Wine Tasting the best of Mudgee at the Pyrmont and Mudgee Region Festival; Wine, Food and Art

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There is no better way to taste the wines of Mudgee than at a wine tasting event at The Pyrmont and Mudgee Region Festival: Wine, Food and Art weekend which occurred on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May 2017 at Pirrama Park, Pyrmont.

The Pyrmont and Mudgee Region Festival is a family-friendly event with live music, local artists, rides and children’s entertainment. It is in its seventh year and there was over 100 stalls where the public could meet the wine-makers, participate in tastings and sample a broad range of fine foods. Admission was free. Tasting tickets started at $20 with a glass and 5 tickets, and for the first time this year, there was also a beer garden.

For our wine tasting event we started with a crowns and cocktail workshop, where we made floral crowns with real flowers and cocktails using Wellstead Shrubs. A shrub is a sweetened vinegar based syrup. This drinking vinegar is infused with fruit juice, herbs and spices and used to mix drinks.

Then we met representatives from three major wineries and tasted some award-winning wines. From the Petersons Winery we sampled the chardonnay and Jamie’s Quatro (vintage 2015) wines and heard about the history of this Hunter Valley family-owned business that also has a vineyard in Mudgee. From the Burnbrae Winery we sampled the 2016 Burnbrae Cuvee and 2017 Bella’s Moscato. It is the oldest vineyard in Mudgee and still has the original winemaker’s cottage. From Botobolar Winery, we tasted the organically grown The King 2006/7 (made from cabernet sauvignon and shiraz), the Shiraz 2013, and the Shiraz 2016 (preservative free). Botobolar has been making organic wine for over 40 years and is the first fully certified organic vineyard in Australia.

Mudgee Region is the third largest grape growing region in NSW and one of the oldest too. They have been grapes grown here since 1850 and there are more than 110 growers and over 30 cellar doors to visit.

Mudgee specialises in Chardonnay. Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon also benefit from the temperate climate of vineyards high above sea level allowing the berries to slowly ripen in the rich red soil.

The Mudgee Region is also well-known for its food. The area includes Mudgee, Rylstone, Gulgong, Kandos, Hill End, Soffala, Hargraves, Glen Davis, as well as other villages and towns. Food products include honey, free range lamb, pork and beef, hazelnuts, pomegranates, olive oils and chocolate (where the beans are sourced from Vanuatu). The High Valley Cheese Company is making some award-winning cheeses and you can visit them for cheese tastings.

There is also a micro distillery. Baker Williams Distillery, that is making spirits and liqueurs focusing on regional flavours and influences. Their range includes Moonshine, wheat Vodka, Gin, Cumquat Liqueur and even Limoncello and Butterscotch Schnapps. They also make a Rouge Vert Jus-spirit.

Mudgee is only a 3.5-hour drive from Sydney. For more information about Mudgee, go to: https://www.visitmudgeeregion.com.au/

For more information about The Pyrmont and Mudgee Region Festival: Wine, Food and Art, go to: http://pyrmontfestival.com.au/

Twinings Tea announces the winner of the Twinings Design Challenge competition

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The hotly contested winner of the Twining Design Challenge competition was announced at a cocktail party on board the Starship Sydney on Thursday 11 May 2017.

The Twinings Design Challenge is a competition that asked 33 notable Australian women to create artworks that will inspire distinctive pack designs for a new Twinings tea range. Each of these talented Australian women aligned themselves with a charity.

The top four finalists of the Twinings Design Challenge were designs by: Carrie Bickmore (who raised money for her own charity, Carrie’s Beanies 4 Cancer); Emma Freedman (whose chosen charity was Captain Courageous); Samantha Harris (who supported Make-A-Wish Foundation); and Nicole Kidman (who raised money for Variety, a children’s charity). Each finalist raised $12,102 for their charity during the competition.

The winner of the Twinings Design Challenge was Carrie Bickmore, who won for her drawing of a female dancer. Her package design will remaining on supermarket shelves nationally for the next four years. Ten cents from each packet sold will be donated to Carrie’s chosen charity, Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer. Bickmore currently hosts The Project on Network Ten and Carrie & Tommy on the Hit Network.

Stephen Twining, a tenth generation member of the Twinings family, is Twining’s tea ambassador to the world. He travelled from England to attend the event. He talked about his ancestor, Thomas Twining, the founder of the company, and the person who opened Britain’s the first tea room at No. 216 Strand, London, in 1706. Thomas was also the first to allow women to enter the tea house. Prior to this, women were forbidden to enter a coffee house and had to send their husbands or male servants to purchase loose-leaf tea from a coffee house.

The brand wanted to celebrate 300 years of women and Twinings Tea. Twinings conducted extensive research to find out what women wanted in their tea and the finding was that women wanted something refreshing. With that finding, Twinings’ Master Tea Blender, Phillipa Thacker, created a Twinings Morning Tea just for Australian women.

In her speech, Carrie talked about her inspiration behind her package design. ‘I was a ballet dancer as a child and was always the first and last on the dance floor’, Carrie said. She wanted to be a dancer when she grew up but was advised to be a journalist due to her conversation skills and her father already working in media.

Brain cancer is the leading cause of death in children and adults aged under 40 in Australia, yet survival rates have hardly changed in the last 30 years due to a lack of research funding. The five-year survival rate of brain cancer in Australia is 22 percent. Carrie’s late husband, Greg Lange, died after a long battle with brain cancer. Now, Carrie is doing everything in her power to try and increase funding for the disease.

The event was a star-studded event with many celebrities from Sydney’s social scene attending, including: My Kitchen Rules 2015 winner, Steve Flood; model, Lauren Vickers; yellow Wiggles, Emma Watkins; radio star, Mel Greig; Real Housewives of Sydney, Christa Billich and artist husband Charles Billich; television presenter Shelly Horton; stylist and wife of Guy Sebastian, Jules Sebastian; model Samantha Harris; former Big Brother host, Mike Goldman; The Loop presenter, Olivia Phyland; The Bachelorette contestant Courtney Dober; TV presenter Justin Hill; The Bachelorette winner, Sasha Mielczarek; and of course the winner of The Twinings Design Challenge, Carrie Bickmore.

For more information about Twinings Tea, go to: https://twinings.com.au/

For more information about Carrie’s Beanies 4 Brain Cancer, go to: http://www.carriesbeanies4braincancer.com/

           

 

Food, Wine and Art Collide at Pyrmont Festival

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The much-loved Pyrmont Festival is back by popular demand for its seventh year running.

This year they have partnered with Mudgee Region to showcase three mutually appreciated elements: wine, food and art. The Star have supported the festival since its inception and are once again the principal sponsors for this community focused event.

The opening of the festival took place in Cherry Bar, offering an unbeatable skyline backdrop for the evening. Erica Reynolds and Rob McCourt, co-presidents of the Pyrmont Ultimo Chamber of Commerce, hosted the evening alongside Jess Chrcek, President of the Mudgee Wine Association.

Throughout the evening we sampled a variety of wines from the Mudgee region, including a deliciously crisp Moothi Estate Chardonnay. The wonderful chefs at The Star created a tasting menu designed to be complement the Mudgee wine selection.

Highlights for my plus one were the freshly shucked oysters served with a chardonnay dressing, as well as the super tender chinese roast duck pancakes with cucumber and hoi sin. A fantastic showcase of local and regional producers collaborating to make something special.

The Pyrmont Festival runs for fifteen days and has plenty of events scheduled in to keep you busy. The pinnacle is set to be the free two-day festival in Pirrama Park (Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st May). With over 100 stalls offering wine and food tastings from around Pyrmont and Mudgee there’s sure to be something to tickle everyone’s taste buds. There will be live music and local artists showcasing their work as well as rides and entertainment for the children.

The Pyrmont Festival is a fantastic event that does a great job of bringing the community together to celebrate talented winemakers, chefs and artists. Head down to see what’s going on!

The Pyrmont Festival + Mudgee Region is a 15-day festival showcasing more than 50 restaurants, wine bars, hotels, winemakers and artists from Pyrmont and the Mudgee Region. 13-27 May 2017. ​Visit their website for a full schedule.

For more information about the Pyrmont Festival, go to: http://pyrmontfestival.com.au/

Munich Brahaus launches a new menu with matching beers

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Munich Brahaus, together with the Bavarian Beir Cafe and The Bavarian, launched their new menu with beer pairings AND their new secret brewer’s project beers on Tuesday 9 May 2017 at Munich Brahaus at the Rocks, Sydney.

The full range of beers available at Munich Brahaus, Bavarian Bier Cafe and The Bavarian including a new range of small batch, seasonal beers by Urban Craft Brewing Co. (dubbed The Secret Brewer’s Project) have been matched by resident experts to the new menu. These limited-release brews have been developed in collaboration with small craft breweries across Australia and will change with every season.

In April, The Imperial IPA was paired with the wagyu chilli sausage and BBQ ribs. In mid-May, there will be the Firecracker Blonde (a wheat beer) which complements the the pork cutlet and Swiss schnitzel. In July, the Red Bock will match the veal and truffle sausage, and crackling pork belly.  In August, the coffee stout will come on board and in September there will be a kolsch. Then, during the warmer month of November, a watermelon weiss beer will make its way onto the menu.

For the meals, there is a new selection of high quality meats such as the coffee spice-rubbed ribs with sweet BBQ sauce, Byron Bay Berkshire pork cutlets and Great Southern Tasmanian lamb rump. From the Grainge Black Angus beef range comes spice-rubbed, aged beef rib sirloin, and ‘butcher’s cut’ minute steak.

For those with a big appetite, there is the 1kg Schnitzelmeister (a veal schnitzel with a choice of sides) which serves up to four people but if one guest can eat it within an hour, the $100 schnitzel is on the house.

A group of media were invited to sample the new food and beer menu. For starters, we sampled the: haus made pretzels with butter; haus made pickles (spiced pickle) onions, citrus pickled radishes; and dill pickled cucumbers); smoked trout and beetroot potted dip with crisp rye and pickles; and mac and cheese balls with blue cheese mayo and smoked bacon.

For mains we had a choice of: spice rubbed aged beef rib sirloin (350g grainge black angus MSA 3+); Great Southern lamb rump (200g naturally raised Tasmanian); Byron Bay Berkshire pork cutlets (250g heritage pork on the bone); the famous crispy pork knuckle with creamy mash, sauerkraut, bier jus and apple compote; and buffalo mozzarella ravioli with basil pesto, cherry tomatoes and eyoo (which is perfect for vegetarians).

For sides we had broccoli with roasted garlic dressing, sweet potato fries and duck fat roasted potatoes.

For dessert we had classic New York cheesecake with salted caramel sauce.

The meal ended with this honey flavoured haus schnapps shot to finish.

For more information about the food and beers at Munich Brahaus, go to: www.munichbrahaus.com

         

Wild Turkey launches The Wild Turkey Way event series to encourage Australians to do things the Wild Turkey Way

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The Wild Turkey event series launches in Sydney to encourage Australians to do thing the Wild Turkey Way at the Annandale Hotel on Thursday 4 May 2017.

Wild Turkey has teamed up with famed Australian artists to create an event series which will hit Sydney and Melbourne hotspots throughout May. Wild Turkey Bourbon’s iconic master distillers, Jimmy and Eddie Russell wish to encourage Australians to do things the Wild Turkey Way.

For the launch, guests were also among the first to taste the new signature cocktail, the Wild Turkey Kentucky Firebird – a smoke infused beverage that enhances the bold flavours of genuine bourbon. Guests watched bartenders live-smoked each glass with American oak woodchips before adding Grand Marnier, Cinzano Rosso, Maraschino to enhance the flavours of Wild Turkey 101. Other Wild Turkey cocktails served that night included: Wild Turkey Kentucky Fresh Apple (Wild Turkey 86.8 Bourbon topped with freshly squeezed apple juice); and Wild Turkey Kentucky Gold Rush (Wild Turkey 86.8 Bourbon, Lemon Juice and Honey syrup, shaken garnished with a fresh lemon wedge).

The bourbon-themed menu for the night was created by famed burger king, Josh Arthurs from Burgers by Josh. He added smoky bourbon flavours to the Americana style food menu including: smoked turkey wingettes with peach and bourbon BBQ sauce; cheeseburger spring rolls with Signature Wagyu Sriracha, Wild Turkey infused cheese sauce and sweet and sour pickles; nacho tatter tots with guacamole sour cream, Pico de galle and Wild Turkey cheese sauce; the wild south cheeseburger with signature wagyu chipotle mayo, sweet and sour pickles and Wild Turkey peach and BBQ sauce; and Wild Turkey chocolate brownie made with whipped Irish Cream Wild Turkey, Hershey chocolate sauce and candied nuts.

The Sydney events will launch a unique gallery of artwork featuring ARIA award-winning musician turned artist Bertie Blackman; maverick street artist and sculptor Will Coles; and multidisciplinary star Nikolaus Dolman.

The launch of The Wild Turkey Way follows the announcement of Academy Award winning actor, Matthew McConaughey, who joined the Wild Turkey team as Creative Director to tell the story behind the Master Distillers.

Events will be held at the Annandale Hotel in Sydney on the 12th, 19th and 26th of May. The events are free to the public.

To be a part of The Wild Turkey Way event series, visit www.facebook.com/wildturkey and follow the Wild Turkey Way at #wildturkeyway

      

Milagro Tequila launches ‘Museo of Miracles’ exhibition at So Cal, Neutral Bay

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The world’s most-awarded tequila, Milagro, launched a photography exhibition by Mexico City based photographer Mark Alor Powell called Museo of Miracles at So Cal Neutral Bay on Wednesday 3 May 2017.

The photography exhibition captures everyday Mexico City and the inspiration behind the Milagro brand.

It was launched just in time for Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for fifth of May) which is an annual Mexican holiday commemorating the Mexican Army’s victory over French troops on 5 May 1862 under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza,

In the USA, the date has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture. In Mexico, it is celebrated with military parades, a Mexican fiesta, dancing, flowers, feasts, and of course, tequila!

In celebration of the exhibition, SoCal will also host Milagro Sundays throughout the exhibition period. There will be Milagro Margarita specials, tequila tasting flights, photo competitions and the taste of an authentic Mexican menu. Guests can go into the running to win Milagro Margarita kits, and an exclusive Museo of Miracles print alongside a bottle of Milagro, simply by uploading a social photo of their favourite piece at the exhibition using the tags @MilagroTequila #MilagroTequila and #MuseoOfMiracles.

Milagro is 100 percent blue agave tequila, renowned for its smoothness, mixability and crisp clear taste. The Milagro Tequila range consists of six bottles, Silver, Reposado and Añejo and three Select Barrel Reserve ranges.

Milagro was founded in 1997 by Mexico City natives Danny Schneeweiss and Moy Guindi. Master Distiller Pedro Juarez has two key methods: firstly, the use of the remarkable Jalisco Highlands 100% estate-grown blue agave;  and secondly, a new kind of distilling process, combining both pot and column stills together.

There were two Milagro tequila cocktails served at the launch: the Margarita (Milagro tequila, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar, garnished with a lime wedge and salt) and the most popular tequila based cocktail in Mexico, the Paloma (Milagro tequila, ruby grapefruit juice, agave syrup, chilli and soda, garnished with a lime wedge). In addition, guests got to taste Milagro tequila Silver and Reposade straight

The drinks were matched with Mexican food including: dips with corn chips, tacos, ceviche, enchiladas and churros with chocolate dipping sauce.

In addition to viewing the photographs, guests listened to a Mariachi band which was playing in full swing all night.

Museo of Miracles runs from Friday 5 May 2017 to Sunday 18 June 2017 at So Cal, Neutral Bay.

So Cal is located at 1 Young Street Neutral Bay and is open seven days a week.

For more information about Milagro tequila visit: http://www.milagrotequila.com/ or http://www.williamgrant.com/

   

 

Howard’s Cantina & Cocktail Bar launches at the top floor of Erskineville’s Rose of Australia Hotel

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Howard’s Cantina & Cocktail Bar launches at the top floor of Erskineville’s Rose of Australia Hotel on Sunday 30 April 2017.

 

The Rose of Australia hotel was purchased 21 years ago by Howard Leach, a greens keeper, who was well known in the local community.  After he passed away, his son, Scott Leach, took over the hotel, and after a huge refurbishment, opened an upstairs restaurant and bar and named it Howard’s Cantina & Cocktail Bar, in honour of his father, Howard.

 

The top floor has been renovated with quirky décor that gives it a very rustic feel. It includes exposed brick, picnic tables in the bar area, chandeliers, artwork, a fireplace, Shakespearean classics and lots of fresh flower arrangements (playing homage to his father, the green keeper). Howard’s Cantina & Cocktail Bar has a neon red sign saying, ‘I want to be an artist too’.

 

Chris Bell is the head chef, who has included a number of shared dishes, sides, substantial mains and desserts on the menu. The dishes are adventurous, including: white wine poached lobster tail ‘butty’ with avruga caviar and iceberg lettuce, or a whole whey braised lamb shoulder. Sides included cauliflower, crisp anchovies, peanut and pickled turnip, smoked pumpkin wedges, whipped garlic and mash our way. Desserts were also different including one called the ‘David and Margaret Show’ featuring coca cola sorbet and buttered popcorn. I am a dessert person and I was very impressed with the mother-in-law gluten free orange cake with pine nuts and aniseed. It was so light and moist. The food menu will be available from Thursday 11 May 2017.

 

The menu was definitely not your typical pub food. It was more like a fine dining restaurant and I would not be surprised if it picks up some awards. The Rose of Australia (and their chef Chris Bell) was a finalist in the AHA Awards for best pub burger in 2014.

 

The cocktail menu will be available from Thursday 4 May 2017. At the launch we tasted the Smoked Negroni (made with gin, Campari, sweet red vermouth and smoked hickory chips soaked in Grand Marnier); the Whisky Sour (made of Jim Beam Rye, lemon juice, sugar, egg white and shiraz), the Paloma (made of tequila, red grapefruit juice and soda); and the classic Expresso Martini (made with vodka, espresso coffee, coffee liqueur and sugar syrup).

 

For more information about Howard’s Cantina & Cocktail Bar, email enquiries@roseofaustralia.com

         

The Mad Hatter’s High Tea Party at Sir Stamford, Circular Quay

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The Mad Hatter’s High Tea Party at Sir Stamford Circular Quay transformed the hotel into a magical world of Alice in Wonderland on Saturday 15 April 2017.

Sir Stamford is an elegant hotel with a lot of old world charm, but for Easter it was transformed into the whimsical world of Alice in Wonderland filled with wonderful sweets and treats including a lolly station and a chocolate fountain.

Children came dressed as Alice, the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and While Rabbit, and competed in the dress up competition. Kids were also kept entertained with a chocolate-laden Easter egg hunt, face painting and colour-in fun by Nette Hilton.

The Mad Hatter’s High Tea Party Buffet including savoury treats such as: ham cheese and mustard sandwiches: cucumber and cream cheese on wholemeal bread; pastrami and Branston pickle; roasted chicken pinwheel in tomato bread; smoked salmon on baguette; prawn and avocado on tart shell; tomato and bocconcini skewers; Stamford signature curry puffs; Mediterranean vegetable and pine nuts on goat cheese wafer; and spinach and ricotta fillo.

The sweets on the buffet included: whisky logs; strawberry and lemon cheesecake; white chocolate green tea slice; mango and pineapple cube; assorted macaroons; lemon scones with clotted cream and mixed berry jam.

The kids had their own buffet menu which included curry egg, turkey and cranberry, ham, and tomato and cheese sandwiches. For dessert they had lots to choose from including: chocolate brownie; coconut panna cotta; mango and pineapple cube; cupcakes; blueberry cheesecake; and lemon scones with clotted cream and mixed berry jam.

As a special treat, the Mad Hatter’s High Tea Party had Easter cocktails which included: The Queen of Hearts (Absolut vodka mixed with fresh pressed grapefruit and cranberry juice served long over ice); The Cheshire Cat (Chivas 12 YO mixed with elderflower and fresh pressed lime and apple juice served long over ice charged with soda); The White rabbit (Havana Club rum served pineapple and coconut cream cocktail mixed to perfection and served chilled); and Alice (Avion tequila, Blue Curacao liqueur and lime juice served in a martini glass with a salt rim).

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay serve a range of high teas daily from 11am to 4pm with prices ranging from $79 to $32 (for kids).

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay is located at 93 Macquarie Street Sydney.

For more information or to make a booking, go to: http://www.stamford.com.au/sscq/restaurant–bar/sydney-high-tea

 

Old City Kitchen & Bar launches new menu with a Chef’s Table event

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Executive Chef Chrys Xipolitas hosted an intimate Chef’s Table event at Old City Kitchen & Bar in Newtown to show off the mouth-watering dishes from his new Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired menu on Thursday 23 March 2017.

The venue has a small outdoor terrace that can be seen from street level. Inside it’s a versatile space, with options for standing room by the bar or multilevel seated areas, which can be sectioned off for private functions.

The team behind Old City Kitchen & Bar are the same people from Li’l Darlin. Every dish is prepared on site from scratch. The menu is Mediterranean, including dishes from the Middle Eastern part of the Mediterranean such as Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. Chrys Xipolitas passionately works to recreate traditional Greek family recipes. The main focus of the Chef’s Table menu was seafood and chicken.

Guests were treated to a beverage or two at the bar before moving to a table. The menu consisted of an array of entrees and mains that were designed to share. There were ten dishes including: Mezza Plate of taramasalata, hummus, baba ganouj, tzatziki, feta, olives, pickles and cured meats served with pita bread triangles; Island Salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, shallots, fresh mint, chilli, garlic, baby capers, Spanish onion, crispy pita pieces, red wine vinegar, olive oil topped with feta foam; Homemade Haloumi topped with fresh mint and grape salsa, dressed with a balsamic glaze; Zucchini Flowers made from light tempura battered zucchini flowers with grated pecorino cheese, white truffle oil and lime zest; New City Prawns and Calamari that are potato starch coated and shallow fried, seasoned with fresh chilli, salt, pepper, garlic and parsley and served with special dipping sauce; BBQ Octopus braised for three hours, tossed with cherry tomatoes, Spanish onions, olives, roquette, basil and dressed in a sweet chilli balsamic;  Za’atar Chicken with Middle Eastern spices, za’atar composed of sesame seeds, thyme and sumac, topped with a pomegranate molasses; Old City Prawns cooked in tomato passata with chilli, garlic, shallots, olives, white wine and crumbled feta served with crusty bread; Mediterranean Salad with prawn cutlets, chicken pieces, octopus, pan fried tossed in olive oil, lemon, garlic chilli, parsley served with a salad of baby rocket, cucumbers, Spanish onion and olives; and Chargrilled spatchcock served on a spinach and haloumi pilaf and finished in a chicken lemon broth.

The highlight of the menu was the homemade haloumi. It is one of the best haloumi dishes I have ever tasted. Chrys Xipolitas swears by the quality of the haloumi, which he sources from a lady who makes it at home in Melbourne. The haloumi was grilled on one side instead of fried on both. It was not squeaky or chewy, and had not melted as poorer quality versions do. The cheese was cooked perfectly and had a light and fluffy texture.

In addition to the delicious food menu, Old City Kitchen & Bar has a vast bar menu featuring cocktails, Italian prosecco, wine (mostly Australian) and beer (some on tap but mostly by the bottle). Some of the cocktails seemed identical to those of Li’l Darlin such as the Candy Floss Martini (pictured) that was made of vodka, blood orange and vanilla syrup mixed with raspberry sorbet and raspberries. With the meal, guests were served: 2016 Dal Zotto Arneis from the King Valley Victoria or 2015 Save Our Souls Sangiovese Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula, Victoria.

Old City Kitchen & Bar is located at 89 Missenden Rd, Newtown NSW 2042. It is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week with a range of menu options.

For more information, go to: http://www.oldcity.com.au/

     

 

Mr G’s Bar & Grill launches in chic Double Bay with a VIP party

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The premium American Grill, Mr. G’s Bar & Grill, launched with a VIP party on the ground floor of the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay on Tuesday 21 March 2017.

Mr G’s Bar & Grill is owned and operated by Patrick and Angela Gallagher of Gallagher Hotels. Patrick and Angela have a number of pubs in Sydney including the PJ Gallagher Irish pubs. In the 10th century, Patrick’s Viking ancestors landed on the North West Coast of Ireland, which is now the County of Donegal, and lived there until the 1840 potato famine when half of their clan left for New York and the other half went to Sydney. In honour of half the clan that was lost to the other side of the world, Patrick and Angela decided to open an authentic American bar and restaurant and aptly name the space Mr. G’s, in reference to the long serving nickname of his father, the original Mr. G.

Guests were greeted upon arrival by a Jazz singing saxophonist, and cocktails created by Venue Manager Doug Laming. His two cocktails included: That’s my Jam containing Larios Gin, crème de cassis, rhubarb bitters, mild willow water and strawberry jam; and Obabalicious made with Chocolate Whiskey, Amaro Montenegro, rye whiskey, black walnut bitters, and dark chocolate. Wine, bubbles and beer then flowed all night.

Mr. G’s Bar & Grill is positioned as an American small bar. On their regular drinks menu, Mr G’s serves American craft beers on tap, from the best breweries in the USA, The bar also has over 100 whiskies, including rare and unique brands, along with a full selection of spirits, liqueurs and aperitifs.

Mr G’s Bar & Grill is also an authentic American grill that focus on the best steaks Sydney can offer. The food is prepared by chef to the stars Dave Little, who was George Lucas’s private chef.

Mr. G’s Bar & Grill is the first venues in Australia to use the MIBRASA grill, a wood fired, charcoal driven oven that doesn’t use gas or electricity. It allows food to be cooked retaining their natural flavours and bringing out a unique smoky taste.

Dishes served on night included: Imperial Black Caviar bilini’s with pickled ginger crème fraiche; Pastrami spiced salmon gravlax with corn bread and horseradish cream; olive wood roasted vegetables, almonds and goat cheese tartlets; Alaskan king crab cocktail; Cape Byron eye fillet chimichurri’s; mini Wagyu beef burgers with beer battered cocktail onions; and truffle fries. The evening was finished off with the desserts: chocolate brownies and pumpkin pies.

Celebrity guests that attended included: Fox Sports presenter Matt Suleau, Masterchef’s Hayden Quinn, personal trainer Lauren Hannahford and her red Wiggle husband Simon Pryce, Adriano Zumbo’s TV co-star chef Gigi Falanga, journalist and television presenter Shelly Horton, musician, singer and songwriter Alex Cameron, Big Brother’s Mike Goldman, fashion designer Charlie Brown; and Nicole O’Neil The Real House Wives of Sydney.

Mr G’s Bar & Grill is a slice of Brooklyn in a chic Double Bay setting. It is an upscale venue with multiple spaces including the Lounge Room, 14 metre wood bar and a private dining room. Dotted throughout are subway timetables and street signs, a large fireplace, vintage whiskies, wines and cigars on display, custom artwork, Americana and frames of the Gallagher family story.

Mr G’s Bar & Grill is located on the ground floor of the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, 33 Cross Street, Double Bay. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am till late.

For more information about Mr G’s Bar & Grill go to: http://www.mrgsdoublebay.com.au/