Monthly Archives: February 2012

You can always trust Merivale to put on a good show and the launch of March into Merivale was certainly no exception. To kick start the month-long food festival, the de Groots team were invited to help sample signature dishes and drinks from Merivale’s 14 fabulous restaurants.

At the door, we were welcomed by none other than chef Dan Hong with his Ms. G specialty Vietnamese ocean trout and prawn crackers. Killer margaritas were on tap from the El Loco bar while Sushi e was serving up their famous spicy tuna ‘dynamite’ roll. A lamb pie from Felix and then a pavlova and mint tart from Mad Cow helped to end the night on a sweet note. A host of celebs also made appearances including Matt Preston and Adriano Zumbo.

March into Merivale, now in its fourth year, continues until 5^th April – offering $33 lunch and dinner deals and more than 60 culinary events across 21 venues including; one-hatted restaurants Uccello, Felix and Bistrode CBD, three-hatted est. as well as the neighbourhood faves, Ms. G’s, El Loco and The Beresford Hotel.

For the full March Into Merivale 2012 program, visit www.merivale.com.au.

It has been a tough few months. Traipsing around the world, sipping exotic cocktails in chic New York bars, sampling exotic dishes from the hottest new restaurants in Tokyo and even shaking the pots and pans while learning how to cook traditional Laotian food. And all in the name of research. Yes, indeed, life is tough.

In dribs and drabs, over the coming month, we will give you a taste of our travels with reviews of some of the hottest new restaurants opening throughout the world; from Beijing, Tokyo, Kyoto, New York City, Bangkok and Phnom Penh.

But just to get the taste buds in full anticipation for what is in store for you, I want to share a few special culinary moments. I know it’s clichéd but NYC wouldn’t have been NYC if I hadn’t had lunch at The Central Park Boathouse and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Muscovy duck breast, leg confit, wild rice and apple pancake calvados sauce at The Boathouse, New York City

While the roasted duck may be the attraction at Beijing’s famous Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant (Voted best “Chinese Restaurant of the Year” and best “Beijing Duck” in the 2011 Reader Restaurant Awards), it was the green apple martini, which we sipped while waiting for almost two hours for our table, that hit a high note. Mind you, the duck wasn’t bad either. A crisp, cold cider and a few drinking nibbles at New York’s The Spotted Pig took my appreciation for gastropubs to new heights and I now fear, my standards of pub grub are certainly not what they were. Eating sashimi at 6am at the Tsukiji Fish Markets in Tokyo, after having just watched the fishermen at the legendary tuna auction, wasn’t half bad either. As I say, all in a hard day’s work.

But if you’re heading anywhere soon – send us an email at anna@degrootsmedia.com.au and we can give you all our tips and recommendations.