By Gordon Blakeney  

According to Peninsula Boutique  Hotel owner Sheryn Blundstone, there's only one way to combat difficult times and that is to re-invest and re-invent.  And that plan is exactly what she has put into motion with the superb Hi Tide Café/nd Seafood Bistro. 

Hi Tide has long been established as one of the best kept local secrets in Port Douglas for breakfast and lunch.  Where else could you go and sit by the breathtaking Four Mile Beach looking out over the Coral Sea and enjoy excellent cuisine with friendly and attentive service.  But when the proposed changes are made, Hi Tide will smoothly move from hideaway to 'must do' when in Port Douglas.

Nestled oceanside in the boutique Peninsula Hotel, Hi Tide looks directly out onto the Coral Sea, home of the Great Barrier Reef.  The natural sea breezes that gently sweep through the esplanade to cool their guests will soon be merged with a completely redesigned menu to create a cafe/bistro atmosphere.  The changes will encourage cocktails, good food and a cafe style ambience to entice both locals and visitors.

The menu is being recreated to produce a mainly seafood menu with modern Oz, Asian, Indian and Mediterranean dishes to tempt any palate.  Why not indulge yourself with a bucket of prawns, served straight from the trawler with chef’s own seafood sauce.. It's tropical, it's tasty and it goes well with an ice cold beer or cooling glass of wine. 

Enjoy the signature hot and cold seafood platter or for something a little more casual why not give in to daily caught fish and chips.  The seafood chowder is just one of the other stand out temptations to ensure a mouth-watering dining experience.  And if you don't or can't eat fish, then try the outrageously satisfying classic tender lamb shank, slow roasted for eight hours and accompanied by a lush tomato sauce with wilted spinach, served on a bed of mash and finished with a herb gremolata.

Now comes the really good news, right through until the end of March there will be a wide range of ‘Two for One’ deals to tempt the locals – Monday night for Fish and Chips or the monthly menu of chefs specials.  And as if that wasn't enough, every Wednesday night in March will be ‘Two for One Curry Night.  It just doesn't get any better than that!  Oh, and for those who like a magical mystery tour, there is a daily chef’s blackboard of specials so they've got everything covered. 

The wine list really is one of the nicest and cleverest selections to be found in Port guaranteed to accompany and complement any menu choice.

Hi Tide may be re-inventing itself but from the quality base that it originated, their guests are in for an even more enjoyable experience than they could ever imagine.

Full details of the menu changes and opening times will be published as soon as possible....watch this space.