In this week’s issue: Changes at The Fish Shop, The Tilbury prepares for winter, Brisbane restaurants Sono and The Laneway have big news, some Queen's Birthday long weekend offers for you all, BubbleBrunch at LL Wine & Dine, Australia's first moving catwalk, and so much more
FOOD
STARLIGHT FIVE CHEFS DINNER
On the evening of Thursday 22 May, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney hosted the Starlight Five Chefs Dinner which this year was themed “With a Little Imagination”. The sensational evening raised $660,000 for Starlight - enough funding to deliver Starlight’s hospital programs at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick and the Children’s Hospital at Westmead for over four and a half months, or to give over 16,000 children access to Starlight’s vital Captain Starlight and Starlight Express Room programs. Guests were treated to a performance by Tim Finn and indulged in a five-course degustation menu which was expertly matched with fine wines by Tyrrell’s, Keith Tulloch, Lake’s Folly, Peacock Hill Vineyard and Tempus Two. The Starlight Five Chef Dinners are unique in that virtually everything on the evening is donated from the chefs’ time and expertise, to the entertainment, to the auction items, meaning every dollar raised can go back into Starlight’s innovative programs. For more information, please visit www.starlightfivechefs.org.au
THE TILBURY WINTER OFFERS
The Tilbury in Woolloomooloo is putting Winter on a plate with new offerings to see diners through the colder months. Head chef Elton Inglis’ new Winter menu, ‘Italian on Tuesdays’, ‘Fork & Cork’ producer evenings, Sunday brunch and Sunday roast is on the bill this Winter. Head chef Elton Inglis, who has worked with the likes of Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver, has launched The Tilbury’s Winter a la carte menu that shines the spotlight on Australia’s best Winter produce. Specialties include Silver Dory, smoked potato puree, oxtail, Slippery Jack mushroom and red wine jus; crispy duck breast, baby beetroot, Dutch carrot and blood orange reduction; and more! The Tilbury has also partnered with some of the country’s top producers on a series of ‘Fork & Cork’ evenings, unique one off meal and wine pairings sure to twist up Wednesday nights in June. Chilly Tuesday nights call for a hearty serving of Italian treats, with The Tilbury hosting ‘Italian on Tuesdays’ in the restaurant. Choose a primi, secondi piatti and vino matched by Bottega del Vino for $33 from the menu that changes weekly. Carve up Sundays in Winter with Sunday roast. Get a taste of the classic British pub ritual with weekly-changing warming-to-the-core feasts. Sunday brunches got cooler too with Sunday brunch served in the bar. From 10am until 12 noon, dig into a myriad of brunch dishes, washed down with champagne cocktails and a morning stroll along Woolloomooloo wharf.
MESA VERDE ROAST (MELBOURNE)
Mesa Verde will be taking part in Melbourne Food & Wine's Roast Collection this year. The Winter weekend feast is called the Fiesta de la Barbacoa (or Barbecue Feast). Patrons can warm up their Winter bones and spice up their lunchtime dining with a Mexican-inspired feast, featuring Mesa's famous Lamb Barbacoa, seasonal vegies and a delectable, tequila-enhanced mulled wine. Victorian producers and produce feature heavily as it is the theme for MFW's Roast Collection. At $30 per head every Saturday and Sunday in June (including the Queen’s Birthday long weekend), what better way to spend lunch on your weekend? Check out the full details at http://mesaverde.net.au/
LA SVOLTA (MELBOURNE)
Over the Queen’s birthday, head to La Svolta for some grand eating. 'a dire basta' will be available on the Sunday, where you can eat until 'a dire basta', that is until you say "enough is enough", for $30 per person. Enjoy delicious, authentic Italian fare just like Nonna makes, with continual antipasto dishes and larger share plates served to your table until your bellies are full – literally. Head to http://www.lasvolta.com.au/ for more info
BUBBLEBRUNCH AT LL WINE & DINE
LL Wine & Dine is now offering a lane way brunch menu featuring our signature a la carte & yum cha favourites complimented by the following beverage deals; half price bottles of Prosecco, $99 bottles of Veuve Clicquot & $10 Bellini cocktails & $10 long neck Tsing Tao beers. Located in Sydney’s hottest alfresco dining hub, Llankelly Place; this is chic brunching at its best, every Saturday 11am – 4pm.
MERIVALE NEWS – THE FISH SHOP
Merivale has recently announced the appointment of Zac Sykes as Head Chef of The Fish Shop. Working closely with Executive Chef, Jeremy Strode, Zac has already given the popular menu his own inimitable spin. Zac has created several dishes for the Potts Point restaurant including grilled half shell scallops with cauliflower puree, breadcrumbs and miso brown butter; Moreton Bay bug roll; and more. Zac also captains the daily list of market specials, with a focus on locally caught, sustainable seafood. Throughout June, Zac will also introduce weekly $55 specials, designed perfectly for sharing. The delicious dishes include fish stew (2-8 June), 1kg of mussels (9-15 June), whole snapper (16-22 June) and seafood paella (23-29 June). Each special includes sides and a premium bottle of wine.
SONO JAPANESE RESTAURANT (BRISBANE)
The temperature is starting to drop and as winter hits, there is nothing better than a delicious, warming dinner to create the ultimate comfort. Sono Restaurants in the City and Portside have just the thing to soothe cold-weather blues, with their sumptuous Hot Pots and Hot Sake. Japanese hot pots are a traditional shared meal experience, and are designed to be enjoyed with family and friends. Each variety comes with beautiful, fresh ingredients initially prepared by Sono Chefs, to then be cooked and shared at your table. Sono’s staff will demonstrate the cooking process to ensure you enjoy the dish at its best.
Try the Wagyu Sukiyaki – thinly sliced wagyu beef and fresh vegetables, cooked in sweet soy sukiyaki sauce and served with rice and miso; or the Wagyu Shabu Shabu – thinly sliced wagyu served in a traditional Shabu Shabu hot broth. Wagyu hot pots are $42 - $48 per person. If you prefer a seafood alternative, choose the Kani Tonyu Nabe is $55 per person and includes a sumptuous Alaskan King Crab hot pot with four kinds of Asian mushrooms. The mixture is then combined with rice, shredded nori seaweed, shallots and egg to create zousui (rice soup). Sono City also offers Mini Paper Hot Pots, including Duck Kami Nabe and Seafood Kami Nabe for just $25 - $28 per person.
Top off your dinner with a glass or two of sake, served warm to truly beat any lingering chill! Sono has a wide range of sakes to complement the cuisine in a similar fashion to wines. If you are yet to try this traditional drink, ask for the ‘sake tasting set’, including three different glasses for just $28. Sono’s delicious, traditional hot pots are available year-round and are perfect for a warming bite during the cold months! Visit the City or Portside restaurant for a delectable and heartening winter dinner.
THE LANEWAY NEW MENU (BRISBANE)
Brace yourself Brisbane, on June 12 The Laneway will launch a new stunning gourmet food and cocktail menu that has been six months in the making and is inspired by the best mixing techniques and trends New York and London have to offer. Brisbane’s best cocktail artisans take centre stage to blend, shake, smash and muddle high quality spirits, fresh local ingredients and the purest ice – it’s more than a drink, it’s an art form. The beverages and bar theatrics are complemented by exceptional gourmet food. Unexpected offerings include: popcorn-flavoured rum Cuba Libre matched with fresh popcorn from the vintage popcorn machine, a gin and tea based cocktail accompanied with a liquid nitrogen smog from your own teapot, or even a cocktail matched with a desert from the chefs of Urbane. For full info check out http://www.theeuro.com.au/laneway/
COOK APP NEWS
The Aussie made app Cook has received 900,000 downloads worldwide, and now hosts over 150,000 recipes. Cook fetches recipes from all over the world, and allows you store them, share them, as well as upload some of your own cooking secrets. Some of these stunning recipes come from renowned chefs such as Matt Moran, Neil Perry, Guy Grossi, Luke Mangan, and Maggie Beer. Recent additions to the ever growing database of famous names include Curtis Stone, Bill Granger and Johnny Iuzzini. Other updates include the ability to search through recipes by name, ingredient or tag, as well as a system that automatically converts recipe measurements to either imperial or metric depending on your preference. The app is free and is available on the iTunes store.
DRINKS
TEQUILA AVIÓN
In response to consumer demand, Tequila Avión is now available for the first time in Australia. Industry experts voted Avión Silver “World’s Best Tasting Tequila” and “Best Unaged White Spirit” (beating out all other vodkas, gins and white rums) at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Because of this unique combination of quality, taste and select positioning, Tequila Avión is the fastest growing ultra-premium tequila. Tequila Avión is hand crafted with only the finest Avión agave found in the highest regions of Jalisco, Mexico. Avión agave, grown at 7,000 feet above sea level, produces a higher sugar content and thus a naturally sweeter profile, making it the most coveted agave for tequila production. Tequila Aviónis created by slow-roasting Avión agave in brick ovens for 72 hours at low temperatures, which brings out the naturally sweet flavours. It is then small-batch distilled and passed through a proprietary ultra-slow filtration process. This exclusive filtration process, which can take up to 10 times longer than most tequilas, gives Tequila Avión its superior smooth taste. Avión will be exclusively sold through Dan Murphy’s along with selected on-premise venues nationally.
QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY LONG WEEKEND DEALS IN SYDNEY
SoCal Neutral Bay
Celebrate Her Majesty’s Birthday at SoCal Neutral Bay. On the eve of the Queen’s birthday, Sunday 8th June, SoCal will be offering British themed food and drinks, with a SoCal twist. There will be fish & chip tacos and a Sunday roast, and to wash it all down in true Brit style there will be Pimms Jugs and Dubonnet Cocktails, a classic drink that is a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II and is a simple mix of gin and Dubonnet Rouge. All Brits gracing us with their presence will also receive a complimentary gin and tonic. For reservations please call 02 9904 5691 or visit www.socalsydney.com.au
Bondi Hardware
Join Bondi Hardware for high tea this June long weekend. Bondi Hardware will be serving high tea fit for a Queen, served with a teapot of pimms to share for $35 – think dainty tea cups, doileys, pimms, cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches and more to get you in the spirit for the Queen’s birthday celebrations. For reservations please call 02 9365 7176 or visit www.bondi-hardware.com.au
The Botanist Kirribilli
From Friday to Sunday this June long weekend The Botanist Kirribilli will be running weekend specials to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday. Dig into some spotted dick with custard, a popular pudding in Britain, and scones with raspberry jam & cream while sipping on posh Gin & Tonics with Tanqueray gin, apricot brandy and rhubarb bitters with tonic. There will also be a special cocktail on offer, Fothergill's Forbidden Fruit will consist of Zubrowka vodka, elderflower liqueur & lemon juice topped with bruleed cinnamon, honey & freshly pressed green apple juice foam, served warm in the Queen's Fine China (she’s lent it to us especially for the day since she couldn’t be here with us). For reservations please call 02 9954 4057 or visit www.thebotanist.com.au
RABBIT HOLE BAR & DINING
Due to popular demand Rabbit Hole Bar & Dining have brought back their weekly specials nights of $2 sliders on Tuesdays and 2 for 1 cocktails on Wednesdays. Every Tuesday night enjoy Rabbit Hole Bar & Dining’s award winning Wagyu Beef Sliders for only $2 each from 5pm – 7pm. And Choose between a selection of 10 custom made cocktails every Wednesday night, and get the second one for free!
FASHION & CULTURE
AUSTRALIA’S FIRST MOVING CATWALK
Excited shoppers flocked to Sydney’s iconic Broadway Shopping Centre today to catch a glimpse of thisseason’s hottest looks and trends in Australia’s first moving catwalk. Twenty of the country’s freshest faces hit the Centre’s 3rd floor escalators, which acted as a bespoke moving catwalk. The 60 metre escalators were transformed as the models showcased the latest winter trends with a stunning 15 minute catwalk show styled by renowned Sydney stylist, Catharine Sarjeant. Featuring looks that celebrated the best of this season’s fashion, trends included metallic pieces and feminine pastels for women, and layering, knitwear, military inspired coats with a colour palette of earthy hues such as khaki, maroon and green, for men. The unique fashion show was hosted by Broadway Shopping Centre to celebrate the arrival of its new #BeYou Booth; a photographic style studio experience that gives shoppers the opportunity to express their individuality with different looks and trends featured on the catwalk, and capture them with a photo.
THE ICONIC AND PARCELPOINT ANNOUNCE THE COLLECTION BAR
Missed deliveries and lengthy returns processes will soon be a thing of the past for Sydney shoppers, with Broadway Shopping Centre, The Iconic and ParcelPoint today announcing the launch of The Collection Bar at Broadway. Set to open on June 5, The Collection Bar gives customers the chance to have online purchases delivered to a dedicated collection point within the Centre, try them on in exclusive changing rooms and return on the spot - a service not currently being offered at any other shopping centre across Australia. A first for the retail industry, The Collection Bar will revolutionise the relationship between online and ‘traditional’ retailers via this unique partnership. The Collection Bar offers a solution to these problems using ParcelPoint’s leading Click & Collect and Easy Returns technology to provide a more convenient way to receive and return parcels at a time that suits the individual. For further information about Broadway Shopping Centre please visit: http://www.broadway.com.au/
AFL LEGENDS GAME
A star studded alumni of AFL greats including Glenn Archer, Anthony Koutoufides, Brendan Fevola, Michael O'Loughlin, Dermott Brereton and newly retired 'rookies' Jeff Farmer, Justin Koschitzke, Andrew Embley and Daniel Kerr will pull on the boots for another chance at footy glory when they line up for the State-of-Origin showdown between Victoria and the All Stars in the annual Ray White EJ Whitten Legends Game at Etihad Stadium on July 1. The AFL legends play out four quarters of fiercely contested footy with all the showmanship and skills that made them greats of the game. With affordable ticket prices, the game offers unmatched value and entertainment but the boys take to the field for a serious cause. Played in memory of AFL’s “Mr Football” Teddy Whitten, who lost his life to prostate cancer, the Ray White EJ Whitten Legends Game raises money for prostate cancer research and seeks to bring mens health issues to the fore. In particular the statistic that 20,000 new cases are diagnosed in Australia each year and close to 3,300 Aussie men will die from the disease every year, which equals the number of women who die from breast cancer annually. For full details, visit http://www.legendsgame.com.au/
BRAZILLIAN MILLION
Australia’s largest online retailer, Kogan.com, has today announced a $1 million prize for anyone who can successfully predict the results of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.It’s free for Aussies to enter and takes just a few minutes on www.brazilianmillion.com . Whoever correctly predicts the result of each game in the group stage, will be awarded the $1 million prize. Entry is free for everyone, with a limit of one entry per person. In addition to the million dollar grand prize, Kogan.com will also give the top five ranked entrants a $500 gift voucher and the next 50 will receive a $50 gift voucher.
TRAVEL
GOURMET TRAVELLER AWARDS AUSTRALIA’S TOP HOTELS
The Park Hyatt Sydney, Canberra newcomer Hotel Hotel and Melbourne’s Crown Towers are among the big winners of Gourmet Traveller’s inaugural Australian Hotel Guide Awards, announced last night at Sydney restaurant Nomad. The awards, a first for the magazine, coincide with the release of the 2014 Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide, published with the June edition. The 124-page handbook, compiled by reviewers from Australia’s most authoritative travel magazine, is a go-to guide to the country’s top 50 hotels and memorable Australian getaways. The awards, hosted by Catriona Rowntree and attended by Australia’s pre-eminent hoteliers and travel industry experts, recognise the cornerstone experiences of any great hotel stay, from the most outstanding service to the best breakfast. Some big award winners include:
Best Large City Hotel: Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW
Best Boutique City Hotel: Hotel Hotel, Canberra, ACT
Best Regional Hotel: Lake House, Daylesford, VIC
Best Hotel Service: Crown Towers, Melbourne, VIC
Best Breakfast: QT Gold Coast, VIC
Best Hotel Bar: Blu Bar on 36 at Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney, NSW
Best Hotel Pool: Skycity Darwin, NT
Best Club Sandwich: Sofitel Brisbane Central, QLD
Best In-Room Idea: Westin Hotels