There's only so much you can fit into a weekend getaway, and thankfully Red Neds Gourmet Pie Bar made it onto our itinerary!

I first read about Red Neds at Citrus and Candy, and it has since been on my to-eat list!

Why, you ask? Apart from a wall studded with framed awards and medals, which is a good enough reason in itself, there are over 50 varieties of pie available! That's seriously enough variety to have a different pie for every meal of every day for over two weeks!

Some of the flavours to name are Lambs Fry with bacon and onions, Thai Green Curry Lamb in coconut cream and vegetables, African Chicken and so so much more!

We start with the Japanese Wagyu Beef Pie which is filled with tender chunks of Wagyu, onion and cheese in a hearty sauce. The crust is rich and flaky - absolutely scrumptious.

We also have the Lobster, Prawn and Barramundi Pie which is finished with sesame seeds and flakes of parsley. The creamy white sauce has luscious notes of coconut but we find the barramundi's fishyness unpleasantly overpowering.

Like tomato sauce, I think having chips on the side enhances the pie experience; and these crunchy beer battered chips are the perfect match.

I would have liked to taste more varieties but my stomach said no. I guess the Drunken Beer Steak and the Smoked Chicken & Camembert Cheese pies will have to wait for whenever I'm next in town.

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Red Neds Gourmet Pie Bar
Shop 3 / 17-19 Stockton St, Nelson Bay, NSW
Phone: (02) 4984 1355
Web: www.redneds.com.au

Thought the deep-fried Mars Bar was good? Wait 'til you've tried the sensational deep-fried Oreo!

But before we get carried away with dessert, let me show you the fish and chips which lured me to Aussie Bob's.

Aussie Bob's is located just off the shore at Shoal Bay and undeniably have perfected the great fish and chips. They aren't the cheapest in town, at $9.50 for a single serve and $18.50 for a double, but they are good... Very good.

Zen and I share a dozen of local oysters ($14, sourced from Holbert's Farm of course), the fish and chips for one ($9.80), the BBQ pack for one ($22) and a small Greek salad ($4.90).

My parents and brothers share the half lobster moray with chips and garden salad ($19.90), the family pack ($32) and also a dozen of local oysters ($14).

There's no table service so we order at the counter and take it outside where it is lined with rows and rows of large wooden bench sets. The chips from the family pack is the first thing to arrive. There's a mountain load served in a woven wooden bowl. We grab one of the old glass bottle salt shakers and sprinkle the chips immediately.

Our oysters are next to arrive. Served in a pretty sea blue plate, the oysters sit on a metal tray within a bed of salt rocks with a wedge of lemon. They're so creamy and absolutely divine.

My BBQ pack features garlic prawns, scallops, calamari, a fish fillet and chips. They appear to have been more pan-fried than barbecued or grilled, but is still scrumptious. The lobster mornay is filled with satisfying cheesy goodness, although it is a tad small.

And finally, the fish and chips. The fish is a generous-sized fillet and the batter has a lovely light crunchy texture which doesn't leave a greasy finish.

While struggling to finish our enormous orders, we eye the deep-fried Oreo poster and simply can't resist. Both the banana fritter and Oreo are deep-fried in the gorgeous batter. The banana's ripe sweetness tastes magical with the crisp batter, meanwhile the first bite of the deep-fried Oreo arouses all the senses.

I used to firmly believe that the best way to eat an Oreo was to twist, lick and dunk (or in a McFlurry), but seriously... there's no arguing that deep-fried is the way to go!

Deeply indulgent, the clean crisp batter holds together the soft but crumbly rich chocolate biscuit pieces and the creamy centre just melts in your mouth. A large scoop of vanilla ice cream prolongs the experience but it is not long before we agree that a second round is mandatory.

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Aussie Bob's Fish and Chips
2a Tomaree Road, Shoal Bay, NSW
Phone: (02) 4984 1591