Eat St: Delicious treats and DIY just a mouse click away
The lockdown might be easing but if you’re not one of the lucky 10 allowed into a venue, don’t despair — delicious help is but a website away.
NSW
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The lockdown might be easing but if you’re not one of the lucky 10 allowed into a venue, don’t despair — delicious help is but a website away
THE CUPCAKE PRINCESS
When Carissa Lake’s homemade butter-icing-topped cupcakes began to attract a regular following at her Entertainment Quarter Markets stall, she knew she was onto a good thing so pulled up stumps and opened her own shop in Waverly where she added customised cakes and cookies to her repertoire. Fast forward 16 years and Carissa’s bespoke sweets are still a Sydney favourite and as it turns out, are also a perfect ISO activity for kids young and old.
“ In these unusual times, my customers and I have been sharing love and happiness through the small things in life, that being our delicious cupcakes,” says Carissa.
While pretty much everyone could do with a creative outlet right about now, she developed these cupcake kits specifically for the WFH household. Since each kit comes with six freshly-made vanilla cupcakes, you get to bypass the baking bit and leave the kids with three different colours of Carissa’s fluffy icing, a piping bag, sprinkles and lollies so they can decorate to their heart’s content. For an extra bit of fairytale magic, in addition to The Classic Cupcake Kit, there are also ones that include mermaid tails and shells; or unicorn horns and ears. So, once you finally hit send on that last email, power off and join the little ones for a bit of yummy fun.
Address: 48a Albion St, Waverley
Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 7.30am – 4.30pm; Saturday, 8am – 1pm
Contact: thecupcakeprincess.com.au; (02) 9386 4772
Cuisine: Sydney’s first cupcake business
Takeaway: Pre-order for pick-up (check website for times)
Delivery: Greater Sydney region; Monday – Friday, 9pm – 1pm or 1pm – 5pm; fee varies by distance
Facebook:@thecupcakeprincesssydney
Instagram: @thecupcakeprincess_sydney
BAD HOMBRES
It’s been a mere two weeks since Cinco de Mayo, so now that social restrictions have eased up, and you can finally open your door to friends, surely a fortnight is an acceptable window for a belated celebration and Bad Hombres, a Mexican-inspired vegan eatery is here to help. Now, for anyone that thinks a 100% plant-based menu doesn’t quite scream Fiesta, prepare to have your universe completely altered. “If you think about it, much of Mexican food is already plant-based,” says restaurant manager, Jose Artidiello, what with corn, beans and rice. Ok, so that wasn’t quite Earth-shattering, but it is enough to garner the attention of Jarritos, essentially, Mexico’s national soda, as they chose this Surry Hills hotspot to introduce their product to the Australian market. “I grew up drinking Jarritos – I remember loving the Tamarind flavour as a kid, it just reminds me of Mexican summers,” says Jose. It’s also a great addition to a home-bound Mexican feast, starting with their popular Taco Tuesday deal – three (3) tacos for $10, which now through June 21, includes a free four-pack of the sodas. To get the party started, Jose has even used it to create the Bad Hombres’ Jarritos Paloma, a combination of Tequila Blanco, lychee syrup and lime juice topped with the grapefruit flavoured soda. It’s a bit of a twist on this classic Mexican cocktail. “We refer to Palomas as the margarita’s tall and sophisticated cousin”, says Jose, noting though that his version puts a bit of a twist on this Mexican classic (for the full recipe, instagram.com/jarritosau/). While we’d like to think it’s feasible, (wo) man cannot live on cocktails and tacos alone, so whip up a big batch of Alambre with Jose’s recipe for these crowd-feeding and hungry-mouth-pleasing mushroom-centric fajitas. Let the festivities begin.
Address: 40 Reservoir St, Surry Hills
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 5pm – 9pm
Contact: badhombres.com.au; 0405 274 515
Cuisine: Mexican-inspired plant-based restaurant with a fully vegan and gluten-free menu; a strong focus on Natural wines and Tequila/Mezcal based cocktails
Takeaway:pre-order via Bopple
Delivery:via Bopple
Facebook:@badhombresdining
Instagram:@bad.hombres.dining
SYDNEY SEAFOOD SCHOOL
As the largest fish market in the Southern Hemisphere, Sydney Fish Markets is a huge drawcard for locals and tourist alike, but for chefs and culinary neophyte, it might just be a toss-up between that and the onsite cooking classes at the Sydney Seafood School. Although the doors to the practice kitchens have been closed of late, you can keep on learning with SSS@Home, the school’s foray into virtual cooking classes. It’s not just a one-off session either as each week there’ll be different menus based on seasonal, market-fresh products from the adjacent vendors. For $45, you’ll receive recipes for some of the school’s exceptional dishes, a box containing hand-selected premium ingredients, and an instructional video from prior classes, some of which have hosted renowned chefs such as Mark Jensen of Red Lantern, Alessandro Pavoni of Ormeggio at the Spit and Restaurateur, Lucio Galleto. While there are no promises, a little bird has been telling people that SSS@Home will also receive visits from well-known Australian chefs. Needless to say, this newly launched initiative has been enormously popular, so the boxes have quickly sold out, however, to accommodate loyal customers, they’ve incorporated a subscription program that guarantees delivery of your first four SSS@Home kits. Now, you’ll finally be able to get the most out of all the incredible seafood that Australia has to offer.
Address: Sydney Fish Market, Bank St, Pyrmont
Product: The iconic Sydney Seafood School has launched SSS@Home, a virtual cooking class experience offered weekly to Sydneysiders keen on expanding their culinary horizons with market-fresh ingredients.
Contact: Sydneyfishmarket.com.au
Delivery: Deliveries within 15km of address
Takeaway: Pick-up is available at Harris Farm stores: Drummoyne, Wetherill Park, Bondi Beach, Manly, Potts Point, Lindfield, St Ives, Newcastle, Orange and Bowral
Facebook: @SydneySeafoodSchool
Instagram: @SydneySeafoodSchool
BASTILLE FESTIVAL’S REVOLUTION BOXES
So, first the bad news: the annual celebration of all things French, the Bastille Festival in The Rocks has been postponed till October; the good news is that you can get a headstart on the festivities with Revolution Boxes, four themed boxes that reflect the stars of the show – wine and cheese. The hero, of course, is The Wine & Cheese Feast Box ($249) which includes six (6) decadent cheese; five (5) fine wines – including the regal Red Bordeaux; French bread; and six (6) spreads from Bonne Maman. You’ll also be invited to a live-streamed masterclass with sommelier Jean-Emmanuel Draillard (Flying Fish, Manta) who’ll walk you through the wine and cheese pairings. For those looking to shake off that winter chill and head inside for an evening of friends, food and fun, there are two boxes suited to a full-on cheese-fest. There is The Raclette Box ($95) which contains all you need to make Raclette, a dish featuring a round of Raclette cheese, which is slowly melted then scraped, just a bit at a time, over hot baby-potatoes and French ham. In the box, you’ll also get French bread, a charcuterie, petite cornichons and instructions that mirror the traditional method with a purpose-built raclette grill. The other option, The Fondue Box ($105) contains the makings of a fantastically ooey-gooey-meal of melted cheese. And yes, you can do this at home sans Fondue pot, as a saucepan works just for melting the moreish concoction of three kinds of cheese, white wine, garlic and Kirsch (a cherry liqueur). With all those options, that should tide you over till at least August.
Contact: revolutionbox.com.au
Takeaway: Pick-up available, 37 George St, The Rocks
Delivery: Deliveries to postcodes 2000 – 2095
Facebook: @BastilleFestivalSydney
Instagram: @BastilleFestival
TRACTORLESS VINEYARD
Necessity is the mother of invention. For vinophiles, wine counts as essential, so what to do when that planned weekend-of-wine trip to The Highlands is still a ways away? Enter Jeffrey Aston, winemaker and manager of Tractorless Vineyard who explains how he has managed to address this dilemma. “What started as a small virtual tasting whist I was meant to be quarantined in New Zealand for 14 days has grown and we are getting amazing responses”, says Jeffrey. Under different conditions their property is well worth a visit, not just for their wines but also for some insight into the production of sustainable wines through the integration of a natural farming system, which to the layman, incudes those adorable sheep roaming through the vines, nibbling on the surrounding grass and weeds. Till then, the tastings are just going to have to occur in the comforts of your own home where no one need pull the short straw for designated driving duties. For $35, including shipping, they’ll send you a package suited to two people with ten (10) 50ml sample-sizes of their wines so no need to open a full bottle just for a few sips. You’ll also get a link to Jeffrey’s weekly Zoom seminars where, with equal parts wit and knowledge, he will talk you through the wines. If however, you’re after something more specific, get ten people together and book a private session. Since you’re probably stuck in the big smoke for a bit longer, your best bet for getting the full Southern Highlands experience is a visit to The Mill Bowral’s online store (themillbowral.com.au) for a Tractorless Vineyard tasting pack an array of regional goodies. There’s also the popular Pesto Pasta Pinot Southern Highlands Dinner Pack for 2 ($60) which is a curation of locally-sourced products: two 375ml bottles of Tractorless Vineyard wines (a Shiraz and Pino Gris); pesto (125g) from paddock-to-plate property, The Loch; handmade pasta (240g) from Berrima General Store; and a block of parmesan cheese. And it all started with a virtual classroom.
Address: Tractorless tasting rooms @ The Mill Bowral; 210-224 Bong Bong St, Bowral
Hours: Post COVID-19 restrictions, Thursdays, 3pm – 6.30pm
Contact: themillbowral.com.au; tractorlessvineyard.com.au
Delivery: Tasting Packs from Tractorless Vineyard include shipping; orders from The Mill are delivered on Wednesdays to The Highlands, The Shire, Northern Beaches, and Eastern Sydney; fees vary; no minimum spend
Facebook : @tractorlesswine @themillbowral
Instagram: @tractorlessvineyard @themillbowral
VIZIO CAFFE E CUCINA
Keep the team connected while apart with Vizio’s Virtual Cooking and Cocktails Classes. “During these unprecedented times, we have recognised that our teams are our most important commodity when it comes to our business”, says Vizio’s co-owner Matia Zoffoli. “It’s the team’s mutual support and camaraderie that will get us all through this”. And when it comes to bonding, nothing brings people closer than food which is why Matia and his crew developed the perfect ISO team building activity, Vizio’s Virtual Cooking and Cocktails classes. These live, interactive, and private Zoom sessions are available for bookings of eight or more people, Tuesday – Friday, between 3pm and 5pm and are an ideal way to get everyone together and boost morale. Before the session itself, each person will receive a bottle of wine along with the ingredients you’ll need for your three-course meal and cocktail, all prepacked, vacuum-sealed and ready to be made. Choosing the main course before the session though may be the toughest challenge of the whole exercise, but these are the hard decisions we have to make in life: Which of the five types of handmade pasta does the team want and will they want that topped with the slow-cooked veal and pork ragu or porcini mushroom with white wine and parsley? Or maybe the tomato, eggplant and basil sauce? And then there’s still that matter of picking one of the seven cocktails which range from a classic Negroni to the on-trend espresso martini. Once the drinks have been mixed, and the starters have disappeared, Executive Chef Salvatore D’alterio will walk everyone through the whole process of preparing the pasta. Finish that off then wrap-up the afternoon with dessert and toast to everyone on the team ($89pp). Free delivery within 3km of Vizio or pick-up at restaurant prior to the event.
Address: Shop 1/52-58 William St, Woolloomooloo
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 7am – 9pm
Contact: viziocc.com.au; 02 9358 2231
Delivery: Free within 3km of address
Takeaway: Pre-order for pick-up
Facebook: @viziocaffeecucina
Instagram: @viziocaffeecucina
ZUSHI
It’s always impressive to watch the likety-split moves of a skilled sushi chef. If you’ve ever thought of giving it a try, Zushi has put together a kit with everything you need for a housebound sushi experience. The DIY Sushi Kit ($45) comes with a rolling mat, a recipe booklet with tips and tricks, all the necessary ingredients including pre-cooked sushi rice (cooked), your choice of fixings, sauces, wasabi and ginger, plus what is sure to be your saving grace, online video tutorials. These kits are designed to feed two to four people, but consider ordering an additional one as we all know – practice makes perfect.
Address: Shop 10/33 Barangaroo Ave; 2A/285 Crown St, Surry Hills
Hours: Monday – Sunday, 12pm – 3pm, 5pm – 9pm
Contact: zushi.com.au; Surry Hills: (02) 9380 8830; Barangaroo: (02) 8072 7383
Cuisine: Modern Japanese izakaya-style restaurant
Takeaway: Contact-less pick-up
Delivery: Free to Sydney-metro and adjacent suburbs
Facebook: @zushiaustralia @zushibarangaroo
Instagram: @zushibarangaroo @zushisurryhills
NASH BIG BROTHER BURGERS
There are many lessons to be learned from the past two months of isolation, one of which is that anxious feeling you get opening a bag of takeaway and praying it contains the correct order. Alas, we also share the feeling of disappointment when it’s not. Nash Big Brother Burgers has come up with a solution they call BYOB – Build Your Own Burger packs which come to you in a box packed neatly with meat patties, sesame buns and all the fixings necessary to make your version of a perfect burger, including a “Tips and Tricks” sheet that explains the merits of each ingredient and the proper sequent for putting it all together.
Address: 61-71 Mentmore Ave, Rosebery
Hours: Tuesday – Wednesday, 11.30am – 3.30pm, 5pm – 8pm; Thursday – Friday, 11.30am – 3.30pm, 5pm – 9pm; Saturday – 11.30am – 9pm; Sunday, 11.30am – 8.30pm
Cuisine: Handmade burgers, fried chicken and loaded fries in a hip, industrial setting.
Contact: (02) 8339 0968; bigbrothernash.com.au
Facebook: @nashbigbrothers
Instagram: @nashbigbrothers
Takeaway: Nash & Dash
Delivery: UberEats, Deliveroo & Menulog
TSURU
The streets of Sydney have been pretty quiet of late, but while no one is missing the traffic, they’re definitely missing the food trucks. Fortunately, Tsuru, a regular on the circuit, is offering DIY versions of their popular Yum Cha selection with a Home DIY Bao Kit
Asian food cravings kicking in? I’m excited to announce that food truck legend, Tsuru, is now delivering At Home DIY Bao Kits and At Home Yum Cha! In the pack you get their light and fluffy bao buns and a choice of fillings including chicken teriyaki, totu teriyaki and shiitake, hot & spicy pork belly, and more. Each kit has 10 serves and are ready to cook, or if you’re feeling creative, you can also by the buns separately. They’ve also put together a pack of yum cha favourites including prawn har gow, chicken sui sai, BBQ pork buns and chicken buns so you can set up your own feast. Prices range from $15 – $70.
Contact: eatdrinkcollective.com
Hours: Monday – Saturday
Cuisine: Yum Cha
Delivery: orders need to be placed by 11am, two days prior to delivery date; servicing Sydney metro, within 22km of Mascot; minimum spend of $50; delivery fee is $13, $25 or $39 depending on your postcode
Facebook: @eatdrinkcollective
Handpicked Wines’ – Virtual Yoga & Wine Tasting
It’s a been long week in what certainly feels like a long year, a bit of exercise will do you good. We’re not talking 20km runs or hours of aerobics, rather a virtual yoga session that will clear your mind and hopefully help unfold from the chair at your makeshift des. There are a number of options out there but this one hosted by Handpicked Wines just speak for themselves – a 45-minnute session led by highly-experienced instructor followed by a 30-minute wine tasting. Three bottle of the featured regional wines will be delivered to you earlier in the week so you can get some friends together for the sessions and some long overdue bonding.
Cost: $95 per session
When: Saturdays at 4pm via Zoom
Contact: 02 9392 9190; handpickedwines.com.au
SCARBOROUGH WINES
Wine is fine but add cheese and it’s heaven. Renowned vineyard, Scarborough Wines is hosting a number of virtual wine tastings for each of their three ranges – The Classics ($50, The Obsessive Range with Museum wines ($60 and The Offshoot Range showcasing contemporary Hunter Valley varieties ($45).
The packs also include a list of suggested cheese for paring and at what temperature each should be served as to maximise flavours.
Address: 179 Gillards Rd, Pokolbin 2320
Hours: Monday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm
Contact: (02) 4998 7563; scarboroughwine.com.au
Delivery: Free shipping
Facebook: @scarboroughwine
Instagram: @scarboroughwines
CANCER COUNCIL’S VIRTUAL BIGGEST MORNING TEA
If you miss those mid-morning breaks when everyone in the office tends to gather in the kitchen for a cuppa and a chat, why not get the gang back together for a virtual version of the Cancer Council’s annual Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea. Go big with a company-wide bake-off or just block out an hour for cake and a catch-up with colleagues and friends. Not only will you be raising money for vital cancer research, you’re also providing the opportunity for people to reconnect without having to focus on work. While the official day to host your Morning Tea is May 28, this year has been anything but usual so just aim for a day anytime till the end of June. To donate or register to host a virtual morning tea, visit biggestmorningtea.com.au. Hosts will receive a free digital host kit with everything they need to make their morning tea a success.
Originally published as Eat St: Delicious treats and DIY just a mouse click away
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