Zing Cafe and Restaurant
Zing Café and Restaurant is a definite favourite of mine, not just because it has a mouth-watering menu, but also because of its location. If you're not hungry when you arrive at Hillarys Boat Harbour, you will almost certainly develop a huge appetite as you take a stroll along The Boardwalk and browse through the various shops.
Zing Café and Restaurant offers a broad range of meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, what I like about this place is that you do not have to eat a huge meal to relax and enjoy the views Zing has to offer; you could simply have a nice cup of coffee or tea to warm you up with a variety of tasty cakes which complement any hot drink.
Offering generous portions, the meals range from British pub classics we all love when having drink with friends, to contemporary alternatives such as spicy Tex Mex. Requiring careful consideration and causing much debate from your tastebuds, the menu is extensive, enabling you to work up an even bigger appetite for the delicious food.
Breakfast is served between 7:30 and 11:00am and includes crispy toast topped with preserves or fresh fruit with muesli and yoghurt. Many other morning favourites are included such as creamy eggs benedict served with bacon and freshly-made Hollandaise sauce on top of English muffins (smoked salmon is an optional extra). Or choose the breakfast waffle, made with sausage, bacon and egg finished off with authentic maple syrup. You could also try to conquer the big breakfast if you're starving which includes all the usual fare: sausage, bacon, egg, tomato, mushrooms, hash browns, baked beans and toast. Brekkie will set you back between $5 and $15.
If the breakfast menu has not made you hungry yet, then wait for the lunch and dinner menu. Zing offers plenty of appetisers to share with friends and start off a nice meal. Incorporating the classics with modern favourites, Zing offers starters which include crispy potato wedges, generously topped bruschetta, cheesy nachos, chicken satay skewers and delicious lamb koftas. I would recommend the avocado seafood appetiser in which fresh local produce is smothered in tasty avocado and special Marie-Rose sauce, topped with a king prawn. Appetisers will cost you between $10 and $22.
Pub classics are those which are best served with a super-cold beer. The options at Zing include the usual: fish and chips, bangers and mash and steak and Guinness pie. However, you can also reminisce about the good times over a traditional meal of gammon, egg and pineapple, or a ploughman's salad. The latter is a very generous serve of traditional pork pie accompanied by cheddar cheese, apple, hard-boiled egg with a runny centre, and a fresh salad. Who can resist the urge to dig into that? Costs vary between $22 and $27 for pub classics.
The grills and sizzlers menu will make any meat-lover salivate, and range in price between $28 and $36. The steaks are more than huge; in fact they cover the whole plate, leaving little room for the sides. Have a T-bone or Rib-Eye steak which is properly aged for 21 days to bring out its beautiful flavours and served with grilled tomato, mushrooms and peas. You also have a choice of sauce to top off any meal such as the ''Zing bourbon glaze,'' hot chilli or BBQ. The steaks can also have a creamy mushroom sauce drizzled over the top.
Zing's exquisite Bourbon ribs and BBQ ribs are another popular option, served with chips and freshly-made coleslaw.
Zing can also offer vegetarian alternatives with various freshly-made salads and a range of toppings. And if you're game why not try some their peri-peri spicy options such as hell-fire salmon and diablo pasta - the names say it all.
Now for the last, and my favourite- desserts. A restaurant does not rate well at all in my books if their desserts aren't satisfying and yummy. Zing offers a very unique range of desserts, many of which I have not seen before. Unique however does not mean unsatisfying.
The popcorn brownie sundae, for instance, is a succulent chocolate brownie served with vanilla ice-cream, chocolate and caramel sauce, popcorn, cream and topped with crunchy chopped nuts. This unusual blend actually works quite well indeed; it's like a party in your mouth with each spoonful. The "Zing Ultimate Sharing Desert'' is my favourite, best enjoyed with a loved one. This is the biggest bowl of chocolate and vanilla ice-cream you have ever seen, with a rich chocolate brownie buried underneath and plenty of Brandy snaps covering it, plus cream and Maltesers sprinkled on top. Desserts range between $9.95 and $14.95.
The inside decor is very contemporary
The décor is simple and contemporary; not only inviting but fit for any occasion. Sit in a booth and enjoy the picturesque views of the harbour and watch the little boats floating on the water, slightly bopping up and down. This really is an experience in itself, relaxing with a nice meal or coffee whilst enjoying the surrounding view. Hot drinks are very affordable and range between $3.20 to $4.80, and a new selection of cakes is available daily.
