This place was fantastic, we had such a good night here. It was pouring with rain- a typical tropical storm, and we were welcomed into Valentinos by the friendliest wait staff. We ate the pescatore and bbq'd octopus, and both were delicious. a plate piled high with perfectly cooked baby octopus which were tender with crispy tentacles, and pescatore which had a range of perfectly cooked seafood, a yummy napoli sauce, and well cooked pasta. We also had some delicious espresso martinis, and we even got some complimentary port whilst we waited for our bill. If we hadn't left coming here to the last night of our stay, we would have been back every night!

Approximate cost: $20

A unique venue with couches for lounging on and lots of veg food to choose from, Cardamon Pod was a pleasant change. They had a great selection of raw cakes, the coffee was good, and their korma balls were ah-mazing. Unfortunately my sweet potato fries weren't so much fries as they were soggy sticks of sweet potato; the satay sauce they came with was tasty though. Good location if you want some interesting vegetarian food.

Approximate cost: $15

This was the first sushi train I'd been to so I don't have much to compare it to. They had a large variety of nagiri and other dishes on the train itself, and on Wednesday's have a great deal that everything on the sushi train is the price of a yellow plate ($3.80). They also have an a la carte menu with lots of tasty Japanese dishes standard for a Western Japanese restaurant. It was a fresh and delicious experience, and gave our pockets a bit of a rest considering the price of the rest of the Gold Coast!

Approximate cost: $8

It was lunchtime and House of Anvers had a pretty broad and nice sounding range of lunch options, but we were at a chocolate factory. So we got waffles with chocolate and hazelnuts and more chocolate and hot chocolates and it was bliss. It was also really sweet but that was to be expected. The waffles were crispy and the chocolate sauce was really tasty and hot. They also had some nice variations if that much chocolate isn't your idea of heaven!

Approximate cost: $15

Having just jumped off the ferry we were ravenous and came here for breakfast and it was perfect! The coffee was good and the meals were generous and well cooked. The waffles were huge and sweet with the luxury of bacon as well, and the eggs benedict had a really nice hollandaise. Will head back if in the area again.

Approximate cost: $10

We had high expectations of Smolt, having heard great reviews and with a delicious sounding menu. Unfortunately they just didn't live up to these expectations the night we were there. The pickled veg we had to taste were yummy, and the wine list was good, but our main course let the whole evening down. We ordered the duck and the fish of the day, which both sounded great. They both came with a tomato based sauce which was so oversalted it was impossible to fully enjoy the well cooked protein or the carefully thought out accompanying components. It was a lovely restaurant and I'd love to go back and try some of their other dishes, I wouldn't be surprised if we just got an off night. Unfortunately a seemingly simple mistake cost the rest of the dish, and neither of us had the courage to bring it up with the staff. On another note however, great location!

Approximate cost: $37

We had a very pleasant dinner here and would happily go back. The duck breast and lamb we had for main course was well cooked and tasty, however the 'spring vegetables' we had as a side were awful. They were complimentary with the meal, however I would have been happier without them. They were undercooked frozen packet vegetables. The dessert we shared was delicious though- peanut butter and chocolate parfait, and the staff were also very friendly. A nice comfortable venue if you're staying at the country club.

Approximate cost: $35

A little tucked away, this isn't somewhere you'd find too easily without already looking but it is well worth a stop by. They have a delicious range of Asian dishes, and all that I've had have been cooked really well. Crispy squid and the char kway teao were really tasty, and it was all quite affordable as well. It was nice to find somewhere that was quite comfy and off the main drag a little.

Approximate cost: $20

We came here for dinner whilst staying at a different location in Freycinet. There was heaps of parking which was good, and the views were beautiful, such an amazing location. The food itself was the best we had in Tassie (and we travelled around quite a bit of the state). We had a meat heavy meal, but every dish was perfect. Duck and venison with chocolate entrees were tasty and perfectly cooked. We couldn't go past an eye fillet with the standard potato, greens, and bone marrow for main course. It was extraordinary, I haven't had such a well cooked steak in a very long time. Additionally, the potato was perfect, the greens were just crisp, and the bone marrow was soft and full of flavour. I don't know if they're always this good, but I loved it!

Approximate cost: $35

Whilst holidaying in Hobart we failed to think about needing to book restaurants. Westend Pump House happened to have some space at their bench overlooking the kitchen, and I am SO glad we sat there!! I loved spending the meal peering into the kitchen to see what they were all doing (can't say my company enjoyed my doing that as much) but it was fantastic. The whole place has a great casual 'pub' feel, whilst being a really polished restaurant. The food was spectacular (seafood and meat) and the staff were friendly and attentive. It was also great to see a kitchen working so seamlessly and getting along (I suppose they need to be when on show!) Our desserts were a little disappointing, with overpowering garnishes and being fairly average when compared with the rest of the evening, but it didn't spoil it for us at all. Definitely recommend if you're in Hobart.

Approximate cost: $30