News

Opens in cinemas across Australia SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

WAYNE

The Wayne Gardner Story

WORLD PREMIERE – MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2018

Director: Jeremy Sims (Last Cab to Darwin)

Writers: Jeremy Sims, Matthew Metcalfe

Producers: Matthew Metcalfe, Fraser Brown

Featuring: Wayne Gardner, Donna Forbes, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainy, Mick Doohan, Kevin Schwantz

WAYNE, the incredible feature documentary about former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, ‘The Wollongong Whiz’ Wayne Gardner, will release in cinemas nationally on 6^th September 2018. The film will premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival this August, followed by special event screenings in Sydney and Wollongong, with Wayne in attendance.

Directed by Jeremy Sims (Last Cab To Darwin) and produced by Matthew Metcalfe and Fraser Brown (McLaren), WAYNE is an inspiring and wild cinematic ride through the life of a true Aussie legend. With girlfriend Donna Forbes never far from his side, Wayne’s remarkable journey takes him from a 5-dollar dirt bike in Wollongong to the pinnacle of his sport, finding success on racing circuits around the world. In 1987 Wayne becomes the first Australian to win the World Motorcycle Grand Prix, and with it, the hearts of all Australians.

Featuring interviews with legends from the sport’s ‘golden age’ including Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainy, Mick Doohan and Kevin Schwantz, WAYNE is an amusing, inspiring and, at times, wild cinematic ride through the life of a true Aussie legend.

WAYNE will premiere on Friday 3^rd August at Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) with Wayne Gardner, Donna Kahlbetzer (née Forbes), director Jeremy Sims and producers Matthew Metcalfe and Fraser Brown in attendance, followed by a Q&A screening hosted at the Comedy Theatre on Sunday 5^thAugust. Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, Cremorne will host a Sydney Premiere on Monday 6^th August with Wayne Gardner in attendance, before a hometown screening in Wollongong on Tuesday 7^th August.

“Wayne Gardner’s wild ride to the top of motorcycling’s premier class is an adventure for the big screen. Matthew Metcalfe and Fraser Brown knew this captivating story would excite audiences, and director Jeremy Sims has perfectly captured the incredible experiences of Wayne and Donna, taking viewers behind the scenes on this adrenalin fuelled journey,” said Transmission Films Joint Managing Directors Andrew Mackie and Richard Payten.

In Australian cinemas nationally SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

Trailer coming soon: https://www.youtube.com/user/transmissionfilms08/

Running time: 95 minutes I Classification: CTC

Distributed in Australia by Transmission Films

**Information and Images Courtesy of Transmission Films/Miranda Brown Publicity

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

READ HERE FOR WAYNE SPECIAL EVENT SCREENINGS…

‘And then a hero comes along’, HEROES now open

Photo Credit: Eugene Hyland — Photo Credit:
Eugene Hyland

Karaoke fans – it’s time to celebrate, Heroes is now open for business. Melbourne’s much-anticipated new Hawker-style barbecue, karaoke and rooftop bar recently opened to the public with patrons already belting out their favourite tunes.

This is a new milestone for the team from Fancy Hank’s and Good Heavens (Mike Patrick, Kent Bell, Daragh Kan and Myles Munro), having previously specialised in American-style barbecue. Head chef Alicia Cheong has created a bar menu cooked entirely over fire and coals that is fresh, tasty and meant to be eaten fast, all while staying true to her Singaporean heritage. Heroes executive chef Mike Patrick said: “After a year of planning and building, we were so eager to finally open the doors. So far so good with a fantastic response from customers”.

Between devouring tasty skewers and barbecue plates on level two, the cocktail menu hits all the right notes with perfect South East Asian paired flavours curated by Oscar Eastmen (Loretta’s, Eau de Vie). For those with a sweet tooth, Chai a little tenderness with Sailor Jerry spiced rum, chai, condensed milk and preserved mandarin is sure to please, as well as the Gold Finger with Szechuan-infused Wyborowa vodka, seaweed brine, kaffir lime, chilli and lemon grass-infused Sake and Laphroaig. Six rotating taps boast a range of local craft and international beers, as well as more than 20 brews by the bottle. The wine list has also been created to match the smoky and zesty bar food.

Moving up to the rooftop bar on level three, the long, colourfully lit space is cosy enough for a winter tipple. Featuring low hanging neon lighting, pop music posters and a forest worth of plants, the rooftop is the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of Bourke Street. Venue designer and co-owner Kent Bell has nicely replicated a space reminiscent of the back-street bars of Kuala Lumpur.

So far, one out of the two planned karaoke levels have opened, with the space currently functioning as an open karaoke lounge blasting out your choice of Mariah and Cher classics. Over the next few months, private karaoke rooms are set to open. This is a great zone for large group hangs or meeting a fellow karaoke lover. Bookings will be available online once the private karaoke booths have been completed, the current space is free until then.

*Photo credit: Eugene Hyland

Heroes
188 Bourke Street, Melbourne
(03) 9650 0094
heroesbar.com.au
@heroesmelbourne

Opening hours:
Tue-Wed: 4pm-11pm
Thu: 4pm-1am
Fri-Sat: 12pm-1am
Sun-Mon: Closed

**Information and Images Courtesy of Heroes/Zilla & Brook – Lara Paterson

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

storyvillemelbourne.com.au

StoryVille’s Winter Festival Weekend

Words and Images by Daria Kill-Smith / Additional Images: StoryVille

Located in Melbourne’s CBD sits the fantasy world of StoryVille – a literary-themed cocktail venue in Waratah Place. Following General Manager Adam, we headed up low-lit, snow-clustered stairs headlong into a bookish dream – an embroidery of literary classics ranging from an immense mushroom-topped bar, wall-studded toadstools changing hue, suspended giant snow-flakes and fairy lights, plus the pièce de résistance – a spectacular ice-sculpture in the form of the glorious lion, Aslan. And what better way to celebrate Bastille Day than with that greatest of rivalries – ENGLAND – feting the famous Franco-national day with gin (London Dry Tanqueray, no less); in a tribute to the acclaimed CS Lewis masterpiece, Narnia. And Britannia ruled those waves!

Aslan rose majestically, staging the ultimate creation to celebrate StoryVille’s Winter Festival Weekend to the max. With mixologist Zac in control, gin-cocktail infusions were funnelled through the lion’s frozen form to emerge exquisitely chilled. Flashbulbs exploded as Zac mixed martinis: Dirty with a twist of lemon (yes please) and oh so popular. ‘Sweet’ – crafted using clarified grapefruit juice with the bitterness removed after being steeped in agar agar, that smoothed into a citrus burst on the tongue (worthy of a second!), and ‘Dry’ – with the obligatory olives!

Ice Sculpture - Aslan — Ice Sculpture – Aslan

And how to describe this exotic scene? Funky and fascinating, warm and comfortable, curious and colourful, avant-garde and unconventional – a fantasy within reach. The music was retro, the vibes were happy and the crowd loved it.

All good for the regulars hooked on their favourites too, as StoryVille’s usual cocktail menu was still available over the Winter Festival Weekend: Mint Julep (as per The Great Gatsby), Vesper Martini (think Casino Royale), Charlie’s Winning Ticket (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and much, much more.

It was ethereal and beautiful, and should be considered one of Melbourne’s regular nights out, not just to be left for “special occasions”. I suspect those in the know, know to go!

Storyville

185 Lonsdale Street Melbourne
(03) 9993 9034

**Daria was a guest of StoryVille – Keti Kezunovic

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

facebook.com/longstoryshortbrunswick

StoryVille - strange and marvellous! — StoryVille – strange and marvellous!

Holy Duck! – Sydney

Words and Photos by Andrew Kemp / additional images supplied

It turns out that Holy Duck! is appropriately named. If it’s duck you want, it’s seriously good duck you’ll get. With locations at Kensington Street and Castlecrag, we headed to the latter in the Quadrangle Shopping Village, providing loads of convenient parking. This spacious, modern eatery was simply buzzing the night of our visit – expect gleaming surfaces and splashes of orange after passing the quirky, throwback neon signs at the entrance.

We were drawn to dining at Holy Duck! because of their Signature Crispy Skin Fried Duck, where a whole duck per table ‘flies out’ at half price until the end of July. Admittedly our resolve wavered after eyeballing further tantalising dishes waft past, so yes we ended up trying quite a bit more!

The Steamed Dim Sum Starter Platter offers 8 plump portions of popular favourites, including prawn har gow and chicken sui mai. The spring rolls were a portent of things to come, as – like the duck – they were perfectly crispy on the outside, while juicy and rich inside. The duck is served with the traditional steamed pancakes, shallots, cucumber and hoisin sauce and is shredded at the table by the friendly and efficient wait staff. It has to be said, there was low-level warfare at our table over those last bits of crispy duck skin!

We also sampled the aptly named Platter of Pork Delights, consisting of roast pork belly and a classically sweet char siu (roast BBQ pork). Served with a Pommery Mustard sauce, as well as a more traditional plum sauce, this dish was a real treat to share.

The dessert menu serves up temptations including honeycomb-dusted Vanilla Panna cotta, a Fresh Fruit Platter and Banana and Chocolate spring rolls, while the concise drinks menu covers cocktails, wine and beer – including some Asahi beer on tap.

This family-friendly restaurant, with its attentive service and generous portions, is a great choice for a relaxed and informal duck-centric feast.

Holy Duck! is offering 50% off their signature Crispy Holy Duck! at their Castlecrag and Kensington St. locations until the end of July. Typically retailing at $65, this promotion will mark the price down to $32.50.

www.holyduck.com.au

Andrew was a guest of Holy Duck!/Cardinal Spin PR – Matt Fraser

HOLY DUCK! – CASTLECRAG

Quadrangle Shopping Village

100 Edinburgh Road

Castlecrag NSW 2068

Phone: (02) 9958 3288

Lunch: Fri to Sun 11am – 3pm / Dinner: Mon to Sun 5:30pm – 9:30pm

HOLY DUCK! – KENSINGTON STREET

The Old Rum Store

2 – 10 Kensington Street

Chippendale NSW 2008

Phone: (02) 9281 0080

Lunch: Mon to Sun 11am – 3pm

Dinner: Mon – Wed 5:30pm – 9:30pm / Thurs to Sat 5:30pm – 10:30pm / Sun 5:30pm – 10pm

Review and Photos by Katelyn Rew

Brunch lovers shared a collective sigh on Sunday June the 24th, as ‘Long Story Short’s’ Port Melbourne cafe closed its doors for good. Meanwhile on the Northside, Brunswick residents were enjoying a new delectable menu, innovative decor and the best coffee for miles (as coined by me). This reinvigorated brunch hot spot was no other than Long Story Short, now synonymous with Brunswick and Brunswick alone.

The cafe is somewhat of a hidden gem, slightly off the main road, but close enough for convenience. Cold drip coffee provides a centrepiece for the interior, whilst greenery threads its way through alcoves. The menu is refreshing in the sense that it is artistically crafted yet not pretentious. After long deliberation we choose one sweet and one savoury dish, and wait with keen anticipation.

The first thing I notice when our dishes are served is the plating. With almost 40k Instagram followers, it’s no wonder every dish that exits this kitchen is 100% photo worthy. In fact, Long Story Short’s Instagram is so well received that people have been known to come into the cafe and order simply by pointing at a photo on said Instagram. Kudos to the power of social media!

My Buttermilk Tim Tam Pancakes ($19) arrived covered in a drizzle of mascarpone chocolate soup, vanilla peanuts, poached Nashis, and the pièce de résistance….Tim Tam Gelato. Not your typical healthy brunch dish but delicious none the less! In stark juxtaposition, our second dish, Arturo’s Corn Fritters ($19) came accompanied by a poached egg, Rise Venere salad, Hot Paprika Babaganoush, crème fraiche, Lemon Balm, and to top it all off, smoked Almond Kimchi Popcorn.

With multiple scrumptious menu options to choose from, it was hard to pick just two. But with coffee tasting that good, and a menu straight from Instagram heaven, Long Story Short will soon be your new local.

Long Story Short Brunswick

6/10 Tripovich St

Brunswick VIC 3056

Phone: (03) 9048 4967

instagram.com/longstoryshortcafe/

**Katelyn was a guest of Long Story Short Brunswick – Ly Nguyen

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

SAY CHEESE!

It’s all cheesy grins at Prahran Market as the 5^th Say Cheese Festival is confirmed…

Prahran Market has confirmed that it will once again showcase the very best in local, Australian and International cheeses with its annual Say Cheese Festival, to be held on Sunday 28^th October.

From specialist ranges at the Market’s delicatessens to cheese inspired creations from eateries such as Maker & Monger and Wilson & Market, there will be something for everyone and visitors will not be able to resist!

Visitors can meet the farmer, enjoy iconic Melbourne cheese dishes and immerse themselves in Australia’s world famous dairy industry. There will be cheese and wine pairings, DJ beats and the kids can get involved in some fun and educational cheesy experiences.

SAVE THE DATE

What: Prahran Market’s Say Cheese Festival – the best local and Australian cheese to enjoy on its own or in specially created dishes, meet the farmer and the cheese maker, cheese and wine pairing as well as kids fun and educational experiences.

When: Sunday 28^th October, 10am – 4pm

Where: Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra

Who: The best cheese producers and sellers

Why: Because there is nothing better than endless amounts of cheese!

Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra, 3141

www.prahranmarket.com.au

**Information and Images Courtesy of Prahran Market – Leanne Baker

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

From humble beginnings selling tea out of barrels on Cecil Place in Prahran, Shanghai-born David Zhou went on to open a quaint herbal teashop that soon became David’s restaurant in 1998. David’s expanded their menu quickly, introducing Long Jing green tea sautéed shrimps and tonic soups laced with goji berries and ginseng.

Much like the Chinese proverb: if you polish a metal bar long enough it becomes a needle, the experience had at David’s has continually been finessed to keep Zhou’s vision of Shanghai cuisine alive and thriving.

To celebrate the 20-year milestone, David’s will be hosting 20 Years of David’s, a special two-part event series that kicks off with a party on Wednesday 12th September.

This first party features a grand feast of 100kg of seafood, 100 bottles of wine, with of course100 guests. Queensland King prawns, crispy soft-shell crabs, Pacific oysters and flavoursome Spring Bay mussels will be served with wine flowing from Yering Station and live music.

The second party celebrates a new era of dining: Two Decades of Decadence will take place on Wednesday 17th October with a special nine-course degustation that pays homage to signature dishes from the past, present and future.

Guests will be re-acquainted with double boiled duck tonic soup and 8-treasure duck wrapped in sticky rice: two dishes that have been unseen from David’s menu for years. The ever-popular Shanghai sticky pork belly will also be on offer, as well as other exciting new dishes that will be making their culinary debut.

Founder and owner David Zhou’s philosophy is simple: “David’s was inspired by family; our wholesome fare combines traditional dishes with contemporary tastes. Our food shares my journey from Shanghai to Melbourne. It’s my family’s story. Recipes of dishes cooked by my grandmother and mother were passed down. These dishes are replicated at David’s; when you dine here, we want you to feel at home.”

Image: Childhood photos including Zhou’s Mother – a renowned operatic actress at the time

The first renovation highlighted the 1930’s grandeur of the Shanghai fine dining era. Well-known dishes like the 8 Treasure Duck and Signature Pork Knuckle became local favourites at the time. A complete revamp in 2012 by Hecker Guthrie saw photos of Zhou’s childhood highlighted on the white-painted timber walls. The effect is reminiscent of a Shanghai river house; revealing its heritage in the abundance of light by day, transforming into a bustling hot spot by night.

David’s is a contemporary restaurant that challenges Cantonese-dominated Chinese cuisine with their unique adaptation of Shanghainese country food.

Inspired by Zhou’s hometown Zhouzhuang, a water village in which his family’s recipes originated, David’s continues to put tradition on the table through innovation and a refusal to follow trends.

20 Years of David’s Series

100kg Seafood. 100 Bottles. 100 Guests.
Wednesday 12th September, 7pm
$98 per person

Two Decades of Decadence – more details to come
Wednesday 17th October, 7pm
Nine-course degustation

**Information and Images Courtesy of David’s/Supplied by Zilla & Brook – Leigh-Anne Ramirez

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

Winemakers of Rutherglen – Tastes of Two Regions in Canberra

The Winemakers of Rutherglen will be hitting the road in August to showcase the region’s fine wine and produce at Tastes of Two Regions on Sunday 12 August 2018 at Pialligo Estate in Canberra.

Taste of Two Regions sees North East Victoria’s Rutherglen and King Valley regions join forces for a one-day wine tasting event. Over the course of the day, wine lovers will be able to meet the winemakers, take their pick from more than 200 wines, and sample delicacies from 25 regional artisan producers.

Guests attend a dedicated session time (10am-1pm or 2pm-5pm) to ensure they get the best one-on-one time with their favourite wineries and producers. Outside of the wine tasting session times there is plenty more on offer including live music, masterclasses, warming winter food, and artisan coffee.

Participating food producers include:

Boosey Creek Cheese – cheeses from one of Australia’s highest-awarded farmhouses
The Wicked Virgin Olives – fresh olives, olive oil and olive oil products
Walkabout Apiaries – cold-extracted honey and honey products
Milawa Cheese Co. – handmade cheeses from Victoria’s High Country

Festival attendees will also be able to sit down to dinner with the Winemakers of Rutherglen at an event on Saturday 11 August at the Boathouse Restaurant. The five-course degustation dinner, “Celebrating Craft: A dinner date with Rutherglen Winemakers,” will celebrate the curious and unique craft of winemaking and provide guests with a night of fine wine appreciation and perfectly matched local produce.

Tastes of Two Regions general admission tickets are available online now for $35 or can be purchased on the day for $40. Tickets to the Winemakers of Rutherglen degustation dinner are available online for $150 per person.

All tickets can be purchased at: www.tastesoftworegions.com.au.

TASTES OF TWO REGIONS 2018
Dates: Festival: Sunday 12 August | Degustation: Saturday 11 August 2018
Times: Festival: 10am-5pm with two sessions (10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm)

Degustation: 6:30pm-10pm
Tickets: Festival: $35 pre-purchased or $40 at the door | Degustation: $150 per person

Purchase tickets: www.tastesoftworegions.com.au

**Information and Images Courtesy of The Winemakers of Rutherglen/Supplied by LittleBIG Marketing – Jarryd Pentony

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events