Friday nite was a big night out for us ... yes.... woohoo.. get down.. wait for it.. we went to the Groove Cafe! For dinner!
Those of you in the know will know that over the dry season the Groove (out the back of the Nightcliff shops in Nightcliff) is open for occasional Friday and Saturday nite shennanigans - Off the Page poetry and spoken word events, dances, bands, solo guitar performers etc etc. When I came to Darwin I described the Groove as being like a lesbian nite in the 80's LOLOL. ALSO, its pretty close to the kids playground at the shops - so if you get a strategically placed table - or just place one strategically like we did, you can watch your munchkins wearing themselves out while you eat. Anyway I get a bit excited about going which is pretty sad I know. So off we went.
The Groove is pretty casual, a little hole in the wall cafe where you order, a fridge full of drinks you can buy or just help yourself to water - in front is a fridge with a selection of salads and baked pastry and quichey type things and outside is a massive open air but undercover dining area under a huge awning. The dinner menu for these nites consisting mainly of pizzas and burgers - none of which are fantastic, all of which are part of the charm of the place. That and seeing the chef meander round the corner in his stained apron with a handful of salad greens he had obviously just picked up from the 5 Star Supermarket!!! The real bonus is that its licensed, so you can get a beer or a wine while you eat. And they have decent coffee too (fairtrade), good chai and yummy smoothies. Also the lunch stuff there is very very good and whilst I have never been the recipient of a good breakfast there, loads of people go there regular like, so there must be something keeping them coming back!!!
So to the picture (not the one of the cafe) - the picture i've posted is NOT of anything we ate at the Groove because it was dark by the time it arrived, and not worth photographing really - it's of some VERY hot, yummy crispy chips that we got from Nightcliff Fish and Chips to tide the kids over - a variable fishnchippery that somtimes just hits the right spot.
Groove Cafe, 4/35 Progress Drive, Nightcliff
Nightcliff Fish and Chips - same shops, different corner
nothing beats blowing off the we should cook at home idea, and heading out with your loved ones plus a friendly colleague or two, to Nightcliff fish and chips. It´s not just little munchkins who love that type of food. Tues night, way too many chips, fresh grilled fish, salad, oops a bottle of white and sitting down by the water with the most beautiful orange glow sunset. The fish was fresh, tasty and local, chips could have been a tinzy bit crisper, salad made us feel healthy and apparently the chicken nuggets were the best ever1
ReplyDeletetotally totally agree (we're going to get some tonite!)....i also think that takeaway is the best idea ever ever invented - but i always get a bit stuck on what to take away and where from in Darwin!! any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteWe tend not to buy takeaway food but do the wine and nibbles things more often than not down at east point or Fannie Bay. Being veg and gluten free also limits my options ALOT with takeaway. Mindil beach food sitting on the beach with the hordes but always, always the gorgeous sunset is hard to beat. Just make sure it is easy to eat food, ( ie easy to eat food whilst sitting on a sand dune, balancing, fork, napkin, food container etc)
ReplyDeleteTakeaway food in darwin I find is a bit dodge and expensive. The East Timorese place in Stuart Park is always fresh, yummy and the owner is lovely.
Yeah I must admit that is my experience of Darwin TA too - we tend to stick to Ming Court Pizza (ok), Charlies Pizza (ok), Thai Thai (variable), Asian Gateway (ok), Jingili Fish n Chips for burgers (ok - big burgers!). Not that inspiring! Will try the Timorese place :-))
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