Category: FOOD & DRINK

Taste Port Douglas is back this August

La Dolce Vita Long Lunch tast eport douglas

From 8–11 August, Australia’s favourite food festival in FNQ, Taste Port Douglas, will return for its eighth iteration, delivering four days of culinary excellence in the idyllic resort destination. This year is set to be its biggest and best festival yet, as for the first time ever, its highly-anticipated dining experiences will span across both its home port of Port Douglas and the FNQ capital, Cairns. Following a turbulent start to the year, weathering Tropical Cyclone Jasper, Taste Port Douglas’ co-founders, Reina and Spencer Patrick, are excited to bring the area back to life, welcoming their all-star line-up of the nation’s top culinary talent, as well as local and far-flung visitors from across the country. “This year’s Taste Port Douglas will be a culinary celebration like no other, with a spectacular lineup of events and masterclasses hosted by some of the best talent in the country. Following the cyclone in December it’s been a tricky start to the year for the local community and businesses, and we’re now excited to see the festival bring FNQ back to life, welcoming both interstate and international guests to feast with us once again,” says Spencer Patrick, Co-Founder and Culinary Director, Taste Port Douglas. He continues: “We hosted more than 10,000 visitors at Taste Port Douglas last year, many of whom travelled from overseas to feast with us, and this year we anticipate an even bigger crowd with bringing our capital city into the action.” This year’s menu entails returning friends of the festival and new faces alike, hosting… Read More

A Lilydale restaurant in Victoria you need to know about

Lilydale food

Nestled at the gateway to Victoria’s famous Yarra Valley, Locavore Studio stands as Lilydale’s best-kept culinary secret. This charming establishment, housed behind a heritage façade, offers a remarkable trifecta of experiences: a restaurant and café devoted to seasonal dishes, a providore stocked with local produce and fine wines, and Proximal, an on-site coffee roastery and tasting room. Opened in 2017 by local Jessie Rae Crossley, Locavore Studio has become a beloved destination, thanks in part to Crossley’s success with Locavore Catering, which serves over 300 weddings annually. When patrons step off Lilydale’s Main Street and into Locavore Studio, they are greeted warmly by a friendly front-of-house team. The inviting 50-seat dining room, bathed in natural light streaming through skylights, features earthy tones and intimate banquette seating in forest green leather. Head Chefs Kyle Noll and Ryan Lynch have crafted menus that spotlight the finest local produce, pulled from the ground, foraged, or caught at sea. Locavore’s breakfast and lunch offerings, available seven days a week, include standout dishes like the chilli scramble, Loca Benny, and chilli caramel pork belly bánh mì. Accompanying these meals is coffee from Proximal, with Owner and Roaster Evan Thompson’s signature ‘Best Friends’ blend being a favorite. Thompson’s passion for coffee extends to innovative and rare brews, with bespoke tastings available for those eager to delve deeper into the world of coffee. Encouraged by the community’s support, Crossley added dinner service with ‘Locavore Nights’ in May, led by Head Chef Ryan Lynch. The seasonal nightly menu features delectable dishes such as… Read More

A new wine whiskey you have to try

Old Fat Unicorn, the brand, is revolutionising the wine industry with the launch of its new Golden Horn range, elevating the experience of wine enthusiasts by intertwining the worlds of fine wine and whisky. This includes their flagship Barossa reds: a Shiraz and a Cabernet Sauvignon, both of which showcase bold new flavours thanks to an innovative finishing process. By incorporating at least 25% of the blend in ex-whisky barrels, these wines are imbued with additional layers of complexity, making each sip an exploration of flavours. The Golden Horn reds are characterised by distinct flavour notes such as vanilla and caramel, which contribute to a fabulously satisfying finish. As winemaker Brittany John explains, “This Old Fat Unicorn wine includes portions finished in used whisky barrels giving the wine an interesting flavour twist. The old whisky barrels impart nuances of caramel and malt with a hint of aromatic spice, adding another dimension to these rich and textured wines.” Merging the luxury of whisky notes with a casual glass of red, the Golden Horn range offers a unique drinking experience. The packaging itself is instantly captivating, paying homage to the Old Fat Unicorn lineage with a golden embellished horn, sleek matte black label, and a bottle shape reminiscent of fine whisky. Ricky Young, Dan Murphy’s Assistant Category Manager for Red Wine, praises the new-look labels, saying, “The new-look labels are so unique! Perfect for your next dinner with guests. The wine is expertly crafted with smooth, velvety depth that the ex-whisky barrel ageing provides.” The Golden Horn… Read More

Kafe Kooks Sydney gets a new chef

Kafe Kooks food

Kafe Kooks is thrilled to announce the arrival of their new head chef, Chef Shaun Ronald Dsouza. The Asian-inspired restaurant, renowned for its speciality in serving Roti, is an all-day eatery that captures the essence of diverse Asian cuisines. Established in 2022 by Andrew Ray, Kafe Kooks was born out of Ray’s extensive travels through various parts of Asia, where he developed a deep appreciation for the region’s culinary delights and rich cultural heritage. Chef Shaun Ronald Dsouza brings a decade of invaluable culinary experience to the Kafe Kooks team. Having arrived in Sydney in 2017, Chef Shaun has since honed his skills at some of the city’s most iconic Asian-influenced establishments, including The Star Entertainment Group (2019-2020), Chin Chin (2020-2022), and White + Wong’s (May 2022-May 2024). His deep-seated passion for Asian cuisine is a perfect match for Kafe Kooks’ mission. Reflecting on his new role, Chef Shaun says, “Asian cuisine is where my heart lies. I look forward to bringing my passion and creativity to this role and starting this new chapter of my life with Kafe Kooks.” Andrew Ray echoes this excitement, expressing, “Having a chef come on board who has worked at Chin Chin — where I also worked and where my love for Roti & Madtarbaks began — means a lot to me. I am very excited to see where we go from here.” The combination of skills from Roti Master Suresh Rajandran, whose heritage and traditional artistry are reflected in their expertly crafted in-house rotis, along with Chef Shaun’s… Read More

Melbourne bakery Burwood Brickworks is open

a display of pastries on a shelf

Bringing Melbourne’s café culture to its lush rooftop, Burwood Brickworks has welcomed Baked Wonder – a new bright and playful bakery concept. Located 19 kilometres east of Melbourne’s CBD, Baked Wonder is injecting colour, energy, and creativity into the world of baking by serving up innovative twists on pastry classics, family-friendly treats, and an array of refreshing beverages, all within a stunning view of the Dandenong Ranges. Nestled in the light-filled Glasshouse, Baked Wonder is situated amongst the centre’s rooftop garden, which is run in collaboration with Cultivating Community – a shared community space that encourages social connection and offers a place for locals to come together. The bakery’s menu reimagines traditional pastries in both sweet and savoury combinations. Sweet delights include the ‘Nutty’ featuring honey caramel with crunchy roasted pecans and almonds, the unique ‘Crookie’, a hybrid of a croissant and a cookie, and the signature ‘Pink’ croissant, which oozes raspberry and strawberry once the flaky pastry is pulled apart. Savoury options are just as enticing, featuring items like tomato, vegemite, and cheese scrolls, and sausage rolls from the renowned G. McBean Family Butcher. As for drinks, an all-pink La Marzocco coffee machine serves up milky coffees, alongside more adventurous hot and cold options including a warming seven-spice ‘Wonder Chai’, decadent house hot chocolate, and the refreshing pink ‘Wonder Iced Tea’ made using Yarra Valley Tea leaves. For the younger visitors, the bakery offers mini versions of bakery classics such as croissants, brownies, cookies, and sausage rolls, as well as ‘Bébéchinos’ and strawberry milk…. Read More

Immersive dining at Luna Lu Sydney

a room with tables and chairs and a large screen with a view of a city

Research has found that 75% of diners are willing to pay more for a one-of-a-kind dining experience (Eventbrite). This shift in consumer preferences is rapidly transforming the hospitality industry, introducing a new trend: immersive dining. Designed to provide a multi-sensory experience that goes beyond just food, immersive dining is making waves in various sectors, including aged care, where it offers social and emotional enrichment for residents. Modern technology plays a crucial role in elevating the atmosphere and ambiance of these dining experiences. From digital projections to surround soundscapes, immersive dining transports guests to entirely new environments, engaging all their senses. An exemplary case of this trend is Luna Lu, the latest fine dining restaurant in Sydney. Their upstairs bar, Bar Lulu, located in The Rocks, Circular Quay, has fully embraced this culinary innovation. Starting this week, Bar Lulu will transform its walls into an enchanting underwater world, a starscape, a serene Asian garden, and more. With breathtaking views of the Opera House, the contemporary Asian Fusion restaurant offers this immersive experience every Thursday and Sunday night. Guests can choose from a set menu or a la carte dining options, promising an evening filled with culinary delight and visual spectacle. When: Every Thursday and Sunday night from 27th June Where: Bar Lulu, Level 1, Bays 4 and 5, 7-27 Circular Quay West, Campbells Cove, The Rocks Price: For more information on the menu and to make a booking, visit Luna Lu’s website. Experience the future of dining today at Bar Lulu.

Dinner in Sydney with LOAM X Two Good Chefs

Restaurant dark light lit mood

Sydney-based social enterprise Two Good Co announces award-winning chef and cookbook author Danielle Alvarez as the third chef in its LOAM X Two Good Chef Dinner Series. The event will take place on Wednesday 3 July at LOAM, the all-day restaurant located at Ace Hotel Sydney. Tickets to the dinner with Danielle Alvarez are $110 per person including a multi-course menu designed by Danielle, wines by Balmy Nights, and a donation to help Two Good continue their mission to support, empower and employ women rebuilding their self-worth and independence following domestic violence, homelessness and complex trauma. Danielle Alvarez says, “I wanted to write a menu that felt comforting and delicious, but also communal. To me, that’s something that Two Good provides to women in need through the food they sell and their programs. I’m so proud to be supporting this incredible organisation by doing what I love, which is feeding people.” This will mark the third event in the quarterly Chef Dinner Series, which debuted in October 2023 to mark the release of Two Good’s third cookbook, Change The Course, and continues to honour the book’s central theme of ‘do more with less’, with each new iteration. As the third chef in the Two Good X LOAM series, Danielle, culinary director of the Yallamundi Rooms in the Sydney Opera House, once founding chef of multi-award-winning Sydney restaurant Fred’s, and author of two cookbooks: Always Add Lemon and Recipes for a Lifetime of Beautiful Cooking, will present a unique menu that showcases her passion for seasonal… Read More

DAP & Co. Unveils Naldham House to Transform Brisbane’s Hospitality Scene

Paul Piticco Denis Sheahan Andrew Baturo

DAP & Co., one of Brisbane’s leading hospitality groups, has announced it will open its much-anticipated new offering in Dexus’s Brisbane landmark, Naldham House, next month after a long restoration. Set to become the city’s hottest new dining, drinking, and events destination, the iconic three-storey building will be home to three unique venue concepts, with the first two, Naldham House Brasserie & Terrace and Club Felix, to open in mid-July. Follow the journey at @naldhamhouse and @clubfelixbrisbane. Naldham House is the latest venue from DAP & Co, co-owned by Andrew Baturo, Denis Sheahan, and Paul Piticco, who specialise in respectfully restoring and refurbishing heritage-listed buildings in Brisbane to create impressive hospitality concepts. The group are behind beloved venues Popolo Italian in Brisbane’s Southbank, the award-winning Gresham Bar in the old Queensland National Bank building in Brisbane’s CBD, and Walter’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar on the ground floor of the Old Mineral House, where they brought New York charm to Downtown Brisbane. The 140-year-old heritage-listed Mary Street building will be a major milestone of Dexus’s $2.5 billion Waterfront Brisbane project on Eagle Street. The revitalised precinct will deliver a global-standard business and tourist destination that aims to maximise its prime riverside location with enhanced open spaces, amenities and a revitalised premier dining hub. The incredibly beautiful late nineteenth century maritime building, which has been unoccupied since the Brisbane Polo Club closed almost a decade ago, will lead the charge in revitalising the heritage buildings of Downtown Brisbane, with other key hospitality operators also moving into the… Read More