Where to eat in Port Macquarie, NSW: Chef Clayton Donovan

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This was published 9 years ago

Where to eat in Port Macquarie, NSW: Chef Clayton Donovan

Chef Clayton Donovan finds great produce in Port Macquarie.

By julietta Jameson
Hatted chef Clayton Donovan, of the Jaaning Tree, Port Macquarie.

Hatted chef Clayton Donovan, of the Jaaning Tree, Port Macquarie.

Australia's only hatted indigenous chef and host of Wild Kitchen (ABC TV), is a champion of foraging and native ingredients. In 2008 he opened his hatted Jaaning Tree at Nambucca Heads. He now focuses on pop-ups and education and will appear at Lismore's Eat The Street food festival on March 14. See jaaningtree.com.au; cometotheheart.com.au.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE TABLE IN PORT MACQUARIE?

I love Fusion 7. Chef Lyndsey Schwab uses as much locally grown and produced vegetables, meat, dairy, seafood, beer and wine as possible. The food is a merging of international flavours with an Asian bent. Lindsey is into his ninth year of trading now so he's doing something right for the locals. A lovely dish is the seared scallops on cashew nut curry, Jerusalem artichokes, sesame, Vietnamese mint and pickled lotus root. Their desserts are excellent too. See fusion7.com.au.

THE LOCAL FOOD DISCOVERY OF THE PAST YEAR?

Ricardoes Tomatoes and Strawberries at Telegraph Point. It's a high-quality, environmentally-friendly farm. You can pick your own from the vine or head inside and buy tomato relishes and condiments from the produce centre, and tuck into fresh scones and home-made strawberry jam at Cafe Red. See ricardoes.com.

WHAT IS PORT MACQUARIE'S BEST-KEPT FOOD SECRET?

A cup of Holy Goat Coffee is the best way to start a day. It's available at a few cafes in Port. It's a locally-owned company and the owner has 29 years' experience in roasting beans. See holygoatcoffee.com.au.

PLACE TO GO ON A DAY OFF?

The nine-kilometre coastal walk that starts at the iconic break wall on Town Green in the CBD, and ends at Lighthouse Beach. It takes you to significant landmarks and lookouts via a meditative stretch of eight beaches. You'll see whales from May to November, and dolphins all year round.

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FAVOURITE INDULGENCE IN THE REGION?

Near River Produce's Meals in the Fields. This organic farm in the Port Macquarie hinterland is engaged in ethical free range pork and chickens, a variety of traditional, field grown vegetables and organic eggs. You can eat the produce in the paddocks it came from. I'm cooking at the next one. See nearriverproduce.com.

WHAT SHOULD A VISITOR AVOID, FOOD-WISE, IN PORT MACQUARIE?

Anything that has not been produced locally – there is an abundance of produce here: oysters, bush foods, coffee, pork, lamb, duck, cheese, fresh vegetables, olives, nuts and condiments, and plenty of markets to find them in. See portmacquarieinfo.com.au.

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