Gourmet Traveller

+ SUBSCRIBE NOW magshop.com.au/gmt Details p114 Alchemy is a funny thing; part science, part magic. Historically, alchemists were constantly searching to make things more valuable, trying to turn nickel into gold, or to create universal elixirs to cure all ails. Thanks to real science, there’s not much place for alchemy left in today’s world. The one place you will still find it, I’ve come to realise, is in cooking and hospitality. It’s the bit that isn’t listed in the ingredients that magically transforms a recipe into a signature dish. Or the power to control the ambience of a room and build an instant rapport with diners, over a few shared sentences. Hard to define but easy to recognise, alchemy isn’t something you see but rather, you feel. In this…

MELBOURNE If wine bars are all about food now, why shouldn’t a new restaurant be all about wine? That’s the angle at the newly opened Circl, a “wine-centric restaurant” on Punch Lane, in the Melbourne CBD. There are more than 1500 wines here – 150 of which are by the glass – and the list, presided over by Ten Minutes by Tractor’s former head somm, includes some of the most hallowed vinos in the game. For food, the seasonal menu serves up classic Euro bistro snacks with a native ingredient edge. Two streets down, on Russell Street, boutique hotel Melbourne Place is gearing up for its opening in October. Up on level 12, young gun chef Nick Deligiannis is running the show at the 150-seat Mid Air, whose remit will…

Sequoia Lodge, SA A long soak in one of Sequoia Lodge’s three spring-fed hot pools is the perfect way to settle into this luxury estate and start tuning into the blissful surroundings. Guided nature walks will take you deeper into the Adelaide Hills surrounds, or simply sit back and enjoy a glass of local Grüner Veltliner before dinner at Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant. Cordelia Williamson, digital editor Sixpenny, Sydney, NSW  There’s a taste of nostalgia in the last bite of Sixpenny’s colourful no-waste dégustation menu. In this case, it’s a generous slice of multi-layered honey cake. Ten layers of lightly spiced sponge sandwiched between a burnt honey cream makes for a sweet finish.  Maxwell Adey, food editor Monique Fiso x La Grande Dame at Catalina, Sydney, NSW Trailblazing New Zealand chef…

Now firmly part of the culinary lexicon, umami is a flavour worth understanding and mastering. Harnessing ingredients such as tomatoes, onion, rice koji and mushrooms allow for the savoury profile to be extracted, and then sprinkled on dishes for an instant flavour boost. Jimoto Foods Savoury and earthy shiitake mushrooms are celebrated through this flavourful seasoning. Created by chefs Doug Barker and Max Smith, the vegan seasoning can be sprinkled across stir-fries to thicken and add an umami undercurrent; or used in stocks and sauces to add a vegetal, savoury note. $13 for 80gm, jimotofoods.com.au Mingle Seasoning Made to help home cooks reduce their salt intake, this Mingle Seasoning is inspired by the nostalgic flavours of chicken salt. This seasoned salt can be sprinkled on a roast chook, steak or…

THE COUNTRY’S LEADING CULINARY STARS AND hospitality heroes came together to celebrate this year’s Annual Restaurant Awards, presented by Sanpellegrino, where The Agrarian Kitchen Restaurant made history as the first-ever Tasmanian winners of Restaurant of the Year. Held at Sydney’s Catalina restaurant in Rose Bay, it was a double celebration as the iconic waterfront venue, owned and operated by Judy McMahon and her family, marks a stellar 30 years of serving Sydney diners. Andrew McConnell, Kylie Kwong, Peter Gilmore and Josh Niland were among the A-list arrivals to join the celebration, where guests were treated to an abundant banquet featuring some of Catalina’s signature dishes, including roast eggplant tortellini and suckling pig porchetta, paired with Devil’s Corner wines. Among the night’s highlights, Readers’ Choice Icon award-winner Alla Wolf-Tasker made an…

For me, Baba’s Place is a critically important part of Australia’s culinary discourse in regard to our multicultural society. Co-founders, Jean-Paul El Tom and Alexander Kelly, of Lebanese and Macedonian heritage respectively. Together, they deliciously, creatively and powerfully tell the story of – in their words – “wog migration” in the culturally diverse suburbs of Western Sydney, where they grew up. In the process, reclaiming this term, widely known as a racial slur, to one of empowerment and pride. THE WORDS WON’T FORM IN MY MOUTH SO Jean-Paul El Tom jumps in, helping me out; “you mean, wog food?”. El Tom is the chef and part-driving force behind Marrickville restaurant Baba’s Place. And he is confirming the culinary concept at the centre of its domesticated warehouse party spirit. For my…