Category: FOOD & DRINK

Lining up is for losers – skip the queue with Hey You!

Veneziano Coffee Roasters Richmond barista

You know when you wake up in the morning? And you’re tired and shitty? But the only thing that makes you happy and able to function and dress and get to work to plant yourself at your desk is coffee? Or, breakfast? But then the thought of waiting in line to get said breakfast or coffee totally kills your vibe?  Yeah, we all do. Which is why Hey You! exists.  It’s a simple concept, really. It cuts out all the fluffing around with waiting in lines to order at your favourite cafes, restaurants, take-away joints or wherever else participates. This means you can choose and order while you’re en route, pick it up and be at work, smashing it down all within the blink of an eye. So to speak.  Hey You worked with Hays researchers, who found that only 28 percent of Australian workers take their full designated lunch break – and nearly 1 in 10 skip their lunch breaks altogether. And yet 93 percent of workers admitted that they saw improved productivity whenever they stepped away from the office. So there’s no wonder that making food, coffee and times away from work a lot more doable, quick and easy, Hey You is onto something. The app lives on your phone and lets you order ahead – with food selection and payment handled directly through the app.  Check out Hey You at their website or get it from the App Store or Google Play. 

Italian liqueur Disaronno gets a fresh new outfit with Trussardi

Disaronno Trussardi bottle 3

The latest iteration of Disaronno’s limited-edition collection is here, with Disaronno collaborating with fellow Italian brand Trussardi to produce an iconic collector’s bottle. The mutual values of tradition, innovation, and Italian elegance are reflected in the collaboration, with the Disaronno bottle’s distinctive silhouette taking on Trussardi’s typical texture and greyhound logo, surrounded by delicate lashes of fuchsia, green, and blue. Arriving just in time for Christmas, the Disaronno Wears Trussardi bottle is the perfect gift for fashion enthusiasts looking to enjoy a tipple. In addition to the classic bottle, the Disaronno Wears Trussardi limited-edition collab comes in several gift box variations, including the ‘Celebrate in Style’ package which sees two champagne flutes joining the dressed-up Disaronno bottle. Disaronno’s collaboration with Trussardi marks the liqueur’s sixth year collaborating with a top designer, with past collaborations including the likes of Versace, Etro, and Moschino. “The Trussardi story is very much about innovation, discovery, the concept of fusion. In addition to strengthening the bond between two companies that epitomize the Italian spirit worldwide, designing the iconic Disaronno bottle underscores once again that Trussardi continues to be a 360° lifestyle brand,” says Tomaso Trussardi, CEO of Trussardi on the decision to collaborate with the liqueur brand. The #DisaronnoWearsTrussardi launch party at the Sydney Opera House certainly exuded elegance and tradition, with the event showcasing the versatile nature of the liqueur. Sartorially savvy Sydneysiders sipped on bespoke Disaronno concoctions created by mixologists from QT Hotels around the nation, whilst enjoying Australia’s first ever cocktail runway show. Disaronno’s unique flavour and… Read More

Saint George by chef James Metcalfe in Chippendale is doing everything right

Saint George

James Metcalfe moved over from the UK long enough ago for it to not matter, but there’s one thing from the motherland he carries with him in everything he does: bloody good food. It’s been his calling card from his old days back at Becasse and The Bellevue and now at his newest and nicest venue, Saint George in Chippendale. The corner venue is striking to look at from the street and plays more than its hand in transforming the student-heavy thoroughfare that is Broadway than just offering a nice coffee on the way to work in the morning – which they do for tuppence. Saint George Chippendale is industrially rough on the inside, polished and urban on the outside. It offers an aesthetically cool, well-lit streetside restaurant space for literally everything from morning stop-bys, lunch time meetings and evening time dinner dates with a friggin’ good menu to-boot. Metcalfe is the dude behind W & Co catering in Pyrmont, which – if you’ve sampled before – knows how to do everything from a basic white sangga to a full-blown array of cakes and everything in-between. So, he’s taken the concept of quality food done damn well, turned it up about 250% and bought a restaurant to really show off what he can do. The menu is well-rounded, mostly comes with matched wines and features a tonne of waiters and waitresses who love the food as much as they do their wine and are happy to talk your head off about one, t’other or all… Read More

Johnnie Walker joins the Game of Thrones with new bottle, “White Walker”

Johnnie Walker white 1

Because summer is damn hot and most apartments in Sydney don’t come with aircon (who planned that?!), we have to seek alternative relief. Enter the new White Walker by Johnnie Walker whisky. It’s as cold as your exes’ heart but a thousand times more tasty – and intoxicating – and has recently launched to Australia, making it the first global whisky brand to join the Game of Thrones franchise with a much more refined palette. Sources very close to the Night King have leaked it’s the thorny-headed prick’s favourite beverage, thanks in large part to its woody aromatics, full bodied colour, perspicacity around the easily-influenced and chic white bottling. Amongst other things, the new batch also goes nicely with food as proven by the Johnnie Walker national whisky ambassador Simon McGoram who worked with chef of the Bondi Iceberg’s to whip-up a smashing degustation for its national launch in Sydney recently. It’s also won the heart of  Global World Class Bartender of the Year 2018, Orlando Marzo, who’s been whipping-up drinks with it since he took the crown. Get your own batch of the white stuff from leading retailers. Like, here.

Criniti’s Kirrawee opens in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire

Crinitis Kirrawee dinner

Well-loved Italian favourite Criniti’s has come to The Sutherland Shire as part of the newly opened South Village shopping centre in Kirrawee. The restaurant brings its traditional family recipes that have been perfected over the last 15 years and after a thorough tasting (we’re here to help) we’re ready to say this might just be the best Italian feast you can get in The Shire. The new space is a mix of industrialism and Riviera chic. The large building has soaring ceilings, stunning feature lights and an open plan kitchen so you can see the delicious pizzas being made before your eyes. Despite there plenty of room, making it perfect for groups, there’s an air of intimacy about the restaurant with its choice of faux-outdoor seating, bar area and large indoor tables. The menu itself brings Italian favourites like bolognese and bruschetta, but Criniti’s manages to infuse the traditional with a new twist. Standouts include the pumpkin gnocchi that melts in your mouth, giant antipasto platters that come with crumbed eggplant and zucchini flowers, seafood pasta that is chick full of fat scallops and fresh mussels. Criniti’s is famous for their pizzas and with sizes ranging from a large to a whopping 3 metres long (!), there’s enough to satisfy any appetite. There’s also delightful desserts like Italian donuts with Nutella and a truly decadent chocolate lasagne. The drinks menu is equally impressive with everything from protein packed smoothies, to cocktails, to fine wines and apertivos. Whether you’re dining alone or in a group, Criniti’s… Read More

Your tasty Summer Spritz spot: Maybe Frank pop-up at Beach Road Hotel Bondi

Maybe Frank Bondi front door

Is there really a better combination than Aperol Spritz and pizza? Pop-up pizza heaven has arrived at Beach Road Hotel this summer in the form of Maybe Frank. If you haven’t heard of Maybe Frank, now is the time to try their traditional Italian woodfired pizzas. With two restaurants already; one at Surry Hills and the other at Randwick, these guys have found the winning formula for tasty pizza, with fresh ingredients and a light dough so good you won’t want to leave the crust. There’s also a gluten-free base option, so it’s a pizza pop-up party for all! The menu consists of seven of Maybe Frank’s most loved pizzas. From the classic “Margherita” to the “Alba,” (mozzarella, Italian sausage and delicious fragrant truffle pecorino) and, with prices starting from $10 for a one-serve pizza, it’s hard to say no to at least one (or three). There are two delicious Italian cocktails on offer; the classic Aperol Spritz (only $12), or Negroni ($15), perfect for a sunny Sunday or cheeky weeknight catch-up. Co-owner of Maybe Frank, Vince Lombardo said the opportunity to bring the restaurant to Bondi over summer was just too good to resist. “We have a stand-alone kitchen to use and it’s one of Bondi’s best-loved pubs. It was a no-brainer,” he states. The pop-up is on Level 1 and opens Wednesdays to Sundays, replacing the spot previously occupied by BL Burgers and TruckStop. The open, light-filled space features a combination of indoor and outdoor seating, ideal for balmy summer nights. It’s rare… Read More

New Richmond pub, Harlow, opens in Melbourne this December

Harlow Richmond 1

There’s a new pub opening in Richmond called Harlow. It used to be the Great Britain Hotel and has taken over the place, keeping the basement bar and dining area, courtyard, deck and intimate little nooks for all your canoodling needs. Harlow is dog friendly, which is great news for Melbourne pub lovers. Just don’t bring them on Friday and Saturday nights as the DJs take to the decks to really turn things up. Harlow’s got a ground floor bar and dining area, split-level courtyard with timber decking, pergolas, festoon lighting and street art feature walls that leads to the basement bar, neon signs and all. In the kitchen, Telina Menzies is executive chef and has designed a pub menu that’s a little bit classic with a modern twist. It touts stuff like duck and bacon sausage rolls, mini crab donuts and sticky Jack Daniels and Cola pork ribs, as well as a steak sanga, served with maple bacon and bloody good BBQ sauce, topped with Swiss Cheese. It goes on. The cocktail menu will be broken down in three sections – hip hop, pop and heavy metal, with cocktails such as Boyz-N-The-Hood, made with Jack Daniels, Apple Jack, Fireball and apple juice; California Girls, made with citrus vodka, peach liqueur, pinot gris, OJ and egg white and Voodoo People, made white rum, spiced rum, orgeat and fruit juice set to feature. Harlow is set to open doors in mid-December. Harlow 447 Church St, Richmond

Toast to the bars of the world at Melbourne’s Trinket Bar

Trinket Bar

Bars from New York City, London and Paris will descend on Melbourne – sort of – in the last hit of 2018 thanks to Trinket Bar. The little speakeasy hole-in-the-wall has launched the Homage Series, a three-month long summer program that pays tribute to the international bar community. The series will let Melburnians experience a menu featuring recipes straight from the bars themselves. What to expect from each month of the homage menus: Starring snacks from five award winning New York City venues, and features: PDT’s Jon-Jon Deragon Hot Dog, served with lashings of cream cheese, scallions and the crusty debris from New York’s famous poppy seed bagels Death & Co’s Mac ‘N Cheese, decadently covered in truffle shavings the club sandwich of club sandwiches from Saratoga Springs Club, the birthplace of the club sandwich; supercharged devilled eggs, made with blended egg yolk and curry mayonnaise hickory smoked trout from Audrey Saunders infamous NYC cocktail bar Pegu Club Daddy-O’s deep-fried mozzarella sticks. If that doesn’t kill you, then December will be hosting another round of debauchery from London, that looks like: Ox cheek nuggets from Hawksmoor sausage rolls from Zetter Townhouse gourjons from Satan’s Whiskers scotch eggs from The Princess Victoria beef and horseradish buns from Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings. And to really round-out the gastronomic explosion of calories, January takes visitors to Paris with the likes of everything from Le Train Bleu, Café des Phares and Le Bar Kebler @ The Peninsula Hotel, like: Oysters au natural a French cheese board and petit fours smoked salmon, beetroot and granny smith apple tartare from Le Train Bleu croque-monsieur from Café des… Read More

Bushmills and nel. celebrate a perfect partnership

Bushmills nel 1

Let’s be honest: there are a lot of forgettable drinks out there. The house spirits you drink at the local pub when you can’t face downing another sour red wine, the mysterious-looking amber liquid you’re passed at a house party that might be whiskey but also might be rum…we’ve all had our fair share of dodgy tipples. Bushmills Irish Whiskey, thankfully, is not one of those drinks. It’s not even in the same neighbourhood. Over a six-course dinner at nel. in Surry Hills, we were invited to try four expressions of the Bushmills range: The Bushmills Black Bush, and the 10-, 16-, and 21-year old single malts. While we can’t say that these are the kind of dishes you’re likely to recreate on a cruisey night at home – beetroot crème brulee with vinegar popcorn was a standout, as was the banoffee pie with banana-flavoured sand – the flavours are going to stick with you long after the experience of eating a savoury crème brulee out of a petrie dish will disappear. The Black Bush blend contains malt whiskey blended with batch-distilled grain whiskey, creating a fruity and intense character with plenty of smoothness. It’s easily drinkable but still feels special enough to be served up on an occasion, which is exactly what you want out of a good whiskey, if you ask us. The Single Malt expressions are just as more-ish, with flavours progressing from chocolate to dried fruit depending on the age of the bottle (the ten-year is apparently delicious when served frozen!)…. Read More

4 Longbranch whisky cocktail recipes

Wild Turkey longbranch

Because spring means drinks and drinks are good, make these using the latest Wild Turkey Longbranch. Longbranch Plumwood Old Fashioned Ingredients Wild Turkey Longbranch Smoked Plumwood Liquor, Bitters How to make Pour 50ml of Longbranch into a mixing glass with 10ml of Smoked Plumwood Liquor and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir Strain into a double Old-Fashioned glass over a large block of ice Twist an orange peel over the glass to express the orange oils and discard. Garnish with a dehydrated plum wheel Longbranch Citrus Highball Ingredients Wild Turkey Longbranch PS40 Smoked Lemonade Lemon juice Soda water How to make Pour 60ml of Longbranch into a large highball and add 10ml of lemon juice Fill the glass with ice top with PS40 Smoked Lemonade and stir Garnish with a Lemon twist and a cherry Longbranch Manhattan Ingredients Wild Turkey Longbranch Cinzano 1757 Rosso infused with Toasted Wattle Seed Cynar Angostura Bitters How to make Pour 45ml Longbranch, 15ml Cinzano 1757 infused with toasted Wattle seed and 15ml Cynar into a mixing glass add a dash of Angostura and fill with ice Stir & strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass and Garnish with an orange twist