Category: FOOD & DRINK

Impress your friends with these perfect Italian food and wine pairings

Altero wine cheese bread 3

Italy is the world’s largest producer of wine and home to (arguably) some of the best grapes in the world. So, it makes sense then, that former Penfolds winemaker, Mike Farmilio’s new range, Altero, is made up of Italian and Spanish styles grown and made in South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. According to Mike, it’s the ideal climate for the grapes as it has the “closest climate to the Mediterranean”. Altero brought us a night of delicious food and wines at Pasta Emilia in Surry Hills. These reds are meant to be enjoyed fresh, with food and we’ve got the perfect wine and food pairings for you, straight from the horse’s mouth. Mike Farmilio’s ultimate food and wine pairings are: Sangiovese & Pizza Sangiovese is the perfect accompaniment to pizza. Italy’s most popular wine, the fruity flavours of plum, cherry and sour cherry delightfully balances the savoury flavours of the pizza toppings and the high acidity of the wine blends well with the tomato. This means that this wine will go well with any tomato-based dish. Nero d’Avola & Pasta The name refers to the colour of the grapes and the town of Avola in Sicily where this grape originates. Nero d’Avola is a medium bodied red, full of ripe, earthy flavour, just like a Pinot Noir. It pairs well with most pasta dishes. Tempranillo & Roasted Lamb Tempranillo is a Spanish black grape with subtle notes of plum and cherry. This wine is highly versatile and pairs well with slightly heavier dishes like lasagne, roast lamb, or… Read More

Move over Tim Ho Wan, new restaurant Canton! Canton! is here

Canton asian mural

If, like most people, you thought Tim Ho Was was as gross an excuse for Chinese food as it was, then you’re about to have your day made. Canton! Canton! is taking over the old venues on Pitt and George Streets in Sydney on 18 February, bringing quality Cantonese eats to central Sydney. Inspired by the hustle and bustle of Canton’s vibrant markets, Canton! Canton! serves up home-style Cantonese dim sum and roast meats by executive chef Jackie Chan and his team of foodies. Jackie has spent the past 28 years perfecting the art of dim sum. It all comes off his experience as head dim sum chef at Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore before joining the Tim Ho Wan group in 2016. He’ll be working hard to transport guests to the capital of Guangdong and the epicentre of Cantonese culture through food. He’s drawn from the region’s rich tapestry of culture, history and tradition to form a menu that features the perfect blend of the traditional five Chinese flavours – sweet, sour, bitter, savory and salty. Check it out from 11am at  Shop GD04, 580 George Street, Sydney or see more at the group’s website.

Dan Hong is doing something new to Ms G’s in Potts Point

Ms Gs 1

Dan Hong and Matt Abergel are teaming up to do some magical food stuff at Ms G’s in Potts Point because the world needs better food. Abergel life calling is yakitori chicken and Dan Hong is synonymous with Asian food and Merivale, so they’re bringing a collaboration to the Ms G’s menu with textural and delicious dishes, with a playful approach that criss-crosses a range of Asian cuisines and borrows from others. Abergel is the co-owner and chef of R?NIN and Yardbird in Hong Kong, which has helped him earn a cult-following for his beak-to-tail approach in the kitchen. At Ms.G’s, Hong and his team serve up balanced, textural and delicious dishes, with a playful approach that criss-crosses a range of Asian cuisines and borrows from others. The collaborative menu is a once-off and will star a flavour-packed menu of Abergel’s signature dishes including the famous yakitori, Katsu Sando, chicken and egg rice and sweetcorn tempura, alongside Ms.G’s favourites – cheeseburger spring rolls; prawn toast, herbs and Yuzu aiolil strange flavour burrata; prawn and black fungus wontons and soy dressing; roasted eggplant, miso caramel Furikake; and wok fried greens, dried shrimp and smoked soy. Check out more at the Ms G’s website.

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

Burgers

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.

Have brunch at the Beresford for Mardi Gras with Absolut

Absolut brunch toast

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.

Woolwich Pier Hotel is local food done nicely

Woolwich Pier Hotel

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.

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

Cheese festival Melbourne

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.

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

Flying Fish Star Moet

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.

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

4 Pines Surry Hills bar

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

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

Three Blue Ducks poke bowl

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.