Wok on: Devonport kitchen spices up winter

It can be seriously cold in Tasmania over winter - but one Devonport eatery is heating things up with its hot wok dishes. 

Mr Good Guy is warming up the north-west coast by championing the wok as the ultimate cold-weather kitchen remedy until the end of August. 

High heat, bold scents and sizzling sauces from chef Muhammad (Momo) Fadly aim to lock in the flavour and warmth with different wok dishes rotating weekly throughout the season. 

The restaurant’s Winter Wok menu features dishes including fragrant Phad Kra Pa Moo, comforting La Na, wok-flamed Bò Lúc Lắc and fiery Mie Aceh. 

The Winter Wok dishes sit alongside Mr Good Guy’s signature favourites of pork belly bao, hawker-style plates designed for sharing, and the restaurant’s take on classics like sweet and sour pork.  

Located on Devonport’s waterfront inside Novotel Devonport, Mr Good Guy has been serving south-east Asian inspired food and cocktails since opening in 2022. 

Phad Kra Pao Moo is wok-tossed pork with Thai holy basil, garlic and chilli, finished in a fragrant oyster-soy glaze, while Lad Na, also from Thailand, stars wide rice noodles layered with meat and Chinese broccoli in a savoury gravy. 

Bò Lúc Lắc, translated as “Shaking Beef”, is a Vietnamese dish with wok-flamed beef cubes tossed with garlic and cracked pepper, finished with fresh herbs and a lime dipping sauce, while Mie Aceh is spicy Acehnese noodles tossed with prawns and slow-cooked beef, infused with aromatic spices, lifted with fresh lime and crispy shallots. 

* Novotel Devonport is Devonport's premium 4-star hotel in the heart of the city. See https://mrgoodguy.com.au/whatson/winter-wok-spice-up-your-off-season/

Hobart restaurant returns with all guns blazing

Hotel restaurants in Australia can be hit and miss affairs. Sometimes the food does not match the hotel experience. 

Likewise pan-Asian restaurants are not always a triumph. Often certain cuisines are done much better than others.

What a pleasant surprise, then, to dine at Mr Good Guy, the recently reopened Asian eatery that is part of the ibis Styles in Hobart. 

For much of the pandemic period, Mr Good Guy was shuttered and the hotel was used as a Covid isolation facility.

Earlier this month, however, both hotel and restaurant reopened after a thorough clean - and the kitchen has come out with all guns blazing. No wonder Mr Good Guy was close to full on a chilly Tuesday evening. 

Not only is the food here very good - and well priced - the service was excellent at a time when hotels across the board are struggling to find good staff. 

The vibe here is decidedly casual but the food - which spans influences from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Singapore and Vietnam - is well considered. 

You can choose from an a la carte menu, or the "Trust Mr Good Guy Banquet", where the kitchen sends out what it thinks is seasonal and good. The banquet can also be matched with wines by the glass from Tasmanian labels like Frogmore Creek, Nocton Vineyard and 42 Degrees South. 

We began in Vietnam with Goi Ga (above); shredded chicken and cabbage salad with herb, lime, spice and crushed peanuts. Delicate and delicious. 

Then followed more Vietnamese flavours: crisp pork and crab spring rolls, melt in the mouth textures served with nuoc cham and peanut hoi sin dipping sauces, both of which carried a serious flavour kick. 

Next was one for the vegetarians; a very tasty Thai-style crispy spiced eggplant dish with a fragrant sauce and jasmine rice. 

The "Borneo-style" beef rendang failed to deliver the required palate punch, but the kitchen was quickly back on form again with crispy cinnamon banana roti pancakes; a caramel-powered Thai/Indian mash-up that worked as a sweet treat.

There are plenty of fresh and flavoursome hawker-style dishes between $12-$18 on the a la carte menu, while the banquet costs $59 per head with a minimum of two people. 

The prices are more than fair and there are vegan and gluten free options. We will definitely be back. 

See www.mrgoodguy.com.au/hobart   

         

New international hotel for Tasmania

Tasmania has a new international hotel - but not in Hobart or Launceston.

 
Accor, in partnership with Singapore-based Fragrance Group Limited, this week opened the new-build Novotel Devonport - in the state’s north-west. 

The 187-room hotel features a restaurant and bar Mr Good Guy, serving "south-east Asian street-food with a cheeky modern twist", 24-hour room service and fitness centre, and a meeting room for up to 20 delegates.

Overlooking the Mersey River - base for the Spirit of Tasmania ferry - Novotel Devonport has direct access to the paranaple convention centre.

The property represents one of the most significant tourism investments in the region in years.

Accor Pacific CEO, Sarah Derry, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Fragrance Group to open Novotel Devonport. The presence of this popular international brand will expose Devonport and the greater northern Tasmania region to a broader market and contribute to the region's ability to attract major conferences, events and groups. 

“Novotel recently celebrated its 30th anniversary in Australia and, during this time, has established a commanding position in the four-star hotel segment. Novotel Devonport’s offering will be tailored to suit smart, successful business and leisure travellers who value great guest service and leading design.”

Novotel has over 40 hotels in key metropolitan and leisure destinations in Australia and New Zealand. 

Devonport has historically been undersupplied with quality accommodation offerings despite being a major gateway for tourism and trade.

Fragrance Group CEO James Koh said: “We are excited to further develop our partnership with Accor and deliver Novotel Devonport, which will be an elevated addition to north Tasmania’s tourism offering. 

“The city of Devonport is on the precipice of a significant tourism boom, with additional major infrastructure works underway to further enhance the destination. Novotel Devonport is a celebration of innovative interior design, thoughtful detail and, importantly for this location, will provide a great culinary experience for guests and the local community.”

Novotel Devonport is the fifth hotel that Koh has partnered with Accor on in Australia, following the success of Mövenpick Hotel Hobart, Mövenpick Hotel Melbourne on Spencer, Novotel Perth Murray Street, and ibis Styles Hobart. 

The hotel is collaborating with local photographer Nuala Byrne to create a mural of north-west Tasmanian scenery that will be featured behind the bedhead in each guestroom.

There is a terrific sounding opening special from $269 per night in a standard king room, including a two-course dinner for two at Mr. Good Guy (food only) and buffet breakfast. To book, visit ALL.com