Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/122153
kitchenconfidential BEACHSIDE BOUNTY OUTthere visits Salsa in Port Douglas, where the food is vibrant, fresh and tasty and the staff make you feel as though you're at their beachside home. There's no doubt about it: Salsa is an institution for locals and for visitors who can't help but repeatedly return to this intoxicating coastal hamlet. Bill Conway and Rhys Bawden own the open-air, beachy restaurant that is famous for its ceiling covered with signed white dinner plates – testimony to the fact that it's the place of choice for celebrities when they're in town. One plate sits alone, signed by former US President Bill Clinton on September 11, 2001. It's something most people notice as soon as they walk in, and locals say no-one knows how he got out of town so quickly and back to the US when the catastrophic events of that day rocked the world. More often than not, Bill Conway can be found in Salsa's open kitchen, and after 17 years here, he still loves being in the thick of things, surrounded by the many friends he's made who now call Salsa their second home. The restaurant has a relaxed ambience suited to the holiday vibe of the town. Port Douglas' mix of culture, great wining and dining and, of course, the reef and the rainforest, have most people sighing as soon as they step foot in the place, promising themselves they'll move to paradise one day. "We've gone for a Californian/ Tex-Mex feel, to capture the vibe of Port Douglas, with colourful dishes and fresh flavours," Bill says. "These days, a lot more people are aware of ingredients in dishes; they pay a lot more attention. So they know we do our best to source prime local ingredients to showcase what we have up here. We have so much amazing seafood – from red emperor fish and gold band snapper to coral trout and swordfish – we're spoilt for choice." Bill is clearly where he should be in life: living and working the dream. "I always wanted to be a chef. I think it's either in your blood or it's not, and you can't be the kind of person who looks at the clock, wondering when your day finishes. The hours are long, but I love it, and seeing people enjoy themselves makes it all worth it." "We've gone for a Californian/ Tex-Mex feel to capture the vibe of Port Douglas." 34 Clockwise from top: The famous ceiling at Salsa; Salsa's inviting entrance; co-owner and chef Bill Conway.