Friday, October 2, 2009

very impressed we will be back”

We came down for a romantic weeekend to recharge the batteries over a long weekend and thought that it was the best B&B we have stayed at to date.

Great location - half way between beach and Margaret River town (quiet bush setting)
Brand new custom built modern facilities
Guest lounge with huge tv and fire was great
Hosts (Dirk and Pam) were very friendly but not imposing
Rooms were comfortable/soundproof and had private external entrances as well as inernal.
Very tasty cooked breakfasts
Did not use in-room spa but it looked comfy. weekend_traveller005 May 2009 TripAdvisor

“Affordable Luxury”

We had a lovely time. Pleasant staff, great breakfast, plenty of space. Tucked away just off the main road in a pleasant bush setting. CanberraNomad May 2009 TripAdvisor

“Perfect place to rest after walking the Cape to Cape"

Very comfy rooms with spa and views into bush.
Generous communal room with lots of natural light where we had sumptous breakfast and even our strange dietary needs were accomodated with no fuss.
We will definitely be back! lucyteale May 2009 TripAdvisor

“Lovely place”

We stayed here for a night recently and this property really has the wow effect. Lovely host and the acommodation was superb, gorgeous rooms with spa baths in each, own private deck/entrance and an incredible lounge/dining/entertaining area for quests. All this set in a lovely bush setting just up the road from Margaret River and near the winerys (go to the Voyager Winery-amazing). Breakfast was awesome, would definately stay here again.
M and K Smith, NZ August 2009 Tripadvisor

Whales and Seals

Carol and Lee from Bunbury spent two nights here and yesterday went to Cape Naturaliste. They got some good sightings of whales and saw some seals as well. They were driving to Albany to pick up their children and going straight back to Bunbury this afternoon.

This morning about 7.30am Lee knocked on the door and said Carol was in the shower and washing her hair when the water went cold. I had to run out the back and switch the gas cylinders over. It is unfortunate that I can't tell when the gas is going to run out but it is soon fixed.

Jennie and Jeff from Brisbane spent three nights here and got to see most of the sights. Richard and Andrea from Perth had been in Margaret River a few times before and were happy visiting some of the wineries.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Duckstein for Lunch

Pam has gone to Vasse Felix with Anne and Joe to buy some wine, then I will meet them shortly at Saracen Estate and Duckstein Brewery for lunch. I'm looking forward to some bratwurst, sauerkraut and pilsner.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Providore Garden Greens

Lunch spoilt by a few garden greens. Went to the Providore on Harmans Rd South today. Beautiful day and a good crowd there as usual. Jill, Brian, Pam and myself. Jill had a pie, Brian a good feed of snapper, Pam had a lamb curry and I had 12 hour shin. Described as cooked for 12 hours, with mashed potatoes and garden greens. 


I was feeling quite hungry as I had missed dinner by going to bed at 6.30 the previous night after the Nicols garden party at Karridale and nursing a headache that would not go away. So the thought of some mashed potatoes and garden greens with tender beef swayed my decision.  When the meal came, there was a good serving of beef stew with some onions and carrots, and a good serving of mashed potatoes, and sitting on top were four little leaves of Italian parsley (like celery leaves). The ridiculous thought crossed my mind that these must be the "garden greens" but I immediately dismissed that as being impossible - not 4 miserable little leaves.


So I said to the waitress that the meal was missing the garden greens, and she blithely said no, they were there, the bits of parsley. She then went off in a huff.  Now the Providore prides itself as having an organic vegetable garden which they use for their kitchen.  This garden was right in our view, and although largely for show (it is not nearly large enough for the kitchen), it does look good and it had a large range of garden greens. Lettuce and a whole range of other vegetables that could have made my lunch complete. All it needed was a bit of lettuce, some sprigs of parsley and perhaps a bit of cucumber or peas.


Although the stew was good, wanting some greens and not getting them really took the edge off my lunch. Even half a bottle of lovely rose' and baked cheescake could not lift my spirits. I asked the waitress to tell the chef that I was not happy with the lack of garden greens, which she grudgingly said she would do, but I doubt in fact that she did.  Last time that we were at the Providore, Pam asked for the salad, which was a bowl of lettuce and some tomato and a bit of dressing. She complained that there was no cheese or bacon or anything substantial in it, and that she felt like a rabbit. The response she got from that complaint also left her wondering if anybody was listening.


Every breakfast we serve to our guests at the Bed and Breakfast, we put a garnish on the side of the plate. This consists of a large sprig of Italian parsley, and either some garlic chive, or a sprig of crinkle parsley or lately a sprig of mizuna lettuce and some of its flowers.  Thus to have 4 leaves of Italian parsley masquerading as "garden greens" made me quite angry.


I guess if I go there again, I will have to remember to bring my own parsley and fetta.