Little Beach Boathouse, Port Stephens

Lex and I went up the coast this weekend with my parents. It was a lovely weekend and we were lucky that the sun came out for us on Sunday so we could have a swim at the beach. For my overseas and inter-state readers, Port Stephens really is a beautiful part of NSW and it’s far enough from our home to feel like a holiday but close enough to still feel relaxing and not be a mission to get to. My parents have a holiday apartment up there so it’s also home to a lot of fond memories and sunny summer days.

Being as it is a sleepy coastal town, food is limited and Lex and I struggle to find a decent meal. All that changed on our last trip when we came across Little Beach Boathouse. We went with Mum and Dad on a Saturday night and were lucky to snag a table (the compromise was that we had to be there at 6.15pm). When Dad suggested making a booking earlier in the day I was absolutely gobsmacked when I called up and the automatic answering machine said they were full booked. In Port Stephens this is rare! You can walk in anywhere and get a table! Lucky with a bit of persistence and luck we managed to get a table.

As soon as you walk in to the Little Beach Boathouse you know that service is their priority. The staff were exceptionally nice. The host who greeted us introduced himself and asked how our days were, the first waiter ran through the specials (with incredible detail and knowledge) and the second waiter was just as friendly. For a little holiday town that would serve many tourists, the exceptional service was a real winner and one of the main attractions. The decor is also beautiful and serene with polished wooden floors, bay views and a white dining room.

What we ordered:

Our waiter placed a small bowl of popcorn on our table while we flicked through the menu. This was something I’ve never seen before, but I welcomed the surprise. I love popcorn! He also recommended the Scarborough Sangiovese which is a light, summery wine that goes well with seafood. We started with a side of the Toasted Turkish Bread with olive dip and hommous. Normally I don’t enjoy olive dip (which is ridiculously ironic as Im addicted to olives!), but this olive dip was delicious, as was the hommous.

For mains Lex went with the ‘Boathouse 3 Pigs’ – Crisp pork belly, grilled chrorizo, pork and garlic croquettes with roast chats, fig jam, cauliflower puree and macadamia nuts. It was everything a carnivore could hope for and needless to say there wasn’t any left on the plate when said carnivore was done…

Dad ordered the Market Fish with green bean, fennel and olive salad,red capsicum puree and a fresh tomato, corn and basil salsa. Dad is like me and enjoys his seafood so this dish was a winner!

Mum went with Wagu Rump on crispy kipflers, garlic roasted field mushroom, broccolini and salsa verde with truffle and parmesan butter. This was my second preference on the menu so it was good to see what it looked like – I’d probably order that next time, it looks great!

I wanted to order a few things on the menu but chose the Miso Glazed Salmon with paw paw and noodle salad, japanese black pepper and sesame dressing. It was an Asian infused me and although I had to run the risk of exaggerating, I really think this has to be one of the best meals I’ve ever ordered. The sesame dressing was amazing. Dad tried some and absolutely loved it (I bet he was secretly wish he ordered the salmon – unlucky Dad!).

We were incredibly satisfied with our meals and although dessert was tempting we decided to head down to the Marina for some gelato!

My new favourite restaurant – thank you Little Beach Boathouse!

Lis x