In this week’s issue: Manly gets a Japanese rock n roll bar; Merivale's Mr Wong launches Yum Cha; The Grounds of Alexandria uncovers it's very own secret bar; Sydney Fish Markets gets an artisan butcher with the biggest smoker in Australia; The Cidery launches in World Square; We look forward to the start of Sydney Craft Beer Week; the opening of the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold pop-up bar; the Hunter Valley Wine Festival is set to begin; treasured Elizabeth Bay gem Gazebo will re-open this month; Walsh Bay Arts and Commerce is set to host the fifth annual "Walsh Bay Arts Table"; Melbourne's Itali.Co gets a new face; the Round She Goes markets approach and so much more!
FOOD
MR WONG LAUNCHES YUM CHA (SYDNEY)
Mr. Wong, Merivale’s two-hat award-winning Cantonese restaurant, is set to launch Yum Cha on October 4. Available every weekend between 10:30am – 12pm, Mr. Wong’s Yum Cha will offer Eric Koh’s unrivalled dim sum selection for a delectable morning feast. Some of the tasty yum cha dishes include: tobiko, scallop and prawn shumai; abalone, snow crab and white rice bamboo roll; and poached pork, prawn and black truffle dumpling. Since opening its doors in August 2013, Mr. Wong has been awarded a host of accolades include two-hats in the 2014 and 2015 Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards. It won ‘New Restaurant of the Year’ in the 2014 Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Awards, ‘Best New Restaurant’ in the 2013 Time Out Sydney Food Awards and was included in The Australian’s Hot 50 Restaurant List two years running. Visit http://merivale.com.au/mrwong for more details.
THREE-HATTED CHEF JACQUES REYMOND JOINS DISH'D
Customers are able to select high quality and great tasting dishes from online outlet Dish'd, kicking back and watching as the food is delivered frozen straight to their door ready to be heated and on the table in a matter of minutes or stored away for later enjoyment. There's a wide menu range here with dishes created in conjunction with Three Hatted chef Jacques Reymond. Ingredients are sourced from the very best purveyors around the world so there's a great balance between convenience and food of a higher quality then you're standard quick-and-easy service. To further the cause of Dish'd and it's stunning offerings, some dishes will be displayed when they open a store in Prahran, Melbourne at the end of November and Sydney at a later date. It's not every day you can order pre-cooked meals approved by one of the country's most experienced and celebrated chefs. www.dishd.com.au
VIC’S MEAT MARKET OPENS AT SYDNEY FISH MARKET (SYDNEY)
The search for Sydney’s best quality, best value meat is over. Vic’s Meat Market is your one-stop-shop for quality meat at wholesale prices every day of the week. The market opened up at Sydney Fish Market on September 27. Vic’s Meat Market is where you’ll find Sydney’s freshest range of your favourite meat cuts, grass and grain fed steaks, lamb, pork, a wide selection of organic options, game and wild meat, as well as all your meat essentials at the most affordable prices. Buy freshly portioned cuts or save even more by purchasing a whole side from the primal fridge and have one of the Vic’s Meat Market butchers break it down just how you like it, while you wait. T meat market is a unique experience for shoppers and exclusive to Sydney Fish Market. The visually impressive meat market features a striking raw open counter surrounded by specialty meat sections
THE CIDERY BAR & KITCHEN (SYDNEY)
The ‘cider revolution’ has come to Sydney with the launch of a Sydney first – The Cidery Bar & Kitchen. The Cidery is located in the Rydges World Square overlooking the buzzy shopping piazza, and pays long-overdue respect to the beverage with a number of menu items specifically included on the menu to complement the ciders available. The bar and eatery offers a selection of ciders, particularly from Australian small producers, with the flagship cider, Sydney Cider, produced in house, by Sydney Brewery in the basement of the Rydges Hotel. The cider has been specifically designed to reflect the Sydney environment and lifestyle. Made from freshly crushed apples lovingly fermented with champagne yeast, a light carbonation is added to give the big apple flavour some Sydney ‘pizzazz’, with “the crisp, clean finish is as refreshing as a southerly buster at the end of a summer’s day”. The Sydney Brewery and Rydges teams came up with the concept to create a contemporary urban style craft bar located in central Sydney ideal for informal dining and relaxed get togethers.
MANLY WINE (SYDNEY)
Famed Manly Beach has been buzzing this October long weekend as Sydney’s most popular seaside wine bar, Manly Wine, has reopened its doors following the first refresh since opening in 2009. The idyllic beachfront restaurant and bar by The Keystone Group has undergone a redesign, unveiling a new look in time for summer. Overlooking one of Sydney’s most iconic promenades, the outdoor beachfront lounge and its open door policy is the fun, casual dining atmosphere for barefoot beach-goers to wander into. Replete with comfortable timber white-wash furniture and a prominent all-day raw seafood bar, the menu epitomises Australia’s beach culture. All day dining allows early risers to start with great coffee and a full breakfast of healthy and indulgent treats, before a transition from lunch to dinner and drinks as the sun sets. Proffering light dishes dedicated to seafood are available for those keen to get back out to the sun, as well as more substantial dishes for those who’d like a bit more. Contrastingly, the indoor cocktail bar and snack menu will embody a more intimate space for beers and banter. Head to http://manlywine.com.au/ to find out more.
GAZEBO (SYDNEY)
The grand dame of Elizabeth Bay, The Keystone Group’s Gazebo, reopens on October 10, following an extensive transformation that nods to the 60s, the era in which the landmark building was built. The lavish new inside dining room framed with leather booths and dark wooden fixtures will bring a truly unique and luxurious offering to the area, reviving Keystone’s inimitable party atmosphere. Chandelier lighting and a grand piano will set the indoor ambiance which opens out on to a large outdoor courtyard bar serving Gazebo’s signature Chilcano de Pisco cocktail on tap. Negronis and martinis are also standouts on the cocktail list, as is the addition of a draught beer alongside an extensive list of craft beer and cider. Maintaining an emphasis on community dining, head chef Jason Dean, formally of Pier and Gastro Park, has devised a dining menu with contemporary dishes and plates to share, with flavours lending themselves to the smoke of a wood fired oven. The transformed venue will be a great place for fantastic food and lively entertainment whilst continuing to provide an intimate wine bar for the locals of Potts Point to call home. Head to http://thegazebo.com.au/ for the venue’s contact details.
WELL NATURALLY NO SUGAR ADDED RANGE
On average, Australians consume approximately 54 kilograms of sugar per year – the equivalent of 37 teaspoons per person, per day! The World Health Organisation recently released its much-anticipated guidelines for sugar consumption, recommending that sugar only contributes to five per cent of the recommended daily energy intake – or around six teaspoons a day.
Helping Australians reach this goal is better-for-you snack foods brand,Well Naturally. Since its inception over a decade ago, Well Naturally has been committed to creating high-quality, sugar-reduced products that consumers can enjoy without the side of guilt. Making it clearer and easier for health-conscious people to treat themselves better, all Well Naturally products will now be branded as Well Naturally No Sugar Added. This includes the famous Well Naturally Milk and Dark Chocolate, Cooking Melts, High Protein Bars and Cereal Bars. When consumers see the No Sugar Added brand, they will automatically know they are making a healthier choice.Well Naturally is also launching a new range of No Sugar Added Chocolate family share blocks in both dark and milk. The 90g blocks are available in Dark Chocolate: in Mint Crisp, Rich Dark and Acai varieties; and Milk Chocolate: in Creamy Milk and Fruit & Nut varieties. Well Naturally is also integrating its popular AntiOx brand under the Well Naturally No Sugar Added umbrella. For more information, visit www.wellnaturally.com.au
MANLY CHOWS DOWN AT DANIEL SAN (SYDNEY)
Manly is getting ready to rock in October, with Fraser Short’s new Japanese rock ‘n’ roll bar, Daniel San – which opened on October 4. Executive chef Benjamin Orpwood, formerly of Surry Hills’ Toko, is bringing his culinary flair to the beachside chow down bar with an extra kick. Orpwood’s Japanese menu matches Daniel San’s cool ‘n’ casual rock ‘n’ roll-meets-the-beach vibe. The 350-seater venue, set underneath the Novotel Sydney Manly Pacific Hotel on the beachfront with the best views of Manly will see Orpwood bring fun Japanese street food - a brand new concept to hit the area. Sip sake under the bright neon glow of Daniel San’s Neon District, rock the hottest air guitar to tunes from INXS and Queen, or find yourself dancing to Steve Aoki and Flume, all while grazing on Japanese bites. There are no rules when dining and drinking at Daniel San. Whether it’s dropping in for a quick bite or settling in for a long lunch – that turns into dinner, drinks, and a spot of pinball - everyone’s a rock star at Daniel San.
Daniel San is located at 55 North Steyne Manly, Sydney 2095. Contact Daniel San on 02 9977 6963 or visit www.danielsan.com.au
ITALI.CO NEW FACE (MELBOURNE)
Italian cuisine in Melbourne now has a new face; Italian master pizza maker and Itali.co owner and manager, Lino Maglione has recently partnered with David Adamowicz to take the must-dine at Italian eatery to even greater heights. Separate from Itali.co Sorrento restaurant, Itali.co in Barkly Street St Kilda boasts a contemporary take on classic Italian cuisine whilst being rich in flavour and Italian custom. From Non Solo Pasta fame, Lino was born and bred in Naples, learning his master pizza skills from the very best in Italy; his family, in particular his grandfather, whom he spent every day in the family's Naples kitchen with, perfecting the art of making Naples-style pizza. The 'secret' dough used at Itali.co is a family recipe that has been passed down generation to generation in the Maglione family, and is now recreated on each plate served at the St Kilda restaurant, bursting with Italian flavours and a modern presentation. Head to http://www.italico.com.au/ for more information.
SHOOT THE CHEF FOR GOOD FOOD MONTH SYDNEY AT PULLMAN HYDE PARK (SYDNEY)
Australia’s passion for food and photography will be on show at Pullman Sydney Hyde Park, as it is transformed into a gallery for the Shoot the Chef exhibition, part of Good Food Month Sydney. This popular competition sees professional, student as well as amateur photographers creatively framing chefs from all kitchens. The amazing works from the winners as well as finalists will be on display at Pullman Sydney Hyde Park this year for the first time. This year’s winner is James Ross for ‘Holly’. Visitors will get their say on their favourite shot as a ‘People’s Choice Award’ will be held for the duration of the exhibition from today till October 31. Visit the exhibition, snap a photo of the favourite, upload to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and state in 25 words or less why that is the People’s Choice with the hashtag #shootthechefpullman. Pullman Sydney Hyde Park must be tagged in the entry for it to be a valid entry. Check out their Facebook at www.facebook.com/PullmanSydney, their Instagram at @pullmansydneyhydepark, and their Twitter @PullmanSydHP. For more information on ‘Shoot the Chef’, visit www.goodfoodmonth.com/shootthechef.
DRINKS
THE LOCK-IN AT THE GROUNDS OF ALEXANDRIA (SYDNEY)
The Grounds of Alexandria has a secret it has been keeping under lock and key. A whole new world of refinement and hidden luxury. The Lock-In, The Grounds’ newest venue, offers a dark and mysterious room in which to privately indulge and enjoy the freedom of seclusion, all situated within The Potting Shed Bar & Restaurant. Hidden behind a huge door, The Lock-In offers a space for guests and their friends to escape the humdrum of the day and unwind without disruption - where staff take your coat and you take your time. Where the key to a memorable night is having the key to get in. Rumour has it that this is where the bar staff keep their best stuff, hidden for special occasions and those in the know. Once entombed within its shady depths, lucky guests will enjoy their own personal bar, with hand selected bar staff, whilst sampling the treasure trove of small-batch spirits. The Lock-In offers an exclusive guest list suited to the host’s own desires, with admission only granted to the best of the best. Request the key and come inside, leaving the rest of the world behind. The Lock-In is open to hire for functions and events. The venue will be available Monday through to Sunday with maximum capacity for seated dining at 20 persons and maximum for cocktail-style service at 40 persons.
THE ANNUAL AUSTRALIAN BEER FESTIVAL (SYDNEY)
Sydney’s ultimate celebration of beer and cider, The Annual Australian Beer Festival, will return to celebrate its 10th year as the original home of craft beer at The Australian Heritage Hotel in The Rocks from October 17 to October 19. More than 12,000 people are expected to attend the festival and with over 130 Australian beers and ciders on offer, the 10th Australian Beer Festival is sure to keep the palate of any beer drinker content for the whole weekend. Coupled with a beer garden, blind tastings, “Meet The Brewer” sessions, live entertainment and lots of fun activities, this year’s festival is set to be the biggest and best yet. 28 stalls hosting Sydney, regional NSW and interstate brewers will line Cumberland and Gloucester streets, showcasing the best beers and ciders from established to up-and-coming boutique brewers. There will also be a handful of food stalls offering a tantalising selection of nibbles including the pub’s famous range of pizzas, an Aussie gourmet BBQ, oyster shucking station and a whole pig on a spit. Entry to the festival is free and tasting cups are $5. Tasting tickets are $25 for 10, available on the door or pre-purchase online. For the full details, or to buy tickets, head to www.australianheritagehotel.com
SYDNEY CRAFT BEER WEEK (SYDNEY)
This October, the streets of Sydney will be flowing with Craft Beer as Sydney Craft Beer Week returns bigger, better and tastier for its fourth year. Over 40 of Sydney’s leading venues will host the city’s largest and most exciting celebration of Craft Beer, with more than 100 enticing events happening from October 18-26, 2014. Sydney Craft Beer Week offers experienced Craft Beer connoisseurs, as well as newcomers to the scene, the opportunity to experience all that the Craft Beer community has to offer. Visitors and Sydneysiders alike will let their taste buds do the talking as they travel between craft breweries, pubs, restaurants, galleries and pop-up installations over the packed week-long event. To check out the full program of events, visit www.sydneycraftbeerweek.com
HUNTER VALLEY WINE FESTIVAL 2014 (NSW)
Food and wine lovers are invited to sample some of Australia’s finest produce at the Hunter Valley Wine Festival, held at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley. Taking place on October 11, the festival will come to life within the grounds of the picturesque Resort. The festival is a Schwartz Family Co. initiative aiming to support and celebrate local businesses, providing an opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy a day of delicious food and wine. Locals and visitors will descend on Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley to taste local delights and encourage others to discover what the region has to offer. Up to 40 stalls will be showcasing an array of food, wine, beer and cider, with exhibitors including Drayton’s Family Wines, Adina Vineyards and Hunter Valley Cheese Company. For more information, visit http://www.huntervalleywinefestival.com/
ASAHI SUPER DRY EXTRA COLD BAR (SYDNEY)
Asahi is set to raise the bar and quite literally lower the temperature of Australia’s preferred Japanese beer, when it opens its doors to the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar – the brand’s first-ever Australian pop-up bar - in the heart of Sydney, this summer. Opening on October 24, the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar will give Sydney’s most discerning drinkers the opportunity to taste Asahi Super Dry and Asahi Super Dry Black served to perfection - poured fresh, at sub-zero temperatures. Already a huge success in other parts of the world, including Japan and Korea, the Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar will be conveniently located on Bligh Street, in the Sydney CBD. Boasting a relaxed vibe and serving an innovative menu of bar snacks to complement the dry, crisp and refreshing flavour of Asahi Super Dry, Asahi is confident it will create an unforgettable and unrivalled experience for Sydney-siders, this summer. Check out http://www.asahibeer.com.au/ to find out more.
HUNTER VALLEY UNCORKED BALMORAL (SYDNEY)
Spring has well and truly sprung, and what better way to enjoy than at Hunter Valley Uncorked Balmoral, presented by North Shore BMW. Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait long until November 2 when family and friends alike can delight in “uncorking” a Semillon or Shiraz by the beautiful shores of Balmoral. This much-loved annual event is a must add to any diary. You really don’t want to miss out on this wonderful showcase of the fine wine and food from the Hunter Valley – after all, who could resist the opportunity to be wined, dined and entertained in a beautiful seaside location at Balmoral? With only one month to go, the Hunter Valley is gearing up to bring you the very best of the region. Peruse the wines on offer from some of the finest wineries, including Allandale Winery, Bimbadgen, Briar Ridge, Brokenwood Wines, De Iuliis Wines, Misty Glen, First Creek, Hungerford Hill, McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant, Oakvale, Peterson House, Saddler’s Creek Wines, The Little Wine Co, Thomas Wines, Tulloch Wines and Tyrrell’s Wines ALL set to satisfy your Sunday afternoon. Sit back, relax and enjoy the wine, local produce and spring sunshine while being entertained by Daley Holliday, a dynamic duo of musicians breathing new life into a huge diversity of new and old classic songs. Their mix of rock, roots, jazz, pop and blues have all your music tastes covered. Hunter Valley Uncorked Balmoral has something for everyone. Don’t miss out on the fine wine, fine food and live music that is sure to make November 2 the best Sunday in Spring.
ARNOTT’S TIM TAM CHOC RASPBERRY CHILLER – GLORIA JEAN’S
Gloria Jean’s Coffees and Arnott’s announce their new drink collaboration- Arnott’s Tim Tam Choc Raspberry Chiller - which is available to purchase this spring at select Gloria Jean’s coffee houses nationwide. The Arnott’s Tim Tam Choc Raspberry Chiller is a rich chocolate drink with a burst of raspberry flavour that will put a spring in your step this season. The drink is yet another fantastic chocolaty chiller developed by two of Australia’s most iconic food and retail brands and is sure to tempt the taste buds of chocolate lovers and Tim Tam fans across the country. Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Australia’s leading specialty coffee house and community success story, introduced the new chiller to coffee houses nationwide this September. The drink will be available to purchase at select Gloria Jean’s coffee houses nationwide for a limited time only.
FASHION & CULTURE
HEINEKEN LAUNCHES 'THE HEINEKEN CHAUFFEUR' WITH UBER
Heineken are set to encourage Aussies to 'open their city' with thousands of planned, free city experiences at www.openyourcity.com.au. To do this they have launched the Heineken Chauffeur which is powered by Uber. Launching in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide from now until 30th November, the brand will be sending people on free rides to surprise locations and experiences.
The Heineken Chauffeur is available for 10 weeks and is part of Heineken Lion Australia’s Open Your City campaign, which aims to encourage and enable people to unlock new experiences in their city. Each Australian city has such a diverse cultural landscape to explore that people often need help making sense of it all, with this campaign a select group of lucky Aussies will find assistance in navigating all the many experiences available in this country. Just some of the experiences on offer include: dinner and cocktails at trendy venues; tickets to sporting events and concerts; unique G-Star shopping experiences; a 24 hour adventure in another city (including flights and accommodation for up to four people); and more
Curated by Heineken, the experiences have been provided by partner Time Out, as well as G-Star, Rolling Stone and various venue partners. Aussies can order the Heineken Chauffeur by downloading the Uber app, signing up, entering the promo code ‘OPENYOURCITY’, and requesting a car using the Heineken view in the Uber app. Heineken Chauffeur black cars will be available to guide urbanites to discover new city adventures, from 6pm to 9pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in each city during the campaign.
In addition, Heineken is releasing a series of special edition ‘Cities of the World’ bottles, each featuring one of six trend-setting and influential global cities – New York, Shanghai, Berlin, Amsterdam, London and Rio de Janeiro. The special edition bottles will be available globally with more than 18 million to be sold in Australia.
Unlock your city now at www.OpenYourCity.com.au.
TAKE A SEAT FOR LEGACY (SYDNEY)
40 original chairs designed and created by key Australian personalities from the worlds of television, radio, sport, fashion, design, and interiors, will go on public display at The Grounds of Alexandria on the weekend of October 24 to October 26. Following the success of last year’s initiative, the chairs, which will be placed among the gardens of the destination Sydney eatery, will form part of a unique exhibition and sale in aid of iconic charity, Legacy Australia. Devised by leading online homewares retailer Temple & Webster, the Take A Seat campaign aims to raise awareness and provide vital funds to support the families of Australian Defence Force personnel. Visitors to the Take A Seat for Legacy Exhibition presented by Temple & Webster will get the chanceto view a range of unique and stunning chairs, conceived and created by personalities such as Tim Cahill, Paul Hogan, Johanna Griggs, Melissa Doyle, Rebecca Judd, John Sutton, Todd McKenney, Magdalena Roze, Donna Hay, Sibella Court, Vince Frost, The Grounds favourite Kevin Bacon and many more.
WALSH BAY ARTS TABLE (SYDNEY)
Walsh Bay Arts and Commerce will host one of their biggest and most eagerly anticipated events of the year, with the fifth annual Walsh Bay Arts Table on November 11. The al fresco degustation dinner, which will feature food from some of Sydney’s best restaurants and will be located on the water’s edge with a stunning Sydney harbour backdrop, is ideal for lovers of food and the arts. Proceeds from the dinner will be donated towards the development of arts and cultural activities in regional NSW. The five-course degustation dinner with matched wines will be served on the historic Pier 2 Wharf with a breathtaking view of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, and will attract up to 400 diners seated at one long table. The delicious menu will be provided by Walsh Bay Arts Precinct restaurants Dedes on the Wharf, Lotus Dumpling Bar, Sydney Dance Lounge and Simmer on the Bay, with sponsors including Sonoma, Vittoria Coffee, Integral and Innovative. For tickets, or for the full run down on the event, visit www.regionalartsnsw.com.au.
THE EMERSON AWARDED NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR (MELBOURNE)
The Emerson has been awarded ‘Nightclub of the Year’ for 2014 at the industry acclaimed Australian Bartender Magazine Awards at Doltone House, Sydney. The Emerson has only been around one year and recently celebrated its 1st birthday with Melbourne VIP’s & consumers on September 19. The venue’s team are honoured to win and be recognised as Australia’s number one especially with the tough nationwide competition in this category for this prestigious award. The Emerson sought to create a venue where you could eat, drink & play all night and has now become an nationally recognised institution in the food, beverage, bar & nightclub scene.
ROUND SHE GOES FASHION MARKET (SYDNEY)
October is Buy Nothing New Month – an awareness campaign to remind shoppers to be more conscious about their consuming habits and join the second– hand movement! Round She Goes is a market event dedicated to women’s preloved fashion and it’s the perfect place for people to get their second hand shop on.
Round She Goes is held in Sydney three times per year. The final event for 2014 will take place on October18 at the Marrickville Town Hall. The market is set up by the brand Round She Goes and features over 60 stallholders. It’s open from 10am to 3pm, and entry costs $2. The stallholders are a mix of professional sellers as well as women having a wardrobe clear out. The preloved labels the stallholders are selling range from high-end such as Chanel and Prada right through to high street labels such as sass & bide or Sportsgirl. Check out http://roundshegoes.com.au/ for more info.
THE BLACKMAN ART SERIES HOTEL GROUP
The Blackman, has exclusively partnered with tailoring expert; Mr Shirts; offering guests from October both a roof over their head, and a shirt on their back. The hotel will have a range of premium shirts available for immediate use, with 24-hour turnaround on special requests. Whether it’s due to an unexpected call to the boardroom, no time to pack, or a last minute social event, The Blackman will have gentlemen looking the part! With The Spring Racing Carnival just around the corner, this could be the perfect time to head to The Blackman. It offers the perfect ease, with guests not having to pack too much for the weekend away, with nothing looking better than a crisp, new and perfectly fitting shirt. With no need to battle a department store, guests can put their feet up, simply order champagne, a burger and a luxury Slim Fit Poplin Shirt straight from the in-room menu! Just like visiting a gentleman’s tailors, The Blackman and Mr Shirts will ensure an out of the ordinary, personable experience, leaving guests confident, in control and impeccably dressed. Each purchase is gift wrapped in luxury gift boxes, ensuring spotless delivery and making it the perfect surprise gift for loved ones staying at The Blackman.