Finally! After such a long, long time, I have finally been able to have a quick holiday. This quick getaway is brought to you by Bannisters at Port Stephens.
Now I won’t bore you with details of a 5 hr long drive from Sydney to get here is holiday season traffic, but what I can say is that the welcome we received on arrival was lovely.
We were greeted by very friendly concierge staff who helped to take our bags to the room and welcome champagne in the poolside terrace.
Then followed up by a beer and a cocktail from the Mexican themed bar – Julio’s.
After a small rest in our room and a bit of unpacking, we headed back down to the Terrace Bar for some dinner. Julio’s is a small restaurant / bar nestled in the side of the pool area. Sadly the poor weather prevented us from enjoying too much of the view on offer, but the menu was more than satisfactory for a first night meal after a long drive.
Now, for those who have read my Esteban post, you know that I have sampled some really fantastic Mexican food in the past. So to call Julio’s a Mexican restaurant is a bit of a stretch, if I’m comparing it to past experiences. Try to think of it as ‘Mexican inspired’.
Entrée: Mexican spiced chicken pieces with a cheese / sour cream dipping sauce with smoked paprika.
Mains: Carne Asada (T-bone steak) cooked medium rare with tortillas and potato sides.
Customer service – 4 stars (minor hiccup in the drinks order)
Food – 4 stars -good, but not great
Overall – great for a first night when you can’t be bothered to leave the hotel after a long drive. Recommended.
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