Fun fact: my drink of choice is champagne and sparkling wine (dry). If you, too, are partial to bubbles, perhaps consider heading to QT Newcastle this Friday.
It's World Champagne Day and QT and Perrier-Jouët are celebrating, together, with a collaboration called House of QT. Newcastle fashion house Romance Was Born has added its signature flair to the occasion, too. Book at Jana Restaurant & Bar on Friday and you can order a bottle of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut for $99.
Speaking of QT Hotels Resorts, they introduced a month-long promotion in September called Curious Currencies, which was promoted as "a stranger way to pay". In exchange for unusual items of personal - and questionable - value, QT offered winners up to one week's complimentary stay at a QT of their choosing.
The strangest of collected curiosities are being made into two unique lamps by New Zealand designer Destroy All Monsters, aptly named the 'Lamps of Chaos'. They will be displayed at QT Sydney and QT Auckland before being auctioned for charity, with all proceeds going to the Australian Cultural Fund and New Zealand Arts Foundation to further support curiosity within the arts.
The campaign is nearing its end (October 31). Photos of the curious items which won stays at QT Newcastle - and the descriptions, as provided by their owners - are online at newcastleherald.com.au.
A Prince-ly burger
The AHA NSW Awards for Excellence were held on Monday night at The Cutaway, Barangaroo, and celebrated professional excellence across a record 46 categories. Local winners were:
- Huntlee Tavern, Branxton (best live music venue, joint winner with Beach Hotel Byron Bay)
- The Windsor Castle Hotel, East Maitland (best regional wagering venue)
- The Prince of Merewether (best retail liquor outlet and best burger)
- The Nags Hotel, Adamstown (best steak sandwich)
- Warners at the Bay (best regional casual dining (northern)
The Gem Hotel at Griffith was named regional hotel of the year and also won regional chef of the year (Anthony Fullerton) and best regional gaming venue.
To celebrate their "best burger" win, The Prince of Merewether is offering an all-day $10 burger promotion today. Go on, see what all the fuss is about.
New addition
NINETEEN has opened on-site at The Vintage Estate, Pokolbin.
There's an upstairs bistro and outdoor deck, a downstairs sports bar, and a beer garden (opening soon). If you go online to nineteenhuntervalley.com.au you will see a pretty impressive line-up of events coming up, including a Seafood Bar and a Gelato Bar (October 28 to 30), plenty of live music, and a family-friendly Halloween night on October 31 (trick or treating in the Bistro garden; Halloween themed cocktails; children aged 13 and under receive a free Halloween gift bag with all children's menu orders).
You can find NINETEEN at 1 Claret Ash Drive, Pokolbin.
Bar with a view
Redhead Surf Life Saving Club's bar is now open on Friday nights from 5pm throughout summer, plus every Sunday from 4pm. All are welcome. What a view.
Branching out
The Margan Pantry is now open at the Ceres Hill cellar door in Broke. Estate-grown produce is produced and jarred on-site using reclaimed and recycled materials including past vintage wine labels and upcycled glassware. Their first product is a rosemary oil.
Vera Wine events
Josh Di Stefano and Florence Diffey have a busy few months ahead, having opened Vera Wine on Hamilton's Beaumont Street in April. The pair are hosting a Natural Wine Dinner at The Edwards on November 2 (the first in a series of hosted dinner parties); the Bienvenuto à Vera X Pino's Italian Long Lunch on November 12; and the Vera X CakeBoi Bottomless High Tea on November 13. They are also on the 2022 Lago di Mac - Lap of the Lake line-up at Thomas Halton Park, Croudace Bay, on December 10.
Budget friendly
Guzman y Gomez are doing their bit to ease the cost of living pain with the following food hacks: a $2 barista-made coffee when you order via the GYG app (options include oat, almond, cow, full cream, skim and soy milk); $3 tacos; $4 guac or smashed avo on toast; anyone who who downloads the GYG app gets a free burrito (all you need is a phone, email and a Gomex account); and an "Under $10 GYG Minis" range (burritos, bowls, nachos from $8.70).
Lebanese cooking classes
The lovely Rita Dixon relaunched her Lebanese cooking classes in August at a new, purpose-built kitchen in Hamilton. Tickets are selling fast - go to myfatherstable.net for details. You can also purchase her home-made Lebanese goods on the website, or in-store at Mayfield's Pork Ewe Deli.
Yakitori feast
ÂPÉ Yakitori Bar at Honeysuckle is launching a nine-course degustation menu tomorrow. I, for one, am excited - particularly so because they have A5 Japanese wagyu in stock. The restaurant's open Wednesday to Saturday, lunch and dinner, and Sunday for lunch.
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