steals back to the kitchen, leaving wife and business partner Toni behind to sing his praises.
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The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2010 |
25th Anniversary addition
Inside is cosy, but the outside verandah is equally homely, and extension of the warm hospitality for which this restaurant is renowned. As legendary is the cooking here: restrained, carefully composed creations of impeccable technique and wondrous flavours. To start, lovely house-made bread arrives puffing out little pots, with tomato relish, quality butter, olive oil and balsamic.
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The Sophisticated Traveller Life & Leisure Magazine |
Favorite Restaurant overseas?
Odeon, Supper, Pastis and Balthazar all in New York.
Favorite Restaurant in Australia?
Toko in Sydney, No2 Oak Street in Bellingen.
Steve Bush
Editor-in-chief, Art World Magazine
Excerpt taken from ‘Check in’ questionnaire
The Sophisticated Traveller Life & Leisure Magazine
Financial Review
Issue 17/ Winter 2008
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The A-list: 50 great Australian restaurants |
The Weekend Australian Magazine
September 5-6, 2009
You know those quiet achievers in the bush, beloved of politicians and corporate advertisers keen to hint as a human face? Well, the Urquharts are the real deal, softly plying their trade for more than a decade on a century old timber cottage in a small hippie town. Toni is the exuberant host who soon become a lifelong friend, while husband Ray cooks with an earthy, heart warming knack that’s part English comfort, part French paysanne.
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Gourmet Traveller 2010 Australian Restaurant Guide |
p 67
You’ll want to book ahead. One of the side-effects of the renowned warm welcome at No 2 is popularity. As crazy as it might seem, when you treat people in a friendly manner while you serve food and wine, they want to come back.
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Good Living SMH Feb5, 2008 |
Food for love
Passion Plates -
A seductive selection; choose from our 50 sexiest places to eat.
"No 2 Oak Street Bellingen - Pretty century old candle lit
cottage with a host who makes you feel like family in a charming hippie
village. 6655 9000"
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