Is that even meat? Beyond Burger comes to Ribs & Burgers

Posted: 17/02/2019

If you like burgers, but kinda get over eating animal for every meal or every day (which is bad for you, anyway), then this might tickle your tastebuds. Burger people at Ribs & Burgers have joined with Beyond Burger, who’re responsible for plant-based burger patties, offering veggies and their friends amongst us a nicer alternative. On 11 March, it’s D-Day for the burger patties, which will make their way into Ribs & Burgers outlets around Australia, launching the ‘Beyond Old School Cheese’ and ‘Beyond Original’ burgers ($12.90) nationwide. These are the two plant-based versions of Ribs & Burgers’ top selling beef burgers. The sauces, flavours and ingredients remain exactly the same as the famous ‘Old School Cheese’ and ‘Original Burger’ but with The Beyond Burger patty, which contains 20 grams of plants based protein, made from peas, with less saturated fat, calories and 0% cholesterol. See more at the Ribs & Burgers website.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE

Tags: Beyond Burger, Ribs & Burgers, sydney burgers, THE F Burgers, THE F Ribs & Burgers, vegetarian burgers

Have brunch at the Beresford for Mardi Gras with Absolut

by James Banham

Updated: 18/02/2019

When the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras descends on Sydney, it means three things: more nudity, more drinking, less food, but better quality, at least. That’s why Absolut – who do those fabulous little gay bottles of vodka at this time of year – have again partnered with Sydney’s gay church Sunday session at the Beresford by Merivale, to put on a Mardi Gras brunch for the whole season. With brunch options for everyone (not just LGBTIQ people) on 17 and 24 February and 4 March, there’s enough of an excuse to get out and ‘be scene’, from 11-1 in February and 12-3 in March for the self titled “recovery brunch”. With standard brunch fare like eggs, bacon, hash roestis and such, it’s an all encompassing offering, but it’s the hero Absolut cocktails that really make it. Here’s the menu. Find the Beresford at 364 Bourke Street, Surry Hills.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FEATURES, FOOD & DRINK, LGBTIQ, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: absolut, beresford, Beresford Sydney, sydney gay lesbian mardi gras, sydney mardi gras, THE F Absolut, THE F Beresford, the f gay, ThE F Mardi Gras

Woolwich Pier Hotel is local food done nicely

by James Banham

Posted: 15/02/2019

It’s comfy, cosy, made out of an older, renovated, more contemporary version of its former self and is popular with the locals; it’s the Woolwich Pier Hotel in Sydney’s inner west and it’s nice. It’s a colonial-era hotel from the outside with all the mod cons of what you want from somewhere to go and eat these days, inside. From long group tables downstairs, where there’s more of a pub-like feel, gaming included, to upstairs where there’s cosy nooks to hide away in, the Woolwich Hotel caters to it all. Complete with beer garden for the relaxed Sunday sessions on one hand and white tablecloths for those after something a little more refined, on the other, there’s no shortage of options catered for. If you glance off the top floor balcony in the Harbour Bridge direction, you see it, too, making the hotel a prime position for New Years’, parties and just general unwinding. See more about the Woolwich Pier Hotel at the website.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Sydney best pubs, sydney pubs, THE F Woolwich, Woolwich Pier Hotel

Cheese festival Melbourne: The wine and Cheese Festival is back again in Williamstown, Melbourne

by James Banham

Updated: 19/11/2022

Seaworks on the Williamstown foreshore is host to this year’s annual Wine and Cheese Festival, that will put more than 50 wineries, cheesemakers and artisan food producers on show. They’ll be on-hand to showcase gourmet goodies, plus one of a kind masterclasses from the region’s award-winning winemakers and cheese producers. George Linguanti of That’s Amore Cheese will have guests drooling as he performs a live demonstration of mozzarella making and you’ll hear the clinking of wine glasses as Mount Avoca’s Matthew Barry takes guests on a journey during his masterclass – “Taste 100 Years of Wines.” The festival’s popular Grape Stomp Comp is returning, with a mouth-watering prize pack filled with cheese, wine and artisan goodies from all corners of Victoria up for grabs. Wine and Cheese Fest is children friendly complete with a Kids Zone with face painting and games. Tickets also include free tastings, sampling and a take-home wine glass. Find the festival on Saturday, 9 Marc, 11am-6pm at Seaworks, 82 Nelson Place, Williamstown.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE

Tags: Cheese wine festival, melbourne, Wine and Cheese Festival is back again in Williamstown

New restaurant in Darling Harbour: Flying Fish swims over to The Star

by James Banham

Posted: 03/02/2019

Since Flying Fish first splashed onto the dining scene back in 2004, it has become well regarded by Sydneysiders as one of the best waterside restaurants in the city, specialising in (yep, you guessed it) seasonal and delicious seafood. Now it’s taken up residence at The Star, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the beautiful Pyrmont Bay. The new digs have been modernised, with a fresher vibe than the former Jones Bay Wharf location. Walking into the restaurant, you’ll cross lush bespoke carpets, with subtle splashes of colour that pop against the dark and sophisticated furnishings, and crystal ball lights twinkling overhead. Executive chef Peter Robertson joins the Flying Fish team in its new location, which opened just last week. On offer were a veritable buffet of seafood delights. It’s impossible to have a “bad” dish at Flying Fish, but some our favourites were the Harvey Bay Scallop and the Black Pepper Style Butterflied Prawn. Our pick for dessert was (hands down) the melt-in-your-mouth Valrhona chocolate sundae, miso caramel and malt cream. When it came to the drinks, we sampled the “grammable” and vibrant Bondi House Fizz; lemon myrtle vodka with butterfly flower tea and agave, as well as the Flying Fish version of the Aperol Spritz, the East Bound and Down; apricot and quince spritz with Aperol and crisp cider. For wine drinkers, there’s a deliciously well-considered wine list with delectable drops from both local and international regions. See more of what’s on offer at the new digs at the Flying Fish website.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: Darling Harbour restaurants, Flying Fish Sydney, sydney restaurants, THE F Darling Harbour, THE F Flying Fish, the f sydney

Best burgers in Sydney: 4 Pines Brewery on Crown Street, Surry Hills

by James Banham

Posted: 21/01/2019

When it comes to burgers, Sydney has drunk the koolade and joined the march toward the best of them – quite possibly in all of Oz. However, sitting atop that little pick of bread-sandwiched deliciousness is 4 Pines Brewery on Crown Street, Surry Hills. They’re new; rustic; open-aired and open-armed, welcoming-in locals and passers-by from all over the joint into their open-plan burger and beer bar for good times and general shenanigans. It’s a relaxed vibe – beers on tap, relaxed destressed wood tables, milk crate- type seats near the open bay window and a first floor bar for a more intimate thing, it’s nice. They sell their own beers, which come in a range of about 7+ from lighter, to heavier and hoppier. Regardless of your taste, they’re all nice. For those who’re not well-versed in beer, think lighter for day time, darker for night time. And what goes better with beer? Nothing but burgers. They’ve got a modest range, but hot damn, what they do, they do well. Pork burgers, chicken burgers, beef burgers; the works. There’s something about the brioche they use with the crispy factor they’ve managed to achieve on all their burgers and bits. And the best/most impressive thing? They’re all pumped out of a kitchen that’s half the size of your bedroom. Applause. They’ve even got a blokey coffee imbued beer – like the dude’s espresso martini – which has the flavour without the wiringly-good buzz of a decent smack of caffeine. Great for those who dig the flavour,… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

Tags: 4 Pines Surry Hills, surry hills, Surry Hills beer, Surry Hills burgers, THE F 4 Pines, THE F 4 Pines Surry Hills

Get healthy for $15: Three Blue Ducks’ green breakfast

by James Banham

Updated: 21/01/2019

Three Blue Ducks in Rosebery at the beloved Cannery is all about the summer shred and their menu is there to prove it. If it’s not their charmingly open space, direct line to Koskela next door, easy access to a post-brunch gin at the distillery around the corner, or their insurmountable pile of cookbooks on offer, it’s the menu of Three Blue Ducks that’ll do it for you. This summer until 10am, $15 will get your a green breakfast of avocado toast or a breakfast poke bowl along with a green juice or green tea. Easy if you’re on one of those ‘restricted diets’ that folks do. It’s chill, rustic, welcoming and easy, with a menu that’s as easy to navigate as it is to decide a bold ‘yes’ to a $15 breakfast at a good local hangout. Find them at Three Blue Ducks Rosebery: 1/85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery NSW.

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE

Angelo’s Cabarita debuts a brand-new look for the new year

by THE F

Posted: 16/01/2019

Angelo’s Cabarita first came in to being as a function centre. While it was the first stop for weddings and christenings for anyone seeking a bayside view of Cabarita, it may not have been number one on your list if you were looking for an afternoon glass of bubbles or an evening meal with the family – until now. Everything has had a re-vamp, from the interior to the menu to the wine list. While the venue has always been spacious, it’s now chic, warm, and welcoming, with bucketloads of natural light and a private dining space for those super-special occasions. A classically Australian menu takes nods of inspiration from Italy, with fresh seafood and pasture-fed cuts of meat taking prime position alongside creamy gnocchi, zucchini flowers, and the famous beetroot risotto (you really have to try it). The bar is fully-stocked with everything you need to sip and swill your way through a long, Italian-inspired lunch: kick things off with an Aperol spritz (or a negroni if you’re in the mood) and share a bottle or two of Prosecco, before finishing off with an Espresso Martini that will give you all the energy you need to make it back to the dock to catch the last ferry home. While Cabarita is admittedly more than a quick stroll away from the city, the journey is well worth it, especially if you’re travelling by water. Nobody in Sydney needs any excuse for a day out, especially when the weather is this good: but… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE, SYDNEY

What’s on at Canberra Good Food Month, March 2019

by James Banham

Posted: 15/01/2019

Canberra Good Food Month is back again and in 2019, is serving-up the goods, tastier than ever before. Following in the footsteps of its Melbourne and Sydney brother and sister, as well as its success of 2018, Canberra Good Food Month will hit the Capitol in March 2019. With all the typical Good Food Month events and happenings, this year’s iteration will be about celebrating three fine elements of cooking: cooking with fire, Asian inspiration and the young, emerging talent in Australian food. It’s all about putting Canberra on the ever-growing foodie pedestal. Here are three must-see events at Canberra Good Food Month: Adam Liaw’s Chinese-Australian Food Odyssey | Chairman & Yip | Friday 15 March, 6.30-10.30pm | Tickets $190 Adam Liaw will take food lovers on an edible history through the past, present and future of Chinese food in Australia with Kwok Keung Tung, head chef at Michelin-starred restaurant, Chairman Hong Kong. Ticket price includes a six-course dinner with matched wines. Fire at Dusk with Lennox Hastie & James Viles | Pialligo Estate | Saturday 9 March, 6.30pm-10pm | Tickets $160 Lennox Hastie (Firedoor) and James Viles (Biota Dining) will show off thier wood-fired grilling craft over the asado open fire-pit at the Asador Etxebarri (number six on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants), before opening Australia’s only fully wood fuelled restaurant. Ticket price includes a four-course dinner with matched wines, served with an arrival canape and cocktail. Young Chefs Lunch presented by Citi | Aubergine | Sunday 17 March, 12.30pm-3.00pm | Tickets $150 Three… Read More

Category: AUSTRALIAN FOOD, CANBERRA, CITIES, FOOD & DRINK, LIFESTYLE

Tags: adam liaw, canberra good food month, THE F Canberra, THE F Canberra Good Food Month