Quandong Parlour: would you like dinner first, and cards afterwards?
At Quandong Parlour in Ceduna, the evening begins with a menu of bay fish, paddock lamb and baking from our own oven, and continues at half past seven when the casino room opens for roulette, blackjack and poker. Everything is played with chips, in person, by adults only. There is no betting, no stake, no prize and no online play of any kind, and not a single poker machine in the building. A table for dinner and a seat among the card tables are booked separately, and I should be glad to arrange either or both for your evening.
Have you ever stood at the end of a long road and watched the light change over the water? In Ceduna that hour arrives at the close of every day, and it is the hour around which Quandong Parlour is arranged. I am Liam Allen, the floor manager, and I would like to describe how an evening in this house unfolds, because the order of it matters more than any single dish.
At five o'clock Felicity Morrison lights the lamps, and the dining room, a former grain agent's office on Poynton Street, begins to glow. By half past five the kitchen under Lucy Duncan is sending out its first plates: whiting from the bay, lamb from the paddocks, bread baked that afternoon. Nothing is hurried. Guests sit, order, and talk.
At half past seven a brass ship's bell is rung twice and the casino room opens its doors. This is the second half of the evening and it is entirely optional. Roulette, blackjack and poker are dealt on chips by Oliver Georgiou and his colleagues, with no stake, no betting and no prizes, and the room is for adults only.
I should say plainly what we are not. There are no pokies and no gaming machines of any kind, nothing is played online, and no money changes hands over the tables. Everything takes place here, in person, in a building that you can walk into from Poynton Street, and nowhere else.
The evening ends with a second bell at ten, the lamps are lowered, and the last guests are seen to the door. If this order appeals to you, I would be glad to hold a table. If it does not, I hope the remainder of this page will change your mind, and that you will ask me any question you wish.
Dinner at half past five
Whiting, lamb and baking prepared through the afternoon
The bell at half past seven
Casino tables open to adults, with games played using chips
The kitchen
What is on the plate before the cards come out?
Lucy Duncan cooks from the bay and the paddock. King George whiting is pan-fried in lemon butter, Smoky Bay oysters are served plainly with a wedge of lemon, and the lamb comes from properties inland, roasted slowly with garlic and rosemary. Bread, pastry and puddings are made in the house each morning.
The menu is short on purpose. A cook who has twelve dishes can attend to each of them, and Lucy prefers to be sure of a plate before it leaves the pass. There are vegetarian dishes on every list, and she is glad to adapt a plate for a guest who tells her what to avoid.
From the bay
Whiting, oysters and prawns when the boats come in
From the oven
Damper, pies and a pavlova with wattleseed cream
To drink
Tea, coffee, lemonade and sparkling water
One evening
How does an evening run, hour by hour?
Lamps and doors17:00
Felicity Morrison lights the lamps, opens the doors and takes the first names at the host's desk.
Supper service17:30
The kitchen sends out the dinner list; the last order for dinner is taken at half past eight.
The tables open19:30
Two strokes of the ship's bell, and the casino room is open to adults on chips.
The last bell22:00
Final hands are dealt, chips are counted back and the lamps are lowered by half past ten.
House order
Which five rules does the house keep?
Guests must be eighteen or older, and the host will ask to see proof of age at the door.
Chips are lent for the evening, hold no value and are returned to the dealer when you leave.
Telephones are silent at the tables; calls and photographs belong in the front hall.
A seat left empty for more than ten minutes passes to the next name on the list.
Courtesy is the only requirement of play: to dealers, to staff and to other guests.
Practical matters
What do guests need to know before they arrive?
Where can I park?
Poynton Street has kerbside parking in front of the building, and a small car park behind it is reached by the lane on the left. Both are free, and the rear gate is lit throughout the evening.
Is the building accessible?
The front step has a gentle ramp, the dining room is on one level and the casino room is reached through a wide doorway. Please tell Felicity Morrison when you book if you would like a table near the entrance.
What should I wear?
Neat everyday clothing is entirely suitable. Many guests arrive directly from work; others dress more formally for an occasion. There is no dress code beyond ordinary tidiness, and no one is asked to wear a tie.
How do I pay for dinner?
Dinner is settled at the table by card or in cash once you have finished. Nothing is charged for the casino room, because no money is played there, and there is no cover charge or service fee.
How long does a visit last?
Dinner usually takes about ninety minutes. Many guests then spend a further hour or two in the casino room, but others leave after dessert, and both courses of the evening are equally welcome.
May I bring children?
Children are welcome in the dining room until half past six when accompanied by an adult. The casino room is for guests eighteen and over, and nobody younger may enter it for any reason.
Is anything played for money?
No. There are no pokies and no gaming machines, no betting, and no stake or prize at any table. Chips have no cash value, and nothing is played online, since every game takes place here in person.
After dinner
What does the casino room offer after dinner?
The casino room holds four tables on one level: a single roulette wheel, a blackjack table and two for poker, where we deal Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud and Five Card Draw. The room is panelled in dark timber, the lamps are shaded, and the floor is carpeted so that very little sound carries.
Every game is played with chips that have no value outside the building. There are no entry fees, no wagers and no prizes, and a tournament ends with a name on a board and nothing more. Guests who prefer to watch are welcome at the rail for as long as they like.
Arrive from the highway as a vessel enters a channel: by the marks, in order. Four of them stand between the road and the front step.
Buoyage
Can buoythe car park gate, on your left
Cone buoythe front step, which has a small lip
Sphere buoythe host's desk, where names are taken
Spar buoythe casino room door, past the servery
Marks as seen at dusk
Reserve
Would you like me to hold a table?
Send your numbers and the evening you have in mind, and say whether you would like dinner, the casino room or both. I will confirm by return e-mail and keep your table for fifteen minutes past the hour.
