Sometimes Mr NQN and I like to go on road trips and the Blue Mountains is one of our favourite places to visit. For starters, my god daughter and her sister live there and whilst I don’t know if I would make a great mother (I mean the child would just turn out weird and go to school dressed for Hallowe’en), I think I make a great aunt or godmother. Secondly, Leura’s outdoor mall with gorgeous boutiques galore is one of my favourite places to shop.
Even Mr NQN who loathes shopping unless he is given a seat in a boutique and an internet connection via phone remarks that the shopping is pretty good. But come 5pm the shops close like clockwork and closed signs adorn the doors and we’re left to ponder dinner. We decide to go to Blue Hour in nearby Katoomba for dinner as it is open all day and we had driven past it earlier in the day to see that it was packed. They don’t take bookings as it’s a small place with an inviting, cosy atmosphere. Service is very friendly and the menu reasonably priced.
Peppers stuffed with couscous, nuts, raisins and goat’s cheese $5
Like many places on this strip, you order at the counter. A quick browse of the menu shows that a good range of tapas plates prices at $5, $6 and $8. We choose one from each price range with one pick (the pork toast) not available. The peppers come out quickly and they’re warm and stuffed with couscous, nuts, raisins and goat’s cheese and are best eaten by being picked up and popped in the mouth. The couscous is slightly sweet and the goat’s cheese is a lovely creamy one that isn’t too strong.
Crispy pork belly slices with apple and mango chutney $6
Now the crispy pork belly slices look completely unlike what we expected. This resembles pancetta but it isn’t smoked and they’re dipped into the lovely apple and mango chutney. I don’t know if this works, it’s a little like dipping crispy bacon into a sweetish fruit puree. I think thicker pork belly slices with a crisp crackling layer on top would be perhaps better.
Caramelised pears wrapped in cured Spanish jamon with blue cheese $8
The caramelised pears (originally supposed to be peaches but they’re out of season now) are wrapped in jamon and you can have a choice of goat’s cheese or blue cheese. I wish I had picked the goat’s cheese as the blue is a little too strong for the dish.
Lamb tagine with figs, raisins, apricots, pine nuts and coriander served with couscous $18
The lamb tagine had a substitution and I always wish that they’d tell you about the substitutions as I had ordered this dish because I love figs. The lamb itself is lovely but I prefer figs to the apple that is given. The sauce is redolent in coriander seed and other spices.
Chicken burger $15
The chicken burger is filled with free range chicken, jamon, grilled zucchini, goat’s cheese and home made chilli jam in a floury small bun. It is smaller than your usual burger and I do like the sound of the filling although the home made chilli jam is a bit too generously portioned and it is very sweet and not really spicy at all so it lends a very sweet flavour to the burger. I do like the juiciness and flavour of the chicken and the rest of the ingredients together though.
As we leave, I find the card that my god daughter and her sister had drawn me in my bag and smile. I make plans to come back soon and to shop and eat more.
So tell me Dear Reader, where is your favourite place to shop? And does your partner share your love of shopping?
Blue Hour
Shop 1, 177 Katoomba St, Katoomba NSW 2780
Tel: +61 (02) 4782 6601
No bookings
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16 Comments | Add your own
I love the sound of the caramelized pears wrapped in Spanish cured ham–with cheese. Wow! That’s a new tapa for me.
I like to shop anywhere that isn’t chain stores and malls–one of a kind places, bohemian places, ethnic markets–it all probably reflects my costume-like take on clothes and I like to indulge that. Husband hates all shopping that isn’t Whole Foods or the like.
Milan is my favourite place to shop. My husband is pefectly happy to shop, as long as it is for him.
Does Mr NQN like shopping for gadgets? Because that’s the only shopping Carl likes to do. If we’re not shopping for gadgets I prefer to leave him at home. I love Leura too. Going to the mountains (once there – forget the drive!) is so relaxing and yes, there are always great places to eat. I think if you’re a wonderful aunt or godmother, you’ll be an excellent mother (hope I haven’t put you off!) xx
I hope to find a guy who knows
1. How to eat (I don’t mean only-protein shake stuff, I’m talking real)
2. Doesn’t mind me dragging him to shop because it is a hobby for me
This restaurant looks delicious, love how you tried such a variety! I agree with you though, they should have a sign or tell you in person if something is not in season!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Im with you on the Leura Mall its a great place to shop. My sister and I had some fantastic shopping days when she lived there
I hate substitutions too, it’s just not fair somehow
the menu looks nice, but the Chef sounds like they must have a real sweet tooth.
My loathes shopping- unless its at a hardware, bike or car parts store. He wears a uniform to work, so as long as he has a pair of jeans and a couple of t shirts, he doesn’t see the need for anything else.
Can any straight man reeeeally share a woman’s love of shopping?
Lamb tagine sounds fabulous in this weather but like you i’m not sure about dipping bacon (or the equivalent) into chutney.
Hi Lorraine, Orchard Road in Singapore when we visit is my favourite because the stores are endless. Hubby doesn’t mind shopping as long as it’s not on a beautiful sunny day as he’d rather be outside than in a shop.
This reminds me I have not gotten to Katoomba/Leura for ages. This seems to be OK for an informal meal. Prices good and the lamb tagine looks OK, but have never heard apples being used before? I have led such a frantically busy life all along, the main place where I shop is the Internet at midnight
! Actually both my husbands have been far more active shoppers than me – yes, I DO like the Via Condotti in Rome and Fbg St Honore in Paris and Bond Street in London: there I DO take time out 
! Here: get a lot of joy out of Farmers’ Markets 
!
mmmm that lamb tagine looks delicious, Lorraine. I’m seriously jealous of your dining out routine.
I really enjoy Katoomba as long as it’s not cold. It’s such a beautiful part of Australia.
I never ate food that looked this good up there though — must mean I need a re-visit!
As of this morning, I’m in love with shopping at Peter Alexander. I’m proud of the fact I managed to stop at two sets of pyjamas
Wheee pears and blue cheese!
I just loved my visit to the Blue Mountains and any mention of it reminds me of my family
Pears, bacon and cheese is such a timeless combination. My parents live in Bathurst and I think I may need to make a detour off the Hwy and stop in Katoomba instead of just flying past next time I go home.
I agree about substitutions Lorraine, they should ALWAYS tell you. Hopefully they discounted the dish. JT hates to shop. We usually plan our day around the stops we have to make, sometimes there are unexpected stops, in which case the conversation would go something like this: Me: Oh, I forgot I wanted to stop here to pick this up. JT: It wasn’t on the list. Me: But we’re right here, it would seem sily to have to come back. JT: How much time do you need in there? Me: (I’m thinking I HATE giving myself a time limit) How should I know. 45 minutes. JT: 45 minutes??? I thought you were going to pick up one thing? Me: I may as well look around while I’m here.
And so it goes. I now prefer to do my shopping on my own, where I don’t give myself time limits nor do I get annoyed if there is an unscheduled stop.
I’d love some of those peppers and some of that lamb. I made a leg of lamb yesterday for my guests and it was all gone very quickly. Silly me though I would have leftover… I also made it with apples, tart green apples, and it gave along with sage and thyme a lovely flavor.
Shopping with men? No way. The moment we enter any mall or shopping center, my husband says: ok, let’s go home… I prefer shopping on my own, sometimes with friends.
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