Where there’s smoke, there’s flavour

BELLARINE Smokehouse has recently opened a new retail and tasting space in Drysdale, to meet their growing demand for all things deliciously smoky (and more).

Being a natural expansion of the business, the new provedore is an opportunity to showcase more of not only their own range of sustainably sourced seafood products, but that of other like-minded, artisanal producers who share a passion for quality. Their own house made specialties range from smoked fillets of barramundi, eel and kingfish, to smoked olive oil, smoked pates and salts. If you’re confused where to start or just keen to try a bit of everything – a little like I was – their smoked fish boxes are a decent option that covers all your smoky bases. And not content with just opening the flash new provedore, the owners have gone all in with a restaurant space upstairs too, that features a Filipino leaning tasting style menu that changes seasonally. Although I have not (yet) dined here, the smart reading menu ticks all the right boxes in terms of locality, genuine interest and Filipino-authenticity.

 

While on the topic of places to mark down to visit, a quick reminder that this Sunday the team from my favourite local café spots, Rebecchis (naturally) will be hosting a kitchen takeover at Tulip in Geelong West. Proving they’re not just (really) great sandwich makers, they’ll be flexing their culinary muscles as they present a four-course food menu, matched with a vinyl set from Bad Neighbour Records. My hopes are high, as Rebecchi’s chef Dan Hooper has a brilliant CV behind him, having previously worked at such fine diners such as Brae and The Willows Inn. Can you think of a better way to spend a Sunday night? I’m actually really excited about this collab. See you there.

If you’re a wine-focused bar or restaurant, there’ll be one event on your annual calendar circled (and highlighted and underlined) more than any other. Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards is a celebration of the dedication and effort our passionate wine-loving hospitality operators go to in order to ensure their vinous selection stands out from many of their competitors. With results coming out last week, a huge round of applause should be sent the way of Archers Torquay, Brae, Noble Rot (Pt Lonsdale) and Torquay Wine Store. If you’re looking for venues in our broader Geelong region that offer the best in the way of wine list content, excellent wine service and extremely knowledgeable staff, than look no further.

 

With some pubs now charging upwards of $30, people are always asking me where some of the better value parmi/parma options are around town. I usually try to steer them towards wherever does a decent weeknight special, as hungry punters will usually enjoy their parmi fix a little bit more knowing it comes at a faction of the price. The humble chicken parmigiana has gone the way most price-sensitive food dishes have in the past few years, thanks to the cost of production/cost of wages/cost of opening hospitality woes that many pubs have suffered. Will we ever see their prices come down? It’s hard to say, but I’m not optimistic. So, for now at least, that weekly parmi night at your local is tasting all that more blissful. A serving at the Drysdale Hotel a few weeks back (their version happens on a Tuesday night) fared pretty well, I thought, particularly given the size of the portion and good quality fries that paired. And at $20, you’d be stretched to find a better value one on the Bellarine, I would think.

 

Finally, when it comes to beer by the slab, I’m always on the lookout for a keen bargain (like most). So when I learnt a local bottle shop offering fully-imported Estrella Damm at $36, I was somewhat sceptical: either the used-by date had well and truly passed, or this rumour was simply too good to be true. Alas, my fears were cast aside when I arrived at Highton Cellars a couple of weeks back to find floor stacks of said beer with healthy months left on its expiry. When I quizzed the shopkeep on now many cases they’d sold already, he suggested in the proximity of eight or nine pallets (roughly about 800 cases). It’s not a widely seen Spanish beer here in Australia, unlike in its Catalonian home of Barcelona, but this lager is universally appreciated as a dependable, medium bodied option amongst the premium European beer ranks. And at a $1.50 each (when purchased by the box), the value is simply bananas. I’m told the retailer is down to its last pallet or two, so run/don’t walk to secure yourself some.