RED HOT: Casey Parsons is the man behind the menu at the newly opened Bstro Artisan, at Red Door Collective on Hermitage Road, formerly DenMar Estate.
CASEY Parsons, 21, is one of the youngest head chefs in the Hunter Valley – if not the youngest.
He is certainly one of the most ambitious. Parsons, who has worked in kitchens at Silo Restaurant & Lounge and EXP. Restaurant, hit it off with Evelyn and Stewart Smee, who bought DenMar Estate on Pokolbin’s Hermitage Road about six months ago.
The Smees renamed the property Red Door Collective Estate and opened an eatery on site just two weeks ago – Bistro Artisan.
Food & Wine visited last week and immediately felt at home – the Smees are wonderful hosts and are more than likely to pull up a chair and join you at your table for a chat. As for Parsons’ menu, it is is modern Australian with a cultural twist. Simple yet sophisticated.
More about Bistro Artisan in the coming weeks but in the meantime, the team’s first monthly “cultural” nights are on August 7 and 8, and the theme is Asian – think Thai curry, spicy laksa and sticky rice pudding with egg custard and fresh coconut cream. Bookings at 0478 550 722 or bistroartisan@reddoorcollective.com.au.
Made with love
Sprout Dining, located above The Crown & Anchor Hotel in Newcastle, is joining forces with Heartland wines to host a four-course dinner this Thursday, August 4. Five South Australian wines will be served and there will be a lucky door prize. The cost is $80 per person, phone 4927 1138 to make a booking.
Snows on move
Snows Artisan Bakers is opening a new store in Waratah Village this week. The cafe and bakery already has stores at The Junction and Westfield Kotara.
Keeping it cool
Nic’s Nitro Wonderland has opened at 98 Darby Street, Cooks Hill. Fish and chips are now on the menu, in addition to the wild and wacky liquid nitrogen ice-cream creations that earned them fans at their Stockland Jesmond shop.
Reserve a table
Newcastle’s Reserve Wine Bar is letting executive chef Cory Campbell work his magic and create a 16-course, wine-matched dinner for just 20 diners. Cory Campbell’s Gastronomic Feast takes place on Saturday, August 20 and tickets cost $500 per person. Dietary requirements cannot be catered for, given the nature of the dinner.
If you would like to be one of the 20 diners experiencing a culinary first for Newcastle, phone 4929 3393 or book online at stickytickets.com.au.
Bavarian tastes
The Seabreeze Beach Hotel in South West Rocks will host the fourth annual German Fest, held over 11 days from August 25 to September 4. It is a celebration of all things Bavarian including food, drink and entertainment, with a special menu and Bavarian-style wheat beer on tap.
A hearty selection of Bavarian winter dishes will be served, including roast pork knuckle with creamy mash, sauerkraut and Bavarian beer jus; crackling pork belly with braised red cabbage and chat potatoes; Kransky with sauerkraut and cheese; and a classic apple strudel.
Byron bubbles
The Byron at Byron has secured the talents of award-winning Bridge Room chef Ross Lusted for this year’s annual champagne dinner on Friday, November 11. Tickets $195 per person; overnight packages from $795 per night include two tickets to the event.
To your door
Food box delivery service Marley Spoon has launched in Newcastle. In-house chefs create 12 new recipes each week for families and couples to choose from, with a seasonal menu full of variety and both vegetarian and meat options.
Members can choose the recipes they receive every week, with produce sourced from local suppliers.
Snag a winner
Independent butchers competed in the regional leg of the Sausage King competition at Hamilton TAFE last week. Brown’s Butchery (Raymond Terrace); Clarence Town Butchery; Jarrett’s Quality Meats (Lambton); Sellers Quality Meats (Merewether); Terrace Meats (Raymond Terrace); Bushell’s Traditional Butchery (Singleton); and Robert’s Meats (Singleton) all performed well. The national Sausage King and Burger King titles will be awarded on February 11, 2017.
Flower festival
Barcito on Beaumont Street, Hamilton, will be celebrating the traditional Colombian Festival of the Flowers (Feria de Las Flores) from 10am on August 6. There will be Colombian food and beverages, flowers galore and prizes to be won.
Meet N Eats
Tucked away on Wilson Road in Mount Hutton is little gem Meet N Eats, where every Thursday from 6pm is Surf and Turf night. For $15 you can order a 250-gram rump steak with chips and salad, topped with garlic prawn sauce. The everyday menu is worth a look, too. To make a booking phone 4948 4282.
Beer festival
The fifth annual Bottle-O New Lambton Beer Festival 2016 is on September 5, 1pm to 5pm. There will be beer tastings, food, live entertainment, lucky door prizes and more. Phone 4952 8055 for details.
Pacific success
EXP. Restaurant sous chef Joshua Gregory and Bistro Moline head chef Garreth Robbs made it to the semi-finals of the San Pellegrino 2016 Pacific Region Young Chef. They just missed out, but making it to the final 20 in the Pacific region is quite an achievement.
Leslie Hottiaux, of Apero Food & Wine in Auckland, made it through to the finals with her potato gnocchi, mushrooms, pine nuts and truffle dish.