Coffee, Food and Drink in Australia

The first thing you might notice about food and drink here in Australia is the price. A 20 ounce bottle of Coke in the US is about $1.40 now plus tax. Here they are usually $3.50 to $4.00, tax included, for a bottle about the same size. (They measure in milli-litres here not ounces.) I love to get my sodas on tap at the fountains located in convenience stores. I haven’t found a store here that has one. Ice seems to be a rare commodity. McDonald’s has it, Hungry Jack’s (Burger King) has it but you don’t usually get a glass with ice in it when you go to a restaurant no matter the type of drink you buy.

When we buy breakfast out, like we did the other day in Bundaberg, I had pancakes and coffee and Cindy had chicken on a stick (don’t ask). Our cost was around $16.00 and that was about the cheapest breakfast we’ve had, except maybe for one at McDonalds. The normal price is over $25.00. We ate at our hotel restaurant last night, I had fried fish with a small salad, Cindy had chicken stir-fry. We had chilled water to drink (no charge) and our cost was $34.00. Again, one of the less expensive meals we’ve had for supper.

When you order water with your meal they serve it in a chilled wine bottle. It’s kind of cool, and it’s good tasting and refreshing. (But I still like my ice!)

The selection of soft drinks here is rather limited as well. So far, the only place I’ve found Dr. Pepper was in Bundaberg. ($2.75 a can.) Usually they only have Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Coke Zero, though some places, and grocery stores do have Pepsi. Their local soft drink is usually Ginger Beer. I haven’t tried one of those yet so I can’t comment on what it tastes like. (Tried one a couple of days ago and it's very much like ginger ale, though a little more tart.) They also usually carry various bottled ice teas and juices for around $4.00 a bottle. Don’t even ask for sweet tea like we’re used to in the South, they don’t have it.

We have enjoyed the food here, though it’s somewhat different. Lamb is more prevelant than in the US, and their steak, chicken, and pork are all very delicious. They have a variety of different kinds of salads and quite a variety of ingredients in the salad, but their dressings leave a lot to be desired by someone who is hooked on Ranch Dressing. As far as I’ve found, it doesn’t exist here. I’ve gotten blank stares when I’ve asked for it. What they do have is balsamic and French. They come in packets the same size as those containing ketchup. Not nearly enough for my liking. Their French is not the same as our French either. It’s basically a little oil and vinegar with a few flakes of parsley. Despite this, I like their salads because they have always been so fresh, but I don’t plan to change the dressing I use once I get home.

Cindy’s favorite food for breakfast is bacon. Australian bacon is more like thin strips of ham that are fried until they’re fairly crispy. It’s delicious. One thing that is the same here as at home are eggs. I guess there’s not too much you can do to change scrambled eggs, although they do try to say there's a difference in what they call their: free range eggs. Very similar as far as I'm concerned.

My last section here is about coffee. When traveling in the US, motels most always have brewed coffee in the rooms. Here they also provide coffee but it’s instant in little packets. Each room is equipped with a hot pot to heat water. (It only takes a couple of minutes to get it boiling.) The instant is Nescafe and it’s very bland and not too appealing. We’ve taken to using the tea bags they also provide in our rooms instead of coffee.

With the coffee fanaticism that seems to run amuck in Australia it surprises us what they provide in hotels. Coffee shops and cafes are everywhere: across the street from each other, in every block, and even side-by-side. Even every McDonald’s also has an extra sign on their pole that says: McCafe. They use Arabica coffee beans. Convenience stores don’t brew coffee and let you fix it the way you want it. They don’t even have hot coffee. To get a cup of hot coffee you have to go to a coffee shop and let them fix it the way you want it. Problem is, they can’t fix it the way we do in the US. They generally offer selections such as: flat white, black, half-black, expresso, etc. I’ve gotten quite used to drinking the flat white, and I order that when we go out for breakfast. However, when I ordered that in a shop in Bundaberg a couple of days ago, they didn’t know what I was talking about. I ended up ordering an expresso with milk, but it was so strong I could only finish half of it. Cindy has quit ordering coffee because she can’t get it the way she likes it. I wouldn’t say I’m suffering while drinking Australian coffee, but I do miss brewing a pot in the kitchen and using as much vanilla creamer as I want.

Next: Port Macquarie and the Koalas

Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Philippians 2:9-11