In this week’s issue: A new Merivale venue opening in Coogee, The two new venues "127 Bar and Bistro" and "Dutch Courage" open up in Brisbane, the Westfield Sydney Winter Food Festival kicks off, The Governors Table Bar & Dining opens its doors at last, warm yourself up with Jägermeister's latest concoction "Jägermeister SPICE", the Newtown Hotel hosts "The Art of Conversation", and so much more!
FOOD
127 BAR & BISTRO OPENING (BRISBANE)
Brand new Brisbane City venue 127 Bar & Bistro will launch on the night of June 24 with guests invited to enjoy the show experimental head chef Travis Crane will put on as he sets fire to a four-metre-long dessert and provide caramel and smoked chocolate for all. Crane was formerly head chef at Boucher French Bistro at Graceville, and will use his previous experience to make 127 Bar & Bistro a must visit Brisbane eatery. Young and inventive Crane has crafted a menu that tantalises diners by only giving them a hint of what they’ll experience, promising that the dishes they’re served will surprise them. The venue is to be an impressive business lunch location and a foodie haunt by night, manking 127 Bar & Bistro an exciting entrant to the flourishing food scene in Brisbane’s CBD.
WESTFIELD SYDNEY WINTER FOOD FESTIVAL (SYDNEY)
To celebrate the launch of Westfield Sydney’s inaugural Winter Food Festival, Westfield Sydney’s will host Sculptures on Six – a spectacular ice sculpture exhibition to run for five days in the first week of July showcasing handcrafted ice sculptures created by international award-winning ice carving artist, Kenji Ogawa. From July 2 - 6 the restaurant precinct on Level Five and Six of Westfield Sydney will be transformed into a festive winter wonderland, complete with decadent winter theming, a live jazz band and for one night only (Thursday 3 July from 6pm) a live ice-carving demonstration. Along with Sculptures on Six, the centre’s premier restaurants including Chat Thai, Cod & Co and Janus will offer a selection of set menus for two and special winter dining packages. For more information, visit www.westfield.com.au/sydney
MERIVALE TO LAUNCH COOGEE PAVILION (SYDNEY)
Merivale group will be launching a very exciting new beachside venue in the infinitely picturesque suburb of Coggee. Cooge Pavilion will supplement Sydney's new batch of venues when doors officially open to the refurbished ground floor on Tuesday 22 July. The vibrancy of Sydney's Eastern Suburbs will be captured within these walls, the venue making the most of its beachside setting with a fantastic variety of lifestyle and casual dining experiences. A place that the Coogee community can call their own.
The ground floor will cater to a broad range of tastes and budgets and be the ideal location for family gatherings, weekend breakfasts, coffee dates, light snacks, and general catch-ups. The seasonal menu on offer will showcase Australia's beautiful and bountiful produce. Local seafood will be aplenty, gently cooked or served naturally from the dedicated raw bar and oyster counter. Succulent grilled meats will be offered alongside amazing salads and sides. Quality snacks including Dan Hong’s famous cheeseburger are perfect for those after a quick bite. A dedicated kids menu will also be available.
The Coogee Pavilion breakfast menu will be equally diverse. It has been designed in collaboration with Danielle Alvarez, a hotly tipped talent who recently joined Merivale after four years in San Francisco’s esteemed restaurant, Chez Panisse. The ground floor will also be home to ‘Vinnie’s Pizzeria’, serving authentic wood-fired creations by Merivale’s own pizza maestro, Vincenzo Biondini, alongside a ‘Love Juice’ stand, fresh flower stall, Will & Co coffee cart and cocktail bar. Guests will be able to take a piece of Coogee Pavilion home with them – takeaway can be ordered and products including aprons, napkins and crockery will all available to buy.
There will be a games area offering children (and adults) a space to explore and have fun. A nostalgic collection of childhood games, it will feature a library filled with vintage books about the sea, a giant hand painted scrabble board, old school arcade games, chessboards and three beautifully refurbished 1950s ping pong tables. Guests can play pétanque, watch movies in a small theatrette and even have their hair cut by the in-venue barber.
The remaining levels of Coogee Pavilion will undergo extensive renovation and re-open in stages over the coming months. During this time, the first floor will be offered as a community space that can be used by locals for meetings, performances and exhibitions. Further details will be announced shortly.
Coogee Pavilion ground floor was conceptualised by Merivale CEO, Justin Hemmes, and brought to life by a design team including Kelvin Ho of Akin Creative, Amanda Talbot, Justin and Bettina Hemmes.
www.merivale.com/coogeepavilion
MORDEO BISTRO & BAR (SYDNEY)
Recently opened Mordeo Bistro & Bar is bringing a slice of Southern Europe to Sydney’s CBD. Mordeo, which means to bite or devour, is an elegant but casual venue that’s nestled in the Assembly of Deutsche Bank place, and offers innovative southern European cuisine using inspiring culinary techniques. A rich collection of produce driven dishes range from tapas and share plates, wood fire meals and pizza, daily fresh pastas, robust mains to decadent desserts.
Head chef Marc Gehret has worked in Michelin starred restaurants throughout Europe, before moving to Sydney and training with Luke Mangan at Glass. The food is perfectly matched with a fully serviced bar serving local and European boutique wines, home-made artisan beer and a southern European cocktail menu. Mordeo Bistro & Bar’s style is casual yet refined, with quality food and drinks, matched with exceptional service in a genuinely unique setting. Check out www.mordeo.com.au for more details.
THE GOVERNORS TABLE BAR & DINING
Fresh Catering are pleased to announce that The Governors Table Bar & Dining opened its doors to the public this week at The Museum of Sydney. Located on the site of the first Government House in Australia, The Governors Table has been completely transformed by inochi DesignLife. Drawing inspiration from the history and architecture of the site, Director Kristie Paul has created a contemporary new space which exudes warmth and hospitality within its sandstone façade at The Museum of Sydney. Internationally acclaimed Australian Chef, Tim Bryan is at the helm in the kitchen following a stellar career with hatted restaurants and exclusive establishments in Sydney and London including Aria and Chiswick. Bryan will be serving delicious modern Australian food borrowing many historic cookery techniques of the era in each of the breakfast, lunch, dinner and bar menus. For more info on this unique eatery, head to www.thegovernorstable.com.au
HELLOFRESH NEW INVESTMENT
HelloFresh, the leading global recipe kit delivery service, has announced a $50 million Series D funding round led by New York-based Insight Venture Partners with participation from existing investor Phenomen Ventures, doubling down on their previous Series C investment ten months ago. The investment follows tremendous month-over-month growth for the company which recently reached profitability in its core European market. HelloFresh now ships well over one million meals per month to its customer base and has been cash-generative for all of 2014.
HelloFresh subscribers choose a box containing three to five recipes on their website, and all the high-quality ingredients are delivered once per week directly to the customer’s door. As ingredients are portioned out into exact quantities, both cooking time and food waste are kept to a minimum. Easy-to-follow recipe cards and inspiring dishes make cooking a simple and convenient part of customer’s weekly routine which in turn leads to exceptional customer loyalty.
For more information about HelloFresh, visit http://hellofresh.com.au
POTTING SHED AND MORE AT THE GROUNDS OF ALEXANDRIA (SYDNEY)
Winter might be setting in, but the recently opened Potting Shed at The Grounds of Alexandria has brought the garden inside to keep away the grey gloom. While the world bustles by, you'll be toasty warm, nestled in a hug from The Grounds garden gates (you can even toast marshmallows over our wood-burning wheelbarrow!) The phenomenal produce in the sharing plates at the Shed is lovingly combined and designed for friends and family to get together and dig in together. The Sharing menu gives you a big kiss from the ocean in the form of the Crispy School Prawns with srichaya mayo and lemon, and the Chilli Salt Squid. Joining them in their sea-salty glory is the belly warming sauciness of the Steamed Black Mussels, slow simmered with tomato sofrito, chorizo… and roast garlic bread to soak up all that sauce.
Or maybe try breakfast and lunch at the famous Grounds Café and Roastery, which has gotten more appetising with their cozy warm winter dishes. Its comfort food with a capital F for flavour. If eggs are your thing for breakfast, you'll relish the Turkish touch at The Grounds – soft poached in a rich tomato sauce with cannelini beans, spinach, labneh yoghurt, pistachios and perfectly toasted fresh-baked bread from the bakery.
MAMAʼS BUOI POP-UP (MELBOURNE)
The team behind Vietnamese food sensation, Rolld, are giving Melbournianʼs a sneak peek at their newest food venture, Mamaʼs Buoi, at a pop-up in Hardware Lane, Melbourne. Serving up authentic, fresh Vietnamese recipes with an urban twist, Mamaʼs Buoi adds a premium food offering to the Rolld stable. From June 30 to early August, between the hours of 5pm-midnight, the existing Rolld store in Hardware Lane will transformed into the eclectic new Vietnamese food concept and will be offering customers a taste of the moreish sharing items and hot pots from the Mamaʼs Buoi menu. Two permanent Mamaʼs Buoi restaurants will also open in Crows Nest and Surry Hills, Sydney at the end of July/early August respectively.
THE BOTANIST AT KIRRIBILLI MARKETS (SYDNEY)
By popular demand, The Botanist Kirribilli will be popping up at Kirribilli Markets again this June 28 from 7am – 3pm. The Botanist will have a themed stall at Kirribilli 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. Established in 1974 the Kirribilli Markets have evolved into the premier markets on the Northshore and are held on two market days every month. The markets feature over 220 stalls of new and recycled fashion and accessories, emerging local designers, home and giftware, art and craft, produce, plants and gourmet goodies.
ROYAL MELBOURNE FINE FOOD AWARDS JUDGING (MELBOURNE)
Judging for the 2014 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards (RMFFA) Spring program begins on June 25. This year 1,102 entries have been received, 14% more than 2013. With 10 categories being judged across 15 days, the RMFFA judging panel is made up of food industry and category experts, leading food media, and food technologists. Judging will take place throughout June, July and August. RMFFA judging requires sustained concentration and the ability to accurately taste and discuss texture and flavour profiles of the food being benchmarked. Each product is assessed on its own merit against a set of criteria and scored.
Products are judged blind and without bias. The judging panel provide constructive feedback on each item assessed. This feedback is provided to the producer so that continual improvements can be made to the product to raise the standard and level of quality. The judges’ collective score determines whether the produce receives a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal and ultimately one of the coveted trophies. RMFFA medal winners will have the opportunity to participate in an exclusive Buyers’ Tasting in late August ahead of the official Awards Presentation on 22 September. They can also be part of the Royal Melbourne Fine Food Deli in the Tastes of Victoria Pavilion during the 2014 Royal Melbourne Show.
For more information, visit www.rasv.com.au/finefoods
THE POST OFFICE HOTEL - END OF FINANCIAL YEAR STEAK-TAKE DINNER (MELBOURNE)
The Post Office Hotel presents the End of Financial Year Steak-take Dinner on June 30. There will be delicious dry-aged steak & 30% off all bottles of wine. To celebrate the new financial year (and a dislike of stocktake) they are presenting a special one-off dinner in their newly refurbished Lounge Bar. Spots are very limited, so book quick! Reserve your spot by emailing bookings@thepostofficehotel.com.au or calling 03 9386 5300.
URBANE RESTAURANT – THE GREEN DINNER (BRISBANE)
Join the eco-friendly Urbane Restaurant for an evening of organic and sustainable food and wine with their suppliers, partners and growers with The Green Dinner on July 16. The exclusive four-course Green Dinner is part of Good Food Month, and offers fabulous fresh produce, and interactive chats around the table with quirky suppliers. Learn about the ingredients on your plate and savour the tastes in your glass. The cost is $80 per person, and you receive a cup of kombucha on arrival. Places are sure to fill up, so book in early by emailing marketing@urbanerestaurant.com or calling 07 3229 3686
DRINKS
JÄGERMEISTER SPICE
Hitting Australian shelves in July 2014, Jägermeister SPICE is the perfect winter drink to warm up the night with friends and is best served neat in a tumbler, or as a shot at room temperature in order to allow the unique flavors to shine through. A twist on the original, this new innovation has been crafted by Jägermeister’s master distillers and uniquely combines smooth vanilla and spicy cinnamon, creating a warm, rich and complex taste experience.
Crafted and inspired by the iconic Jägermeister’s recipe of 56 different herbs, blooms, roots and fruits, SPICE boasts a complex taste as a result of sourcing the finest ingredients from around the world, a lengthy maceration process and 380 quality checks during the production process. Jägermeister SPICE is lighter in colour than the original and presented in a brown tinted version of the iconic and world renowned Jägermeister’s bottle – it’s a true remix of the classic.
DUTCH COURAGE OPENING (BRISBANE)
Hold on to your pith helmets Brisbane, as old-hat notions of stuffy G&Ts are turned on their head and a new wave of ‘Gin Junkies’ bring this classic tipple back in vogue. Gin is back, and leading the charge as of June 20 is new Alfred Street hot spot, Dutch Courage Officers’ Mess, a late-night cocktail bar with a share plate menu, inspired by the colonial outposts of the British Empire in the 19th century. Dutch Courage has a mission to recruit gin lovers Brisbane wide and woo gin ‘vir-gins’ with contemporary cocktails and their 240+ strong offering of other liqueurs and spirits.
Open until late on Fridays and Saturdays, Dutch Courage aims to be a venue for nocturnal Brisbanites who dig live music and DJ entertainment where they can enjoy a quality cocktail from an experienced bartender, listen to good music, let their hair down and party with friends. DC patrons will be invited to experience ‘Tasting Flights’, showcasing a range of gins across the flavour spectrum. Available daily is the ‘DC Passport’ which is stamped throughout the night as you sample food and drink from different regions of the world and once complete, you will have earned your DC dog tags.
This June, gather your comrades and your Dutch courage, order a round of Spice Trade Punch, and discover Brisbane’s hottest Gin and Cocktail destination.
#FRIDGESHELFIE
We all have dreams of being a MasterChef, but come dinner-time the contents of our fridges can let us down. Philadelphia has come up with the perfect solution to help you get creative come mealtime, no matter what ingredients you have on hand. Philly’s new food experiment, #fridgeshelfie will create delicious new recipes, based on what you already have in your kitchen.
Simply snap a photo of the inside of your fridge and upload to the Philly Facebook page using #fridgeshelfie to get some instant inspiration for your next meal. Tag the items you want to use and you could be provided with an exciting and delicious recipe, based on the contents of your own fridge to help you achieve effortless foodiness in the kitchen. Whether you’re after tempting dessert treats, planning a last minute party or simple yet delicious snacks– Philly has a range of recipes for any meal - from breakfast to dessert, there is something for everyone. Check out www.facebook.com/philly for more information and inspiration.
BEER DAYS BEER BOXES
Imagine having the greatest and most elusive craft beers delivered right to your doorstep on a regular basis. No fuss, no running around. This is Beer Days Beer Boxes - a beer experience for lovers of great beer. Hand selecting the very best, hard-to-find and limited release Australian and international craft beers, Beer Days then deliver them straight to your work or home on a regular or one-off basis for you to enjoy with good mates and good food. It’s the perfect gift for someone who is hard to buy for or for yourself, just because you love great beer. Ordering is easy through the Beer Days website.
First, decide whether you want to try a Beer Days Beer Box just once or go for the gift that keeps on giving with a monthly or quarterly, no obligation delivery. Then, select how many beers you want delivered - either 8,12 or 16 craft beers - with prices starting from $54.95. For full details, visit www.beerdays.com.au
THE NEWTOWN HOTEL - THE ART OF CONVERSATION (SYDNEY)
Since the dawning of time good wine has gone hand in hand with great conversation, but sometimes, for whatever reason, having a good old natter (especially with a stranger) can be a little awkward. Throughout June, July, and August, Cake Wines will be taking over the back bar at Newtown Hotel with a concept that aims to explore the lost art of conversation, through a string of ideas that encourage people to open up and get talking. From a hanging manifesto that sets down some hard and fast “pro-conversationist” rules for people entering the bar, to a conversation tree where punters are obliged to talk to a stranger, to the hundreds of cue cards crafted by Melbourne’s hugely successful “The School of Life” that prompt conversation in various different ways.
The space will also play host to 2 events that tie into the theme:
Dumbofeather Conversation Series
Dumbo Feather is a quarterly Australian publication featuring conversations with extraordinary people. Whether they’ve touched millions or just those nearby, what unites the people Dumbo Feather features is their passion. For this event, guests will spend an evening with Mike McEnearney, founder of kitchen by Mike. After cooking for more than 20 years in some of the top restaurants in the world, Mike was in search of something more, and in his words, "something less.”
Cake Wines School of Wine
Run by Stuart Brookshaw, Head Sommelier of Cake Wines, along with a number of entertaining panelists from the wine world, the real world and another world entirely…the School of Wine is a light-hearted, high-brow/low-brow look at exciting topics and trends in wine, food and culture. Stay tuned for more details!
FASHION & CULTURE
FIFTH ANNUAL SYDNEY CHOCOLATE BALL (SYDNEY)
Ambassadors Jamie Durie OAM and Luke Mangan will return for the 5th Annual Sydney Chocolate Ball on June 28, raising much needed funds for the not-for-profit FSHD Global Research Foundation, to help find a cure for the debilitating facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) – the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults and children. The Grand Ballroom at the Hilton Hotel in Sydney will play host to the glamorous fundraising event which is attended by not just Sydney’s elite party set but the city’s true power brokers. The evening will feature a chocolate infused three-course menu from award-winning chef Luke Mangan, including a decadent “death by chocolate” dessert.
For the first time a new pop-up Lindt Café is also set to be part of the ball. Hosted by celebrity landscape designer and long-time ambassador for the FSHD Global Research Foundation, Jamie Durie OAM, the Chocolate Ball is also one of the only charity events to have free flowing champagne all night long, with Krug for Diamond sponsors, Dom Pérignon for Platinum and Moët & Chandon for Gold. Last year’s Chocolate Ball saw more than $500,000 raised for medical research into FSHD, and the event organisers are on track to better this amount in 2014 – aiming for a massive $600,000.
WHITE RIBBON NIGHT
White Ribbon Night aims to help raise awareness and funds to stop men's violence against women. This year White Ribbon Night falls on Friday 25 July. Join communities across Australia to unite in support of bringing an end to violence against women by having a night in to get the word out. You can invite two people or 2,000 to your movie night, games night, dinner party, watch the footy with mates... the possibilities are endless!
All funds raised supports research and prevention activities aimed at driving social change that result in men’s violence against women.
Register online NOW at http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/host-event to receive a fun pack filled with family-friendly games and trivia! Registration is free.