Boatshed Coffee House, Cullen Bay

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One of the boons of holidaying is the breakfasts. At home it is usually some form of roughage and coffee to kick start mind and body but on holidays breakfasts have nobler purposes.

For example, they often have to fuel you for a day of tramping around tourist venues where you will often miss lunch because you are so busy. They can also be part of the overall holiday experience. Nice places, pleasant settings and local cuisine.

Such was the case with the Boat House Coffee House in Cullen Bay which was recommended to us by the concierge at our hotel. We don't take recommendations lightly especially when this number was a $10 taxi fare from our mid-town hotel.

The cost, however, was worth it because of the special ambience that comes from looking out over tethered boats rocking gently in the breeze.



The bright and open cafe also had lots of historic photographs and boating paraphernalia such as oars and seafaring knots which made it an interesting place to eat.



The service was not overly friendly but brisk and given the wet season's humidity it was nice to be served fresh orange juice in ice encrusted glasses.

I ordered a large cappuccino which came in a bowl. I usually dislike French bowls because they are so large your coffee gets cold by the time you reach the bottom, but these bowls were more moderate in size, so just right. And the coffee was good for Darwin.

With a certain dread I ordered franks with home-made baked beans. Dread because as a Heinz tragic such dishes never live up to expectation. But these beans were great and obviously cooked in a fresh tomato sauce with just the right spices.



My daughter's eggs and avocado were well presented if otherwise unexciting. So I guess it depends what you order. Reading through other reviews they are a mixed bag. But as a reviewer one can only call it as one experiences it and my experience was most positive.



There were also lots of other interesting choices for breakfasts on the menu including: fruit toast with vanilla and cinnamon butter ($8), seasonal fruit drizzled with honey and yoghurt and served with a pot of apple and date muesli ($13.50), eggs with sautéed spinach and asparagus topped with poached eggs and pomegranate coulis ($17.50) Spanish eggs with chilli, chorizo sausages, tomatoes and onion on sourdough toast ($17.50) or the works which was labelled Fatty Boomba and included the lot: eggs, bacon, chorizos, mushrooms tomatoes, housemade baked beans -- all served in an individual fry pan ($19). For the full menu click here .

The nice thing for holiday makers is that the delicious breakfasts are served until noon each day.

Cullen Bay is also the spot where tourists can catch a ferry out to Mandorah where there is a beach. It is about a 20 minute boat trip.

However due to Darwin's crocs this is no place to swim. You can however swim and laze by the pool at the Mandorah Pub. They also serve good value meals and have amazing water views.





#breakfast
#brunch
#cafes
#near_darwin
#pubs
%wndarwin