Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2020 i Gourmet Traveller

THE LATEST FROM CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS AROUND AUSTRALIA RESTAURANT NEWS MELBOURNE As Victoria slowly reopens, with it comes some new offerings from bold and brave hospitality folk. Tiny pop-up pasticceria Monforte Viennoiserie has cropped up in Carlton North. You’ll find a changing rotation of short-run pastries: one week you may get a leatherwood honey and sea salt croissant, the next, one topped with asparagus, goat’s curd and hazelnut. Owner Giorgia McAllister Forte spent the past four years learning tricks of the trade from Boris Portnoy at All Are Welcome. As Marion reverts back to its original wine bar format, just a few doors down you’ll be able to enjoy the community grocery vibes of this pivot permanently. Morning Market will take cues from the Marion Grocer, offering sandwiches, salads and…

I hadn’t done that much travelling before I had children. I didn’t leave New Zealand until I was 15. I started practising law at 21 and had my first child at 26. When I had my third child, she was quite unwell and I stayed at home for a while, and then we started going on these sailing trips. We realised it was such a great way to give both ourselves and our children a way to see the world. I did a year-long sailing trip across the Indian Ocean with my family in 2014. My three children, my husband at the time and I set off from Thailand and ended up in South Africa. There are so many different cultures and landscapes along the way. We went to the…

What’s a party without a sausage roll? Not one we’d like to be invited to. Wrapped in a blanket of golden puff pastry, these classic finger-food morsels are the perfect one-handed party snack (to keep your other hand free for a Champagne glass, of course!). The secret to a show-stopping sausage roll is the pastry – it should be sturdy enough to contain the filling yet wonderfully flaky when you bite in. For the best result we prefer to make our own, but if you’re short on time use a good-quality store-bought pastry, such as Carême all-butter puff. This recipe makes 24 rolls and takes 1 hour and 20 minutes (plus cooling). It’s time to crank the oven and get this party started. Step by step 1 To make rough…

PROVIDOOR When lockdown hit and chef-restaurateur Shane Delia looked into delivery options for his venues, he didn’t like what he found. So he decided to create his own delivery platform: Providoor. The industry-led solution gained traction with some of Melbourne’s best, including Supernormal, Sunda, Maha, Flower Drum and Tipo 00, who were all quick to sign on. Providoor has been growing steadily for six months now, and focuses on delivering premium restaurant experiences to your door. Rather than compromise the quality of meals, which risk arriving soggy and sweaty if delivered hot, each meal is prepared by a chef, then safely cold-freighted, with the finishing touches added by diners at home. For many restaurants, Providoor has delivered a vital new income stream that will continue as a long-term player in…

READY-TO-DRINK COCKTAILS The Everleigh Bottling Co. released two “volumes” of the Melbourne Mixtape – a mixed pack of ready-to-drink cocktails from some of the city’s best cocktail bars. The pre-mixed tipples served as a tasty way to support small bars as they remained closed through Melbourne’s lockdown, with all proceeds going directly to the bars involved. The second volume included drinks from Above Board, Bar Americano, Bar Margaux, Black Pearl, Byrdi, Capitano, Mjolner and The Everleigh. Now that’s something worth toasting. JUICE TRADERS BOTTLE SHOP Starting an online bottle shop was something Leigh Street Wine Room owners Sali and Nathan Sasi had always wanted to do, but never quite had the time. Then Covid-19 hit and Juice Traders finally came to fruition. “The Adelaide Hills has some incredible producers and…

Hearth Opened November 2019 Who Jed Gerrard (executive chef) Vibe The West Australian barbecue, reimagined. Verdict From the polished, high-ceilinged dining room to the bespoke staff uniforms, Hearth looks every part the glam, in-house restaurant you’d expect to find at Perth’s Ritz-Carlton. Less expected, however, is the elegant way the kitchen uses fire to showcase and celebrate West Australian ingredients. From the pleasures of cold-smoked snapper carpaccio to a camembert ice-cream with grilled quince and toasted sandalwood nuts, Hearth offers a compelling taste of the west. The Ritz-Carlton Perth, 1 Barrack St, Perth, (08) 6559 6888, hearthrestaurant.com.au Coogee Common Opened March 2020 Who Scott Brannigan (executive chef), Nic Trimboli and Adrian Fini (co-owners) Vibe A kitchen-garden restaurant with a side of history. Verdict Post office. Orphanage. Racecourse. The sprawling Coogee…

Diners flock to Firedoor in Surry Hills to watch Lennox Hastie play with fire. A former head chef at legendary Basque grill Asador Etxebarri, Hastie is obsessed with exploring the magic that happens when prime Australian ingredients meet wood, fire and smoke. When he’s not at the (literal) coalface of his Sydney restaurant, these are the places the one-time GT Best New Talent winner and newly minted Netflix star likes to eat and drink. BOLD CARIBBEAN FLAVOURS In spite of its location in The Star casino, I love Momofuku Seiōbo. It’s not so much about the space but the people that inhabit the space, which is led by chef Paul Carmichael and restaurant manager Kylie Javier Ashton. There’s a lot of same-same in Sydney, but Paul’s Caribbean food is so…

Gnocchetti Sardi alla campidanese, Acqua e Sale Handmade by chef Fabio Concas, this Sardinian classic is reason enough to flock to Perth’s best new Italian osteria. 391 Fitzgerald St, North Perth, WA. Max Veenhuyzen, WA state editor Scallops with Aleppo pepper, Rockpool Bar and Grill Fresh from Western Australia, these sweet and plump Abrolhos scallops are paired with a delicate spiced seasoning and orange oil. 66 Hunter St, Sydney, NSW. Jordan Kretchmer, writer Corn ga da don (crisp-skinned chicken with red rice), Tan Viet Noodle House After some 30 years of this signature dish: the allure of Tan Viet's chook with wafer-crackling skin shows no sign of abating. 100 John St, Cabramatta, NSW. Yvonne C Lam, digital editor…

BRUNO PAILLARD Première Cuvée A blend of more than 30 crus, this smooth, citrus-forward drop has less sugar than most, resulting in a rounded flavour with a crisp, clean finish. Citrus notes are underpinned by hints of berry from the pinot noir. The perfect pairing with summer shellfish. 750ml for $110, dynamicwines.com.au FLEURY Blanc de Noirs The Fleury vineyards were the first in the Champagne region to gain biodynamic certification, officially granted in 1992. Made from nothing but pinot noir, this full-bodied bottle brings a fruit-driven flavour that’s pleasantly crisp and refreshing. 750ml for $75, differentdrop.com BOLLINGER La Grande Année 2012 was a very good year for the Champagne region, resulting in this special drop from Bollinger that will only get better with age. A classic blend of pinot noir…

Blue cheese and mushroom soufflé omelettes SERVES 4 500 gm mixed mushrooms, such as king brown, Swiss brown, oyster and enoki 100 gm butter 2 tsp thyme leaves 2 garlic cloves, crushed 150 gm baby spinach leaves 8 eggs, separated 200 gm mild blue cheese, crumbled 1 Thickly slice large mushrooms (king browns and Swiss browns), tear oyster mushrooms in half and enoki mushrooms into smaller clusters. 2 Melt 60gm butter in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook mushrooms and thyme, without stirring, until coloured underneath (2 minutes). Turn mushrooms over, cook until browned and softened (2 minutes). Add garlic and spinach, and cook, stirring, until spinach is just wilted (30 seconds). 3 Place eggwhites in a large bowl of an electric mixer and yolks into a second…

PROUDLY PRESENTED BY HOPE DELIVERY Neil Perry officially retired from Rockpool Dining Group in July but remains in service thanks to his Hope Delivery initiative. The social enterprise launched in March, creating restaurant-standard meals for those in need – from the homeless and unemployed to migrant workers ineligible for JobKeeper and JobSeeker. Partnering with OzHarvest to distribute meals, as well as handing them out to people in the street in Sydney and Melbourne, Hope Delivery has shared more than 200,000 meals since it launched – and is still going strong. As Perry told GT in September: “A restaurant belongs to the community, and part of being in a community is taking care of people who are less privileged.” Perry has certainly stepped up to the mark, both manning the pans…

SIMULATION SENPAI BY CHASE KOJIMA This high-grade, masterfully made sushi spin-off from Sokyo head chef Chase Kojima gave Sydneysiders a chance to indulge in a luxury many missed while in lockdown. Kojima elegantly packed boxes with strips of fatty toro, sweet prawns, rich tongues of urchin and fleshy snapper, all draped over sushi rice. Maximising Kojima’s connections with specialist tuna dealers and his knowledge of the seafood markets, Simulation Senpai set new standards for takeaway meals. The luxe sushi boxes are still going strong with deliveries continuing to go out every Friday and Saturday. LAGOON DINING EXPRESS All about ease and convenience, Lagoon’s vacuum-sealed heat-and-eat meals – from fiery dan dan noodles to rich butter chicken – have a shelf life of up to 15 days, a boon for when…

SOMEKIND PRESS COOKBOOKS Somekind rapidly launched Project Take Away, a crowdfunded cookbook series, which raised more than $200,000 for local restaurants and businesses. Some of the recipes immortalised in the series came from Australia’s best restaurants, including Lee Ho Fook, Pipit, Lankan Filling Station, Ester and more. MELBOURNE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL One of the first major events to be put on hold, the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival maintained a positive presence via online cooking demonstrations. It also celebrated culinary icons through its legends series and hosted an epic celebrity sandwich battle. DEEP IN THE WEEDS PODCAST Food writer Anthony Huckstep played the role of host and counsellor in this prolific series, which shared stories from throughout the industry in real time. From initial dismay and despair, to surprise…

Fino Vino Opened December 2019 Who David Swain (executive chef and co-owner), Sharon Romeo (co-owner) Vibe A taste of wine country in the city. Verdict An open kitchen hums with focused energy to deliver a compact menu that places emphasis on seasonal freshness. The bar is busy, stocked with an intelligent wine collection spanning a broad church of regions, flavours and textures. Informed staff suggest appropriate combinations of dishes best shared, from luscious pork cutlet with celeriac purée and toasted quinoa to a winning bowl of braised king mushrooms with riced potatoes. Spare some room for dessert. With food this consistently good, the temptation is to keep grazing. 82 Flinders St, Adelaide, (08) 8232 7919, finovino.net.au ShoSho Opened July 2020 Who Adam Liston (chef and co-owner), Simon Kardachi (co-owner) Vibe…

At its heart, Gimlet is a cocktail bar, “but it also presented us with the chance to create something a little more – to create food and cocktails that enhance the beautiful room rather than trying to compete with it,” says Andrew McConnell. Anyone who had the luck to experience McConnell’s newest Melbourne CBD restaurant, Gimlet at Cavendish House, in the brief hiatus between lockdowns would agree wholeheartedly about the beauty of the room. Large, elegant, exciting, it’s designed with a party in mind, most obviously because of the bar that’s the central feature. In the spirit of what will be, McConnell has created a menu of party food with matching cocktails for this month’s issue. The objective is a Gimlet-style celebration – as sophisticated as it is fun. “The…

I first met Jon Owen at a Wayside Chapel fundraising event held at Billy Kwong in 2018. I felt an instant connection; Jon exudes a natural warmth and openness that instantly makes those around him feel really comfortable. For me, he is like one of my brothers, and with our shared Asian backgrounds the conversation always turns to food and family. I’d like to celebrate and thank Jon for his continuous care of those who are the most vulnerable in our community. With every challenge, comes an opportunity. Which means 2020 has not been without its positives, says Jon Owen, chief executive and pastor of Sydney’s Wayside Chapel. “We’ve been getting people off the street and into hotel rooms, the Government has been paying for that. It’s been quite an…

The prawn cocktail is, quite possibly, one of the most iconic dinner party dishes in recent history; see-sawing, as Nigel Slater once wrote, “from the height of fashion to the laughably passé”. Its popularity in Britain can be traced back to chef and food writer Fanny Cradock, who first published a recipe for the dish in 1967. However, its origins are believed to stem from the United States and the 1920s Prohibition era. Today, the retro appetiser continues to appear on menus in various guises but always with that signature Marie Rose sauce. Find one SK Steak and Oyster in Brisbane sticks to tradition, with Mooloolaba king prawns, iceberg lettuce and a dollop of Marie Rose sauce. The Gidley in Sydney serves a spicy, decadent version, accompanied by four golden,…

HARVEST BITES Originally launched during lockdown and continuing today, this swish meal-delivery service from the always altruistic OzHarvest sees chefs from some of Sydney’s best restaurants (including Nomad, Quay, Firedoor and Spice Temple) take turns at cooking restaurant-quality meals for home diners. Each order allows OzHarvest to deliver at least 40 meals to people in need. “Harvest Bites grew from the idea of not only raising money to help support the growing number of people suffering from food insecurity, but also to get our chef ambassadors back in the kitchen,” explains OzHarvest founder Ronni Kahn. COLOMBO SOCIAL Even before the pandemic, Colombo Social in Sydney’s Enmore had good intentions at heart – set up as a restaurant and social enterprise that supports asylum seekers and refugees transition into their new…

MARION’S COMMUNITY Quick thinking kept Andrew McConnell’s Fitzroy wine bar powering through the pandemic via vegetable boxes (with recipe suggestions for signature dishes) and a collaboration with one of Melbourne’s best bakeries Baker Bleu that granted northsiders access to that raisin and cinnamon challah. Along with selling wine, bread, produce and take-home meals, Marion also dished up a much-needed sense of community that’s now taking roost at Morning Market, the permanent grocery store just a few doors from Marion. ST ALI GENERAL STORE Calling St Ali coffee roasters or a café no longer suffices. In response to the pandemic, it produced hand sanitiser, sustainable hemp and copper face masks, and ran a general store, which showcased the best producers from right across Victoria. SEASONS FRUIT MARKET ONLINE When lockdown saw…

Maha Bar Opened February 2020 Who Shane Delia Vibe Handsome and romantic modern Middle Eastern bar. Verdict Is Shane Delia’s gorgeous, glamorous Collingwood bar his best work yet? The harissa and turmeric braised beef-stuffed borek bun, arak pickled cucumbers and brilliant hummus served with maple-roasted carrots would say yes. Service is great too, as is the on-theme wine list with its Lebanese wine producers and selection of raki and arak. 86 Smith St, Collingwood, (03) 9417 3531, mahabar.com.au Gimlet at Cavendish House Opened June 2020 Who Andrew McConnell Vibe New York-style French bar and bistro given a McConnell makeover. Verdict The 10 minutes it was allowed to open in June gave a tantalising glimpse of chic Gimlet’s potential – a big, beautiful Manhattan-referencing room with a central bar, leather booths…

Agnes Opened August 2020 Who Ben Williamson (chef and co-owner), Tyron Simon, Frank Li and Bianca Marchi (co-owners) Vibe A darkly beautiful venue manned by a team with talent to burn. Verdict Expect myriad grill thrills and plenty of dry-aged carnivore treats. But Agnes is way more than just a “hot coals, good times” kinda gal. Consider the snacks. Smoky bonito sandwiched between soft rounds of white bread and dialled up with creamy white ’nduja with a tangy white strawberry salsa. Or scarlet prawn doughnuts amped with Vietnamese mint. This moodily lit warehouse conversion, with its hidden al fresco rooftop terrace and well-stocked bar is 2020’s surprise package. On fire. 22 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, (07) 3067 9087, agnesrestaurant.com.au SK Steak & Oyster Opened December 2019 Who Kelvin Andrews (chef…

Party season is upon us – that time of year, kicking off in November, when elated summer gatherings merge with Christmas festivities and every day of the week feels like an occasion. Traditionally, it’s a time when friends, colleagues and loved ones gather in groups and descend upon our cities’ bars and restaurants to drink and dine, creating that infectious, flirtatious energy one might witness at a music festival. This year, however, is looking a little different; restaurants across the country are required to comply with a new, uncompromising set of rules put in place by the Government to minimise the spread of Covid-19. This includes strict physical distancing and table restrictions in some states; alcohol can only be served to seated diners, menus must be laminated, and self-serve buffets…

My name is Rosa Cienfuegos. I was born in the heart of “Chilangolandia” (the affectionate slang term for Mexico City), the largest and most populous city in the Western Hemisphere. I lived in this chaotic, noisy, vibrant and colourful place with its warm people, ancestral traditions and rich culture for 25 years. Although frenetic, I learned to love the city and the craziness that went with it. When I was young, I travelled throughout Mexico visiting family and friends, and immersing myself in our country’s vast history and unique gastronomy. I learned about regional food and centuries-old dishes that are still made using traditional cooking techniques and equipment. Every house I visited had a signature family recipe that was slightly different from the last. Food is very important to Mexicans.…

Be bold and colour your home with pink hues, bursts of saffron and geometric designs.…