I generally avoid Dish for two reasons: I'm on a student budget (read: povo), and some places should just be kept for special occasions. Luckily, the special occasion was Morcheeba playing at the Northern, so pre-gig cocktails and snacks were in order.
My friend ordered a Lychee Mojito and I chose a Byron Lush. The Lush is a blend including Belvedere and passionfruit and it was music to my mouth. If the Byron Lush was a Morcheeba song, it would be "Be Yourself": smooth and light with high notes that t(w)ang along your tongue. It's happiness in a Martini glass and it perked me up with the first sip. There were no complaints with the Mojito.
To accompany the food we ordered olives, and the salt & pepper squid. The olives were a variety of green and maroony black, varying from pea-sized to about the size of a plump thumb-tip. They'd been infused with cinnamon, which softened the saltiness beautifully. Crisp sourdough was presented alongside to absorb the oil the olives lay in. They disappeared quickly.
I'm cautious with squid after one too many occasions of getting elastic strands stuck between the mouthful and my throat. Marvell Bar's squid is coated crispy and tender on the inside. It's liberating to eat squid without worrying you will choke. I cannot find the words to describe how perfect it was. The squid was served with mayonnaise and a wedge of lime, by an attentive waiter. The service overall was friendly and prompt. The decor is elegant and earthy, with high wooden ceilings, and white walls. There is a spacious outside/inside feel, glass doors open onto the street, and a vine covers part of one internal wall.
I cannot recall the background music, which means it was either bland or a seamless part of the Marvell Bar dining experience. Or perhaps my head was too full with thoughts of Morcheeba.
The drinks and snacks set us back around $50. The serving sizes weren't huge, but the quality, flavour and texture were outstanding.
Dish Restaurant and Marvell Bar
Cnr Jonson St & Marvel St
Byron Bay NSW 2481
Australia
Bohemia. Oh how I love this place. If you're like me, and you have breakfast at 11am, you snack around one, don't really want lunch until 4ish, then this place will still have it's kitchen open for you. Today I ordered the Mexicana burger and an Iced Coffee, for around $19. The waiter looked surprised, and asked if I was hungry. The (huge) burger came with a generous serve of crisp, perfect, french fries. The beef pattie was grilled to crunchy on the outside, just the way I like it. The iced coffee included a layer of whipped cream and coffee gelato from the impressive gelato bar. I originally thought the Bohemia gelato bar was pointless - there are two other businesses in Byron that serve gelato already - but using it in their milky drinks is a stroke of genius, and they have heaps of flavours to choose from. They also have a wide selection of cakes, and while the view of Jonson St peak season traffic isn't so great, it is still a good venue for afternoon coffee/cake/people watching.
A lot of effort has been put into decorating Bohemia. From the red bedazzled walls, to the fans that remind me of French Cancan dancer's skirts, the attention to detail is faultless. The decor is certainly Bohemian and the music is Byron Bay: obscure dub and reggae covers of music by Sting and Radiohead were being played on this visit.
Bohemia is open late. Not so late they have to deal with trashbags leaving the nightclubs, but pretty damn late. Check it out, even if it's just to look at the decor.
Bohemia
95 Jonson Street
(near the pedestrian crossing opp. Woolworths)
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