Dom Fowler: Marina Cafe opens in Derwent Park after well-timed Incat invitation
A Hobart food truck boss has traded up, unveiling a Hamptons style, plant-filled cafe offering plussed-up favourites at the “champagne end” of an industrial suburb frequented by boaties.
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Hobart food truck boss has traded up, unveiling a Hamptons style, plant-filled cafe offering plussed-up favourites at the “champagne end” of an industrial suburb frequented by boaties.
Dom Fowler, owner of food-truck favourite Fried & Loaded, opened the doors to Marina Cafe at 20 Bender Dr, Derwent Park, on June 19.
He described Marina as being at the “champagne end” of Derwent Park, home to Incat, Spotty Dog Brewery & Taphouse and the Royal Danish Consulate.
The two–three month fit-out of the former Marina Tuckshop, which closed earlier this year, has resulted in a Hamptons style, “beachy coastal” vibe cafe, lined with plants, featuring vertical join feature walls coated in white and a central, 4m-long communal table.
Food-wise, gourmet toasties such as salami and pickle, and ham, pineapple and gruyere mingle with six to seven burgers including spiced mushroom and smash cheeseburgers, and soup of the day, most recently potato, leek and bacon, served with cheese toastie dippers.
The kitchen is not averse to more off-piste creations, though: witness the Himalayan breakfast fritters and rotating muffin options that include Violet Crumble, Turkish delight and Peppermint Crisp, as well as classics like blueberry.
“We’re walking a tightrope, not too boujee, not too greasy spoon. We want to look after guests whether they’re wearing a hi-vis vest or Louis Vuitton loafers,” he said.
Aside from the hi-vis crew, his other key target market is Derwent Park’s “community of live-aboards,” the dozens, sometimes hundreds, of boaties who live aboard the 300-odd yachts moored in the bay.
Mr Fowler said patrons could expect a “back-to-basics” approach at Marina Cafe: made-to-order meals [not a bain-marie in sight], seasonal menus made with homegrown ingredients, a small pantry of market produce and “lovely coffee with a beautiful view”.
Mr Fowler said he had been on the lookout for a commercial kitchen for a while – he blew the clutch on his ute twice towing the Fried & Loaded trailer up the hill to his previous kitchen near Fern Tree – when a lunch service at PFD Foods warehouse alerted him to the opportunity to set down roots in Derwent Park.
After inviting the Incat crew around for a feed, he received a call from head office.
“They said, hey, we’ve seen you in the area, do you need space for your food truck, do you need a prep kitchen and hey, can you run a cafe? I said yes without hesitation,” Mr Fowler said.
He and head barista Aleks Attwood, hired on direct recommendation by Sue Stagg, co-owner of cafes The Stagg – City and Midtown, have been adding the finishing touches since the doors opened.
“It’s quite dangerous, Aleks and I have an addiction to buying plants, we are always coming in with four or five plants under our arms,” Mr Fowler said.
It’s official: Former Labor leader quits state parliament
Former Labor leader Rebecca white has quit state parliament to focus on her tilt at the seat of Lyons in the upcoming federal election.
Robbins Island wind farm opponent in Supreme Court bid
A key opponent of a 100-turbine wind farm proposed for Robbins Island says it was denied natural justice during a failed 2023 legal appeal against the $1.6 billion development’s approval.