Hervey Bay may be known as the world’s whale-watching capital, and its scallops are appearing on menus across Australia, but there’s more to this laid-back coastal city than stunning cetaceans and prized molluscs. Bar Soma, a cosy 22-seat wine bar in Scarness, is proving just that.
Scallops are on the menu, of course. While not local this visit, they’re still excellent – served in the shell and swimming in garlicky toum butter. They’re outshone, just, by grilled split prawns nestled in a fragrant coconut curry sauce enhanced with makrut lime.
Since opening in 2022, Bar Soma has brought a modern edge to Hervey Bay’s dining scene. The arrival of head chef Mitchell Chambers (ex-Exhibition restaurant) has introduced a freewheeling approach to the menu, drawing inspiration from the Middle East, Thailand and Italy. But cuisine isn’t the focus here; deliciousness is.
Take some freshly shaved mortadella, drizzled with mandarin hot honey and served with house pickles. Or labneh, topped with marinated capsicum and doused in a fiery sauce made from biber salçasi (Turkish red pepper paste). It doesn’t take long to realise that Chambers has a way with sauces – they’re balanced, punchy and addictive. House focaccia is the perfect vessel to mop up every last drop.
Like the food, the wine list resists rigid categorisation. In such a regional location playing it safe would be easy, but owner Timo van Hest champions lo-fi producers from around the world, with a focus on lesser-known varieties and regions.
His advice is worth seeking out: a viscous dessert wine from Beechworth’s Castagna complements a sticky date pudding topped with barley cream, while a Spanish moristel from Bodega Pirineos proves the perfect chilled red for a balmy summer evening.
The latter cuts through the richness of a 400-gram sirloin, served with Chambers’ take on Diane sauce. The addition of muhammara (a roasted red pepper Levantine dip) lends it a spicy, smoky edge. It comes
with a side of butter lettuce, with a savoury yeast and miso dressing, and scattered with a salty crumb of fried chicken skin and quinoa. An unexpected highlight.
It seems Hervey Bay is witnessing exponential growth, with a 223-room five-star hotel on the way and direct flights recently introduced. There’s more to this coastal city than meets the eye, and Bar Soma seems to be hitting its stride at just the right time.
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