You ate what in where now???

Any country would be a lot better off with a parliament building made of chocolate.

Here in Australia, it's pretty much a rite of passage for most kids to make a big trip after years of studying are finally over. For me like many, Europe was the dream destination.

Now this was my first ever trip overseas, and no matter how much you read about it, nothing can prepare you for the culture shock of a new country. Be it more or less of a shock than what you expect, the only way to find out is to get there. 

 Image taken from tripadvisor's facebook app. 

NOTE: This trip happened years ago, well before this food blog began. But looking back at my holiday happy snaps I was still taking shots of food even back then. However this post is only borderline food related. It's more a wins and fails list of things both edible and cultural that I maybe could have done differently. Hopefully other new travelers can learn from my mistakes.

5hr dinner. It's not a meal. It's a Ritual.

What do you get when a passionate, creative chef has access to fresh local produce and wines coming from Port Stephens, The Hunter Valley and other neighboring regions? Add a dedicated team of chefs and floor staff that share that same passion to take you on a journey where you will rediscover ... Taste.

The answer is Ritual Restaurant.


Since first reading about Ritual, I have waited over 12 months to come and dine at this establishment. I would describe the restaurant as a Mary Poppins carpet bag. Nestled in the suburban side of Nelson Bay, there are no water/beach views and away from Port Stephens marina and other main eateries. It's located in a local shopping complex, next to a Blockbuster video store and a bottle shop - sound like a plain old carpet bag so far??