March 11, 2011
It’s Taste of Sydney time again! This is where you all jump up and down with excitement and anticipation of tasting delicious sample plates from some of the best restaurants in Sydney. You bring along some bags to fill with fantastic produce and get ready to be educated in regard to most things that pass your lips and heads to your tum.
With much thanks to Stellar Concepts Josh and I visited on Thursday night. This wasn’t Josh’s and my first visit to TOS we attended last year on our own merit and had a fantastic time (even though I spent way too much last year!!).
If you haven’t been to Taste of Sydney before I do think it is worth a visit at least once. The main draw card are the restaurants promoting their food via sample plates. This year there are 14 restaurants selling their dishes at cost of either 8, 10 or 12 crowns. Also present is Otto Bar which has a selection of three cocktails on offer at 10 crowns each.
We were lucky to have a sneak peak at Restaurants Balzac’s kitchen at TOS, it is tiny!! Amazing to see what they churn out of there, hot and busy people behind those counters you pick your food up at.
The currency with which you purchase your food is called Crowns. One Crown equals $1 and you buy crowns in books of 30 or 10. They are very easy to obtain just look for the guys in the pink tee shirts walking around selling them (cash only) or head to one of the Crown stalls. Crowns can also be used at various producers’ stalls as well, some take cash.
Besides having a feeding frenzy at the restaurants, there are quite a few other things to do.
Australian Gourmet Traveller Taste Kitchen. These sessions are free to attend and seating is available on a first in best dressed basis. While stocks last you can also pick up a copy of Gourmet Traveller. You will see chefs such as, Manu Feildel (L’eoile), Jeremy & Jane Strode (Bistrode), Jared Ingersoll (Dank St Depot/Cotton Duck) and others strut their stuff for 30 mins creating a dish. We stopped in for the first session and watched Peter Kuruvita of Flying Fish make string hoppers and talk about his adventures in Sri Lanka, well worth the visit. Free to attend, get there early to get a goodie bag.
Jaguar Gourmet Traveller Wine Theatre: Costs 6 crowns to attend an educational and interactive wine session. Discussed are the secrets to matching food and wine, tutored tasting, cellaring tips and more. While stocks last you can also pick up a free copy of Gourmet Traveller Wine.
Australian Gourmet Traveller Chef’s Table: Get in early to grab a seat around the table and enjoy an informal chat with one of the featured chefs over a glass of wine and canapés (provided by Regal Salmon). Josh and I didn’t attend go the Chef’s Table this year, but was a major highlight for both of us last year when we saw Miguel Mastre, El Toro Loco Chef and owner. Free to attend, just get their early!
Producers’ market: Producers from butchers right through to wineries displaying and most of them offering tastings of their products. Most also have great show offers as well and offer taste samples.
A Journey Through Coffee with Nespresso: A fun master class where you will learn tips and tricks in regard to coffee. Free to attend.
Sensology “Art of Cocktail Making”: It will cost you 10 crowns to attend these 15 minute hands on sessions where you will learn to make a cocktail and get to drink your finished creation at the end. Each session focuses on a different cocktail such as, breakfast martini, daiquiri, mojito, pina colada and cosmopolitan. We were lucky to attend a bloggers session before the event opened. Fantastic fun and really great cocktail making tips, well worth the 10 crowns to visit. We made pina coladas unlike anyway I have made them before!
De Dietrich Appliances present Patisse Cooking School with Vincent Gadan: Vincent Gadan (Executive Chef of Patisse) will be whipping up some French pastry favourites as well as some other sweet treats.
Sample some very tasty charcuterie at Victor Churchill. I was surprised at the fact that I liked the biltong as I am not a fan of what I have tried in the past, this stuff is soft and tender. Also sampled some Tatufo, which is made from pork with a generous but not overpowering truffle flavour.
What did Josh and I eat?
Charlie & Co’s Organic Grass Fed Wagyu Burger 12 crowns & Truffle Parmesan Fries 6 crowns
Restaurant Balzac’s Crispy Wagyu Beef with Mushroom and Truffle Foam 12 crowns
This was my favourite of the night, crispy pastry filled with tender flavoursome Wagyu. If you haven’t visited Restaurant Balzac they have a set lunch special on Thursdays and Fridays, entree and main for $35, great value.
Restaurant Balzac’s Saddle of Suckling Pig & Baby Garden Peas 12 crowns
Restaurant Balzac’s Seared Regal King Salmon with a Salad of Pomegranate, Mint and Feta 10 crowns
Bird Cow Fish’s Regal king Salmon & Potato Fishcakes with Tartare Sauce and Lemon 10 crowns
Berowra Waters Inn & Ad Lib Bistro’s Chilled Vichyssoise, Oyster Beignets, Salmon Roe 10 crowns
Taste of Sydney is open is open today and right through the weekend, session times below;
Friday 11 March: noon – 4pm
Friday 11 March: 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Saturday 12 March: noon – 4pm
Saturday 12 March: 5.30pm – 9.30pm
Sunday 13 March: noon – 5pm
To preview menus, buy tickets on line and find out more of Taste of Sydney visit their website here.
Ticket prices are $30.
There is also a premium ticket available for $55 pre-purchased which includes 30 crowns.
HSBC VIP Lounge Tickets are $100 which give you entry to the exclusive lounge, fast track entry to the event, 3 complimentary drinks (still/sparkling wine and beer), complimentary still/sparkling water throughout the session, plus a place to escape the crowds and listen to some live music.
Thank you to Stellar Concepts for including Josh & I on the VIP tour. A big thank you also to Matt Kemp of Restaurant Balzac for letting us go behind the scenes and letting us try his delicious dishes, Victor Churchill for the delicious tastings and Sensology for the coctail making class.
Sara xxx
