Ribs & Burgers opened at Charlestown Square on Monday. Food & Wine had a sneak peek on Saturday afternoon and it is great to see the former home of Coco Cubano being used again. It is in a prime position, with plenty of natural light and an outdoor seating area that soaks up the sun.
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The interior has an industrial feel and the relaxed vibe – and upbeat music – make for a casual and fun dining experience. We tried the lamb ribs with lemon and herb basting, the Wagyu Big Cheese and the tasty $10.90 Old School Cheese – a US-inspired burger with a beef patty, cheese, onion, mustard, pickles, barbecue sauce and aioli. The fries were good and the whispy, crispy onion rings even better.
Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group are behind the venture, with the likes of Meat & Wine Co, Hunter & Barrel, Italian Street Kitchen and Butcher and The Farmer also in their portfolio. Check it out.
Asian fusion bar
Ginger Meg’s is opening later this month at the old Kensington theatre site, with laneway access via King Street and entry from Hunter Street. The restaurant and bar is designed, created and managed by a local consortium including Tony Green, Mark Swadling, Marc Allardice, and Ryan and Megan Baird, of Merewether Surfhouse and Parry Street Garage. It will have a large open-plan dining and entertainment space catering for 100 diners in the restaurant and 150 guests in the bar. The menu? Asian fusion.
Fresh faces
Emerson’s Cafe & Restaurant at Lovedale has a new sous chef – Phil Cosgrove, formerly of Cellar Restaurant and Rustica. Chris Greenfield has also joined the team, having made a move from The Cottage at Scone.
Pooch picnic
It’s a dog’s life at the annual Pepper Tree Wines Pooch Picnic, now in its seventh year. You can chill out with your four-legged friend while browsing pet pampering stalls and watch dog trainer Kelly Gill and her team of talented border collies, the Wonderdogs, perform. There will be wine by the glass, Bao Brothers Food Truck, Juices from Pulp Addiction and coffee from Drop Bear Roasters plus cheese platters available from the cellar door.
The winery’s Michelle Preece came up with the concept as an extension of the Pepper Tree Pet Club and as a way of raising much needed funds for local not-for-profit animal rescue organisations, like Dog Rescue Newcastle. The picnic is on Sunday, August 12, from 10.30am to 2.30pm at 86 Halls Road, Pokolbin. Entry is by gold coin donation. Dogs must be social and on a leash at all times. Bring your own rugs, chairs and dog tidy bags. For more details go to peppertreewines.com.au.
Burgers to go
Mister P’s Burger Bar is on the move. They now have a food truck and will be popping up at markets and events around the area. Catch them at Toronto Markets this Saturday, August 4.
A man in demand
Reece Hignell made the top 10 on MasterChef Australia and, just quietly, Food & Wine was devastated when he failed to enter the top five. But his talent and personality have made him a man in demand and, unsurprisingly, he has several pots on the boil.
One is hosting a cooking class at The Essential Ingredient Newcastle: Mastering The Winter Grazing Board. It’s on August 24, 5.30pm to 7.30pm, at The Junction store and costs $140 per person. Hignell will show you how to make his famous duck liver parfait, as well as homemade olive oil crackers and baked camembert with walnut praline.
The class is not only about creating the elements on your board, but also learning how to arrange them for peak visual impact.
Book now at essentialingredient.com.au.
New kid on block
Babylon, Newcastle’s newest whisky, cocktail and craft beer destination, officially opens at 6pm on Saturday, August 18 at the former Central at 145 King Street, Newcastle. It will be open Tuesday and Wednesday, noon to 10pm; and Thursday to Sunday, noon to midnight.
Weekend eats
Streets Eats heads to Lorn this Sunday, August 5, noon to 4pm. Also, The Food & Wine Festival is on this Saturday, August 5, at Mt Penang Parklands. Entry and parking is free, and there will be live music, wine and beer, and market and food stalls.
Making history
This year’s Hunter Valley Wine Show is making history by having Sarah Crowe as its first female chair of judges. It will also have a woman as its international judge: Kong-based Asia Wine Service and Education Centre senior educator Corrine Mui. Mui has had 10 years’ experience in judging international wine shows and is Wine Australia’s Wine Ambassador in Asia and an appointed panel speaker for the James Halliday China roadshows. Last year she was named Best Educator by Wines of Germany and the 2018 Sake Ambassador by the Sake Sommelier Association. Crowe began her wine career in the Hunter and today is the winemaker-general manager of the Yarra Valley’s prestigious Yarra Yering operation. Judging will take place at Singleton Army Camp from August 20 to 22 and results will be announced at a celebration luncheon at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort at Pokolbin on August 24.
On the map
Hunter Distillery won two medals at this year’s International wine and Spirit Competition held in London: a silver medal for their aged vodka and a bronze medal for their aged gin. Both are limited editions, aged in barrels for three years and available at the 1686 Broke Road, Pokolbin, distillery door.
