Zanzibar Cafe

This may be beautiful surf- and lake-side Merimbula, but there are only distant water glimpses from Zanzibar's smart ochre-toned dining room. Don't be deterred. There's enough going on within its wood-panelled walls to keep anyone happy. New owners Renee Loftus and Huw Jones have taken over the town's finest diner, upped the ante on local produce (and wines) and given Merimbula something else to boast about. From the daintiness of pan-seared calamari on ink-black puree with smoked, peeled baby romas to the full-bodied flavours of shiitakes and pork jowl in consomme (poured from a stoneware teapot), there's a quiet integrity about the cooking here. Local flathead is lifted with buttery foam and good, slippery crab ravioli, while shellfish with tapioca and soy-ginger-shallot broth echoes gentle Chinese sensibilities. A sweetly pretty assembly of confit banana, gel-like lamingtons, caramel and a giant macaron explains why nobody ever shuns Zanzibar's desserts. Loftus, a local girl originally, makes a wonderful, informative host.