Category: FOOD & DRINK

Legendary food and wine master series in Melbourne and Sydney you don’t want to miss

Food red wine table

December is the season to treat yourself – and if doing Christmas right is your thing, then a little bit of overeating is the best way to do it! That’s why the news of Botswana Butchery, in partnership with leading Barossa winery, St Hallett, offering both Sydney and Melbourne food and wine lovers a luxurious dining experience not to be missed this November and December hit the desk, we got excited. Angel Fernandez – guys behind Botswana Butchery – has selected some of Botswana Butchery’s signature dishes, showcasing distinctive flavours and food mastery to curate an exclusive matched menu, paired perfectly with a selection of premium St Hallett wines. The decadent and limited time Little Black Book exclusive four course menu includes venison tartare and grilled quail both signature dishes on Angel’s menu. And the wine! St Hallett will be laying down bottles of the Butcher’s Cart Shiraz 2019, Higher Earth Shiraz 2018, Blackwell Shiraz 2019 and from this year’s vintage release collection, the Old Block Shiraz 2018. The wines have been handpicked by Helen to showcase the exceptional quality, rich textures, depth, and versatility of Barossa wine. Signature four course menu $180. Signature four course menu matched with premium StHallett wines $250. Prices are per person and the full table must participate. 23rd November – 18th December, Monday – Saturday between 12pm and 11pm. Offer availableat all sittings without pre-ordering. Book Melbourne and Sydney at the links below: St Hallett X Botswana Butchery Masters Series Sydney St Hallett X Botswana Butchery Masters Series Melbourne

Melbourne pubs and restaurants that are open for visits this Christmas

Prince York Sydney pub 1

Forget Christmas at your place – who needs the cleaning up?! This Christmas in Melbourne, it’s all about pubs and taking those you love on a gastronomic journey around the city at a range of the city’s finest that are open for all sorts this festive season. We’ve gathered some of the details for you… Garden State Hotel 101 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Tippy-Tay is putting an Italian spin on all the Christmas classics with a delicious Italian Christmas Feast. Enjoy your lunch in the perfect Italian setting at Garden State’s Tippy-Tay that includes a four course banquet menu, inclusive of 3-hour beverage package. Adults priced at $185pp, bambinos $75pp, from 12pm-3pm. Book here Middle Park Hotel 102 Canterbury Rd, Middle Park Enjoy a relaxing festive lunch near the bay at Middle Park Hotel with the family because you can. You’ll enjoy a glass of bubbles on arrival and a mouth-watering three-course lunch in the refined surrounds of the Middle Park Hotel. Adults priced at $140pp and kids are $45pp and there are two seatings available; 11:00am & 2.30pm. Book here The Local Port Melbourne 22-24 Bay Street, Port Melbourne Enjoy all the Christmas classics at this Port Melbourne favourite, right in the heart of the city’s elite inner south. You’ll enjoy three courses with all of the favourite Christmas classics. Adults priced at $115pp and kids under 12 are $35pp. Book here The Duke of Wellington 146 Flinders Street, Melbourne Think a share-style festive feast in the heart of the city at The Duke of Wellington…. Read More

Where is open in Sydney on New Years’ Eve and New Years’ Day

A plate of chicken on a table with hands holding cutlery going to cut into it

Welcome to 2023 – almost. They say that where and how you ring in the new year will set you on the right – or in some cases, wrong! – path for the next 12 months of the year. So, choose wisely. Here are some places in Sydney that are offering options for New Years Eve and New Years Day. Anason  A modern Turkish restaurant and mezebar inspired by the seaside meyhanes of Istanbul. NYE Open Hours: 12pm – 10pm: NYE & NYD Maydanoz  An Aegean Turkish coast inspired bar and restaurant paying homage to the region’s vegetarian and olive oil driven casual meze bars. NYE Open Hours: 5pm – 10pm: NYE  Closed: NYD Portside Sydney Harbour A full house ticket ($995pp) includes outdoor seating with unobstructed views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and firework display, access to the private VIP lounge with seating and table service, 5.5hr premium beverage package of free flowing French Champagne, premium wine and beer, continuous food service of canapes and grazing stations and live entertainment with the incredible mega DJ line up. $995 for a 5.5 hour food and drink package. More info here Barangaroo House: House Bar @ Barangaroo House NYE party with Sydney’s hottest DJs playing from 4pm and into the night. The bar will open for service with drinks and snacks. Book here.  Rekodo @ Barangaroo House NYE party with live vinyl DJs, Omakase menu, and a 3-hour beverage package for $250pp including a cocktail on arrival, free-flowing wine and Asahi and midnight Champagne. Book here.  Smoke Bar @ Barangaroo… Read More

Christmas worthy alcohols and libations, ideal for the season

The Smash Cocktail The Waterway

If there’s one thing that gets us through Christmas, it’s alcohol. And if not that, then plenty of food while thinking about drinking. So with that healthy approach in-mind, let’s take a look at some of the top bottles of grog to wrap your lips around this November-December as we descend into the madness that is Christmas. Manly Spirits’ The Beaches With a flavour profile that combines iconic summer ingredients – mango, coconut, and pine-n-line ice cream, The Beaches is a full-flavoured gin that’s perfect for tropical summer cocktails.  Available for limited time only, this exclusive spirit is perfect for Christmas gifting and is sure to get your name on Santa’s ‘nice’ list. Get it for $95 The Botanist Gin Your Christmas table will never have looked so good, as The Botanist Gin and Eden + Bell pair up to create the perfect finishing touches for entertaining over the festive season. The gift pack includes a 700ml bottle of The Botanist Gin and a stunning table centrepiece from Eden + Bell. The table centrepiece curated by Eden + Bell has been designed to complement The Botanist Gin by using plants and flowers that are reminiscent of the botanicals used in the gin and found in Islay, while using all Australian produce. Get it for $220 from Eden + Bell  Cointreau Christmas Gift Pack An ideal gift for margarita enthusiasts, this pack contains a 700mL bottle of Cointreau, as well as a complimentary salt rim tray for creating the perfect margarita, all in a special decorative gift… Read More

The Macallan unveils first limited edition festive whisky

Macallan NOE mood 28 copy scaled

Extraordinary single malt whisky makers The Macallan, have launched their first limited edition whisky and it’s perfect for the festive season. The Macallan’s ‘A Night On Earth In Scotland’ single malt whisky, tells the story of Scotland’s world famous Hogmanay (AKA New Years Eve) festivities and embodies the joy of sharing special occasions with loved ones. For their first annual limited edition gifting series, A Night On Earth In Scotland, The Macallan has collaborated with acclaimed Japanese-French illustrator Erica Dorn, whose artwork has featured in leading director Wes Anderson’s films and across luxury brands globally, to create a bottle and packaging worthy of any collector. Presented as part of innovative multi-layered packaging that provides an exceptional unboxing experience, Erica Dorn’s playful abstract illustrations are inspired by the colours and rituals of New Year celebrations around the world, as well as distinctive customs of Scotland’s Hogmanay, including the tradition of first footing when it is good luck for a dark haired visitor to be the first person to enter your home after midnight, bearing symbolic gifts. The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker, Sarah Burgess, reveals they also drew on fond family memories of Hogmanay to create a rich, evocative single malt. She says:  “Crafting A Night On Earth In Scotland has been an extremely personal experience for me, which took me back to growing up in our family home in Speyside, just across the river from The Macallan Estate. The whisky’s vanilla sweetness references the rich Scottish shortbread traditionally gifted and eaten at Hogmanay, while notes of… Read More

Holy Basil opens new location in the heart of Haymarket

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Listen in if you’re a fan of Thai and Laotian cuisine, because culinary experts Holy Basil have added a third restaurant to their line up in Darling Square, right in the heart of Sydney’s Haymarket. Adding to the already pumping vibes and great restaurant choices in Darling Square, Holy Basil brings some extra flavour to the precinct with a high end bar menu featuring elegant Cocktails, premium Champagne (such as Ruinart) and delightful French Rosé (including Brad Pitt’s own Miraval Rosé). Stop by for an after work drink, or go all out and sample their fusion menu of the best blends of traditional dishes from Thailand and Laos.  Since the early days of Holy Basil, its owners, Louise and Tony, wanted to showcase distinctive food reflecting their own cultural heritage through these cuisines. Whilst offering a number of curries, soups, salads and stir-fries, the menu also presents a selection of premium ‘wow’ dishes including seafood (try the mussels!), Waygu beef and kingfish carpaccio. Each meal is meticulously executed with a focus on herbs and spices, and a delicate balance between sweet, sour and spicy, for a bold dish rich in flavour. A must-try is definitely the fried ice cream Holy Basil has become popular for! Holy Basil Darling Square is now accepting bookings and walk ins. 

Places doing Thanksgiving in Melbourne this year

Roast cauliflower being spooned onto a plate

Thanksgiving is an American tradition, sure, but why can’t we take the best bits and make it our own? Enter King & Godfree on Melbourne’s Lygon Street, offering a faultless American style banquet feast option for anyone who’s thinking about taking on the tradition, or just after a quality – and massive – feed. Bringing the iconic American festivities to Melbourne, King & Godfree is cooking up a celebratory feast drawing on traditional Thanksgiving fare with an Italian spin. For one night only, a set menu will be available for $85 per person for a 7pm sitting including a special cocktail on arrival. As per tradition, the centerpiece of King & Godfree’s Thanksgiving spread is a classic roast turkey with cranberry sauce, served with mashed potatoes and gravy and either vegetarian or Italian pork and fennel sausage stuffing. Cacio e pepe mac and cheese, green bean casserole, cornbread with honey butter, and a sweet potato casserole with marshmallows will also make a welcome appearance, best enjoyed alongside the evening’s special cocktail, a cranberry sour. On a sweet note, pecan pie with fior di latte gelato will be the final dish of the evening. With limited spaces, bookings and pre-payment is required and reservations can be made here.

Movember at KOI Dessert Bar Sydney

Koi Dessert Bar

If ever there was someone who knew how to make cakes, it’s Reynold Poernomo and co.: the guys behind Sydney’s KOI Dessert Bar. In partnership with the annual Movember movement to raise money for men’s heath in Australia, KOI Dessert Bar will this weekend be hosting a decadent ‘Guy Tea‘. Arnold and Ronald have created a decadent menu with a mixture of sweet & savoury canapes including; Salmon Roe Tart with Brown Butter Potato, Smoked Bacon and Yol Jam ‘Cigar’, Milk Chocolate & Whisky Macaron and guests will be treated to a special cocktail upon arrival crafted by cocktail making sensation Wen Wang (Australia’s Best Bartender Top 100). Working with family is no easy feat, and add the complex nature of the fast paced hospitality industry, the boys have had their fair share of challenges, inevitably affecting their mental wellbeing. In a bid to bring people together through their shared love of food, the Guy Tea aims to help mates from all walks of life feel connected and comfortable to ‘at the table’ chat about how they’re feeling. Sessions will take place on Saturday, 19 and Sunday, 20 Movember with 2 sessions each day from 12pm You’ll find KOI Dessert Bar at 6 Central Park Ave, Chippendale 2008

New London food and drink hub: Iyoki opens this December

Iyoki men chef

Ikoyi will welcome guests to its new home within London’s new space for the creative industries, 180 The Strand on London’s Northbank. And the time to get excited is now. With a dedicated entrance on the corner of Surrey Street, the larger restaurant and kitchen space will afford its co-founders, Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale, the freedom to focus on the future evolution of their pioneering restaurant.  You could describe the new Iyoki as “a restaurant beyond definition” and the core identity of Ikoyi will persist: a true form of global modernism that is placeless, free, unfixed and personal whilst symbolising the energy of its international city home. With an open kitchen, a larger dining space, an outdoor terrace, and a private dining room, the pair commissioned the acclaimed Danish architect and designer David Thulstrup, to help them create a cohesive union of all four spaces. This will be Thulstrup’s first hospitality commission in Britain. His aesthetic and practice of a contemporary approach to the Scandinavian values of simplicity and humility with a dash of boldness will be fully embraced at Ikoyi. See more at the Iyoki Instagram

Sam Smith is performing at Adelaide’s famous d’Arenberg Cube

Sam Smith

Sam Smith, the GRAMMY, BRIT, Golden Globe and Academy Award winning international songwriter and singer is coming to Australia to perform surrounded by wine. Sounds like a dream. They will be performing in an intimate, exclusive concert at the iconic d’Arenberg Cube; home to renowned food and wine experiences and a unique Salvador Dali gallery. This will be Sam’s only Australian show during their visit to the country and will feature Sam’s extensive catalogue of hits and their latest ARIA #1 single Unholy. In partnership with the South Australian Tourism Commission and Sam Smith, the performance will highlight key tourism experiences in the state, focusing on food and drink, wildlife, and Aboriginal cultural tourism. Sam will share their South Australian adventures across social media, which has a significant following of over 35 million globally.  The concert at d’Arenberg Cube will take place in early January 2023. The all-inclusive event will highlight the region’s best food and wine producers, including d’Arenberg Wines, Settlers Spirits, and Pizzateca.   The invite only event will be facilitated in partnership with Sam’s long time Australian concert promoters, Frontier Touring. Win tickets to see Sam Smith in South Australia Key national radio networks ARN, The Hit Network and Nova, will give the public a chance to win tickets to the exclusive performance and include return flights to Adelaide, South Australia (if residing outside of South Australia), accommodation, and bus transfers to and from the concert.