Port Macquarie's Sea Acres just underwent a renovation. It's sad that the connected Rainforest Cafe hasn't changed. Rainforest Cafe boasts a prime position, nestled in the coastal town's own luscious subtropical rainforest. If only the food had a point of difference, then this place could be one of the best Port Macquarie has to offer.
We visited the cafe for my Grandfather's birthday. There seated the eight of us at a long table inside. While outside is preferable on a warm summer's day, inside is just as good, with glass windows spanning the entirety of three of four walls. The decor at Rainforest Cafe is refreshing, with soft greens, wood and the rainforest in the background. Sitting among the whistles and chirps of the birds and peculiar sounds of the local brush turkeys is soothing in a way.
This was my first outing with my Canon 600D, so lets just say I was a little bit snap happy. That's not to say that the pictures are great. My current style is more point and shoot.
I can't remember Sea Acres having a different menu. There's nothing worse than getting dragged off to the same cafe repetitively to find that nothing has changed in over a year and that you're stuck with the same-old items. Rainforest Cafe is in dire need of something new; I am a little bit sick of their sandwiches, terrine and pumpkin tart. Luckily they had a handful of specials so that I could retain my sanity.
I must say that the salad of sauteed prawns, chorizo, potatoes and rocket with salsa verde ($22) of mine was quite tasty. I am a sucker for chorizo and this hit the spot perfectly. The prawns were as prawns should be (if anyone comes up with some appropriate words to describe prawns, let me know). The potato was crisp and the salsa verde brang the meal together.
One thing Rainforest Cafe nails is their presentation. Kyle's girlfriend, Emily, ordered the chicken Caesar salad: cos lettuce, bacon, eggs, parmesan and homemade dressing topped with chicken breast and Sumac ($18.50). The chicken was so tender and a great contrast to the crisp croutons. The Sumac added a lemony tinge, and overall, the salad was lovely.
I've had the roasted pumpkin, ricotta and sage tart with a mixed salad and toasted macadamias ($16.50) before and it was quite disappointing. The pumpkin, ricotta and sage mixture didn't stay together and was a bit bland in terms of flavour. The macadamia element of the salad was also very small. I didn't ask my Grandmother if she enjoyed this but she seemed content.
The wedges with sour cream and sweet chilli sauce ($8.50) were a hit with my brother who doesn't fancy heavy lunches. The sour cream and sweet chilli sauce combination always goes down well.
Rainforest Cafe also does a mean range of cakes and desserts, which go down best with a nice coffee. They have everything from creme brulee (sorry, it had to get a mention - it's my favourite dessert after all) to a variety of gluten free cakes. A lot of their cakes and menu items have a French touch. I've had a sesame seed macaron in the past, and although the texture was a bit off, the flavour was certainly there.
As I mentioned, Rainforest Cafe's coffee is quite good. On a warm day, you can't go past an iced coffee, and theirs is smooth and creamy with the perfect balance between milk and coffee.
The staff here can be a bit unfriendly and distant, but the odd waitress/waiter is a keeper. Orders are taken and come out at a decent rate, but really, there is nothing outstanding about the service.
Also, you should probably note that given its location and focus on the outdoors, Rainforest Cafe isn't the best venue on a dreary, gloomy day. On the other hand, if it is warm and sunny, a visit can be quite rejuvenating, and is made even better if following a stroll along the 1.3km Sea Acres boardwalk.
Sea Acres' Rainforest Cafe, Pacific Drive (near Shelley Beach entrance), Port Macquarie
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