Bacco Italian Restaurant and Bacco Pizzeria, Jindabyne, NSW

Rocket and prosciutto pizza, Bacco, Jindabyne

The Style: Bacco Italian Restaurant in Jindabyne is a cosy, simply furnished restaurant although it does have a pretty eye-catching replica of Michelangelo's 'The Creation of Adam' which dominates the area above the bar. There is warm wood panelling and some coloured glass in the rear windows but other than that, the food does the talking rather than the interior.

Tacky or terrific? Artwork at Bacco Italian Restaurant, Jindabyne

Bacco Italian Restaurant, Jindabyne

The Taste: There are two Baccos - one is a more casual pizza restaurant, the other has a fuller menu. The food comes in portions which are huge - my salad entree could have easily held its own as a main. The food here is laced with lashings of dressing, garlic, salt and other yummy things but in a couple of the dishes it bordered on being a bit too much.


The food is not served in delicate, fussy portions. It is more homely and hearty which bodes well on a cold winter day. Come to Bacco if you are after generous, no fuss food, probably steer clear if you are expecting a flashy meal.

Seafood chowder, Bacco Italian Restaurant, Jindabyne 

Pear and prosciutto salad, Bacco Italian Restaurant, Jindabyne

Marinara Pizza, Bacco Italian Restaurant, Jindabyne.

The Service: The service at Bacco in Jindabyne can be SLOW. On my most recent visit, there were only three occupied tables but we waited almost an hour between courses. The plus was that the waitress came and explained the reason for the delay and offered a complimentary drink while we waited.


The price: Meals at Bacco are priced around $15-$20 for a main course, slightly less for entrees and desserts.

Passionfruit pannacotta, Bacco Italian Restaurant, Jindabyne

Brandy snap basket, Bacco Italian Restaurant, Jindabyne

The Location: Bacco Italian Restaurant and Bacco Pizzeria are located in the Nuggets Crossing complex in Jindabyne. Nuggets Crossing is off Kosciuszko Road, Jindabyne.

Charlotte Pass to Blue Lake walk, Koscisuszko National Park

Blue Lake, Kosciuszko National Park

Before doing this walk, I had read a few people's thoughts on it and the consensus seemed to be that it is prettier and less crowded that the Thredbo to Mt Kosciuszko walk.


On the second count, I have to agree - during the few hours walking, we only passed about six other people compared with the Kosciuszko walk where at times it felt like jostling for position on Pitt Street at peak hour. In terms of which walk is prettier, I think that is like comparing apples with oranges - both have some absolutely spectacular scenery, the kind of awe inspiring panoramas that make you feel like a tiny speck in an amazing world!

Storm brewing between Charlotte Pass and Blue Lake, Kosciuszko National Park

Charlotte Pass is now the end of the road beyond Perisher. In times past, you could keep driving but these days you will hit a cul-de-sac come parking lot and this is where your trip begins. A few different walks start from here and there is a public toilet. There is apparently also food available at the nearby resort but I packed a picnic. The start of the Blue Lake walk is STEEP - keep in mind this is also the path out at the end and it is a killer! The start/finish also involves some hop-skip and jumping across the Snowy River on stepping stones which looked more like pebbles to my unconfident eyes. That said, I did make it although a few of them might give a little wobble just to keep you on your toes...


The walk undulates through the hills so it seems like just as your legs are really about to give up, there is a nice downhill run to pep you back up. The criticism I have of this walk is that (unlike the Thredbo to Kosciuszko walk) there is no real information about how far there is to go - there are some boards with information on the area but nothing to let you know where you are in relation to Blue Lake. It took about an hour and 45 minutes to reach the lake and maybe an hour and ten minutes back (more downhill). 

Gnarly snow gum, Kosciuszko National Park

The storm which gradually brewed overhead on the way to Blue Lake meant I only saw a fleeting glimpse of it with the sun making the water glow an amazing aqua colour but that little glimpse has made me want to go back on a clearer day because it was amazing. There is a lookout which lets you see Blue Lake at its best and catch your breath before making the homeward journey.


Important things to remember if hiking from Charlotte Pass to Blue Lake:
 - The road to Charlotte Pass closes in the winter
 - Some parts of the walk including the very end are extremely steep
 - The weather in the mountains can change very quickly so be prepared
 - You will need to buy a National Parks Pass for the drive - there is a booth on the way where you can get one of these and a map

Snowy River, Charlotte Pass

Mossy granite, Kosciuszko National Park

The Lott, Cooma

The Lott, Cooma

The Style: The Lott in Cooma has that clever knack of being both trendy and rustic, cutting edge and cosy. It is a mish-mash of rough, warm wood and wicker baskets full of fruit clashing with bright,garish splashes of colour and the most amazing light fixture made of collanders and bare bulbs. The Lott has a wine barrel topped with free tasters of the gourmet oils, sauces and breads which are sold there as well as cupboards and shelves heaving with fresh fruit and veges, homewares, gardening gear, plants and of course, plenty to fill your tummy with over a Snowy Mountains Coffee.

Warm interiors and open kitchen, The Lott, Cooma

The rustic touch, The Lott, Cooma

The Taste: The Lott serves up a pretty high class menu - lots of nice ingredients teamed up in simple but delicious combinations. On a good day, the food at the Lott is faultless - just the other day I had some of THE best pancakes I have ever tasted. Unfortunately, it isn't always this way - I have also been dished up a pile of dry crumbs posing as a muffin (although I suspect this was the fault of the disinterested teenage waiter who microwaved it for way too long, forgot to bring it out and then, after a gentle prompt served it cold.) I do think that you are more likely than not to get good food here but I wish it hit the mark every time because then it would be a seriously great place to eat rather than a good one which has the occasional slip into mediocrity. And one last thing, the mushrooms at The Lott are cooked in olive oil - not a scrap of butter to be seen. Biting into a mushroom to have a big squirt of oil coat your mouth is not too pleasant and so hopefully they might switch to butter soon!

'Breakfast with the Lott', The Lott, Cooma

Scrambled eggs and mushrooms, The Lott, Cooma

Smoked trout eggs, The Lott, Cooma

Strawberry and ricotta pancakes, The Lott, Cooma

The Service: Like the food, the service at The Lott can be amazing one day and horrendous the next. The more experienced staff do a great job and really keep the place ticking over. The problem is, there are a lot of bored, disinterested looking kids floating around the floor some days which makes you feel like the service at McDonalds is something to cheer about. The Lott expanded a while back and it is great that such a place exists but beware for the service to see-saw depending on who comes to your table.

Free tasting - The Lott, Cooma

The Price: The food at the Lott is a little more expensive than an average Cooma cafe and on a good day when a perfect combination of really good ingredients comes your way, it is worth every cent. There have been a couple of times where I have thought that the pricing hasn't matched the service or the food but the good meals and experiences are starting to outweigh the bad so hopefully this is a sign that the management are ironing out some of the teething problems which the expansion may have created. Lets just hope The Lott didn't get too big for its super-trendy boots!


The Location: The Lott is located at 178 Sharp Street (Snowy Mountains Highway), Cooma.

Homewares for sale, the Lott, Cooma

Kuma Pies, Cooma

Sweet cabinet, Kuma Pies, Cooma

The Style: Kuma Pies is a cosy pie and pastry shop. It has cabinets bursting with morsels that make your mouth water just to look at them. The shop's decorations have an African theme and the dining area has bright cushions stacked on the lounge-style seat which runs along two walls. There are also a few tables outside where pooches are welcome to join their humans for a snack.

Pie cabinet, Kuma Pies, Cooma

Cherry danish, Kuma Pies, Cooma

The taste: This is definitely not the place to come to if you are on a diet. Nearly everything on offer involves either lots of pastry, lots of sugar or lots of both! But if you have worked up an appetite after a day skiing or if you just feel like a good breakfast to to start the day, Kuma pies will have something for you. The pies are good with a stack of flavours on offer but for me, the sweets are the thing - my all time favourite is the cherry danish with tart, sour cherries and the smoothest creamiest custard wrapped in crunchy, flaky pastry. There are several danishes, tarts, biscuits and cakes on offer so if you have a sweet tooth, you have some tough decisions to make. Kuma Pies also do coffee and tea to wash everything down. Interestingly, Kuma Pies has been rated at number 2 on the list of restaurants in the Snowy Mountains by Lonely Planet (Click here for the Lonely Planet review).

Vanilla slice, Kuma Pies, Cooma

Fruit tart, Kuma Pies, Cooma

Flat white, Kuma Pies, Cooma

The service: Friendly, fast and fun. Kuma Pies is open weekdays and Saturday mornings.


The price: The pricing at Kuma Pies is on par with your average pie shop or bakery.


The location: Kuma Pies is located on the main street of Kuma - it is at the southern end of town.

Ham and cheese croissant, Kuma Pies, Cooma

Butter croissant, Kuma Pies, Cooma

Puppies welcome! Kuma Pies, Cooma

The Greengrocer on Clifford, Goulburn

The Greengrocer on Clifford, Goulburn

The style: The Greengrocer on Clifford, Goulburn is a strange mix - part greengrocer, part cafe and pizza kitchen and the element of surprise - part bike(as in bicycle, not motor) shop. As you step into the Greengrocer, there are shelves brimming with bright and beautiful fresh fruit, veges and flowers, cabinets full of salads and scrumptious desserts, a woodfire oven and bikes. Lots of bikes, bike outfits, bike memorabilia and people who have ridden their bikes there to snack guilt free on the cakes.

Fruit, veg...and bikes - the Greengrocer on Clifford, Goulburn

The taste: The salads at the Greengrocer are tasty, fresh and some are a little off-beat. There are also really good sandwiches, fresh squeezed juices and of course, desserts. I must confess I have never tried a pizza there but my guess is that they would be pretty good if they are anything like the other food on offer. I do qualify this with the fact that I think the quality has gone downhill and become a little mediocre over time - hopefully the last time I was there was a one-off bad day because when I used to visit a few years ago, it was great.

Pasta, sandwiches and salads, the Greengrocer on Clifford, Goulburn

The service: Sorry to say it but the service leaves (quite) a bit to be desired. Yes the cafe is almost always busy but it doesn't hurt to crack a smile every now and again. I'm surprised that a place with such bad service has generated such a loyal following - its always packed so that must say something about how good the food is??


The price: By Goulburn standards, the pricing at the Greengrocer is pretty middle of the road. It is comparable to other good quality sandwich places and definitely no more expensive than a dodgy, greasy takeaway would be.

Sticky date pudding and coffee, The Greengrocer, Goulburn

Takeaway salads, the Greengrocer, Goulburn

The location: Greengrocer on Clifford is located at 37 Clifford Street in Goulburn. It is just a hop, skip and a jump from the highway which doubles as the main street through town. 


Useful links:


For info and menus - visit the Greengrocer on Clifford website

 Greengrocer on Clifford, Goulburn

Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

The style: If you are heading to the mountains and want to feel a little bit special, Cuisine on Lake Crackenback is the place to go for dinner. It is all about low lighting, candles on your table and floor to ceiling glass walls on two sides which overlook Lake Crackenback. Tables for two are cleverly turned at an angle so you both get to enjoy the view (and each other's company) in what feels like privacy.

View from Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

The taste: The food at Cuisine on Lake Crackenback is refined and packed full of flavour. The meals are pretty to look at and fantastic to eat. The menu at Cuisine on Lake Crackenback changes with the season - scallops, spatchcock, duck, trout and lamb all feature along with wagyu beef pies and divine desserts. An extra little surprise was the tasty morsels dished up between courses - cured salmon with aioli and house-made plum ice-cream found their way to our table throughout the night. Delicious.
Its a shame that the combination of i-phone camera and really low (romantic) lighting means that the pictures here don't really do the food justice but they should at least give an idea of what was dished up.

Duck terrine, Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

Scallops and black pudding, Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

Lamb rack, Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

Banana tarte tatin, Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

Spatchcock and king brown mushroom, Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

Mango snow egg, Cuisine on Lake Crakcnback

The service: Aaah. How nice it is to be treated like you matter. The staff here were absolutely lovely - they made conversation without being awkward or intrusive and got every part of the order absolutely right (a rare and unusual occurrence!). 

Cured salmon and aioli - free taster at Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

Plum ice cream - free taster at Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

The price: Meals here weren't cheap with entrees and desserts at $18 and mains at $37. There is also a degustation menu available for $70 or $110 with wine. Considering the delicious food, the great view and the spot-on service, the price was well worth it.

Cuisine on Lake Crackenback

The location: Cuisine on Lake Crackenback is tucked on the edge of Lake Crackenback within the Lake Crackenback Resort. Lake Crackenback Resort is located just off the Alpine Way about 15 minutes from  Thredbo (on the Jindabyne side) in New South Wales.


Useful links:


Lake Crackenback Resort

Brioche, Cuisine on Lake Crackenback