No2 Oak Street Bellingen

Ahead of my trip to the Coffs Coast with Audi,  I worked on a food styling shoot alongside Head Chef Ben Fitton at Spanish-chic Cafe Del Mar in Sydney.  Among our many discussions, I told Chef Ben that I was going to be making the trek to check out this little village called Bellingen.  This conversation was rather serendipitous, as  I found out that Bellingen on the Coffs Coast is where Chef Ben grew up. When we got to talk about where I should definitely eat, without hesitation, Ben suggested No2 Oak Street. Luckily for me, this was the first restaurant on our Coffs Coast itinerary.

It seems to me, places like No2 Oak Street are the heartbeat of close knit villages like Bellingen. This was the perfect way to kick off the weekend... it was like we started in the foodie epicentre of it all, and worked our way through.

This restaurant is a Coffs Coast foodie institution having been awarded 2 chefs hats, and featured for 11 years running in the SMH Good Food Guide. Among the locals, No2 Oak Street has always been that special place reserved for life's sweetest moments, and for many, a fool-proof saturday night out. The community certainly don't take this place for granted, and it's not hard see why. This golden cottage sits aglow with the love of a community that has embraced and celebrated its success over the years.

In good company, we began our night with wine and house baked bread. The ambiance of the dining room made for easy conversation, so we enjoyed the time between courses getting to know each other . When it was time to order,  I felt compelled to stick to a seafood entree and main with a keen eye fixed on an apple  dessert. There was something so light and earthy about the way these dishes sounded on the menu and after the drive from Sydney to Bellingen, that's exactly what I was looking for in a meal; cool, light and wholesome. Here are my little foodie snap shots...

Later this week I'll be sharing my 48 hour hunt for the sweet life on the Coffs Coast. Turns out, I didn't need to hunt at all... it was already at my feet.

No2 Oak Street Bellingen, NSW www.no2oakst.com.au

Viola of Project Sweet Stuff experienced the sweet life in Bellingen a guest of Coffs Coast Marketing and Audi Australia

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