It’s been a long time in between trips to Byron Bay. The last time I went, I was more interested in catching waves than eating – except for Bay Kebabs. The Northern Rivers is a hub for produce thanks to its proximity to the tropics which means abundant fruit and veg. Its location in between New South Wales and Queensland also makes it the ideal middle point to make the most of seafood from both states.
I only had a few nights in Byron, so I had to choose carefully. First up was Light Years, a restaurant I would describe as fusion, with a heavy emphasis on South-East Asian cuisines. I haven’t been back in Sydney long, but I think of the Fire Cracker chicken at least once a day. Chunks of fried Mie Goreng-spiced chicken were served with a vibrant, tangy but hot sauce plus Thai basil and chilli. It was so good I ordered it twice in one sitting.
Fire Cracker Chicken at Light Years
Bar Heather was up next. Don’t miss the blacked-out entryway like I did! It’s very easy to over-order here with so much on the menu. But most of the dishes are small, which makes going OTT permissible. Standout dishes included beef larb with potato chips, a grilled betel leaf filled with pork, and Wagyu intercostal skewers with beef fat and spring onion.
Byron Bay Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant was the location of choice for night three – the venue also has a daily $3 oyster happy hour with no limit. I noticed many locals coming in for a drink and plenty of oysters during the hour of power. There are many, many condiments to choose from here spanning both hot and cold applications. Mornay, Kilpatrick and pomegranate and verjus are just a few of the options.
A short trip to Pipit at Pottsville was the final food destination. The hatted restaurant is run by chef Ben Devlin and his wife Yen Trinh and is a culmination of many years spent in high-end kitchens. Devlin runs service solo, serving up set menus of vegetables with ‘waste paste’ made with repurposed vegetable bits, pasture-raised duck served in three different forms (sausage with shiso, duck fat caramel and bone flour biscuit; and with golden beetroot and stone fruit).
I have to say, I was blown away by the calibre of restaurants in the area. It’s well worth a visit if eating at restaurants is your forte – the beaches aren’t bad, too.
Lead image: Snacks at Pipit
