Category: CITIES

The truffle menu at InterContinental Sydney’s 117 restaurant is incredible

Truffle degustation

Truffle season is upon us and Sydney’s InterContinental Hotel at Circular Quay is turning it on for those of us who’re as die-hard as the very providores that bring the little morsels to our plates. Senior sous chef Luke Fernley – and master of the sweets, Simon Veauvy – have developed a five course set menu degustation that showcases not only the desirable truffle, but the luxuriousness of the 117 dining room, tucked away in the secludes of the hotel. Subtle, rich and very much what you want from a degustation, the menu at 117 at the InterContinental has been created to the integrity of the truffle to really showcase what they are as a standalone thing, but primarily, how they work with such foods as simple as brie cheese, to the more robust wagyu short rib – and everything in-between.   Each course has truffle grated, shaved or infused with absolute finesse, in a way that only their expert chefs know how. What’s on the menu? You start with a truffle fettuccini, made with fresh pasta, which is arguably the best vessel to carry a truffle’s heady aroma. You then move on to a Piccolo Farm pastured quail, complete with fresh truffle shavings. Followed-by a wagyu short rib,because why not, with truffle shaved and permeated throughout a potato puree. Included are the likes of Simon Veauvy’s ‘Nutty Black Truffle’ brie which combines macadamia, malt and black truffle ice cream. Complete the meal with artful pairings of wine, all sourced from regions near and dear. With an… Read More

Desserts by Cremeria De Luca to try at Ferragosto before you die

Cremeria De Luca gelato burger

When it comes to Italian treats in Sydney, there’s really only one name to know. Cremeria De Luca is the family owned and operated – in true Italian style – Italian gelato place over in Five Dock, NSW that does so much more than gelato. They’ve quickly moved from the favourite Sicilian treat to a whole lot of everything else, making a quick name and loyal following for themselves with their now renowned gelato brioche burger, which, yes, is every bit as devilishly good as it reads. This Sunday at the City of Canada Bay’s annual Italian street fair, Ferragosto, Cremeria De Luca will be serving-up its gelato from an age old recipe, gelato brioche burgers, It’s the national Italian holiday that celebrates the middle of summer, so it only makes sense for you to head along armed with nothing but cash, an empty stomach and an open mind as you eat, drink, spend and enjoy yourself silly around the six-hour-long festival. What’s happening at the Five Dock Ferragosto this year From 10am to 4pm, performances, cooking demonstrations, vintage Italian cars like Ferraris, Fiats and Alfas, kids’ activities and food stalls will line the streets. Sagra della Granita: Canada Bay Council will be working together with Cremeria De Luca to bring the first Sagra della Granita, a stand dedicated to celebrate the wonderful Sicilian Granita in all its glory. There will be a degustation of granitas available at stand 23-24 served all day. Arancini everywhere: They’ll be serving savoury traditional Sicilian arancini, fried iris sweet buns filled with Nutella,… Read More

Beyond Cinema are hosting a Baz Luhrmann-inspired Great Gatsby shindig at Curzon Hall Sydney

Gatsby 2

Think iconic Sydney mansion, immersive acting performances, live music, fireworks, jazz, swing, burlesque, the Charleston and the finest Tanqueray gin. Just like a party from the hit Great Gatsby movie with all the bell ‘n’ whistles the Beyond Cinema ‘The Great Gatsby’ party is taking place on 19 August in Sydney and everyone is invited (if you get a ticket). You can grab tickets for yourself right here, but it mostly involves enjoying a three-course meal at the dining table in Gatsby’s Grand Dining Hall with plenty of Tanqueray gin cocktails, Gatsby glamour and mobster bootlegging as you fancy. What a gas. It’s going to be on heck of an opulent affair, as the realisation of Baz Luhrmann’s stunning take on the movie come to actual life around you. The party will star three new gin bars from Tanqueray, offer you the chance to see and be seen at the central Tanqueray bar in Gatsby’s Dining Hall, drink Tanqueray Gin Fresh Apple Martinis, or find yourself sipping on a Tanqueray Signature Gin & Tonic at one of two outdoor bars set in Curzon Hall’s meticulous landscaped garden surrounds. You can even see how they mixed moonshine back then with New Jersey mob at the Speak Easy – a cellar-based prohibition-style bar below the grand banquet hall. Now the ultimate question… Will you see Baz? Clearly you have to find out. Beyond Cinema and Tanqueray Present: The Great Gatsby Sun, Aug 19, 2018, 7:00 PM – Mon, Aug 20, 2018, 10:30 PM AEST 53 Agincourt Road Marsfield, NSW… Read More

New Zealand’s first smart hotel opens in Queenstown, mi-pad Hotel

Queenstown New Zealand

If you’ve ever heard anyone talking about New Zealand, then they would’ve mentioned Queenstown. But up until recently, they couldn’t have muttered the name, mi-pad Queenstown, because it’s only just opened and is a stunning, six-storey hotel right in the heart of Queenstown on New Zealand’s South Island. mi-pad is New Zealand’s first fully ‘smart’ hotel; a next generation, energy-conscious hotel experience for the smart traveller and the ultimate marriage of technology, sustainability, comfort and convenience. Complete with 57 stylish and well-appointed rooms with the latest in-room tech, multiple ‘social spaces’ and an impressive rooftop terrace, the hotel is keyless, spacious, conscious and savvy, making the stay a unique experience for any guest from the moment they arrive. Complete with an app that enables you to set temperatures and mood lighting in your room, request room service or alert hotel staff that they don’t want to be disturbed, it’s thought about what you want before you even know you needed it. Designed by John Blair and ringing-in at NZD$15 million, the hotel is less than a two-minute walk from the vibrant centre of Queenstown with its hundreds of bars, restaurants and activity operators set on the shores of stunning Lake Wakatipu. The mi-pad hotel concept is the brainchild of Queenstown property developer Lewis Gdanitz and is the fruition of three years of hard work. “mi-pad is the result of 15 years of research, travelling the world and finding the places that did accommodation really well,” he sayid. “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to deliver a property that’s… Read More

Darling Harbour hot spot Planar launches new bar and menu

Planar cocktail

Ask any Sydneysider and they’ll be quick to tell you: there are few things better than a glass of wine and harbour views. Planar Restaurant and Bar offers just that: a stunning view of Darling Harbour and, from today, a brand-spanking new bar and menu. If you’re looking for a spot to indulge in a few after-work bevvies with your mates, Planar is a no-brainer: sink in to a comfy couch by the water, switch on a heater overhead if the weather is still a bit chilly, and order yourself a kingfish salad or some pulled kangaroo – or go for a pizza to share. Check out the new, super-chic bar and try one of the delectable cocktails: the Lychee Rose Mojito if you’re feeling a bit boujee, or the Happy Birthday if you fancy a sweet treat. As for the Smoking Skull’s Head…we’re told you have to see it for yourself to believe it. Of course, if you have a group of friends handy and you’re game for more than just an afternoon sipping and nibbling by the water, book yourself in for an in-house pizza- or cocktail-making class, hosted by Planar’s own mixologist or pizza chef. From making your own dough to learning exactly what goes in to the Lychee Rose Mojito, there’s enough happening at Planar to keep you coming back again and again, even on those overcast days when the harbour view all but disappears.

Veneziano Coffee Roasters in Richmond is Melbourne coffee culture turned up

Veneziano Coffee Roasters Richmond coffee

Walking through industrial Richmond can look quite dreary, but in the back roads on River Streetlies a smell that everyone can recognise. A smell that some say might gives life to everyday; that smell of coffee being roasted! And not just any coffee but Veneziano Coffee Roasters. Having operated out of their River Street headquarters since 2014, Veneziano Coffee Roasters is one of Australia’s leading coffee roasters, roasting and supplying to cafes nationally. No longer just a roastery and barista training studio but a new 80 seat dining space where you dine right at the heart of their business, literally. This space is not just your everyday cafe, situated right in the heart of their warehouse, where diners will gain inside access and a full view of the operations of of their business, as well as access to the barista training studio. Right when you think there can’t be anymore coffee experiences, in the dining hall is an open and interactive micro-roastery where you can watch the full process of coffee being roasted. Diners can expect to dine from a modern and contemporary menu, exuding with local produce, to pair with their world-class and signature blend coffee over breakfast and lunch. This is all tied in with the beautiful and open dining space which is industrial and contemporary, surrounded by big windows, filling the space with natural light softening the industrial interior.

Death, music and an ugly clown: Rigoletto by Opera Australia is a must-see

If there’s one thing you learn fast about any opera, is that a lot of them are sad and most of the time, people – if not everyone – die. So it’s no surprise that the tale of Rigoletto, brought to life this winter season in Sydney by Opera Australia – on until 24 August – tells the tale as old as time, but this time, with all the spit ‘n’ polish, the likes only the Australian opera company can produce. Though, stunning oscillating set and world-class costumery aside, it doesn’t detract from the fact that the loss for Rigoletto in the climax is the saddest of many deaths in reproduced operas of late; because it’s all his fault. With director, Elijah Moshinsky behind the wheel of this season’s production, the production by Opera Australia is every bit as unique as the hit aria of the libretto, La Donna e Mobile, which you’d’ve heard before… Dalibor Jenis takes-on the role of the hideous, clowny, much disliked Rigoletto, turning his renowned performances as the likes of Figaro into an award-winning on-stage display. As he encapsulates the role of the overprotective father who pisses a few people off as he goes through life, little does he realise the fate that awaits him – disproportionately driven by his own hand, by today’s standards – with the death of his daughter. The whole thing is really idyllically represented through the music of Verdi, who even at the time, knew he had a hit on his hands. First fury, then despair, then… Read More

Pinchgut Opera is doing two operas and two performances in two cities in 2019

Pinchgut Opera singer

Sydney and Melbourne are set to host the Pinchgut Opera’s 2019 season between them, from a program comprising of internationally celebrated artists. Pinchgut Opera rediscovers operatic masterpieces from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and next year, the company will stage four seasons: in April, Pinchgut performs a concert of Bach’s Easter Oratorio together with Telemann’s Thunder Ode; in June, Monteverdi’s final opera The Return of Ulysses; in August, the multi-award-winning counter-tenor Valder Sabadus will perform in Australia for the first time for one night only; and in December Pinchgut will stage Vivaldi’s favourite opera, Farnace. It’s an exciting time for the production company who’ve made the baroque era of opera and the striking days of the countertenor their ‘bread and butter’ since launching in 2002 in Sydney. What are the opera about? Based on the final chapters of Homer’s Odyssey, Monteverdi’s late masterpiece, The Return of Ulysses, is an epic yet intimate story of love, constancy and sacrifice. This production will be directed by Chas Rader-Shieber, designed by Melanie Liertz, and features Portuguese tenor Fernando Guimarães, last seen in Australia in the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s Handel: Heaven, as Ulysses, a role he has sung to international acclaim. Australian mezzo-soprano Catherine Carby, whose performances have earned her rave reviews around the world, joins him as Penelope. Widely acclaimed as Monteverdi’s crowning achievement,The Return of Ulysses was his first opera for the city of Venice, with its humming network of thriving and competing opera houses. Gramophone has described Monteverdi as illuminating ‘almost every aspect of human experience in a way that was without precedent’ in this, his final opera. Vivaldi’s Farnace is a passionate drama of political and dynastic intrigue. In… Read More

Catch The Morrison Oyster Festival in Sydney ’til 31 August

Oyster festival 2

Back again for 2018, the annual oyster festival at The Morrison on George Street is turning out all the crustacean goodness for lovers of seafood until 31 August. If previous years have been anything to go by, the oyster festival is a wholesome and mighty filling celebration of the humble molluscs. Now in its sixth year, The Morrison is expecting to serve more than 17,000 oysters each week, thanks to a bespoke menu crafted by executive chef and co-owner, Sean Connolly. It’s rocking a ‘Dressed to Impress’ oyster range, education masterclasses, oyster shooters and the popular $1 oyster hour each day from 6pm-7pm. They have even collaborated with Young Henrys, who have crafted a specialty CAPTAIN BARNACLE Oyster Stout, flaunting salty and chocolaty flavours. Oscar and Stocko, the brew masters at Young Henrys will also host a beer and oyster education masterclass on Tuesday 14t August, for those who want to know more about pairing with brews. The Morrison’s Oyster festival will run from Wednesday 1st August – Friday 31st August 2018. For a full list of activities and more information, please visit themorrison.com.au/oyster-festival

QT Perth is doing something a little less conventional with its opening

QT Perth lobby 2

QT Perth is open, only a stone’s throw from the winding Swan River in Western Australia. It’s a new 18-storey hotel with 184 guest rooms, a signature bar and grill restaurant concept called Santini, a rooftop bar, café and seven conference rooms. The QT is synonymous with stylish travel, functional design and contemporary establishment, so it’s no surprise that the new hotel is perfect for modern explorers. The first hotel for the chain on the west coast, it merge industrial glamour with a contemporary, urban-cool aesthetic. Complete with all the tongue-in-cheek charm guests have come to expect from QT will be in full flight with bold-yet-welcoming guest rooms and cutting-edge bar and dining offerings. It’s food stop, Santini Grill has adopted Robert Marchetti as its creative director and executive chef Nic Wood. Together, the pair will bring a Mediterranean flare to the city using the very best in local produce. Located right on the doorstep of the Murray Street Mall with less than a minute walk to Perth’s shopping hub, QT Perth will become the modern explorer’s gateway to the Perth CBD. Celebrating individuality, QT Perth will encourage guests to feel liberated in a world less conventional. Check out QT Perth at their website.