March Into Merivale Launch Party, The Establishment

Forget busty wenches. The women of Sydney are much more interested in hot naked chefs.



With economic doom and gloom reputedly just around the corner, trust Justin Hemmes to use his trademark business nous and marketing panache to create a month-long budget-friendly Food and Wine Festival that spans all nine Merivale restaurants. Convince the head chefs to get naked for an arty photo shoot. Give it a catchy tagline, like "March into Merivale". And then host a free launch party for the public. Guaranteed exposure and foodblogger buzz.


Tartare of aoraki salmon, cucumber, wasabi and prawns
From est. (head chef Peter Doyle)

Yes, I really did say free food. And drink. Like ants at a picnic, word seemed to spread like wildfire and the launch venue, The Establishment, was soon one huge heaving mass of people. Hungry people. Swatting at samples like they hadn't eaten for days. At times it felt like a soup kitchen for suits.

I only say this because trying to get photos in such circumstances is a test of speed and elbow power. And I had to admire the chefs at each sample station, who, faced with a relentless swell of mouths, plated up non-stop with cool and deliberated efficency.


Grilled figs with St Agur
From bistro cbd (head chef Simun Dragicevich)

The grilled figs with St Agur from bistro cbd quickly soothed my stress levels. Is there a more sophisticated combination than figs and blue cheese? I think any intent to grill the figs was quickly abandoned, but this classic pairing of sweet yielding in-season figs with the creamy intensity of St Agur was very well received.


Crab betel leaves
From Teppanyaki (head chef Akira Urata)

My second-favourite morsel of the night was the crab betel leaf from Teppanyaki. Succulent sweet crab pickings on the glossiest of green betel leaves topped with an angel-thin whisper of crunchy fried noodles. Spoons of ocean trout sashimi were firm and fresh, daubed with a caramel syrup and scattered with chives and red basil microleaves.


Ocean trout sashimi
From Teppanyaki (head chef Akira Urata)


Astroboy mascots and cherry blossoms at the Sushi Choo station


Kingfish sashimi
From Sushi Choo (head chef Shimpei Hatanaka)

Kingfish sashimi from Sushi Choo was like sex on a stick. A velvety mouthful of kingfish that was a little bit sweet and a little bit salty, a thinnest sliver of jalapeno providing an unexpected tingle.


Chorizo sandwiches with aioli jalapeno chimchurri
From Lotus Bistro (head chef Dan Hong)

The biggest endurance test was to be had at Lotus Bistro. It took the team a minute to plate a tray of chorizo sandwiches, and about five seconds for the crowd to dissolve them. The chorizo had an earthy smoked paprika flavour that went brilliantly with the garlic mayonnaise and chimchurri sauce.


Charcuterie-game terrine, rabbit rillettes
and chicken liver pate on toasted brioche
From Mad Cow (head chef Christopher Whitehead)

The Mad Cow station at the front of the Establishment was clearly not designed with a jam-packed crowd in mind, the tasting table half-tucked behind the entry door. And the intricacy of three different tastes on each delicate finger of brioche must've been regretted in no time. The wait was worth it though. The combination of the charcuterie-game terrine, rabbit rillettes and chicken liver pate was a rich and satisfying journey. I could have quite easily scoffed the entire tray.


BBQ wagyu top sirloin steak with chimchurri
From Mad Cow (head chef Christopher Whitehead)

Huge slabs of wagyu top sirloin steak took centre stage on the barbecue grill, the glass doors thrown open so that passing commuters were bathed in the smell of barbecued bovine. Seared to a juicy medium rare, the cubes of steak proved to be the most tender mouthfuls of bliss, baptised in the warmth of a chimchurri dressing.


'Prawn cocktail' poached Spencer Gulf prawn
with iceberg lettuce, tomato chilli jam and tomato jelly
From Mad Cow (head chef Christopher Whitehead)

Cute noodle boxes held a prawn cocktail of South Australian Spencer Gulf prawn, iceberg lettuce, tomato chilli jam and tomato jelly. The prawns were huge, sliced into chunky discs, although I found the flesh a little firmer than I'd expected.


Pig's head at Ucello

And of course we save the best for last. This little pig went to Ucello and pigged out. On pig.


Porchetta
From Ucello (head chef Massimo Bianchi)

Porchetta provided juicy chunks of roast pork wearing little golden hats of bubbled crackling.


Prosciutto San Daniele by Prosciuttifici Picaron at Ucello

Massimo Bianchi kept up a non-stop replenishment of samples, with the chef manning the meat slicer constantly shaving legs of prosciutto.

And this, by far, was my favourite sample of the night. The prosciutto. Oh. My. God.


Prosciutto grissini
From Ucello (head chef Massimo Bianchi)

Initially served wrapped on grissini sticks, the grissini was either exhausted or abanadoned, and soon little mounds of prosciutto were all that stood between me and utter happiness.



Aged for two years, the prosciutto was wafer thin, almost melting on the tongue. Faintly sweet and not too salty, these delicate shavings might make anyone take their clothes off.

March Into Merivale runs for the month of March and includes $33 lunch and dinner offers that change each week. Special events include progressive dinners, a dessert degustation with matching cognacs, film nights and a geisha show.


Other foodbloggers at the event: A Table for Two, Citrus and Candy, Eat Show and Tell, Foraging Otaku, Here Comes the Food, One Bite More, Simon Food Favourites and Spicy Icecream.

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Chefs of Merivale Gala Dinner: Canapes and behind-the-scenes
Chefs of Merivale Gala Dinner