Biting back

After facing some of the worst accusations imaginable for any restaurateur, one small starred venue is proving it’s onwards and upwards.

Proven or unproven, allegations over staff mismanagement in the workplace will come close to destroying any workplace, let alone a hospitality one which relies so heavily on its workforce to commit, often tirelessly, their passion and time to a high energy and intense work environment. Yet for one such highly publicised business who went through a similar story to the above, it’s about getting on with what it does best. Now, I’m not condoning any sort of the above behaviours whatsoever, and it’s really not for me to weigh in on what may/may not have happened. What I can report on, though, is what the restaurant is doing now (and whether it’s any good, in my opinion) and what I can say, is they are taking some bold, innovative – yet exciting – steps to grow their business in different directions.

The restaurant I’m referring to is Moonah, the ultra-small 12 seater dining room found on the banks of Thompson Creek, in Connewarre. They have recently launched a bakery and larder arm of their business, which provides all sorts of delicious house made goods (eg. duck and leek pies, Yecora Red sourdough, cultured butter etc) but unfortunately all in very limited supply. I like their bottled selection of non-alcoholic drinks too, with combinations of smoked tea and red centre lime, and wild quince with grape skin. Restricted to weekend supply only, check their website for more detail. Back also for the months of July/August are their winter breakfasts by the billabong. Alongside filter coffee/tea, you’ll find the breakfast basket packed with warm baked treats and other shared plates, as you bask in the winter sunshine overlooking the still, calming water of the creek below. Creative, seasonal and tasty. Seems like the bad press may have now given the venue a bigger reason to succeed.

 

The Tastes of Greater Geelong festival continues to roll on, with the program set for another two weeks of events before concluding. Proceedings so far have been well received, with many hosting venues reporting close to sell-out crowds. The following are a couple of dates worth keeping in mind for the rest of the festival.
Known as one of the best regional artisan bakeries, Ket Baker are running a sourdough workshop at their Wallington site on July 20. The hands-on session will teach participants some of the secrets that go into mixing, shaping and baking the ideal loaf, while discussing bread-centric concepts like different wheat types and wild fermentation. Best of all, you can take home some of what you make on the day.

Gnocchi whiz Andrea Rigodanza is teaming up with Provenance Wines for a four-course dinner at Tempo, on Friday July 18. To start the evening, Chef Andrea will lead a gnocchi making masterclass, sharing what it takes to make those little pillows so deliciously fluffy. Tom Brushfield from Provenance will be on hand to chat through some of the winery’s new releases, while pairing each course to a wine best suited to the dish. If you feel like squeezing in a quick aperitivo or two before the dinner begins, the bar opens from 4pm… just saying.

 

If you like piña coladas, but could do without getting caught in the rain (sorry, I had to), does Manhattan Bar have the event for you. For tonight (Friday, July 11) only, the CBD venue is celebrating everyone’s favourite coconut and pineapple cocktail with Piña Palooza. Expect variations on this classic Caribbean drink, as well as island vibes and entertainment (including a limbo competition) and prizes for the best dressed Hawaiians. The theme coincides with International Piña Colada Day (yes, that’s a real date) which happens just the day before and is a great excuse to get your tropical thirst on – grab your flamingo-print shirt and join the sun.. I mean fun.

A more family-oriented option might be the all ages winter gathering at East Geelong Golf Club’s Winter Social event. There’ll be cocktails from The Tin Traveller (I’ve enjoyed their spritz selection in the past) barbecued delights from Workers BBQ, and bar snack/grazing boards available from Mercy Café, who have a permanent base here throughout the year. Local musician Michael Hardiman will keep the crowd entertained, while a glow-in-the-dark putting course should satisfy those looking for a bit of competitive fun. If the weather holds, this Eastern Park event offers you the chance to properly embrace Geelong’s winter season, alongside some welcomed and warm hospitality.

In closing, I attended a brilliant night at Tulip recently, where they hosted a couple of the cocktail maestros from 18th Amendment Bar to match gin cocktails to different dishes from their current food menu. Besides being a sold-out event, the gin-degustation theme was a huge success, with the bartenders proving your typical food/beverage match can extend well beyond just wine. Expect to hear about more spirit/cocktail/food collaboration dinners coming up between these two local hospitality favourites soon.