Far East Degustation @ Rendezvous Hotel | “Live Like A Local” With Far East Hospitality

Gastrology recently joined Mr Arthur Kiong, Chief Executive Officer of Far East Hospitality (FEH) for a sumptuous Singaporen Degustation luncheon at Rendezvous Hotel created by Executive Chef William Soh, who was flown in from Singapore to prepare the delicious menu.  

At this luncheon,  Arthur presented a deep dive of the FEH portfolio properties, Singapore’s largest and fastest growing operator for hotels and serviced residences.

FEH invites Australian travellers to “live like a local” through its five-month Far East Heritage Food Trail 2015 commencing Wednesday, 1 July 2015. 

Back for the third year in a row, the Far East Heritage Food Trail 2015 will run from 1 July 2015 through to 30 December 2015 – with the ultimate aim of connecting travellers with the authentic elements of Singapore. 

As the leading hotel operator in Singapore offering a unique blend of Singapore-style hospitality and experiences, the Far East Heritage Food Trail 2015 will allow Australian hotel guests the opportunity to immerse themselves into the true Singaporean way of life by diving into the hotels’ neighbouring enclaves. 

The Far East Heritage Food Trail 2015 aims to let travellers create their own unique memories during their stay in Singapore as it is specially tailored to suit the needs of travellers looking to uncover Singapore’s colourful heritage and savour the local favours, without compromising style and comfort.

Guests staying with Far East Hospitality during the five-month period can experience a series of special activities and tours around Singapore’s top heritage and food spots with a special package.

The Far East Heritage Food Trail 2015 is available for booking here. Minimum booking of 7-night stay at Serviced Residences applies. Guests can check out the detailed itinerary here. 

Gusto Italiano Masterclasses @ Good Food and Wine Show [5 - 8 June 2015]

The Gusto Italiano stand at Good Food and Wine Show will feature master classes and guided sensory experiences dedicated to the appreciation of Italian certified Prosciutto di Parma, fresh handmade pasta and expert advice on how to get the best experience from wine by using the correct glasses. Experience Italian produce like never before with live cooking demonstrations and sampling throughout the day.

Don’t miss out on this chance to learn from some of the finest Italian chefs Melbourne has to offer!

10:30	Identifying authentic Italian Prosciutto di Parma with Bertocchi and Beretta – By Chef Luca Ciano
11:30	Extraordinary Italian flavours available at Piedimonte’s - by Chef Stefano Garusi
12:30	Pizza, Amore e Fantasia – by Chefs Michele Usci and Tony Nicolini
13:30	Identifying authentic Italian Prosciutto di Parma with Bertocchi and Beretta – By Chef Luca Ciano
14:30	Fresh cheese making at home with Electrolux – by Chef Damien Walsh
15:30	A match made in heaven: Bormioli Rocco glasses to make wine sing – by Sommelier Marco Senia

PRESENTERS

Luca Ciano

Born and raised in Milan, Luca’s career includes the famous 2 Michelin-starred restaurant ‘Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia” in Milan, as well as international experiences in London, Bermuda and Australia. He developed the Casa Barilla Cooking School in Sydney, where he continues to offer regular demonstrations. He has contributed to the Australian BBC Good Food Magazine and currently consults for restaurants, magazines and Italian brands in Australia and around the world.

Marco Senia

Marco is from a small town in the northern province of Padua in Italy. After many years in the mechanical engineering field, he decided to turn his passion for wine into his job. After a sommelier training course, he became an official taster and own a wine shop in Italy. Moving to Australia, he founded Australian and New Zealand Institute of Sommelier, a not-for-profit organisation linked with AIS (Associazione Italiana Sommelier) with the aim to spread and develop Italian wine knowledge. He is currently a Wine Representative at Twelvebottles.

Michele Usci

Michele is a “Maestro di Cucina”. He originates from the “Scuola Alberghiera A. Panzini” in Senigallia, a renowned Italian culinary school, where he qualified as a chef and attained a Diploma as a teacher. He came to Australia in 1993 and was employed by South Yarra’s Caffé e Cucina where he remained for a number of years and was head chef at the time the Restaurant was awarded two chefs Hats in The Age Good Food Guide. Michele is the founder and president of the Italian Federation of Chefs, Australia (FICDA).

Simone Garusi

Simone’s passion for food started in Italy when he was very young, under the influence of his grandparents, who were both chefs. Growing up on a farm, Simone learned how to work with food in its natural state and to prepare it in many different ways. Aged 14, he took his fascination with cooking to the professional kitchen. Be it watching him preparing a lasagne or hand-made tortellini, or simply seeing his eyes light up when he talks about food, it is obvious that this is his calling in life.

Tony Nicolini

Born into hospitality, Tony spent his formative years growing up between Australia and Italy, working with the best in the industry, honing his skills and absorbing everything cultural around him. Tony opened his first pizzeria in 1997 alongside his father, the true pizza pioneer. Watching his father’s modest approach, he learnt the art of pizza and the art of true Italian hospitality. Numerous hospitality ventures later what began as a humble pizzeria in suburban Melbourne has now grown into the modern Italian Gastronome that is DOC.  Crowned the pizza king in The Age Epicure in 2009, Tony’s journey is clear…..it’s not just a quest for the perfect pizza but a quest for the perfect pizza experience!

Find out more here: http://goodfoodshow.com.au/melbourne/masterclass/gusto-italiano-masterclasses/

Mornington Peninsula 'Meet The Maker' Event by Wine Compass

Gastrology recently attended one of Wine Compass’ limited series “Meet The Maker” tour events on the Mornington Peninsula. With exclusive access to some of the region’s most innovative and charismatic producers, these tours are for those who love wine, spirits, beer and food and want a fresh experience with lots of knowledge sharing, conversation with local characters, plenty of laughs and of course great wine and food.

Our hosts were Judy Gifford and Adam Nicholls. Trained and educated in Burgundy, Judy owns and operates one of the region’s best boutique labels, Darling Park. She has called the Mornington Peninsula home for the last 18 vintages. Adam is the owner and founder of Wine Compass, in the last 2 years he has run over 120 wine tours of the Mornington Peninsula. Lovers of all the region has to offer, both Judy and Adam ensured we all had a fabulous time.

First stop: Quealy Winemakers

Our first stop Quealy Winemakers where we met Kathleen Quealy, the Peninsula’s most well-known winemaker. 

Starting T Gallant and building it up for sale to Fosters, she was the first person to plant Pinot Gris/Grigio in Australia and was referred to by James Halliday as “The Queen of Pinot Grigio. She is also a master of Pinot Noir, Muscat and the recently introduced Friulano.

We loved the authentic, no frills philosophy behind Quealy where we tasted their Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Italian styled white wine and late harvest Muscat and heard about their innovative viticulture.

Second stop: Tucks Ridge

A small boutique winery Tucks Ridge is one of the oldest wineries in the region and benefits from this extended regional history to produce cool climate wines of stunning intensity, quality and longevity. 

We enjoyed meeting Michael Kyberd, one of the most respected winemakers on the Peninsula. Michael’s personality and humour was captivating and it was great to hear about his background and thoughts.

Michael took us through various vintages of Tucks Ridge’s Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and other great regional champions Pinot Gris and Shiraz at a special private tasting room at Tuck’s Ridge on-site residence.

It was particularly interesting to compare and contrast the vintages. 

Third stop: Red Hill Epicurean

The Epicurean is an Italian Cucina and Bakery which serves rustic and delicious food. We enjoyed a gourmet 2 course lunch at the converted shed. The food was delicious. 

From the shared pizza focaccias and antipasto platters to our mains. 

The Grilled Gippsland porterhouse was of particular note - Simple, delicious and very well executed. The beef was cooked to a tender and juicy pink and was exceedingly flavoursome and "melt in the mouth" while the accompanying truffle mash was luxurious. 

Fourth stop: Darling Park

After spending the day with Judy, we were excited to visit her winery. Judy took us though the technology behind the production of the Darling Park wine - from vinification to the blending and barrel ageing process. 

We were pleased to taste their various wines including their Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz and a really interesting Ice Viognier dessert wine.

We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to meet and spend time with the people behind some of Australia’s best boutique labels. 

For more information contact: 

Adam Nicholls

Founder, Wine Compass 

http://www.winecompass.com.au/meet-the-winemakers/

adam@winecompass.com.au

0413 360 468

Gastrology bloggers attended the tour courtesy of Wine Compass.

2015 Good Food & Wine Show [5 - 8 June 2015]

Gastrology bloggers will attend courtesy of Gusto Italiano.

This year, the Good Food & Wine Show will be bringing its scrumptious line-up to Melbourne in June serving up a host of Australia’s finest food and wine, a huge celebrity chef line up and a feast of tasting experiences to tempt everyone’s palette.

It will be a great day out with family and friends and a celebration of Australian food, wine and beer all under one roof. A huge coffee experience will also be on the menu.

Be sure to immerse your senses in Italian authenticity at stand F30! The Gusto Italiano stand at Good Food and Wine Show will feature master classes and guided sensory experiences dedicated to the appreciation of Italian certified Prosciutto di Parma, fresh handmade pasta and expert advice on how to get the best experience from wine by using the correct glasses. Experience Italian produce like never before with live cooking demonstrations and sampling throughout the day.

Don’t miss out on this chance to learn from some of the finest Italian chefs Melbourne has to

offer! 

What: The Gusto Italiano stand at Good Food and Wine Show

When: 5 - 8 June 2015

Where: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre

#GastrologyInBarcelona - Brasserie in the vibrant La Ramblas

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Luzia.

Located on the vibrant La Ramblas,
Luzia is a brasserie which celebrates the concept of a non-stop street grill.

The restaurant serves a delicious array of tapas, salads,
pastas, sandwiches and wood oven pizzas.

We loved the dishes we tried. The Iberic ham with tomato bread
was beautiful. Long, thin leg of ham with a deep golden hue to its fat. The
meat was dark red, marbled with veins of fat and went well with the slightly
tart tomato bread.

The fried artichokes hearts were wonderfully crisp and
beautifully caramelised.  Although vegetarian
dishes are often easily dismissed, this particular gem is one that commands
respect. More than a side dish, it was a highlight of our evening. 

The tuna
belly with olive paste and dates was another highlight. A mixture of salinity
from the olives contrasted magically with the sweetness of the dates. The mini flat breads with marinated anchovies on the other
hand had a wonderful depth of flavour.

Dessert was delicate apple pie with house made vanilla ice
cream. A sweet end to our delicious meal.

A combination between a brasseries and pizzeria, Luzia
offers a compelling seasonal menu to suit any time of the day. 

Location: Carrer del Pintor Fortuny, 1, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

Phone: +34 933 42 96 28

Link: http://grupotragaluz.com/restaurante/luzia/

Cuisine:  Spanish, Italian, Mediterranean





Check out our Barcelona foodie guide here.

Fiesta Malaysia 2015

Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of MASCA.

On Saturday 9 of May 2015, Melbournians celebrated Fiesta Malaysia - a festival which showcased Malaysian cuisine sourced from the best and most authentic Malaysian restaurants in and around Melbourne.

This year, Fiesta Malaysia brought together a number of popular Malaysian eateries. 

NL House

We loved NL House's fried chicken nasi lemak. The chicken was delectably crispy and had been nicely caramelised and flavoured well by an array of spices. 

Together with fluffy coconut rice, crispy anchovies and out-of-this-world kerabu sambal, it was an addictive and comforting dish.

Mamak

We were all very impressed with the quality of Mamak's offerings. Every dish tasted incredibly authentic. 

As expected, the roti was expertly prepared - beautifully crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. 

The satay was authentic and delicious. We loved how the satay was authentically served with cucumber and onion which went well with the decadent and perfectly spiced satay sauce. Our taste buds had been transported to the streets of Kuala Lumpur! 

Killiney Kopitiam

A popular chain restaurant in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China, Killiney Kopitiam is all about the "Kopitiam" (meaning coffee shop) culture in Malaysia and Singapore. We enjoyed sipping on their refreshing Teh Tarik and Milo Dinasour while we found a place to sit and enjoy their famous Hainanese Chicken rice. 

We absolutely loved what we tasted. The chicken was tender and the fluffy chicken rice was full of flavour. We especially loved the authentic taste of the chilli condiment. Their durian crepe (strictly for Durian lovers ONLY), was another standout - creamy and decadent. 

Shallot Thai

Shallot Thai is a popular Thai eatery with locations in Burwood and Malvern East. Everything was seriously delicious and delivered with the friendliest service. 

We were impressed with the perfectly cooked squid which was slathered in deliciously mild chilli sauce which allowed the natural sweetness of the squid to shine. 

The Mango sticky rice was a Thai classic. The dessert was scrumptious with generous slices of fresh mango over gooey sticky rice and creamy coconut cream - yum! 

Perwakilan Melbourne

The lovely ladies at Perwakilan Melbourne served up beautifully made roti jala and curry alongside some delicious Malay kueh.

Zam Zam

Originating from the Mamak population in Malaysia (Tamil Muslims of Malaysian nationality), the cuisine served at Zam Zam is full of flavour, spicy and simply addictive. We enjoyed sampling their Chicken biryani.

Pasar Malam

Pasar Malam channels the spirit of Malaysian hawker-style eating centres in Kuala Lumpur, where locals gather to catch up and share tasty hawker favourites. The menu features a wide array of options it’s all good. Trust us, you can’t really go wrong here. 

We started off with their Ayam Percik, a spicy barbecued chicken commonly sold at roadside food stalls all over the state of Kelantan. The chicken had been sufficiently seasoned and was wonderfully flavoursome. Each morsel had benefited from a delectable outer charring courtesy of spending the perfect time on the grill. 

We also devoured their apam balik pancakes. Wonderfully thin and crisp, these babies were filled with peanuts and sugar. AMAZING! 

Sambal Kampung

Sambal Kampung is  a Malaysian restaurant in Maribyrnong and the CBD.

Sambal Kampung served up a delicious basa which was served with a decadent spicy layer of sambal. While the use of basa wasn't traditional, the sambal itself was beautiful.

Drums Café

Drums Café is an incredibly welcoming Indian food eatery located in Queen Victoria Market.

We enjoyed their flavourful array of authentic Indian dishes. 

The Devilled Chicken was our favourite dish. The boneless pieces of chicken were tender and full of the flavour which made it a great pair with their fluffy naan.

 

Bamboe Café

Bamboe Café dishes up authentic Indonesian cuisine with friendly service in Chadstone. The food is tasty and the menu is incredibly well priced. 

The Rolling Scoops

The Rolling Scoops produces natural artisan gelato. The gelato's amazing texture and taste is testament to the perfectly balanced base that is used to make each flavour. Each flavour is made from organic milk, 100% natural ingredients, no preservatives, no added colour and no eggs. 

We loved the distinctively smooth, dense texture of their durian and Teh Tarik gelato. 

Fiesta Malaysia is MASCA Victoria's largest annual event. Fiesta Malaysia celebrated and promoted the diversity of Malaysian cultures, cuisines, tourism and history to Australia's local and international community. 

The festival received strong support from the Malaysian Government, the Australian Government, numerous corporate partners, ASEAN-root peak student representative bodies, university and non-university-based Malaysian Students Organisations. 

Fiesta Malaysia 2014 received an overwhelming response from over 18,000 visitors from different cultural backgrounds to experience a slice of Malaysia for themselves.

Apart from the authentic Malaysian food by Melbourne's top Malaysian restaurants, the festival also featured cultural exhibitions, traditional games and live performances. 

A series of demonstrations and competitions that relate to Malaysian cuisine also ran including a Durian Eating Competition and also a Roti Canai Making Challenge.