Dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON writes about her trip down to the south coast to spread some love.

WE all know the south coast needs support and if you’ve been down since the fires sped through, causing an unprecedented path of destruction, you’ll understand why. It’s simply heartbreaking. 

I went down on Valentine’s Day weekend with a couple of friends and a plan to spread some love. 

Let’s start with breakfast at Crumb Café, Beach Road, Batehaven. It’s a sweet spot, open at the crack of dawn (5am) and they cook a mighty mean brekkie and serve up great coffee. 

My smashed avo dish was loaded with ingredients. Here goes: pomegranate, beetroot jam, golden beetroot, poached eggs, beetroot labneh (as pretty as it was delicious), two poached eggs, cherry tomatoes, lemon, labneh for added interest and a thick slice of sourdough ($19).

My friend adored her field mushrooms, which came with spicy slices of chorizo, salty feta, basil oil, poached eggs, pistachio sesame sprinkle for texture and sourdough ($19).

Saturday we were off to Moruya markets, kickstarting our visit with a coffee at the groovy, and oh-so-serious-about-coffee, Alfresco Roasters. Then it was time to line up for slices of the pizza the Riverside Pizza stall is so famous for. My smoked meat pizza was amazing ($7) and my friend’s pepperoni equally so ($7). Another fan had just finished her rosemary potato pizza, with fresh lemon squeezed on top when piping hot.

Brunch was the name of the game another day, this time at the quaint Mossy Café at Mossy Point, which opened in 1937 as a post office and general store. Today it’s a hideaway café with a mega following.

Guerrilla Roasters has a presence on site and the kitchen whips up many products in-house using heaps of local produce and supplies. 

My super healthy breakfast bowl ($19) was created with confit mushrooms, miso sweet potato, tomato relish, goat’s cheese, poached egg and mixed seeds. My friend’s smashed avo ($19.50) was perked up with edamame beans, romesco and salsa verde. More great coffee.

One dinner, a larger group checked out the relatively new renos at the Catalina Club. There’s now a massive deck out back, right on the golf course and under a massive awning (so when the rain started bucketing down we kept cosy and dry). The views are picture perfect. Club food is the name of the game here – super quick service and inexpensive meals. The seafood platter was great ($36).

Last was filling the empty esky at Deli on Perry, right in the Bay, with cheeses, gourmet goodies, pâtés, terrines and other deli items. Bayside Meats is part of the operation. You can also have a bite to eat while there.

Share the love mission accomplished.