Event: Thriller Live has arrived in Melbourne [28 Jan 2015 - 8 Feb 2015]

Gastrology bloggers attended Thriller Live at Arts Centre Melbourne courtesy of ACMN.

Now in its record breaking 6th year, THRILLER LIVE is a spectacular concert created to celebrate the career of the world’s greatest entertainer.

After opening in the Lyric Theatre in London on 2 January 2009 to rave reviews, Thriller Live has celebrated its fifth birthday in the West End, embarked on a world tour and a sell-out UK arena tour, played over 3000 shows globally to 2.5 million fans, visited over 26 countries and entered the West end record books by becoming the longest running show in the Lyric Theatres 125 year history.

THRILLER LIVE continues to moonwalk around the world, taking you on a visual, audio and electrifying journey through the magic of Michael’s 45 year musical history.

Experience over two hours of non-stop hits from pop to rock, soul to disco in a show that pays homage Jackson’s legendary live performances and innovative dance moves executed with flair, precision and passion in a show that you will never forget.

Expect your favourite songs delivered by an exceptionally talented cast and band, including: I Want You Back, ABC, Can You Feel It, Off The Wall, The Way You Make Me Feel, Smooth Criminal, Beat It, Billie Jean, Dirty Diana, Bad, Rock With You, They Don’t Care About Us, Dangerous, Heal The World, and Thriller plus many more!

Get your tickets here!

Manu Feildel Extends Partnership with Murray Valley Pork for a third year

Manu
Feildel, is
continuing his role as ambassador for Murray
Valley Pork for the third year.

As part of the ambassador role, Manu has
been actively engaged with public to share his views about the quality of this
100% Australian grown product. The most recently concluded event at Highpoint
in Melbourne, ‘Summer
Tastes with Manu’ resulted in hundreds of shoppers gathering to watch Manu live
in action; cooking his favourite summer pork dishes. Fans were able to see Manu
whip up a range of delicious pork dishes and taste Manu’s creations first hand.

Check out our latest Murray Valley Pork recipe here: Recipe: Twice Cooked Pressed Belly of Murray Valley Pork with parsnip puree

Shinwa Izakaya - Japanese Bar & Restaurant

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Shinwa Izakaya.

Shinwa is an izakaya-style establishment located on Brunswick’s bustling Sydney Road, dedicated first and foremost to the art of Japanese eating and drinking, offering a laid back environment for catching up with friends and family with a focus on quality food designed to share in stylish but comfortable surroundings.

Accompanying the wide range of sake, Japanese beers, umeshu and shochu is a smorgasbord of Japanese small eats comprising of skewers, gyoza, okonomiyaki and the like.

Gyoza Teppan – fried housemade dumplings with special ponzu sauce

Yakitori

Shinwa boasts some of the best yakitori that Melbourne has to offer. We absolutely loved their range of grilled skewers. Without exception, each skewer had been sufficiently seasoned and was wonderfully flavoursome and displayed a delectable outer charring courtesy of having benefited from the perfect time on the grill.

The eggplant skewer was of particular note. Complemented by a delicious sauce and dried bonito flakes, it was a memorable treat for its beautiful texture and burst of umami.

Shinwa tempura set

The Shinwa tempura set featured deep fried king prawn and fish fillet and assorted vegetables (black mushroom, pumpkin, eggplant, sweet potato) served with grounded ginger and meshed radish and tempura dipping sauce. The tempura batter was ethereally light and crispy. The ingredients inside the batter were fresh and pleasing - the eggplant and king prawn were the most memorable.

Housemade Japanese curry sauce served on top of rice and garnished with red pickles

The Japanese curry was outstanding. The beef was perfectly cooked and the curry was robust, fragrant and had just the perfect amount of spice. Together with steamed rice, it was an addictive and comforting dish.

Nigiri selection

The sushi platter of assorted nigiri sushi boasted a tenderness exhibited by high quality produce. The seared salmon nigiri was our favourite - this melt in your mouth nigiri combined the best of both worlds (partially cooked, partially raw).

Japanese greentea cheesecake

Kokutou manjyu

Our dinner ended on a sweet note with the Kokutou manjyu, a delightful Japanese brown sugar and red bean cake. Shinwa’s rendition of this traditional dessert was beautifully light and fluffy and when eaten with the creamy sesame ice cream, was a little piece of heaven.

Fairly new to Melbourne’s culinary scene, Shinwa Izakaya already has a band of loyal followers and it is easy to understand why.  Unblemished execution of Japanese food in light of its vibrant atmosphere, desirable beverage selection and overall dining experience, Shinwa has certainly earned our stamp of approval.

Location: 139 Sydney Rd  Brunswick

Phone: 0412 705 314

Link: http://www.shinwaizakaya.com.au/

Cuisine: Japanese, Bar, Seafood, Tapas, Asian

C.H. James

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of C.H. James.

CH James boasts a convivial atmosphere in which to enjoy a lazy weekend brunch.

Seamlessly integrating the outdoors with the indoors, the ambience is bright and welcoming. 

The menu features Modern Australian items that please with fresh, innovative and great quality products courtesy of Head Chef Franck Verschaeve (ex Pope Joan). 

CH James delivers quality Small Batch coffee to the public poured by adept baristas including Yuta Tanaka (ex Auction Rooms). 

House made gnocchi with roasted tomato asparagus & broad beans

The house made gnocchi with roasted tomato asparagus and broad beans was a superb dish that was highlighted by the light gnocchi which captivated with its “melt in your mouth" interior and crisp exterior. We loved the freshness of the accompanying tomatoes, asparagus and broad beans. 

Spiced pork sausages, Asian coleslaw & sirachi mayo

Seared Silver Trevally, radish, cucumber & caperberry salad

The Seared Silver Trevally, radish, cucumber and caper berry salad was again, excellent. The Trevally was well cooked and went well with the radish, cucumber and caperberry. The radish and cucumber were spot on in terms of texture, both working in sync with the salinity and tartness of the caperberries. While the adorning slithers of seaweed added a nice touch to the finished product.

CH James is the perfect embodiment of a thriving café. A festive hub that is unique to Fairfield and Melbourne it is a weekend brunch mecca, drawing in the crowds week in week out with excellent food, fantastic coffee and cheerful wait staff.

Location: 86 Station Street, Fairfield

Phone: 03 9486 3484

Link: http://www.chjames.com.au/

Cuisine: Breakfast, Modern, Cafe

 

Events: Royal Croquet Club [16 January 2015 - 1 February 2015]

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of the Royal Croquet Club.

The Royal Croquet Club (RCC) is a pop up food, entertainment, sporting & lifestyle festival that runs from Friday, 16 January 2015 to Sunday, 1 February 2015.

RCC is happening on the Lower Level of Birrarung Marr, Melbourne, along the banks of the Yarra River. Ideally located in between Fed Square and Melbourne Park sport precinct.

Boasting a huge line up of Melbourne's best restaurants and food haunts such as D.O.C, Mr Claws, Meatmother, Miss Chu, St.Ali and Gelato Messina, Melburnians will get the opportunity to wine, dine and be entertained by Australia's finest live acts.

We absolutely adored Gelato Messina's frozen "soup" cans of premium ice cream. These are a definite must-have!

Impressive local and international performers include The Kite String Tangle and Norman Jay MBE will also be featured and there will be live tennis action streaming on the big screen (so you don't miss out on the action) and a dedicated croquet pitch, so bring your mallet and have a game! 

The Royal Croquet Club presents an Australia Day line-up that is second to none and is set to soon become a staple on the Melbourne events calendar.

Dates: 16 Jan 2015 - 1 Feb 2015

Address: Birrarung Marr, Birrarung Marr, Melbourne, Victoria 3000

Web: royalcroquetclub.com.au/melbourne/

Cost: Free entry

Great Australian Beer Festival Media Dinner @ Jasper Hotel

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of the Great Australian Beer Festival.

Gastrology recently attended the 2015 Great Australian Beer Festival media dinner where the Geelong-based 2015 Great Australian Beer Festival was brought to the Melbourne CBD for an evening of craft beer and cider at Jasper Hotel.

The evening profiled the multi-faceted craft beer festival – and allowed us the opportunity to meet some of Victoria’s best craft brewers, as well as sample a variety of the food available from the festival’s Tastes of the Region dining area – which puts an emphasis on showcasing local restaurants and Melbourne’s best food trucks.

We enjoyed a range of cider and beer tastings, as well as a three course meal and stand up tapas, from two different Geelong restaurants that are catering the festival, plus Jasper Hotel.

Black salt & szechuan pepper soft shell crab with paw paw & asian herb salad by Black Salt Restaurant

Matched with: Prickly Moses Forbidden fruit cider

Our dinner began with the simple, yet ever so enticing, soft shell crab. The deep fried crustacean pieces were coated in a semi-thick crisp batter that encapsulated firm, sweet flesh. The accompanying salad of crunchy bean sprouts an fresh greens blended harmoniously with the crab, resulting in a clean and bright dish with a perfect salt-sour balance. The Forbidden fruit cider was a lovely match as it echoed the freshness of the salad and it's dry finish on the palate cut through the tanginess of the salad.

Pale Ale Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs with Potato Fondant and Greens by Jasper Hotel

Matched with: Brewcult Supa Fly Rye IPA

The Beef Short Ribs were delicious. Superbly cooked, the meat was very succulent. Its delicate ‘melt in your mouth’texture was sensational. The flavours were subtle and earthy. We loved matching this course with the Brewcult Supa Fly Rye IPA which was very aromatic and boasted a rich malt kick which matched the luxurious pale ale jus lavished upon the ribs.

Banana. Crystal Malt, Chocolate Stout and Vanilla by Vue Grand Hotel

Matched with: Prickly Moses Otway Stout 

The dinner ended on a high with a decadent and absolutely stunning dessert. We found the  Prickly Moses Otway Stout the perfect match for this dessert as it cut through the richness of the chocolate and malt with its roasted, dry finish while complementing the sweet bananas and vanilla with its toffee and caramel notes. It was a commendable end to the evening.

The 2015 Great Australian Beer Festival is Victoria’s premier celebration of craft beer and cider with over 200 Australian brews available to taste throughout the day on Saturday February 21, 2015. The idea is to drink, eat, socialise and be merry with plenty of opportunity to kick back and taste incredible beers, enjoy live music and roaming entertainment, attend free beer seminars, take part in keg-rolling and other colourful competitions and discover surprising happenings around every turn.

Find out more about the 2015 Great Australian Beer Festival here.

Upcoming Event: Great Australian Beer Festival [Saturday, 21 February 2015]

The Great Australian Beer Festival (GABF) returns to the Geelong Racecourse on Saturday February 21, 2015 with a Tastes of the Region dining area – showcasing some of Geelong’s best restaurants and Melbourne’s on trend gourmet food trucks. 

Brewers and beer lovers make the annual pilgrimage to Geelong - only an hour’s drive from the Melbourne CBD - to Victoria’s premier celebration of craft beers and ciders in Australia’s biggest alfresco craft beer garden, as well as to enjoy some excellent grub. 

And what food items are best to eat alongside these fantastic beers and ciders? Black Salt – a modern Australian Restaurant in Geelong recommends a heavier style beer to go with their Pulled Pork Rolls, while a pale ale would be more appropriate for their oysters and calamari.

Other restaurants getting involved from in and around Geelong include Vue Grand Queenscliff, – which will be serving its famed hot dogs to the masses – Odyssey Tavern and Brewery, Sunnys Pizza and Mazamigo Mexican – a mash up of cultural food to match  the 200 plus Australian brews available on festival day. 

Food trucks include Greek Street Food, Simply Vegan, Ooodlelishious, Timboon Icecream, Squid Inc and Tasty Gozleme. 

Among the artisan utopia of boutique beers and ciders, the cultural mash up of flavours, the beer seminars and festival stalls, roaming performers will take delight in entertaining the masses. Three stages will be home to the sounds of worldly music, from the reggae and calypso tunes of Nicky Bomba & Friends, to a variety of indie from The Pierce Brothers plus jazz, funk, folk, blue grass and country.

Drink, eat, socialise and be merry with plenty of opportunity to kick back and enjoy a range of craft beer, cider and great food.

Families are also catered for with a designated Kid’s Zone as well as interactive activities and roaming entertainers. 

What: The most colourful beer festival you’re ever likely to attend 

When: 11am to 7pm Saturday, 21 February 2015

Where: Geelong Racecourse

Costs: Starts at $39.50 + bf. Direct shuttles run from South Geelong Station to get you safely to and from the event.