In this week’s issue: You can check out some of what’s happening for ANZAC day and Mother’s day, a lot of new autumn menus for restaurants like The Cottage Bar and The Rabbit Hole, if you’re planning a function in the near future you can look an array of unique options, the latest fashion news from Napoleon Perdis, and so much more.
FOOD
THE BOTANIST AT KIRRIBILLI MARKETS
Bar & restaurant The Botanist, is popping up at the Kirribilli Markets. Over four weekends The Botanist will have a themed stall at the markets – think hanging plants, safari hats and flowers galore – and they will be selling a selection of their ever popular delicious sliders and non-alcoholic punches. There will be four slider options on the menu including chicken, beef, vegetarian and bacon & egg. The restaurant will be present at the Kirribilli Fashion markets on April 13, May 11 and June 8th. They will also be at the general markets on June 28. For more info, check out www.thebotanist.com.au
THE COTTAGE BAR & KITCHEN NEW MENU
For autumn, The Cottage Bar & Kitchen in Balmain has launched new food and cocktail menus to suit the season. With dishes such as Roasted cauliflower with pulled lamb shoulder, Brussel sprouts sautéed with pancetta and nuts, jerk chicken pizza; and new cocktails including the Balmain Sling, White Chocolate & Chai Martini and many more, there is something to please everybody’s taste buds! In addition, they are continuing to support rising musical talent in the local area. This is the playing schedule for April:
5th: Ash King - www.ashking.com.au
6th: Jesse Witney - http://jessewitney.com/
12th: Briana Cowlishaw - http://brianacowlishaw.com/
13th: Jacqui & Jeff Longhurst - https://soundcloud.com/jacquiandjefflonghurst
19th: Lana Rita - https://www.facebook.com/soulbeatsmusic
20th: Frances Castley - https://www.facebook.com/frannycasmusic
26th: Tom Fredericks
27th: Cronier Van Niekerk
DRINK AND DINE FUNCTIONS AVAILABLE
The Norfolk: In 2014 The Norfolk is offering two great nights of drinking and dining. The first is an unlimited beer and nacho party, which costs $30 for one hour and $50 for two hours (per person). There are a range of tap beers and nacho flavours. A taco party is also on offer, where you can build your own tacos and fill them to the brim with chunks of meat, or tofu and the like for the vegetarians. That costs $20 per person, and requires a minimum of 20 people. Email functions@thenorfolk.co for bookings
The Oxford Tavern: The Oxford Tavern presents the Black Betty BBQ. An entire night filled with their best low and slow cooked meats that will linger deliciously on your tastebuds. There are $30 and $50 per person options, and both require 20 people at least. Email theoxfordtavern@drinkndine.com.au for bookings.
The Forresters: If karaoke and pizza is your jam, then The Forresters has you covered. For $30 per person for one hour, or $50 per person for two hours you can belt out your favourite hits and fill yourself to the brim with pizza. To make a booking email functions@theforresters.com.au
Queenies: Feeling the tropical fiesta vibe for your next office lunch? Head down to Australia's premier Jamaican restaurant - Queenies. On Fridays you can take a quick float around the Caribbean with their BIGSHOT set lunch menu. Choose from the menu yourself or just get the chef to feed you... A bammie (Jamaican taco), a main and a side for $30.To spice up your next corporate lunch, email bookings@queenies.com.au
The Apartment: Need your own space? The Apartment is your ideal spot. A little slice of Barcelona in the 70s in Surry Hills. It's available for private bookings (breakfast, lunch & dinner) and large groups. A full menu and a banquet menu is available... Or even better just hang out in the "kitchen" for a drink. To make a booking email functions@the-carrington.com.au.
House of Crabs: The House of Crabs is the place to be if you’re a seafood lover. Try their lavish banquet menus, which range for Standard ($55), Deluxe ($75) or the Premium Banquet ($90). House of Crabs is located at Redfern Bay, just above The Norfolk - on level 1. To book email houseofcrabs@drinkndine.com.au
FIESTA EL LOCO AT SLIP INN
Fiesta El Loco is showcasing the best of Mexico at this courtyard fiesta this April 2. Dig into classic Mexican food, tequila and margaritas along with a mariachi band, DJs and Mexican markets. Tickets cost $35 and come with 6 food and drink tokens. Bookings available at http://merivale.com.au/whats-on/event/fiesta-el-loco/
Food stalls include:
Live paella station - Squid, chorizo and prawn paella
Big BBQ featuring - Roasted corn topped with queso fresco & Huitlacoche quesadilla
Taco stand - pulled pork, picked apple & ancho mayonaise & ox tongue, red cabbage & Chimmichurri
Churro cart featuring warm, Mexican style churros & cajeta (thickened syrup made of sweetened caramelised milk)
RABBIT HOLE BAR & DINING – NEW MENU
The Rabbit Hole Bar & Dining has crafted a new French inspired lunch menu under the direction of Executive Chef Jeremy Metivier. The new menu showcases his impressive culinary skill, which consists of dishes such as Quinoa salad with vegetable tagliatelle, poached egg and lemon oil; Grilled flat head, carrot and beetroot chips & strawberry aioli; Croque-Monsieur with smoked mozzarella, apricot, green peas & bacon; and if you are after something more hearty try the slow cooked beef pie with carrot and orange cream and puff pastry. All lunch meals are priced at $19, and to celebrate the launch of this new and delectable menu the restaurant is offering a 20% discount off your whole bill every Monday to Wednesday during April 2014. To get the full rundown, head to www.rabitholebar.com.au
ROLLD
Fresh Vietnamese food sensation, Rolld, is proving there is much more to their menu than their delicious Rolld soldiers. Intrepidly exploring the world of Vietnamese cuisine, Rolld has just launched a fast, fresh and flavoursome new dinner menu in three of their most popular Melbourne stores - Barkly Square, Hardware Lane and Knox. A signature item of the new menu, the Banh Xeo, otherwise known as a ‘sizzling pancake’, is not to be missed. A crispy Vietnamese crepe filled with your choice of tasty BBQ chicken, lemongrass beef, roast pork with crackling or tofu and mushrooms. See a full menu at http://www.rolld.com.au/menu.htm
MOTHER’S DAY
PaperPlanes: Celebrate mum this May 11 with PaperPlanes’ $40 banquet lunch menu. Delicious dishes designed to share with the family including three courses and a glass of ‘Borgo SanLeo’ Italian Prosecco for your leading lady. Head Chef Jin Kung’s selection of favourites includes their famous Kara age chicken, light and tempting tempura, succulent pork belly bites, as well as an assortment of scrumptious sushi rolls and sides. The set menu includes vegetarian options and can be tailored to suit dietary requirements.
LL Wine and Dine: Spoil your mum this mother’s day with LL Wine and Dine’s ‘All You Can Eat Yum Cha between 11am – 4pm. You can not only enjoy some LL signature dishes, but you can feast on dumplings and listen to music from their resident crooners Myall High. They’ll make sure to spoil your mum with a glass of SanLeo Borgo Prosecco Sparkling Wine, and should dad come along he can enjoy Tsing Tao long necks for only $10. You can also choose to join LL Wine and Dine in the evening for a taste of their a la carte menu, which features their signature San Choy Bau of chicken, some crispy tofu and a beef Massaman curry. This is an experience the whole family can enjoy.
DRINKS
THE WINERY – WINE SCHOOL 101
Group sommelier of The Keystone Group, Sarah Limacher, will run a Wine School class as part of Destination Queenstown’s take-over of the Surry Hills hotspot The Winery from March 31 – April 4. Wine School 101 will be a journey into Central Otago’s best wines in a fun and entertaining fashion. Originally from New Zealand herself, Sarah will explain the wines in an interactive session, open to those who are beginners and also experts. The wine class itself will take place on April 1 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. For more info, head to http://thewinerysurryhills.com.au/
MERIVALE EXPANDS
Merivale has continued its commitment to Sydney’s hospitality sector with the purchase of the Noble Canteen (previously Trumps Tavern) at 50 King Street, Sydney. The acquisition is a wonderful new addition to the company’s diverse portfolio of restaurants, bars and event spaces. Merivale will first launch an art-based pop-up bar at the King Street site, due to open late April. Aptly titled ‘A Work in Progress’, the venue will be transformed into a live art studio, offering Sydney’s CBD a new and engaging bar experience.
ANZAC DAY EVENTS
Bungalow 8: To celebrate those who made Australia great, Bungalow 8 is constructing a massive harbourside Two-Up Arena that will have all patrons sharing a laugh or two over a few cheeky beers. Their same day menu will be available throughout the celebration. DJs Somatik, A Game, Micky D and Andy Benke will be mashing up Aussie tunes from around the country, and for Bungalow 8’s famous afternoon harbour sunset Paris on Drums will set the ANZAC spirit alight. Doors open at 12pm and entry is free
Cargo Bar: The Cargo Bar’s beer garden invites you and your mates to enjoy ANZAC day celebrations down at darling harbour, with views that will keep you in good spirits all day. There’s a daytime BBQ so you can share a plate or two by the water’s edge side, kicking back to the 9 sets of DJs mixing Australian EDM beats that will encourage you to get up and dance all day.
The Sugar Mill: Wash down your 2014 ANZAC Day spirit with mates at The Sugarmill this year, and get prepared for a night of festivities to celebrate what’s great about Australia. To celebrate, they’re setting up a 2UP Arena for punters to enjoy. For the sport fans, catch the Roosters VS Dragons game live on the big screen. $4.80 VBs are on offer all day, The Mill’s noteworthy $10 Steaks will certainly be doing the rounds, including plenty of other options from their day and night menu.
Newtown Hotel: When the sun sets and the atmosphere gets a tad louder, the Newtown Hotel plan to ramp it up a notch with an epic line-up of local DJs that will be mashing up tunes to set the ANZAC spirit alight late into the night. With a range of icy cold boutique ciders on tap, including the Newtown Hotel’s day and night menus, the ANZAC sunset after party will be sure to have your friends revelling on in comfort.
AUSTRALIAN DISTILLERY WINS AT WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION 2014
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2014 - one of the world's most prestigious spirits competitions - has awarded a Double Gold to Australian Gin distillery Four Pillars, which is located in the Yarra Valley. The win comes less than six months after Four Pillars crafted their very first batch of Gin; an impressive feat.
Four Pillars is made by using 10 botanicals: Juniper berries, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, cinnamon, lavender, angelica, star anise, Tasmanian pepper berry leaf, lemon myrtle and whole fresh oranges. The quality results in an ultra smooth, deliciously complex spirit at 41.8% alc/vol. It is a perfect gin for a classic G&T, martini or a Negroni.
Four Pillars is available at many of the best bars, restaurants and liquor stores across Australia; including at some of Australia’s top restaurants – Attica, QUAY and Momofuku Seiobo.
www.fourpillarsgin.com.au
FASHION & CULTURE
WESTFIELD FASHION PARTNERSHIP
Westfield has announced its plans to further strengthen and support established and emerging Australian fashion designers in 2014 and beyond. The first we will see of this strengthening will be when Westfield aligns with some of Australia’s most heralded designers – Dion Lee, Romance Was Born and We Are Handsome. These three designers will be sponsored by Westfield for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia 2014 and will feature in two in-centre installations in Westfield Sydney and Westfield Bondi Junction for the two weeks surrounding the event.
SCULTURA COLLECTION BY DÉLONGHI
Introducing the new Scultura Collection by DéLonghi – where unique industrial design meets true Italian style to create one of the most striking additions to the kitchen for years. With a stunning linear style and pure metal finish, this range of beautifully-crafted kettles, toasters and manual coffee machines is guaranteed to make a design statement in the home. Consisting of a manual coffee machine, two or four-slice toaster and kettle, DéLonghi is breaking new ground with this collection of elegant and stylish appliances. For full details of the appliances, including pricing, please visit www.delonghi.com.au
QT PARLOUR ART
QT Sydney is attempting to discover Australia’s most exciting new talent. QT Sydney’s café and bar, Parlour Lane Roasters, will play host to a showcase called Parlour ART, a mixed exhibition of 6 fledgling artists and designers. The chosen works will be presented in Parlour Lane’s spectacular 1930’s display cabinets in the lead-up to. Following a call-out to student artists and designers from art and design schools, a panel of industry experts will judge uploaded entries via www.parlour-art.com.au and shortlist 10 stand-out submissions. The 10 shortlisted artists and designers will be provided with $200 for materials and challenged to create a work which represents the character of QT Sydney. From the 10 shortlisted, 6 finalists will have their works showcased within the Parlour ART exhibition at Parlour Lane Roasters and the winner will receive $500 and editorial feature in Renegade Collective magazine.
MARIMEKKO AT CAFÉ PACI
As a treat for the eyes, check out the latest the latest fashion season of Marimekko: Art of Encounters which featured recently at the Café Pacci in Darlinghurst.
NAPOLEON PERDIS LIFE.STYLE - SYDNEY
Napoleon Perdis last night opened his third Napoleon Perdis Life.Style Store in the MLC Centre, Castlereagh Street, Sydney, with a vibrant ‘Safari Style’ party. The Life.Style MLC Store is the start of a roll out of Napoleon's plan to launch 25 Life.Style concept stores in the next 2 years. The next stores will open in the prestigious Double Bay followed by Chapel St, Melbourne. An eclectic guest list of Sydney-based media, celebrities and key social faces celebrated alongside Napoleon Perdis, as they sipped on Moet and cocktails served in coconuts. In addition to carrying the existing, eclectic brand line up of ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery and home wares, the mini department Life.Style store stocks nOir and SHY jewellery as well Klein Reid porcelain. All this sits alongside the iconic Napoleon Perdis cosmetic collection.
BMW SYDNEY CARNIVAL EVENTS
The BMW Sydney Carnival has a myriad of events to keep you entertained over the coming weeks. The Rosehill Guineas Day has just passed, and featured an array of fantastic entertainment. The fun ranged from stunning music acts, to pamper stations that ensured everyone was feeling as wonderful as possible. On April 5 the next race event takes place, the Tooheys New Golden Slipper. This is the crowning event in the whole six weeks of the BMW Sydney Carnival and is one of Australia’s most iconic races. It boasts $3.5 million in prize money. This year the day will feature the coveted ‘Myer Fashions on the Field’, pamper lounges, major promotions and some mind blowing performances. Tickets are $40, or $15 for concessions and gates open at 10:45am. Head to www.theraces.com.au for full details, and to book tickets.
TRAVEL
WIN A TRIP TO SPAIN THANKS TO CONTIKI'S #NOREGRETS
Contiki’s 'NOREGRETS' Adventure Challenge is offering the chance for you and a friend to win a trip to feel the Spanish sun on your face. Contiki will be taken you off the beaten track and uncovering some of Spain's best hidden gems, just for you. You'll be going to heritage listed cities, exploring glacial lakes, discovering gorgeous beaches and coves, and much more.
For your chance to win this amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity visit www.contiki.com/adventurechallenge