Franklin & Maria Streets, Swansea, Tasmania, Australia.
+61 3 6257 8896.
There was a short-lived wailing and gnashing of teeth when well-known Tasmanian chef John Bailey and his wife Lee bought Swansea’s popular local daytime cafe The Left Bank and, a year later, turned it into the much more upmarket Banc restaurant. Things have long since settled down, though, and everyone seems happy about having a serious restaurant in town. Bailey has a good network of local suppliers and his menu features many regional specialties. Some dishes, such as the confit of locally farmed baby abalone, which is dressed with Asian flavours, and steamed local crayfish with pink-eye potatoes, have become permanent fixtures; others such as local organic raspberries served with a semifreddo studded with walnuts, or the greengages (small plum variety) that come with a crème brûlée, are seasonal. Tasmania’s east coast is blessed with some of the state’s best vineyards, including Apsley Gorge, Freycinet and Springvale. They’re well represented on the wine list, so it’s possible for a meal here to be a completely local experience.
Open: lunch Sun-Mon, dinner Wed-Mon. Licensed. Mains $26-$40.
Website Source:
Qantas The Australian Way May 2008
Updated: August 2008