The Australia Times

FRATELLI FRESH UNVEILS HUGE HARBOUR-SIDE FOOD AND DINING EMPORIUM

22 October 202222 May 2018 by Connie Lambeth

Fratelli Fresh opens this Friday – Darling Harbour, Sydney

Fratelli Fresh opens a vibrant Italian food and dining emporium this week in the heart of Darling Harbour, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner options, as well as a destination for all occasions.

Opening at 7am on Friday, 25 May, the flagship Fratelli outpost is located below the International Convention Centre Sydney Theatre, opposite the Chinese Gardens, and accommodates over 550 customers. A 100-seat beer and wine garden brims with citrus and olive trees and offers a front-row view of the busy harbour-side precinct.

Serving house-made Neapolitan pizza, pasta, gelato and rotisserie-roasted meats, the menu showcases premium produce from local partners, including Vannella Cheese, Salumi Australia, Sonoma Bakery, Mecca Coffee, as well as Italian hero brands, Baci chocolate and Campari, and iconic American craft beer pioneer, Goose Island Beers.

The first 2500 customers to buy a coffee, specially blended for Fratelli by cult roaster Mecca, will receive a complimentary Fratelli Fresh KeepCup, entitling them to $1 KeepCup coffee for the first 30 days. Breakfast customers will also receive $1 coffees for the first 30 days. Fratelli KeepCup holders are entitled to $2.50 coffees thereafter. Mecca is also providing specialised nitro coffee on tap, a cold, frothy brew infused with nitrogen gas.

Every time a customer purchases a drink in the first month they will go in the draw to win one of four bright red Scomadi scooters. One winner will be drawn at 6pm every Friday, over the first four weeks.

A Meet the Maker calendar of complimentary tastings featuring Mecca, Sonoma, Vannella Cheese, Ross Hill Wines, Campari and Goose Island Beers spans the launch weekend of Saturday, 26 May and Sunday, 27 May, with performers adding some live vibes to the opening days. See the full opening weekend program here.

Fratelli Darling Harbour offers a convenient grab and go selection of Sonoma breakfast toast and pastries, fresh salads, pastas, and Roman-style pizza by the slice. Slow-cooked, spit-roasted meats, including porchetta and lamb shoulder, take the rotisserie lunch menu and fresh-cut Sonoma sandwich selection to the next level.

The emporium is home to a decadent dessert bar and cioccolateria, featuring treats such as tiramisu, tortas, panna cotta, biscotti, sfogliatella, hand-made truffles, chocolate bars and cannoli with three flavours of filling: salted caramel, ricotta and chocolate, all created by Italian Head Pastry Chef, Riccardo Falcone. A gelato bar stars 15 flavours, including Snickerone, caramelised fig and mascarpone, almond, Nutella, and mint choc chip.

Take-away enthusiasts can select from the whole menu and meals can be delivered by Uber Eats and Deliveroo.

Fratelli Fresh Darling Harbour has added a little pizzazz to the drinking experience with Australia’s first Campari Bar that showcases an impressive line-up of cocktails, including seven spritzes and six negronis available on tap. A tap takeover by Goose Island will see an evolving six beers by the iconic brewery flowing through the venue and heralds Fratelli Fresh as the exclusive Australian partner to showcase a broad range of its craftmanship.

Another premium partner is Ross Hill Wines from Orange, NSW, which serves Fratelli’s cool-climate house wine. The wine list includes five whites, five reds and one rosé by the glass and carafe. Over 80 Australian and Italian wines by the bottle are showcased in the on-site vinoteca, ready for purchase and to be enjoyed with a meal.

The venue boasts an adult-skewed games corner, including ping pong, jenga, shuffleboard and foosball. An events calendar is packed with gastronomic experiences, including pizza, pasta and cocktail masterclasses, coffee workshops, and tastings with key partners.

Daily food and drink specials include all-you-can-eat classic pizzas on Tuesdays, $20 carafes of wine on Wednesdays, $20 endless antipasti boards on Thursdays, and a daily happy hour of $5 espresso martinis, negronis, spritzes, house beers and wine, alongside $5 classic pizzas. See the full list of daily specials here.

More information & bookings: fratellifresh.com.au/.

**Information and Images Courtesy of Fratelli Fresh/Rockpool Dining Group – Rachel Lebihan

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

theaustraliatimes.com/news

literallyconnie@bigpond.com

READ MORE ON THE NEW FRATELLI FRESH – DARLING HARBOUR – PLUS MORE PICS!

REVIEW – MELBOURNE’S BAR SARACEN

6 September 20226 April 2018 by Connie Lambeth

By Celeste Iuliano In a cosy room down Punch Lane, Joseph Abboud (Rumi, the Moor’s Head) and Ari Vlassopoulos (ex Pei Modern, Hellenic Republic) are serving up mezze with a twist, at the new Bar Saracen. The tone is set with a photo of Lawrence of Arabia tacked to the menu board outside; expect old … Read more

AUSTRALIAN OPEN DINING SOUTHGATE STYLE

29 November 202217 January 2018 by Connie Lambeth

Dine Well then Water Taxi to The Australian Open! Pre Tennis Package at Pure South Dining and P.S Bar + Kitchen Pure South Dining has been a fine dining institution for 13 years. Following their 2017 renovation and expansion over two levels, the river level of the restaurant has now been reimagined as P.S. Bar + … Read more

Billy’s Central Opens in the Heart of Melbourne’s CBD

15 September 202226 November 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Melbourne CBD – Billy’s Central New hospitality powerhouse the Billy Group continues its rapid expansion across Melbourne with the opening of its 12th location, Billy’s Central. One of Melbourne’s freshest new cafés, Billy’s Central is opening in perfect time to cater for the influx of shoppers set to infiltrate Melbourne during the busiest retail period … Read more

YUM CHA LUNCH AT JADE TEMPLE

13 September 202223 October 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Jade Temple – Sydney Saturday 28th October is gearing up to be a real treat for food and wine lovers, with a Special Customer Yum Cha Lunch at Sydney’s Jade Temple. There will be plenty of experience on hand when it comes to the pairing of wines with Cantonese food, including dumplings. Jade Temple Head … Read more

#GLEN GETS MOJO!

13 September 20228 September 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Melburnians love White Mojo, so when Helen Reizer hrpr invited us to the VIP Launch of new White Mojo Plus+ in Glen Waverley, @we8melbourne were counting the sleeps! White Mojo is a Speciality Coffee Roaster with a unique, breakfast, brunch and dinner menu, alongside hand-roasted speciality coffee, ‘guaranteed to lift your spirits any morning of the week.’

Words by we8melbourne

The latest addition to the booming Glen Waverley food scene is the amazing White Mojo! We had the pleasure of attending their VIP launch last week and what a pleasure it was. The front of the venue is pared back with wide windows revealing a view to the rear. We were more than excited as we walked the red carpet to to be greeted on entry by two lovely ladies! Floral installations hanging from a white panelled ceiling, are particularly eye-catching, adding to the visual appeal of this beautiful new haven for Melbourne food lovers.

The place was buzzing with a DJ rocking some great tunes, while guests in *B+W chatted away sipping on their champers, as we took a sneak peek to the left momentarily thinking we were in heaven! A dessert table…yes!!! Think…chunks of chocolate, macaroons and other sweet delicacies! Further along we noted what could only be described as the ‘ultimate cheese platter table’… nothing could have prepared us for such a delectable spread. We savoured pretty well everything, however voted the smoked salmon as the ‘perfect palate pleaser’.

There’s a first for everything and the donut wall was a first for us! I mean a whole wall full of donuts? Who could say ‘no’, especially when they happened to be from **Bistro Morgan? Donut overindulgence seemed completely appropriate to fit the occasion!

We eventually found ourselves in the dining room, where a stunning suspended floral feature was demanding a considerable amount of attention, with guests taking advantage of such a photogenic backdrop.

Meanwhile it was hard to ignore the large dining table overflowing with gift bags for home. Mmmmm…coffee beans, croissants, juice and more…perfect for those with sore heads the next morning.

*black + white

**@bistromorgan set up the Donut Wall and Installation

https://www.instagram.com/whitemojo/

https://www.whitemojo.com.au/

info@whitemojo.com.au

GLEN WAVERLEY: White Mojo Plus+

83-85 Kingsway

Glen Waverley Vic 3150

Mon to Frid 7am to 11pm

Weekends 8am to 11pm

BALWYN: White Mojo Speciality Coffee & Roaster

182-184 Whitehorse Rd

Balwyn Vic 3103

Mon to Frid 7am – 4pm

Weekends 8am to 5pm

CITY: White Mojo Speciality Coffee & Roaster

115 Hardware St

Melbourne Vic 3000

Mon to Fri 7am – 4pm

weekends 8am – 5pm

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Additional Information & Images Courtesy of White Mojo/Helen Reizer hrpr

Images: we8melbourne & Matt Breckenridge

Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times News – GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

E: literallyconnie@gmail.com

Follow us on Instagram @tatgourmetmag

View further pics on the Launch of White Mojo Glen Waverley…

Welcome Back to Saké Shaun Presland!

13 September 202223 August 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Rockpool Dining Group welcomes Shaun Presland back to the fold, as Saké Executive Chef, and Resident Chef at Saké The Rocks. Shaun was a key member of the launch team of the first Saké Restaurant & Bar in The Rocks in 2008, and oversaw the broader group of Saké restaurants in Double Bay, Hamer Hall … Read more

Lunch on the Run with Saké’s Bento Box Express Lunch

13 September 202222 August 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Saké’s Bento Box Express Lunch

Review by Celeste Iuliano…”a real stand-out”.

It can be hard to grab a satisfying lunch on the run. The good news is that you can ditch your sad servo sandwich, because Saké Restaurant & Bar has recently launched the Bento Box Express Lunch at their five locations across Melbourne and Sydney.

Part of Australia’s largest dining group, Rockpool Dining Group, Saké upholds the brands’ reputation for quality and innovation. Their bento box is a creative and refined taken on the traditional Japanese workers’ lunch, featuring modern classics prepared with fresh ingredients. The many elements of a bento box naturally guarantee that you’ll be spoilt for choice, however Saké’s version rotates on occasions to keep things interesting!

The Bento Box currently on offer comes with miso soup, sashimi, nasu dengaku (miso-glazed eggplant), popcorn shrimp, and ginger garlic chicken. It’s hard to know where to begin when everything looks so good. Fortunately you’ll start your meal off with a generous serving of warm, slightly salty edamame seasoned with nori chilli. These humble soybeans are a favourite snack in Japan, where people often enjoy them with a good beer at their local izakaya. Saké offers two fantastic Coedo beers on tap to help you wash them down – Shiro, a smooth white beer with a hint of banana, and the sharper Marihana.

Once you’ve whet your appetite, you’re ready for the main event! The nasu dengaku has a deliciously sticky coating with 5 types of sesame seeds, and is a fantastic introduction to the bento box. As for the chicken, it’s sous-vide for 12 hours then flash fried to give the skin a light crisp. Its flavours are delicate, with the mushrooms in the dipping sauce giving it a nice umami. Of course, the seafood is the hero of the meal. The sashimi is fresh, with the salmon being a personal highlight, and the popcorn shrimp is a fun addition – springy and chewy with the light acidity of yuzu juice cutting through the creamy coating.

You’ll definitely be feeling full and happy at this point, but there’s always room for dessert. The final element of the lunch is a delicious scoop of green tea ice-cream, made fresh in-house every 2 days.

This is an express lunch, so of course you can take it away to enjoy in the comfort of your office. But, if you find yourself with some time up your sleeve, there’s no better way to escape these cold winter days than by savouring your meal in the transportive restaurant. The choice is yours.

The Bento Box Express Lunch is available daily from 12pm-3pm at all Saké restaurants

sakerestaurant.com.au

**Celeste Iuliano was a guest of Saké Restaurant & Bar, Flinders Lane, Melbourne. She is a regular writer for The Australia Times Gourmet News, and loves nothing better than checking out the latest menus and tasty morsels around her city, as well as attending awesome events, sharing her experiences with readers. Her last fab review? The Donut & Beer Fest!

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Images Courtesy of Thomas Bindley/Saké Restaurant & Bar/Michelle Campbell – Minc Communications/Rockpool Dining Group

Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times Gourmet News – Food/Wine/Events

E: literallyconnie@gmail.com

Follow us on Instagram @tatgourmetmag

**Read on for the Bento Box Express Lunch Menu & Additional Pics…

Rosetta Brings Sophisticated Italian Dining Experience to Sydney

11 December 202211 August 2017 by Connie Lambeth

Rosetta Opens in Sydney Tuesday 15th August

Rockpool Dining Group’s Rosetta Ristorante will radiate Italian coastal elegance and deliver a sophisticated dining and bar experience over three levels, plus a panoramic outdoor terrace, when it opens for dinner on Tuesday, 15 August.

Rosetta Sydney has a delightful seafood riff that sets it apart from its award-winning Melbourne sister. An easy-going gracefulness spans a curvaceous ground floor dining room, with a sweeping terrace and bar that overlook the city with views to the harbour. Stairs lead to a split-level bar, then on to a sensuous mezzanine dining room creating multi-functional spaces for business meetings, celebrations, after-work drinks and exclusive events.

The menu charts an adventurous seafood course through crudo, antipasti, pizzette, pasta and secondi, showcasing produce from sustainable suppliers and farmers, including Marine Stewardship Certified yellowfin tuna landed in Mooloolaba, and King George Whiting, John Dory and squid from Corner Inlet, Victoria.

Spaghetti alla chitarra, king prawns and pistachio (1)

Beautiful milk-fed veal from southern NSW is the hero meat component, punctuating the menu in dishes such as vitello tonnato, veal tartare, osso bucco and cotoletta.

Contorni such as Sicilian caponata and baby carrots with stracciatella, embody the group’s philosophy of selecting the finest produce and handling it in a simple and respectful manner. A heavenly collection of house-made dolci, including cassata, cannoli, panna cotta and Torta di Verona, is flirtatiously Italian in every way. True to Rosetta’s Italian roots, bread and pasta are made in-house every day.

Playful aperitivo cocktails, such as the Cold Drip Café Americano and slushy Sgroppino, usher in a drinks menu that oozes la dolce vita. Bellinis are a centrepiece, rotating seasonally with different fresh fruit blends. The drinks list also includes aperitivos, digestivos, a bitters section with five variations of Negroni, classic Italian and local beers, over 30 gins and an extensive collections of whisky (and whiskey), grappa, brandies and rum.

Rosetta’s wine list is an exploration of the regions of Italy showcasing the classics and some of the more diverse. Home grown Italian varietals feature throughout with many local favourites rounding out the selection.

Rosetta Ristorante: 118 Harrington Street, Sydney. 02 8099 7089. rosettarestaurant.com.au.
Lunch: Monday-Sunday 12-3pm. Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6-11pm, Sunday 6-10pm. Terrace Bar & Mezzanine Bar: all day dining.

Information Courtesy of Rosetta/Rockpool Dining

Images: Jason Loucas

Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times Gourmet News – Food/Wine/Hospitality/Events

Enquiries: literallyconnie@gmail.com

Follow us on Instagram: @tatgourmetmag

Read on for Additional Information on Interior Design, Bars and Sultry Vibes at the new Rosetta Sydney…

BEN’S SUPERNATURAL Turns Melbourne’s Fast Food Scene on its Head!

13 September 20222 August 2017 by Connie Lambeth

BEN’s Supernatural puts a healthy spin on Melbourne’s fast food offering with the Chapel Street store now open…

Born through founder, Casey George-Jolson’s personal mission to provide her family with good, wholesome and ultimately, delicious food. BEN’S Supernatural offers uncompromising, unprocessed and unbelievably good food – fast.

BEN’S – which stands for Balance, Energy, Nutrition and Sustenance, not only serves nutritionally balanced food, it sets to revolutionise the healthy food offering in Australia. Every menu item developed by Executive Chef David Selex (formerly of Melbourne’s Florentino and London’s Nobu, Vong, The Mews of Mayfair and Kensington Palace) has been approved by Head Nutritionist, Bannie Williams of The Healthy Ingredient.

Led by Selex, the BEN’S team have developed their extensive menus around five key pillars – 1. Whole, Natural and Unprocessed Foods, 2. Nutrient Dense, 3. Balance and Moderation, 4. Transparency and 5. Ethical and Socially Conscious.

From topped English muffins and protein packed vanilla pancakes for breakfast, to pizzas and unique burgers including the Ivan Lentil (spiced lentil patty, hummus, lettuce tomato and herbed yoghurt) for lunch and dinner – now the carb- conscious community can enjoy a range of historically carb-dense dishes, without having to settle on taste or quality.

The Grab-and-Go menu is sure to satisfy those who are little time poor. Breakfast and lunch options are on offer throughout the day including breakfast bowls, salads and ten home-made wrap options including the Cauliflower Rice and Beef (sliced 100% grass fed beef, spiced cauliflower, coconut, chives, red onion and herbed yoghurt).

For the carb-conscious, BEN’S master baker, David Flukes, spent 18 months perfecting the best tasting low-carb burger buns, wraps, pizza bases and English muffins. By choosing BEN’S low-carb burger buns or wraps, on average customers will be consuming 59% less carbs, in comparison to a regular slice of white bread, which contains between 12-15g of carbs.

BEN’S vegan, pescatarian, paleo and gluten-free friends certainly haven’t been forgotten, with an array of alternative options to tickle the tastebuds, including toasted coconut tofu, grilled or herb-crumbed fish and a tasty gluten-free range that may trick patrons into thinking it’s the fully-loaded relative.

BEN’S Supernatural is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week from 7.30am Monday – Friday and 8.30am Saturday & Sunday.

BEN’S Supernatural Fast Food 670 Chapel Street
South Yarra, VIC 3141
03 9826 1106

www.benssupernatural.com | Social: @benssupernatural

Information Courtesy of Ben’s Supernatural/Kayla Baggio – Kate & Co

Images Courtesy of Gareth Sobey Photography

Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times Gourmet News – Food/Wine/Hospitality/Events

Read on for Further Information…

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