April is here, and so is Newcastle Food Month.
Over the past couple of weeks I have been sharing the many Feature Events taking place throughout the month, as well as the Plate Date deals on offer. Today I'll give you a rundown of the Feature Events scheduled for the final week of Newcastle Food Month (April 24 to 28). Further details, including ticket information, are available online at newcastlefoodmonth.com.au.
Tickets to two events on April 24 have already sold out: A Night With Bistro Molines at Flotilla; and PAIRED - Jimmy Joans Comes to Town - Customs House Hotel (I'm not surprised, either ...).
April 24
Six-Course Seafood Tasting Menu Featuring Peter Drayton Wines - Nautica Dining at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
6pm to 10pm, $145
Executive chef Luke Carpenter will introduce each of the six seafood courses while Peter Drayton walks you through the flavour profile that matches that particular dish.
Gin & Din: A Cocktail Dinner Degustation - Oh My Papa
6pm to 9.30pm, $150
Five mini gin-based cocktails will be paired with five dishes showcasing a mix of traditional and modern Asian-inspired flavours and techniques.
April 26
Icky Sticky High Tea - Ms Mary at Crystalbrook Kingsley
Sittings from 10am to 5pm, $89
A selection of delicious sweet treats from Icky Sticky Patisserie, freshly baked scones, savoury goodies by Ms Mary, T2 tea and Sprocket Single Origin Coffee, and a glass of First Creek 'Botanica' Sparkling on arrival.
Osteria Papazzo: Authentic Italian Weekly Pop-Up Nights at Talulah
4.30pm to 9.30pm
Authentic Italian cuisine, drinks and music.
Mediterranean Seafood Dinner - The Signal Box
6pm to 9pm, $135
Chef Dan James is crafting a four-course menu featuring fresh fish, succulent shellfish, Josper grilled octopus, king prawns with garlic and lemon, and pan-seared blue-eyed cod with salsa verde.
April 27
Icky Sticky High Tea - Ms Mary at Crystalbrook Kingsley
Sold out
INTERNATIONAL NIGHT at The Shorty
6pm to 8pm, $70
A banquet-style event with a world of flavours from Nepal, Japan, South Africa and South America, where each dish tells a story of tradition and authenticity.
April 28
Icky Sticky High Tea - Ms Mary at Crystalbrook Kingsley
Sittings from 10am to 5pm, $89
A selection of delicious sweet treats from Icky Sticky Patisserie, freshly baked scones, savoury goodies by Ms Mary, T2 tea and Sprocket Single Origin Coffee, and a glass of First Creek 'Botanica' Sparkling on arrival.
Sunday Session #4: Mercer and Charteris Wines - Vecina
Noon to 3pm, $95
Vecina, Flotilla's new neighbour in Wickham, will transform into a pop-up cellar door every Sunday in April. Winemakers Aaron Mercer, of Mercer Wines, and PJ Charteris, of Charteris Wines, will showcase a selection of their multi-regional wines with snacks from Vecina.
Ravella X Alfie's Perfect Match 2024
Sold out
The Prince x Scarborough Degustation
Noon to 3pm, $140
A five-course lunch crafted by chefs Timothy Montgomery and Joshua Lips complemented by a selection of Scarborough premium wines. The event will be hosted by Sally Scarborough.
Niland scales back businesses
Maitland chef and author Josh Niland has closed two of his Sydney eateries: Fish Butchery and Charcoal Fish. He blamed the "variable seasonality" of Charcoal Fish's Rose Bay location for its closure.
Fish Butchery was situated a few doors down from Niland's two-hatted restaurant Saint Peter on Oxford Street in Paddington, which is being relocated to the nearby Grand National Hotel he and wife Julie took over in 2022. Fish Butchery Waterloo will continue to supply Saint Peter and Petermen (at St Leonards).
The Nilands opened Fysh in Singapore last year, and expect the Grand National Hotel to be open for business in a matter of months.
Short and sweet
Euro Patisserie has opened A Little Euro on Watt Street.
Free coffee at Peaberry's Islington this week - they're moving to Darby Street.
Bernie's Bar in Newcastle has a new cocktail menu.
QTea launches at QT Newcastle on April 13.
Calamari Kitchen & Bar is now open at the former subo on Hunter Street.
Melt Gelato has opened on Regent Street in New Lambton.
Arno Deli has joined forces with The Panini Run Club; meet at 7.15am this Saturday.
Dishing the dirt
Newcastle comedian Rhys Nicholson, who is performing at the Civic Theatre on April 24, released their first book last year. It's called Dish and it's a series of chapters about anything and everything with the odd recipe thrown in that tends to coincide with a significant (sometimes humorously traumatic) life event. There's a spaghetti carbonara and a beef burger in there, corned beef silverside, a "beef melancholy morning hash" and Nicholson's trademark "chicken schnitzy". Dish is out now through Penguin Books Australia.
Grease is the word
Grease the Musical is now showing at Sydney's Capital Theatre and the stunning art-deco Kimpton Margot on Pitt Street is offering the "ultimate Grease experience" as the official hotel partner: overnight accommodation; a la carte breakfast for two at Luke's Kitchen; pre-theatre dinner for two before the show from 5pm; and two A Reserve tickets to the show.
I stayed there last year for the Moulin Rouge dinner and show experience and can recommend.
Luke Mangan's three-course pre-show dinner gets into the Grease spirit, with dishes including the Tell Me About It (stud hiramasa kingfish sashimi, Danny's Coconut Chicken, the T Birds Baked Barramundi, the Teen Angel Passionfruit Meringue and the Sandra Dee Chocolate Tart.
Details at kimptonmargotsydney.com.
