Bistro Livi’s best recipes, from spanner crab omelette to slow-cooked lamb

At Bistro Livi, in the Northern Rivers, chef Ewen Crawford lets the region’s exceptional produce do the talking. Tweed Coast seafood, locally raised lamb and seasonal vegetables are treated with care and a light touch, in a menu that reflects the abundance of the surrounding region.

Now, seven of the restaurant’s recipes bring a little of that cooking into your own kitchen. From raw tuna with coriander sauce and whipped mullet roe with homemade spelt bread to slow-cooked lamb shoulder and Bistro Livi’s classic crème caramel, these dishes offer a taste of our 2026 NSW Restaurant of the Year.

7 Bistro Livi recipes to make at home

Braised baby octopus and butter beans with saffron and paprika sauce

A warming seafood starter.

Spanner crab omelette with fragrant chilli oil

A delicate crab omelette with chilli oil and crème fraîche, perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch.

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Slow-cooked lamb shoulder in milk

Ideal for a relaxed weekend feast.

Crème caramel

An elegant finale of silky custard and dark caramel.

Whipped mullet roe with spelt bread

A creamy dip served with homemade bread and crisp radishes.

Stuffed spatchcock wrapped in pancetta with shiitake mushroom filling

An impressive chicken dish for a light main when entertaining.

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Raw tuna with coriander sauce

A fresh, herbaceous tuna starter.

Author Lana Telford Editorial coordinator

Growing up between Byron Bay and Sydney, Lana began her career in publishing after a chapter in fashion, which included a London stint with luxury labels such as Stella McCartney. Now back in Australia, she’s swapped runways for restaurant trails as the editorial assistant at Gourmet Traveller magazine, working across both print and digital channels. Equal parts style-obsessed and food-curious, she’s just as likely to be curating the latest looks for glossy pages as she is chasing down the newest bars.

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Magazine Issue: September 2026

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