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It's the personal experiences that will last a lifetime.
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9(5
SOUL FOOD
Masters of finessed yet fun Korean dining,
Soul Dining’s Illa Kim and Daero Lee share
some of their best-loved recipes.
106
MALAY MAGIC
Ho Jiak chef Junda Khoo shares recipes
Food
86
FEAST AND FIESTA
Little cravings from the streets of Mexico,
Panama, El Salvador and more.
Mexican-style corn with puffed amaranth
and chipotle mayonnaise.88
Blistered shishito with queso fundido....88
Yellowfin tuna nachos, pickles and fried
wontons.................................90
Birria beef short ribs with charred
pineapple salsa.........................93
Plantain chips with lime cream and spicy
mango salsa.............................94
Prawn and tomato empanadas with picante
sauce........................94
Lemon soy chicken........................98
Korean spicy porkjaffles................100
Korean rice cakes.......................100
Korean cauliflower curry................102
Corn riblets............................103
Kimchi fritters.........................104
Korean fried doughnuts..................104
inspired by his grandmother and Kuala
Lumpur’s street vendors in his new book.
Steamed pork with salted fish.......108
Prosperity salad....................109
Laksa bombs.........................110
Golden tofu.........................112
Wagyu satay
Marron crispy noodle.
.112
113
MARCH 2024
ON THE COVER
Yellowfin tuna nachos, pickles
and fried wontons, p90
Recipe Tamika O’Neill
Photography John Paul Urizar
Styling Olivia Blackmore
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Features
C f WANDERLUST
| Lee Tulloch recounts the magic of the world’s best
boulevards for strolling.
/• О STREET EATS
vЭ О Jess	on the joys of dining sans table.
^JZ PICK UP STICKS
У | A world tour of skewered snacks guided
by Lee Tran Lam.
Drinks
42 DRINKS NEWS New openings and expert tips.
4 \ DRINKS PEOPLE Siegfrld Bacani.
16 WINE COUNTRY Limestone Coast.
48 COCKTAIL HOUR Rich Boi
49 THE REAL DEAL Ned Goodwin’s top drops.
PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN PAUL URIZAR. STYLING OLIVIA BLACKMORE.
Regulars
II	UPFRONT Editor’s letter and news.
25 FIVE OF A KIND Tortillas.
26 A QUICK WORD Jan Fran.
28 THE KITCHEN GARDENER Bananas.
30 COMMUNITY X KYLIE Tony Albert.
33 REVIEW Dining out.
51 EVERYDAY Simple, fast everyday meals.
60 MASTERCLASS Portuguese chicken.
116 THE ART OF TRAVEL Savouring streets.
128 CHECKING IN Wonil Hotel Perth.
146 STYLE Fashion, home and beauty.
154 OBJECTS OF DESIRE Tech.
HOW TO BE AN ETHICAL TOURIST
У О Ethical travel tips from Rushani Epa.
Travel
/МП ISLAND OF PLENTY
| | О Exploring the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius with
Monique Ceccato.
1 О Z THE SPIRIT OF LIMA
I у/ | Sipping pisco in the Peru capital with Alex Mitcheson.
136
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS
From new restaurants to big-ticket shows, Sin City
shines on. Liz Bond sees the sights.
EATING BANGKOK
Being food-obsessed In Thailand’s capital Is an
adventure restricted only by time and eating
capacity, writes, Dani Valent
GOURMET TRAVELLER 9
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Editor’s letter
One of the most disconcerting travel
experiences of my life began with
being told I should not - under any
circumstances - leave the property
without a driver and a guide. It threw me
completely, as 1 had envisaged arriving at said
hotel, dumping my bags and heading outside
to wander the city’ streets and get my bearings.
From Port Stephens to Manhattan, this is
how I start any visit to a new destination -
learning the tempo of a place, looking for
landmarks to help navigate, and scoping out
what looks delicious and could be worth
closer inspection.
You can tell a lot about a place by simply
wandering the streets. It’s where you get to
experience the scenes, smells and noises that
define a place. It’s where you find those magic
moments that you simply can’t plan for - no
matter how many Instagram accounts you follow.
In this issue, we explore street culture - from
the joy of street dining and snacks on sticks - to
the world’s most famous boulevards and the art
of being a flaneur (one of my all-time favourite
words and activities). And of course, we
celebrate the dishes and cuisine rooted
in street food traditions.
WHAT GT" LOVES THIS MONTH
PHOTOGRAPHY KRISTINA SOUO (PORTRAIT).
Hermes Ca Decoiffe! Scarf
You’ll never get lost in the crowd
sporting this vibrant statement piece,
made from pure silk twill and
featuring a bespoke design by
French illustrator Baptiste Virot.
hermes.com
Rimowa Flap Backpack
Made from regenerated nylon
- produced from waste material
harvested from landfills and
oceans - this stylish, lightweight
backpack is perfect for your
next urban adventure.
rimowa.com
Greg Natale Visage Vase
Designed as an homage to
1980s club culture and the Blitz
Kids of London’s Covent Garden
- who gave rise to the New
Romantic movement - these
glazed ceramic vases will
enliven any interior.
gregnatale.com
L.G.R for Raes
View life like you are always on
holiday. Raes has partnered with
luxury eyewear brand L.G.R on
sunnies that capture the beach
chic mood at the iconic hotel.
shop.raes.com.au
GOURMET TRAVELLER 11
О	'
Vi*R0
GOURMET
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traditional custodians of the place we now call Sydney, where this magazine is
published. Gourmet Traveller also pays respects to Elders past and present.
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12 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Dishes and destinations
The Gourmet Traveller team share where
they ve been and what they’re eating.
Restaurant Botanic, Adelaide
Even the most seasoned diner might blanch
at the thought of 31-courses but rest assured, the
journey is never less than enchanting. This scallop
with seaweed and samphire is a prime example of
how delicate each course is as you eat your way
around Adelaide Botanic Garden and its bounty.
Joanna Hunkin, editor
Quay, Sydney
“Whisky pairs with food; the food just has
to be rich enough to hold up.” This is
according to Peter Gilmore who designed
a bespoke menu around Lark Distillery’s
grain-based drops. To finish, this dreamy
dessert with whisky-soaked panettone,
morello cherries and pulled butter toffee.
Anna McCooe, deputy editor
Reme & La Rue, Melbourne
Every dish at Jacqui Challinor’s glorious
fine-diner matches its exquisite gothic
interiors and white-jacket service. Start
with the impressive lobster cocktail
(worth every penny) and end withthis
pastry meets apple and calvados
caramel number. Exceeds the hype.
Suzanna Chriss, senior sub-editor
Bobby s, Sydney
Cronulla’s latests seaside diner amps up the
yum factor with double seafood pasta, with
delicate cuttlefish and sweet prawns. Head here
post-beach with sandy feet or book in and wear
chic slides - either way it’s worth checking out.
Jordan Kretchmer, news editor
Caterpillar Club, Sydney
A sesame seed-laden bun of epic
proportions and a patty draped in
cheese is ideal fuel to enjoy between
Martinis at Swillhouse group’s latest
venture. Very juicy, very good.
Cordelia Williamson, digital editor
Abercrombie & Kent
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Call 1300 589 717, visit www.abercrombiekent.com.au or contact your
— MARCH —
PHOTOGRAPHY BENN JAE.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 15
THE LATEST FROM CHEFS AND RESTAURANTS AROUND AUSTRALIA
RESTAURANT NEWS
MELBOURNE
Moving into a building steeped in
hospitality history can raise certain
expectations, but for the team at Brico
- a CarltonNorth restaurant and wine
bar that’s opened in the footprints
of Little Andorra and Tansy’s - it’s
a badge of honour. “This building is
famous for anyone that’s ever been
in the Melbourne industry. It’s got such
rich heritage,” says Brico co-owner
Josh Begbie.
Paying tribute to the iconic Melbourne
venues that came before Brico, was
just part of the inspiration for the team.
They also drew on their love of
European wine bars, as well as their
collective experience, which spans
London’s Brawn, Sydney’s Poly and
121 BC, and Melbourne’s Embla and
Bar Liberty.
The name itself comes from a play
on the French word “bricolage”,
a creation made from a diverse range
of available things, which is how the
team likes to view their new
endeavour. “We love places that have
a sense of honesty to them. They’re
not always the most polished or
the fanciest venues. But there Is
a consideration in everything”, says
Begbie, who is joined by co-owner Phil
Bracey, and their respective partners
Robyn Nethercote and Tegan Ella
Hendel. The foursome first met while
working together in London more
than a decade ago.
On the food front, they’ve enlisted
Tasmanian-born chef Simon Ball-Smith
who’s worked at Franklin, The Builders
Arms and Public Wine Shop. “Simon
is willing to champion the produce,
as we do with the wine,” says Begbie.
Cue Sydney rock oysters with a bright
white pepper mignonette; crudites
with taramasalata; goat’s curd with
marinated zucchini and lovage; and
grilled Mclvor Farm pork neck with
apricot and fig. Wine Is equally
important at Brico, with Begbie and
Bracey sharing sommelier duties. The
list explores the Adelaide Hills, Mount
Gambier and Gippsland more locally,
while also trotting over to the Loire
Valley and Beaujolais in France.
In South Melbourne, Adelaide
brewery Pirate Life has opened its first
Victorian outpost. Located in a former
mechanic’s garage, close to South
Melbourne Markets, the brewery’s
kitchen has a simple and fresh
approach to food, with a menu
designed to sit well with a beer or two.
Dual head chefs Maria Delengas and
Nicolas Lopez (who have both come
over from Adelaide, after cooking at
Loc Bottle Bar and Arkhe respectively)
oversee the menu. Lopez is doing
a take on Cajun seafood rice and
Mallorcan arroz brut, resulting In a dish
that looks a little bit like paella, replete
with bugs, clams, fish stock and bomba
rice. You can also order up flank steak
skewers marinated in achiote and pale
ale; or a slow-cooked pork roll, which
sees pork neck cooked over fire and
thinly sliced, served with a spicy sauce
and fresh onion salad. South
Australian architecture firm Studio
Gram brings a slice of Adelaide and
industrial chic to the space with
exposed bricks, polished concrete
and large-scale murals. And of course,
Pirate Life’s core range of beers -
which span from coastal-inspired pale
ales to acai-spiked sour beers - will
be on tap alongside one-off brews.
PHOTOGRAPHY DOMINIC XAVIER (BRICO).
16 GOURMET TRAVELLER
News
PHOTOGRAPHY MICHELA BONCAGNI (AVOJA).
SYDNEY
The maestros behind Italian-Japanese
fine-diner LuMi and Surry Hills’ Lode
Pies have added another style of
baking to their resume, opening
a wood-fired pizzeria in Manly. Avoja
is slinging Neapolitan-style pizze, with
northern beaches local Federico
Zanellato leading the charge, joined
by Matteo Ernandes, who was
previously head pizza chef at Bondi’s
Da Orazio and Matteo Double Bay.
Expect blistered-crust pizze topped
with Emilio’s Butcher sausages, sliced
potato, smoked provolone and
rosemary; or pureed broccoli with
umami anchovies, chilli and burrata.
There are also snacks of fritto misto
(fried calamari, school prawns,
whitebait and zucchini); Fremantle
octopus with chickpeas; and old-
school meatballs; plus a devoted
children’s menu; and a wine list
that trots around Italy.
In more pizza news, Newtown’s
Bella Bruta has opened a dedicated
takeaway outpost around the corner
from its main location. Delivering the
staples that have firmed up the King
Street pizzeria as one of the best in
the country, you can expect smoked
mortadella with slices of firm green
olives; cavolo nero with parmesan,
fior di latte, chilli and garlic; and of
course classic Margheritas. You can
also grab a selection of LP’s Quality
Meats including saucisson, pepperoni
and salami to assemble a DIY
charcuterie platter.
ADELAIDE
A grand new rooftop bar and
restaurant has opened nine
levels above Pirie Street. Sora is
a 400-person-capacity rooftop oasis,
with executive chef Adam Liston
(Shobosho) at the helm. Liston has
executed a menu that starts with
seaweed crackers topped with
tomatoes and whipped tofu; and
twice-cooked potato skins with
a yuzu-spiked sour cream, egg white,
chives, caviar and roe. The charcoal-
and wood-fired grilled section of the
menu includes dry-aged beef from
rib-eye to rump cap, joined by
Asian-inflected condiments such as
Karashi mustard, ssamjang (a spicy
Korean sauce), shiitake-infused soy,
smoked soy, and yuzu kosho. There’s
also a burger that takes cues from
Korean bulgogi beef, which sees
a wood-fired wagyu beef patty
seasoned with gochujang, ginger,
sesame oil, honey and garlic; served
with kimchi, pickled cucumbers, and
slaw. These can all be joined by sides
of fries with a spiced, smoked salt;
wok-fried Asian greens; or a spin
on a Caesar salad, complete with
char siu-style bacon and a soy-
poached egg.
North Adelaide has a buzzy new
bistro, Одё. Spearheaded by Simon
Ming (ex-Orana and Arkhe) and
sommelier Bhatia Dheeraj who brings
his experience working across Dubai,
Cape Town, Singapore, Hong Kong,
Macau and now Australia. Riffing on
modern Australian cuisine’s evolution,
the menu has native ingredients
alongside globe-trotting references.
The menu includes torched kingfish
with celtuce, celery, tomato
consomme and apple granita; crab
udon with cherry tomatoes, basil,
Clockwise from left:
’nduja pizza with
salami and capsicum
at Avoja; gildas and
Pedro Ximenez
Brussels sprouts and
Valdivieso Manchego
at Nina.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 17
cured yolks and crisp chilli oil; beurre
blanc infused with eucalyptus served
with fish en papillote; and beef tartare
with pearl onion and potato chips.
Finally, Nina is a vibrant new
late-night Basque-inspired spot in
the centre of Adelaide. Owner and
executive chef Leonardo Loureiro
(ex-Aria and Orana), who named the
restaurant after his daughter, is
serving up pintxos with punch.
Expect gildas; pan con tomate with
folds of jamon and Olasagasti
anchovy soldiers; cured Espelette-
spiced tuna; charred octopus with
romesco and fennel; and wagyu
brisket with chimichurri and mustard.
о*
I KIWI CULINARY ODYSSEY
JY
Clockwise from
above: Ayrburn;
the property’s Burr
bar; a spread at
The Manure
Room; developer
Chris Meehan.
Some of New Zealand’s leading minds in food and
wine have come together to open the country’s most
ambitious hospitality project in one of its most
picturesque settings. Located between the charming
historic village of Arrowtown and the pristine shores
of Lake Hayes, Ayrburn serves up majestic views of
Aotearoa’s Southern Alps - including Coronet Peak
and The Remarkables - from across a manicured
estate, which was first established as one of the
area’s earliest sheep farms in 1864. Today, those
original farm buildings have been painstakingly
refurbished as part of a $184 million development to
house five unique venues - with a further three still to
come - each nodding to the heritage of the property.
“It’s not just a destination; it’s an invitation to
have fun and experience the best of New Zealand’s
food, wine, and hospitality in a place chosen 160
years ago for being one of the country’s most
naturally stunning locations,” explains developer
Chris Meehan.
Just a 25-minute drive from the tourist mecca
of Queenstown (with shuttle buses available), the
destination dining precinct has set out to attract
international attention, as well as catering to more
laid-back local tastes - perhaps best illustrated by
The Manure Room, whose tagline is “drink some
wine, talk some shit”.
The former cow shed, which once served as
a kind of rural speakeasy during the days of the
temperance movement, now invites guests to
experience guided tastings with wines from
across the Central Otago region and beyond.
Curated by Master of Wine Sophie Parker-Thomson,
the wine list heroes Ayrburn’s own label, crafted
by winemaker Jody Pagey especially for the
new development.
Over at The Woolshed guests can enjoy all-day
dining, with a menu led by executive chef Richard
Highnam (ex-Botswana Butchery, White + Wong’s)
drawing on the region’s diverse agricultural bounty,
including alpine salmon, Lake Ohau wagyu and
Remarkable mushrooms grown on an urban farm
in Queenstown.
The latest opening to join the line-up is The
Barrel Room, a live music lounge complete with
baby grand piano, that promises to keep guests
entertained well into the night. It joins The Dairy
(gelateria), The Burr Bar (open daily from 2pm to
2am), and The Dell (an outdoor community space)
with The Bakehouse (cafe and deli) and R.M
Specialty Meats (butcher) set to open mid-year.
The final piece of the puzzle, due to open in late
2024, will be the estate’s signature fine-diner Billy’s,
which will sit on the site of the original Victorian
homestead. Meehan says it will be upmarket and
expensive - similar, in his words, to Sydney’s Mimi’s
- and come with plenty of theatrical flourish.
ayrburn.com
WORDS JOANNA HUNKIN. PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS MEEHAN.
18 GOURMET TRAVELLER
IQuenino by Victor Liong, Singapore
Liong masterminds the degustation-only menu at this
72-seater within the new boutique hotel Artyzen Singapore.
And while the Lee Ho Fook chef forged his reputation in
Melbourne with forward-thinking Chinese food, here he covers
more ground across Asia, nodding to Singapore’s dynamic dining
culture. Expect anything from hand-picked mud crab with taro
cream and caviar; to thosai (crepes made of fermented rice batter)
with sambal and Peking duck across the seven- and nine-course
menus. Shiok! artyzen.com
(Л
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PHOTOGRAPHY JACQUIE MANNING (ALL ABOUT WOMEN) & JOHN PACKMAN (REBECCA F KUANG).
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a
2Sagetsu by Tetsuya Wakuda, Dubai
Following restaurants in Singapore and Las Vegas,
the renowned Japanese-Australian chef has nabbed
a landmark piece of real estate for his third international opening.
Sagetsu hovers 24-floors above street level in the link between
two towers at One&Only One Za’abeel In Dubai. Dine on dishes
that exemplify Wakuda’s signature style - taking Japanese
ingredients and executing them with French techniques. There’s
also a dedicated dessert room and an omakase experience.
oneandonlyresorts.com
3Numero Quattro, Bali
Echo Beach’s latest Italian hotspot Numero Quattro has
opened with Sydney chef Joel Bennetts (Pier, Fish Shop)
on board. He’s dreamt up a menu of housemade pastas (from
bucatini with pecorino, black pepper and miso to oxtail lasagne)
and grilled meats from a custom-built grill. Bennetts has joined the
wider hospitality group (Project: Black) as creative culinary director
and will consult on more venues across Bali, projectblack.co
WOMEN TO THE FRONT
The Sydney Opera House is celebrating women
from all walks of life with its annual convergence
of fierce and clever femininity, All About Women.
On March 10, the sails will host talks on everything
from the political power of gossip; through to the
complexity of motherhood. Guests include
Yellowface author Rebecca F Kuang; activist
Chanel Contos; and scholar Mary Beard; while
the foyers will come to life with candle-making
workshops by Nonna’s Grocer; art installations
by Angela Tiatia; and activities by Chaotic Social
Lounge, sydneyoperahouse.com
GOURMET TRAVELLER 19
We talk to the founder and head chef
PASS
with COREY ROZARIO
of Margaret River pop-up Dahl Daddys.
How did Dahl Daddys begin? My partner and I have both worked in the
industry for a while, but we’d always had vague plans to go out and do
something on our own. One day I was in the coffee shop we share the
space with, and after a chat with the owner and finding out she was
subleasing, we got the ball rolling, things started happening, and then Dahl
Daddys was born. It was a little rough while we got the set up ready, like we
were using a camp cooker for a while, but we’ve really fitted out the space
and have made it something special.
Your menu is on a blackboard out front. How do you decide what stays
and what goes? Basically I tailor the menu to whatever I can get my hands
on locally. I work with local hunters to source the kangaroo meat, which has
been one of our most popular dishes, but having it on the menu depends
on availabiIty - how much the hunters catch, and how much they sell to pet
meat. I also work with a local fisherman out of the Margaret River who only
sells to one other business in the area. We’re right around the corner from
where he catches, so the fish is just about as fresh as it can be. The beauty
of the blackboard is that we have flexibility to decide what we want to do
and how we want to do it, while continuing to work with local producers
around their schedules.
Where did you learn how to develop the flavours of your dishes?
I travelled extensively through South Asia, I basically decided about six
years ago that I’d return to the motherland (Burma) and surrounds, to
understand my father’s experiences, and where I’d come from. While I was
learning technique from locals during my travels, there wasn’t any specific
tutelage, more of a monkey-see, monkey-do sort of situation. I talked with
people, dissected what they were doing with my eyes, and tried to
translate it in the kitchen.
Your menu mainstay is probably the dahl. What’s the story behind the
dish? I grew up with my dad making a lot of dahl - he’s Burmese and he
introduced me to ghee and tempering spices and certain specific
processes that have been so important in the creation of Dahl Daddys’ dahl,
but I’ve really made it my own recipe. Dad’s has always been very simple
and delicate, and I’ve developed mine into a bolder, more full-bodied
flavour. Our styles are completely different, but they still hold weight
tog ether, instagram, com/dahldaddys/
NOT SO FISHY
The groundswell of new vegan products
hitting our shelves shows no sign of
abating, but this one caught our eye
thanks to its unique approach. Uproot
Food’s Smoked Not Salmon replicates
the smokiness and salinity of the Nordic
staple using organic carrots and
seaweed, making for an interesting take
on the typically fishy food.
$13, uprootfood.com.au
MATE MATES
Melbourne-based chef Olle Ford
discovered yerba mate - a tincture
made from the leaves of an evergreen
tree - while living in South America.
Now he’s spent the past year creating
Mateo, a refreshing organic yerba
mate-based soda. The result is an
earthy yet bright and refreshing soda,
with green tea notes and a gentle
caffeinated kick. The range also
includes hibiscus and ginger flavours.
$6, mateosoda.com
20 GOURMET TRAVELLER
DELI DREAMS
The corner deli is continuing its
comeback as a community pillar with
more artisanal spots popping up across
the country.
The latest is Newtown’s Marani
Deli, where owner and French expat
Alex Grenouiller is wheeling out
Australian, French and Georgian
cheeses, charcuterie and condiments.
The Penny’s Cheese Shop alumnus
hopes to share his fondness for
fromage that began at an early age,
growing up on a farm near Lyon. “My
mum used to make tomme daubee with
fresh fromage blanc from a neighbour’s
farm. The fresh cheese would be mixed
with anchovies, parsley, chives, vinegar,
garlic and mustard, which we ate with
charcuterie as kids,” says Grenouiller.
Marani Deli recreates this formative
cheese memory using Colin Wood
of Goldstreet Dairy’s Cloud fromage
blanc. “It’s a perfect crudites dip,”
says Grenouiller.
Along with hand-cut cheeses and
sliced meats, the deli also has a rotation
of lunch options to go. “On Mondays
I bake a Georgian tarragon pie and
sell it by the slice,” says Grenouiller.
Midweek sandwiches include
a baguette with ham, Comte and
butter; or Asiago, smoked mortadella
and extra-virgin olive oil on a panini.
While familiar cheese and salumi
stars from France and Italy line the
fridges, you’ll also find rare cheeses
from Georgia. “Marani” means cellar in
Georgian, one of Grenouiller’s favourite
places. “Outside the marani in Georgia
they have a big table where you hang
out, eat, drink, chat and enjoy life,” says
Grenouiller. “The concept of hospitality

is so strong - Georgians welcome you
with open arms and want to feed you,
and that’s what I want to do.”
maranideli. com. a и
Clockwise from top left:
Marani Deli’s cheese
and ham baguette;
owner Alex Grenouiller;
and Italian nougat.
PHOTOGRAPHY HAYDEN DIB (KHANH NGUYEN) & DEXTER KIM (MARANI DELI).
MUSEUMS ON THE MENU
Museums Victoria - which oversees some of Victoria’s biggest
cultural institutions - has announced two new culinary ambassadors,
in conjunction with The Fresh Collective. Khanh Nguyen (pictured
left, of Sydney newcomer King Clarence) will be back in Melbourne
to oversee menus for events at the Melbourne Museum. Attica’s Ben
Shewry (pictured above) is serving as Fresh Collective’s ambassador
for Victoria, crafting menus for venues including Museums Victoria’s
Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Museum, and Immigration
Museum, museumsvictoria.com.au
GOURMET TRAVELLER 21
News
^^^iRiuiuwawiarnvnnTii
HAY DAYS
Clockwise from left:
a restaurant in
Haymarket’s
Chinatown;
dumplings to go;
a bustling grocery
store in Haymarket.
A cool $44 million will be invested in one of the country’s most-loved eating
suburbs as part of the long-term plan to enliven Sydney’s Haymarket.
Chinatown’s symbolic Ceremonial Gates will be restored this year, while an
ever-changing light canopy, paving inserts with traditional Chinese symbols,
and new public seating will be installed. While Chinatown is the beating heart
of Haymarket, the CBD suburb will also embrace the many different Asian
cultures within the area, with streetscape improvements planned for Thai
Town as well. The multi-milllon-dollar vision seeks to support local hospitality
vendors through grants to further solidify the area’s cultural and culinary
heritage. So expect custard cream puffs, hand-pulled noodles, mango and
sticky rice packets, crisp-bottomed dumplings and so much more to be
enjoyed for decades to come, cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
ACID ROCK
Zero-waste pickles and artisanal vinegars are the focus
for Melbourne’s Acide. Founder Jon Bussell composts
what he can but also passes on fibrous cabbage leaves
to feed Farmer Joe Borg’s small herd of cows in
Toolernvale, Victoria, to create a circular system. The
range includes Italian-style giardiniera spiked with chilli,
jalapefio and peanuts; bread and butter pickled
zucchini; crunchy green beans with dill; and curried
pickled cauliflower florets. From $14, acide.au
22 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Clockwise from
right: chef Gareth
Stewart; interiors
at InterContinental
Auckland; dishes from
Advieh’s Middle
Eastern-inspired menu.
HARBOURFRONT LUXURY
WORDS JOANNA HUNKIN (INTERCONTINENTAL).
Downtown Auckland has welcomed a glamorous new
resident, with the city’s first InterContinental hotel opening
its doors in Britomart, across the road from the iconic
Ferry Building and international cruise ship terminal.
With 139 guest rooms and suites located between the
sixth and 11th floors, the hotel’s prime location offers guests
instant access to Auckland’s best feature - the Waitemata
Harbour and its outcrop of pristine islands, Including the
ever-popular vineyards of Waiheke Island and the iconic
Rangitoto Island Scenic Reserve.
Part of the one-billion-dollar Commercial Bay lifestyle
precinct, which is already home to some of the country’s
best restaurants, InterContinental Auckland will see
internationally acclaimed chef Gareth Stewart on the
pass at the newly opened Advieh (which means spice
in Persian) showcasing premium New Zealand
produce across a menu of Middle Eastern cuisine with
a “contemporary twist”. Stewart is well known in New
Zealand as the former head chef of a number of award-
winning restaurants, including Euro and Clooney.
Offering all-day dining for up to 140 guests, Advieh will
serve as the hotel’s signature restaurant, with an emphasis
on communal shared dining. Later in the year, a yet-to-be-
named rooftop bar will open, offering some of the city’s
best views from the 21st floor.
in tercon tinen tai. com
GOURMET TRAVELLER
23

Five of a kind
Tortillas
As the base for so many of
Mexico’s most-loved antojitos
(street food), tortillas are a
vehicle for flavour and fun.
LA BANDERITA
These petite street-style rounds are flour-based
rather than made with corn, which makes them
a little softer and stretchier (but not gluten-free).
La Banderita also does large flour tortillas, which
are ideal for filled-to-the-brim burritos.
$7 for 20, harrisfarm.com.au
DONA CHOLITA
Sold frozen to capture the sweet, nutty flavour of blue
corn and made in NSW’s Northern Rivers, these tortillas
offer a well-balanced flavour and texture. Founder Jefte
Juarez had trouble finding tortillas as good as the ones
he had growing up In Mexico, so he set about crafting
his own. $10.79 for 12, organlcdellverysydnQy.com.au
LA TORTILLERIA
This Melbourne-based artisan uses Australian-grown
corn and sea salt for its masa (dough) and nothing
else. Used by the likes of Frankie’s Tortas and Tacos
and Rico’s Tacos, these malleable, soft tacos offer
an authentic taqueria experience at home.
$9.20 for 15, latortilleria.com.au
MEXICO CITY FOODS
Made using the process of nixtamal - where corn
is cooked in an alkaline solution and rested overnight
to make it easier to work with and more flavourful -
these tortillas are a pantry staple. Have on hand
for a taco party any day of the week.
$13.50 for 36, mexicocltyfoods.com.au
EL CIELO
Slinging tacos and Mexican groceries since 2012, El
Clelo was founded by three Mexican friends who set
out on a mission to create the dishes they remembered
from home. These soft taco shells are excellent as
flautas (rolled-up fried tacos) or tostadas, which
sees each disc fried and then topped.
$7.50 for 10, elcielo.shop
GOURMET TRAVELLER 25
0*0 %
|(\°
Interview CHARLOTTE \\ LSII \RT
JAN FRAN
The Question Everything
co-host talks nostalgic
scents, getting creative
with vegetables, and the
power of asking.
Photography DAM EL BOLD
Cooking for a child has forced me to get creative
with food... Figuring out all the ways I can sneak
vegetables into his diet has become a fun little game.
One of my fondest memories with food isn’t
a childhood memory. When I was a young adult, my
late grandmother, who was just the most loving and
wonderful grandmother you could ever have, would
always have fresh, fragrant oregano wafting around
her kitchen from her own little garden. She would
make these simple but gorgeous salads by tossing
that home-grown oregano through tomatoes and red
onion with a squeeze of lemon. And she’d always set
some leaves aside for me because she knew how
much I loved it. She’s passed now, but every time
I catch even a little whiff of oregano, I think of her.
It feels like honouring her every time I cook with it.
I’d love to learn to cook more Lebanese food, but
I could never be better than my mum. She’ll sit In the
kitchen all day with some of her favourite music on,
just rolling vine leaves for warak enab. She’s one of
those people who finds cooking cathartic, who views
cooking as an end in itself, rather than a means to an
end - that’s how much she enjoys it. She’s so good
that I’m often showing up to her house with takeaway
containers, to the point that she’s had to start marking
her containers with name tags so we don’t get them
all mixed up. So yes, unfortunately I am much more
of a takeaway girl (in the literal sense!). I’m hoping
when I have a little break from work, I might be able
to sit down with Mum and learn some of her recipes,
especially since my grandmother passed. Life can
just get so chaotic that it can be hard to dedicate time
to cooking with everything going on, but I’m hoping
I might be able to channel some of her love.
When I had my baby, all my cooking efforts were
directed towards him. My son Is almost a year-and-a-
half now, so I’ve developed some rituals around food
and feeding with him that I’ve actually really enjoyed.
Cooking for a child has forced me to get creative with
food, which is something I suppose I struggle with
on my own. Figuring out all the ways I can sneak
vegetables into his diet has become a fun little game
for us. Recently, I made spinach pancakes, which,
joyously, he really loves. That felt like one of those
neat wins in life, where you’re like: oh yes, I’ve made
something nutritious and delicious that my child
actually enjoys. Cooking still does feel like a chore
sometimes, but the new rituals do help to break
up the monotony.
Travel has always been a huge part of my personal
life as well as my career. I studied two degrees at
universityjournalism and international studies.
It was always a pie-in-the-sky plan for me to work
overseas, possibly something lofty with the Australian
Government, working on a foreign aid program.
I enrolled in international studies mostly as a way
of learning another language and for the opportunity
to Immerse myself in another culture. But alas, I didn’t
travel down that path, which was probably for the
best, given that I’m very happy where I’ve ended up.
Finding the truth has underscored my career. I’ve
always been averse to bullshit. That’s how I’d describe
it. I don’t know what it is... a sixth sense, maybe?
I have that intuition that pings when someone is lying,
or maybe they’re twisting words or a situation so that
it benefits themselves. And then I want to know why
they’re lying and what they’re lying about. I feel
compelled to uncover the falsehood. Truth is very
clarifying for me. I’ve really been able to combine
that propensity fortruth with journalism in Question
Everything, the purpose of which is to debunk
misinformation. It’s gratifying to put that bullshit
radar to good use for the benefit of others.
Good things come to those who ask. That’s the
best piece of advice I’ve ever been given. Don’t
be afraid to ask for help when you need it, or to
ask for something you want, or something you feel
you deserve, or something you think should change.
Don’t be afraid to ask for change in a world that so
desperately needs it, because good things do
come to those with the courage to ask. •
Series 1, 2 and 3 of Question Everything are
available on ABC iview.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 27
Bananas
What could be sweeter than convenience food that
grows ready-wrapped, writes SI MOIS RICKARD.
he banana is nature’s ultimate street food, courtesy
of its convenient natural packaging. However, bananas
are associated with the street in more ways than one.
. Ж.. Slipping over on a banana peel on the street is a trope
of slapstick comedy so recognisable that viewers can see the gag
coming a mile away. The soft, sweet flesh is palatable to almost
everyone, and it’s arguably one of the few natural convenience
foods still enjoyed in Western countries.
The fruit’s origins are obscure. Current thinking suggests
that it was domesticated on New Guinea (coincidentally also
the home of sugar cane) betw een 7000 and 10,000 years ago.
The original domesticated variety hybridised with other w ild
species in Southeast Asia, before travelling to East Africa and
Polynesia with w aves of human migration and trade, and later,
to the Americas through colonisation.
Grow your own
They come in every colour
- not only yellow, but red,
green, and an almost
unnatural turquoise blue.
Polynesians took bananas with them across
the Pacific from their homeland in Southeast Asia
because of their versatility and ease of cultivation.
Banana plants look like trees, but don’t contain
any woody tissue. They can be transported in the
form of ‘corms’, which are a disc of tissue
containing the growing point and the crown of the
root system. These were light and economical to
carry in outrigger canoes and, once planted,
quickly grew into cyclone-resistant trees that helped
to stabilise sandy island soils, provided fibre for
making cloth and ropes, huge leaves used for
cooking and packaging, and, of course, banana
Simon is a
professional
gardener,
author and
baroque
bassoonist.
#simon_rickard
fruits. Norfolk Islanders, with their proud
Polynesian ancestry, still enjoy “plun” (bananas)
cooked in both savoury and sweet foods.
Generally, we tend to talk about “the banana”,
as if there is only one variety. But, as with many
fruit species, there are dozens of different kinds
of banana. They come in every colour - not only
yellow, but red, green, and an almost unnatural
turquoise blue. The majority7 of banana types are
so-called plantains, or cooking bananas, which
are starchy rather than sweet. They are usually
eaten cooked, and perform a similar job to
potatoes in the kitchen. We will deal with those
in a separate article.
The one thing all cultivated bananas have in
common is seedlessness. Wild bananas are full
of large seeds as hard as stones, contained in very
little flesh. This means that domesticated bananas
cannot reproduce themselves sexually; they rely
completely on humans to transport, plant and
reproduce them. We have done a good job of that
for the past 10,000 years.
However, with modern-day trade and transport,
it has also become easy for banana diseases, such
as Panama disease, to be spread around the world
efficiently and quickly. Tire yellow, sweet, or
“dessert” bananas we take completely for granted
comprise just a handful of varieties from the
Cavendish group of bananas, which are almost
genetically identical. If we lose those varieties to
disease, it will be impossible to breed new ones,
since domesticated bananas can no longer produce
seeds. Genetic modification may be our best tool
for saving bananas into the future, by introducing
disease resistance into them.
Growing your own bananas at home, although
very straightforward, is heavily restricted by law in
certain parts of Australia where bananas are grown
commercially, to prevent the spread of disease. It’s
important to obtain certified disease-free plants
from a reputable source, grown under licence.
That done, bananas can be grown in any
frost-free climate with sufficient water, as far south
as Sydney and Perth, and in northern parts of
New Zealand. Remove all but one or two pups
around the mother plant so that it puts its energy
into fruit production. Protect the fruit from
marauding fruit bats and birds, and you will have
an unending supply of nature’s most convenient
food to eat on the street. Just don’t slip up! •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 29
TONY
ALBERT
Kylie Kwong celebrates the
individuals helping to grow
a stronger community. This
month, we meet Kuku Yalanji
artist and Fondation Cartier pour
1’art contemporain First Nations
Curatorial Fellow Tony Albert.
I’ve always admired
Tony Albert. Through
his visually compelling
and beautiful art
practice he is able
to raise awareness
around difficult and
essential subjects. Like his creativity,
Tony’s depth of humanity knows no
bounds. He makes a profound and positive
contribution, not just to the art community,
but the community as a whole, and takes
everyone along with him on his journeys.
30 GOURMET TRAVELLER
O	-A
о	x <
WORDS KYLIE KWONG (INTRO) & ANNA McCOOE. PHOTOGRAPHY DANIEL BOUD (MAIN) & MARK POKORNY (KWONG).
It’s October 2023 in Mayfair, London. First
Nations artist and curator Tony Albert has
a hammer in hand and is nailing bits of vintage
“Aboriginalia” to the wall of No. 9 Cork Street
gallery. He hangs a colonialist painting upside down
and emblazons it with skull and crossbones. An old
tourist shop map of Australia is painted with a target.
And among “Dreamtimey” teaspoons, coasters, and
factory-produced boomerangs he scribes the words,
“Aliens exist in my backyard”. Take a step back and
the objects unite in protest; an attempt to correct the
whitewashed record. “There is too much engagement
that excludes Aboriginal people from having a voice,”
says Albert, grandson to a stolen generation survivor
and descendant to the Girramay, Yidinji, Kuku
Yalanji and Guugu Yimithirr people in Queensland.
“Through this practice I am placing the objects in
a position of power... Giving them a voice.”
Step back much further and Albert plays the
part of the hammer and nails in his
life as a First Nations art trailblazer,
forging respectful connections
between other Indigenous artists
and the contemporary art world.
1 lere in London, where his
assemblage is on show, Albert
shines his light on other First
Nations creatives from around the
world through Story, Place, the
international show he co-curated
with Jenn Ellis as part of Frieze
London. He says creating a path for others is
a responsibility he knows as a cultural one, “but
it’s a human one too. It’s taking the knowledge
established artists shared with me and passing it
on to die next generation.”
This year Albert will venture further into his
champion era as the first ever Fondation Cartier
pour 1’art contemporain First Nations Curatorial
Fellow. Partnering with the Biennale of Sydney,
Albert will drive Indigenous representation at
the festival. For instance, for this year’s Biennale,
Fondation Cartier commissioned 14 new works from
First Nations artists with Albert playing both curator
and mentor. “It’s having an Indigenous person present
within those organisations so cultural nuances can be
understood,” he says. “And I love being that support.”
Albert, 42, lives in Meanjin (Brisbane). Before he
came to art, he was fascinated by frippery second-
hand stores depicting smiling Aboriginal people and
dreamtime kitsch. “Then as I grew and my interest in
“These pieces might
have been at your
grandparents’ house
and nostalgia is an
interesting entry
point into these
conversations.”
art and the power of art grew, I began to look at
these objects in a very different light,” he says. As an
adult his collection grew so large it came to his art
studio. Then it migrated into his art, he says, “to
challenge misrepresentations of Aboriginal people.
These pieces might have been at your grandparents’
house and nostalgia is an interesting entry point
into these conversations,” says the Basil Sellers
Art Prize-winner.
Albert’s interest in art ignited when he discovered
the works of Tracey Moffatt and Gordon Bennett as
a teenager. “They were telling contemporary stories
about who we are as people. Looking at their work
I started to see my story attached to it,” he says. “Art
can be meaningful, powerful, it can change the way
we see the world. I wanted to be involved.”
That intention brought him to study
Contemporary Australian Indigenous Art at the
Queensland College of Art at Griffith University
- the only accredited First Nations art
degree in Australia. Here he learned
correct protocol and ways to
navigate cultural sensitivities in the
art world, which he later put into
practice working at Queensland
Art Gallery. He remembers his
early days in the art industry when
the trend for Aboriginal artists
was to strive to be considered
contemporary-based artists, on
a level platform.
“I am fortunate enough to be a part of a generation
that stands in those footsteps,” he says. “On an
international level First Nations respect is really
growing. As climate reaches a critical point there is
a global push for Indigenous perspectives. The
answers are here, we’ve held them for thousands
of years, we just need those voices to come to the
forefront from the periphery.”
This is what drives Albert, as an artist and
advocate for First Nations art. “It’s about closing the
gap betw een who we are as people and the world that
sits below us. In the Western world the space
between is too great. It’s the difference between
ow nership and belonging,” he explains. “Indigenous
art reminds us of how’ w e fit w ithin this w orld.
Through that w e start to change the w ay w e engage
w ith our climate and country.” •
The 24th Biennale of Sydney titled Ten Thousand Suns
runs from 9 Marek to 10 June, hiennaleofSydney.art
GOURMET TRAVELLER 31
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MARCH —
Dining out
This month, we visit Thai hotspots in
Brisbane and Adelaide, a native-focused
pub in Sydney, and a new Fitzroy diner
that heroes the flavours of Kerala.
PHOTOGRAPHY JASON LOUCAS
GOURMET TRAVELLER 33
KIIN
A lively, creative take on classic Thai flavours
is spicing up the lives of Adelaide locals and
fest ival visitors alike, writes KATIE SPAIN.
Anyone who’s explored the
bustling backstreets of
Bangkok will know the chaos
of street vendors touting bowls of
steaming khao gaeng, flame-licked
meat on sticks, and weathered hands
shredding papaya destined for spicy
som tarn salad. Sensory explosions like
these are difficult to re-live on home
turf, even for just a moment.
Yet Kiin, which means “eat” in Thai,
does exactly that. Traditional Thai is
the inspiration, but executive chef
Ben Bertei applies an inventive,
modern touch. Bite-sized prawn and
lychee pop sticks arrive dusted with
chilli sugar-salt, a savoury heart-starter
in lollipop form. It’s unapologetically
fun, as is the red curry cheeseburger,
an oozing slider of provolone, “ketsup”
and fried onion.
Kiin opened quietly in Adelaide’s
CBD in late 2022, led by co-owners
Bertei and David Wickwar. The pair
chose a former Chinese restaurant next
to the Royal Theatre as the place to
deliver modern Asian cuisine to South
Australia, both moving interstate to
do so. An impressive refurbishment
transformed shabby to chic. To the
left of the vast, warehouse-like space,
a narrow open-plan kitchen is flanked
by bench seating, while a smattering
of tables host shared long lunches,
and gatherings of the convivial kind.
British-born Wickwar works the
room with enthusiasm, spruiking
emerging South Australian wine
producers, European gems, and
a Thai-inspired cocktail list, which
includes the Bai Toey Negroni that
delivers soothing notes of pandan
and spiced coconut bitters.
Bertei cut his teeth under Martin
Boetz at Melbourne’s Longrain, and
developed a following at Queensland’s
Spirit House, Longtime and Same
Same. A recent trip to Bangkok set
creative sparks flying, adding a new
layer of excitement to his offering,
particularly in the Bowon curry
(Bertel’s secret recipe), inspired by
an encounter with a pork dish in
a backstreet cafe. The tender meat,
with pops of pickled mustard greens,
sour pineapple and chilli, is as
comforting as a firm Thai massage.
His seasonal salads are
memorable, too. A red sensation
pear som turn sees chunks of fruit
and heirloom tomatoes tumble for
attention across vintage crockery (the
flower-fringed style of porcelain you
find in your nana’s sideboard).
Even a trip to the bathrooms is
memorable. There, the late Anthony
Bourdain’s adventures in Thailand
can be heard through the speakers.
If that doesn’t warm the heart,
the Thai-ra-misu will. The medley of
spiced rum, vanilla tea, mascarpone
and toasted coconut channels the
Italian classic (and Wickwar’s time
at Melbourne’s Italian restaurants
Sapore and Vaporetto Bar & Eatery)
with a Thai twist.
On Saturday afternoons, a resident
DJ adds to the bustle. And during
Adelaide’s busy festival season, there’s
arguably no better, nor fun, place to
grab a pre- or post-performance bite. •
PHOTOGRAPHY JACK FENBY.
34 GOURMET TRAVELLER
73 Angas St,
Adelaide, SA
kiinrestaurant.com.au
CHEF Ben Bertel
BOOKINGS
Recommended
VERDICT
Thai with a twist
Mango tart with
coconut sorbet,
pandan Anglaise and
sesame sugar.
Opposite, from far
left: curried and beer-
battered whole fish,
turmeric coconut
dressing, green
mango and tomato;
Kiin’s bar.
OPENING HOURS
Lunch Wed-Sat,
Dinner Tue-Sat
PRICE GUIDE $$
Review
PRICE GUIDE $
BOOKINGS
Recommended
OPENING HOURS
Lunch Sat-Sun;
Dinner Wed-Sun

^\CK z
308-310 Liverpool St,
Darlinghurst, NSW
thewaratahsydney. com
CHEF Lewin White
VERDICT
Tastes like home
PHOTOGRAPHY JASON LOUCAS.
THE WARATAH
A new boozer with a keen native focus is putting
back some much-needed pep in I lie step of
inner-city Sydney, writes MATTY IIIRSCII.
One way or another, almost
everything at The Waratah
interrogates the notion of
what it means to be Australian. Native
ingredients are a constant on most
plates and in every other glass. All
the craft beers, low-input wines and the
lion’s share of small-batch spirits are
homegrown. Nearly a quarter of the
name-checked farmers, producers
and suppliers are Indigenous.
On paper, this might sound like
a premise better tailored to a high-
falutin fine diner than a local hangout.
In reality, the most Australian thing
about this comely two-storey corner
spot in Darlinghurst, which opened last
December, might be its easygoing
and egalitarian spirit.
Slip into the walk-ins-only bar on
street level, and you’ll pick up on it
straight away. Here, in what feels like
a compact and romantically reimagined
country pub, it’s all about nostalgic fun.
Call for a classic burger with the lot
alongside a frosty Yulli’s Brews lager,
then ping all of your childhood pleasure
receptors over a fairy bread ice-cream
sandwich - a collab with Gelato
Messina that may already be a fixture
on your Instagram feed.
It’s upstairs, across two squeezy
dining rooms and a wrap-around
verandah, that more intricate ideas take
flight. A trio of crisp, fluffy potato
scallops capped with raw Abrolhos
Island scallops turns out to be as much
a play on temperature and texture as it
is a play on words. Black vinegar
takes an heirloom tomato salad on an
unexpected detour, the umami impact
evened out by sour cherries and the
lime-like perfume of waxflower leaves.
The menu - overseen by Icebergs
Dining Room and Bar alumnus Lewin
White - never gets too tricky for its own
good. Brick chicken is exactly that,
cooked till blackened and gently
sweetened by a honey-laced gravy.
Mango sorbet bands together with
another sorbet made from amazake,
a fermented Japanese rice tonic, in
a breezy dairy-free dessert that’s like
a grown-up Weis bar.
Given Evan Stroeve, one of the
country’s most accomplished barmen,
is a co-owner, you’ll probably want to
have a solid crack at the cocktails. His
signature Waratah Spritz is an ideal
starting point, wedding Archie Rose
vodka and watermelon wine with a
rhubarb aperitif and a dash of vanilla.
Two sips in and you may, as I was, be
tempted to conquer the rest of the
line-up, which explores the flavours of
the Daintree with uncommon nuance
and finesse.
In what some would call an
oversaturated market, it’s refreshing to
see experienced young operators
asking big questions and setting out,
as the menu puts it, to “explore
Australia together”. That’s no easy
endeavour, but in this case it’s
propelled by such a genuine sense of
curiosity and care that it’s one worth
undertaking. And, if early signs are any
indication, it’s already bearing fruit. •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 37
From left: Short Grain’s dining
room; and crisp fried whiting with
green chilli and galangal nahm Jim.
SHORT GRAIN
Martin Boetz returns home to Queensland with
a vibrant eatery dedicated to the diverse
flavours of Thailand, writes ELLIOT BAKER.
Before stepping foot inside
Short Grain, the message is
clear. See the bright scarlet
sign above the door? It reads Short
Grain by Martin Boetz.
Boetz is the chef who captivated
Melbourne and Sydney with Longrain
before launching The Cooks Co-Op in
the Hawkesbury. Now he’s back in his
hometown, doing what he does best:
Thai food.
When GT visits, he’s buzzing
around the slick, brick-walled space,
delivering vibrant dishes to tables and
clearing them away, like the terrifically
intense jungle curry we just devoured.
Boetz’s rendition is layered and punchy,
brimming with chunks of sweet grouper,
soft Thai eggplants and firmer, bitter
pea eggplants.
It’s a dish that may challenge some
diners, but Boetz crafts a menu that
appeals to all. Who wouldn’t enjoy
a salty snack of fried chicken skin
crackers topped with smoked trout
and green mango? Or a luscious red
curry with coconut-braised duck leg,
Siamese watercress and makrut lime?
Chilli lovers won’t be disappointed
either, with a fresh salad of green
mango, herbs and chilli, atop salted,
crisp amberjack pieces; and a fiery dry
red curry of Skull Island tiger prawns
with chopped salted duck egg, snake
beans, and crisp Thai basil leaves.
The latter pairs magically with
a glass of Dr Loosen Bernkasteler Lay
Kabinett Riesling. The off-dry wine,
with its tropical fruit characters and
balanced sweetness, helps tame the
heat. And that’s how the entire wine
list has been constructed - with plenty
of aromatic whites and light reds to
pair with the bold Thai flavours.
Long-time fans of Boetz may
recognise dishes from his tenure at
Longrain. Like a riff on his signature
eggnet dish, in the form of a crisp
turmeric wafer filled with prawns,
caramelised coconut and bean sprouts.
Or his much-loved caramelised pork
hock dish, featuring tender,
masterstock-braised meat, coated in
sticky caramel, and topped with crisp
fried garlic and chilli vinegar.
While it shares some dishes, Short
Grain is not a clone of Longrain. The
experience is less formal; the room is
brighter; and there’s a small grocer
section, with jars of house-made curry
pastes and sauces. The food, however,
is equally flavour-packed, balancing the
essential Thai flavours: sweet, salty,
spicy, sour and bitter. Throughout his
career, Boetz has been able to amplify
these flavours to great success.
In a way, it’s serendipitous that
Short Grain even exists. When Boetz
moved back to Brisbane, he intended
to open a small Thai grocer, not
a restaurant. But when he stumbled
upon a stunning heritage-listed space
that was too big for that, the result
became a hybrid of the two. Boetz has
long-term plans to step back from the
restaurant and focus on the grocer.
Maybe that time will come.
For now, let’s celebrate the return
of a home-grown star. •
PHOTOGRAPHY JEREMY SIMONS.
38 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Melbourne
From left: Mischa
Tropp (right) and
co-owner Michael
Mabuti; kadala
(brown chickpea
curry) and
cabbage thoran.
PRICE GUIDE $$
BOOKINGS No
OPENING HOURS
Lunch Sat-Sun;
Dinner Tue-Sun
VERDICT
A taste of Kerala
Rear, 191A Smith St,
Fitzroy, Vic
@toddyshop.local
Naarm
TODDY SHOP BY
MARTHANDEN HOTEL
Review
Mum’s the word for chef Mischa Tropp, whose latest
venture is an irresistible tribute to her home cooking,
writes MICHAEL HARDEN.
PHOTOGRAPHY HAYDEN DIBB.
Toddy Shop, the new Fitzroy
side-street diner celebrating
the bright flavours of Kerala,
is an excellent addition to Melbourne’s
current wave of restaurants (Joining
the likes of Monbulk’s Enter Via
Laundry and Fitzroy’s Ish) bringing the
impressive variety and versatility of
Indian cuisine to a broader audience.
Exciting times for those looking to take
a deeper dive into India’s regional
variety and for those ready to see the
generic term “Indian food” shelved for
something less reductive.
Toddy Shop chef and co-owner
Mischa Tropp’s mum is from Kerala, the
coastal state in India’s south-west, and
much of the food on the short, sharp
menu here is based on the food he ate
growing up. It riffs on simple, home-
style cooking, with a depth of flavour
that makes you envy his upbringing.
Like the fortifying warmly spiced
okra pachadi, with spinach, onions
and yoghurt playing nicely with the
almost-melted okra; the gorgeous
white cabbage thoran that folds
coconut, turmeric and curry leaves
into a beautifully balanced sweet
and spicy mix; and the slow-cooked
pumpkin combined with a parade
of flavours, from chillies and turmeric
to cumin and mustard seeds - all
borrowed from the chef’s mum.
There are more great vegetables
- the coconut gravy ulli theeyal, which
brings curry leaves fried in coconut oil,
roasted shallots and roasted coconut
to the table, is a standout - but, typical
of this region, with its Hindu, Muslim
and Christian influences, there’s
skilfully cooked animal protein on
offer, too.
A menu on the dusky pink wall of
Toddy Shop’s compact 20-seat dining
area lists a variety of meat and seafood
dishes but, given the tiny kitchen, there
will usually be just two available each
day. Pray for the fish nadan to be on
- the beautifully deep-flavoured red
fish curry includes three different types
of chilli, including Kashmiri, responsible
for the vibrant colour.
A stew-like goat curry with
cardamom, green chilli, and flashes
of clove, will also make you feel as if
you’ve hit the jackpot.
Alcohol is part of the Keralan eating
culture and Toddy Shop reflects that
with a range of theme-appropriate
cocktails (the Bengali Martini made
with saffron-infused vodka is a cracker)
and a compact, beautifully constructed
and well-priced wine list that favours
France and Victoria.
Great music (Indian disco is
a specialty), switched-on service and
an atmosphere somewhere between
bar and restaurant would be enough
to get you through Toddy Shop’s door
even without the food. Start eating,
though, and you might just find yourself
checking out hotels in Kerala. •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 39
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— MARCH —
Ы) I
1/111
Eight Reserve. BIB
SPIRIT WORLD
New releases, Filipino sips,
exploring the wines of the
Limestone Coast, trends to know
and how to make Long Chim’s
Rich Boi cocktail at home.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 41
My childhood was a standard suburban
upbringing in Fremont, California. Chain
restaurants, fast food and candy were
always on tap. I’ve sustained my sweet
tooth to this day, so it’s not uncommon
for me to throw out candy descriptors like
Red Vines and Swedish Fish.
What led me to wine? I was working at
Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Times
Square, and overheard two managers
talking about having just sat for the Court
of Master Sommeliers introductory exam.
I was at a point of giving up the dream of
becoming an actor, so I was very open to
finding a new career path. I ordered a copy
of The Wine Bible and never looked back.
</)
Aphotic is a seafood restaurant. I spend
a lot of time thinking about our wine
pairing. I’ll often win lots of three or four
bottles at auction just to keep one for the
list while committing the others to pairing.
This ensures I can expose our guests to
rare and back-vintage wines they wouldn’t
normally get the opportunity to taste.
Many of us don’t consider Australia to
have much else to offer aside from big,
juicy shiraz. But when I can get a bottle of
pinot noir or Chardonnay from Victoria in
front of one of my guests, you can
practically see their minds explode.
The best dining experiences? Ones that
allow you to enjoy the company of your
friends. I look for an a la carte menu in
a restaurant that’s loud and packed to the
gills. I’ve never had to look much further
than House of Prime Rib in San Francisco.
A lot of guests have been asking about
Rhone Valley whites, lately. I used
to make fun of my wife because her
favourite varietal is marsanne, but maybe
she’s on to something.
GIN SPIN
There’s a lot to love about Aboriginal-owned and operated business
Taka Gin Co. Native lemongrass, lemon-scented gum and desert
limes are among the ingredients in the delightfully curious Taka
Native Fusion Gin. The explosion of flavours is thanks to botanicals,
carefully chosen by co-owners Niyoka Bundle and her husband
Vincent Manning. Taka means ‘taste’ in their Gunditjmara language
from South West Victoria. The artwork on the label was created by
Aboriginal artist Vicki Couzens (Niyoka’s mothefy. takaginco.com.au
EDITED BY KATIE SPAIN
DRINKS NEWS
TOP DROPS, NEW OPENINGS,
AND INSIDE TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS
о
Patience Is a virtue at Sydney’s newest Cantonese restaurant Pearl - if
you order the Pearl cocktail, that Is. Made from Moutai (Chinese baijiu,
a unique glutinous sorghum-based spirit), pineapple, orgeat syrup and
lime, it takes more than 20 minutes to arrive. It’s made and frozen ahead
of service and, once requested, is defrosted for 20 minutes. Once served,
presented as an edible sphere in the pearl shell in which it was made,
it can be downed much like a shot. $26. pearldining.com.au
42 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Drinks news
STILL CREATIVE
Distillers Jon and Sarah Lark are legends of gin.
When they launched Kangaroo Island Spirits in 2006,
it was the first Australian distillery dedicated to craft
gin. The distilling chapter that followed paved the
way for Australia’s craft gin movement. Back then,
there were little more than a dozen distilleries in
operation across Australia. Fourteen years later,
Jon and Sarah sold their company, having picked
up numerous international awards.
The pair have always anchored their work to
the land around them. They first met in the desert
in WA, where Sarah was teaching and Jon was
working with the Spinifex people (Pila Nguru), an
ongoing commitment for more than 40 years.
Today, their new brand, Still Friends, is focused
on their original small-batch artisanal roots.
“We don’t feel like we need to prove ourselves
anymore. There’s a real freedom in that,” says
Sarah. “We want to focus on making something
really extraordinary.”
The first Still Friends release is a Rose Geranium
& Pomegranate Gin. “Kangaroo Island has a beautiful
botanicals that grow well here,” says Sarah. “We’re
already growing the rose geranium and we hand-
pick the pomegranates from a friend’s garden.”
A small but charming former school building in
the Kangaroo Island town of Kingscote will be home
to the Still Friends distillery, cellar door and bar
(called the Old School Gin Bar) which will serve their
gins, vermouth and bitters - all distilled on site. The
venue will open later this year.
“The bar will showcase what we make,” Sarah
says, “but we also have a huge library of gins from
around the world that we want to share with visitors.”
From above left:
Still Friends
Rose Geranium
& Pomegranate
Gin; Jon and
Sarah Lark.
Mediterranean climate, and those are the kind of
stillfriendsgin. com. a и
PHOTOGRAPHY LAUREN GRAY (JAI LYONS).
WATER WORKS
Prickly pear cactus is the hero in
Melbourne brand BetterDays’ range of
sparkling water beverages. Prickly pears
hail from the deserts of Mexico and
have long been used for their
antioxidants, electrolytes and vitamins.
The range includes cucumber, mint
and collagen cactus water; hibiscus,
watermelon and nootropics cactus
water; and prickly pear and electrolytes
cactus water, drinkbetterdays.com
TEQUILA HEIGHTS
As bottles go, this voluptuous beauty is a head-turner. Refreshingly,
what’s inside is top notch, too. The Eight Reserve by 818 is a full-bodied
combination of anejos that have been aged from one to eight years
in French and American barrels. Its hand-crafted ceramic decanter
is quite the conversation starter. $350, drink818.com
GOURMET TRAVELLER 43
Wine peopl e
MEET THE IMPORTER
SIEGFRID “SIGGY” BACANI
After working for premium beverage brands, Siggy Bacani launched
7000 Islands, an import/export business bringing Filipino spirits
to Australia and sharing Australian wines with the world.
MATION
GIN
PROCLA
Clockwise from left:
a selection of spirits
and wines from 7000
Islands; importer
Siggy Bacani.
What was the backdrop to your childhood? I grew up in Quezon
City, north of Metro Manila, Philippines. Born to Kapampangan
parents from the rice growing provinces of Pampanga and Tarlac, two
regions which hug Mount Pinatubo - an active volcano which last
erupted in 1991. The Kapampangans north of the Philippines are like
the Basque people of Spain, an anomaly to the neighbouring
languages and a gastronomic centre for both countries.
What were the flavours and aromas that shaped your childhood?
My “food library” of references was deeply ingrained in me and
developed from a young age by “sittings” with my Iola (grandmother).
She taught me to smell my food, and taught me the art of sangkutsa,
preparing ingredients and marinating to create flavours.
What was your first impression of wine? I will always remember my
first taste of wine, a beverage quite foreign to me. It was an Annie’s
Lane Riesling from South Australia. It was so different from anything
I’d tasted before. It was crisp, reminiscent of beer but only fleetingly,
more apple and honey on the tongue, and dry - which was a concept
I came to know as the “absence of sugar”. As a Filipino with an Asian
palate and food pantry to match, this was difficult to understand.
What led you to found 7000 Islands? It started off as a desire to
open a Filipino tapas wine bar inspired by my visits to Euskal Herria
(San Sebastian) and the micro-wine bars where they served pintxos.
It was an ambition that evolved to exporting wine to the Philippines.
My “itch” has always been: why isn’t more Filipino cuisine being
paired with Australian wine? It’s this perfect match of my two loves,
which I wanted to share with the world.
How does Filipino cuisine work with wine? Filipino gastronomy
is complex. As a cuisine, it’s multi-layered and truly celebrates sour,
bitter and umami tastes. When paired with the diversity and equally
complex wines of Australia, the result is magic.
Are there any misconceptions about Filipino beverages? The
general misconception is that it’s a beer country, mainly in the pilsner
style, and gin - two European-style beverages inherited from the
Spanish. Dig a little deeper - past the karaoke and street bars - and
you will find a deep Filipino tradition ofcrafting alcoholic beverages
that goes back four centuries.
7000islands. com. au
PHOTOGRAPHY ASHLEE NORMAN
44 GOURMET TRAVELLER
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^Fronds
Limestone
Coast
Between Melbourne and
Adelaide, this cool climate wine
region is ripe for discovery,
writes SA M Al\TH A PAYNE.
Peering out the window of a tiny
prop plane, the beauty' of the
Limestone Coast region takes
hold. So awe-inspiring is the Vast
landscape below, it overshadows the terror
of feeling every bump, jump and shudder
of turbulence on the 45-minute flight
south from Adelaide.
The Limestone Coast is an emerging
wine region steeped in Australian wine
history - a contradiction in terms I know.
Home to the famed Coonawarra, with
its first vineyards planted in 1890 and
Australia’s two newest Gls (Geographical
Indicators) for the vineyards planted in
Wrattonbully and Robe in 2005 and
2006, respectively.
So, when the region is so varied,
spanning multiple very different Gls across
a vast land mass, how to you characterise
its agriculture, farming, and winemaking?
“You build stories on truth and science,”
explains Sue Bell, owner and winemaker at
Bellwether Wines. While Bell’s winery and
cellar door are situated in Coonawarra,
before 2009, she worked at one of the
recognised wineries across the Limestone
Coast, Hardy’s. “Working for Hardy’s
fed my own personal curiosity of what
made each site different and similar from
a viticultural framework.”
The most profound climatic feature
of the region is the cold ocean current that
kicks off the coast of Robe in January,
known as the “Bonney Upwelling”. This
impact on viticulture is immediate, Bell
Wine country
explains, “It moderates the summer, so
we won’t have those temperature spikes
seen in other wine regions. We experience
both maritime and continental climates
here.” This makes the regions suitable
for varieties such as chardonnay and
other textural whites alongside lighter
red expressions.
Running through the characters
of each Limestone Coast subregion
through the lens of chardonnay, Bell
describes that “Mount Gambier exhibits
more acid and a profound flintiness,
tight complexity’ that is very much
a regional expression.” After trying her
not-yet-released chardonnay from the ,
region, I tend to agree. The wine was
enormously flavoursome without being
flabby because of the tight linear acidity
in the background of the wine.
Standing under the gum trees
in the Naracoorte Cave National Park,
with a glass of Bell’s Mount Gambier
chardonnay in one hand and a genuinely
mouthwatering locally caught crayfish
sandwich in the other, it struck me
turbulence on a tiny plane is a-small
price to pay to experience the
wonder of the Limestone Coast. •
The vineyards mentioned in this piece, planted across the
vast area known as the Limestone Coast, are the traditional
lands of the Booandlk, Cannawigra, Meintangk, Ngarrlndjerl,
Tatiara/Ngarkatand Wirrega people. Middens, rock shelters,
and canoe markings on trees can be seen throughout the
region as it was a widely travelled area for the various clans.
•VAt L,A,^O
Samantha is
a sommelier,
writer and wine
consultant.
<isl_payne
2023 Cape Jaffa En Solell Pinot Gris,
Wrattonbully, $28
Made with biodynamic grapes from Wrattonbully.
Honeydew melon aromas burst from the glass with
Granny Smith apples and hints of almond praline
on the palate, capejaffawines.com.au
2023 Ottelia Riesling, Mount Gambier, $32
Sitting on the drier end of the spectrum, pink
grapefruit pith and lemon balm are on the forefront
of the palate, with lime peel and slatey mlnerality
coming up the rear. This is a quintessential
example of why Australia is home to dry and zesty
riesling styles, ottelia.com.au
2023 Wangolina Seasons Malvasia Istriana,
Mount Benson, $45
Malvasia hails from Greece but made Its name in
Friuli, Italy, as the base for the region’s many skin
contact (or “orange”) wines. Don’t let the colour
deter; this wine’s texture, pristine balance and
fleshy quince notes will win over conventional
wine drinkers, wangolina.com.au
2021 Bellwether Ant Series Barbera,
Wrattonbully, $35
This barbera is made to be juicy and vibrant,
perfect for dunking in an ice bucket when the
weather is warm. Suited to pizze and take-away on
a Friday night or a perfect accompaniment at
a barbecue with all things charred.
bellwetherwines.com.au
2022 Penley Francis Cabernet Franc,
Coonawarra, $30
The Coonawarra is home to outstanding cabernet
and cabernet blends. This show-stopping wine is
made of cabernet franc, the father grape of
cabernet sauvignon. It exhibits a bounty of
raspberry, black plum, dried sage, and green
peppercorn characteristics.
penley.com.au
GOURMET TRAVELLER 47
Happy hour
RICH BOI
For weekly cocktail
inspiration, follow
us on Instagram
(igourmettraveller
Each month, we explore the
origins behind some of the
world’s signa lure drinks and
learn how to recreate them.
Much like David Thompson’s high-octane
cooking, the cocktails at Long Chim in
Perth take their cues from the flavours
and characters found on the frenetic
streets of Thailand. The inspiration for
the sherbet-based bracer dubbed the
Rich Boi, however, isn’t a boy or a man.
It’s a feisty canine that beverage manager
Matt Bodycote met in Sukhothai, the
ancient Siamese capital.
“Near the end of my visit to the
village,” he says, “after befriending the
owner of a local bar and what I thought
to be his dog, I said to the owner: ‘It’s cool
that your dog can come to work with you
and sit on the stools with your guests.’
The owner looked at me, confused, and
replied: ‘This is not my dog, this is just
a rich boi, who comes here every day
and thinks he can do whatever he wants!”’
The zesty drink follows in the
footsteps of its uninhibited namesake,
freely mining all corners of the citrus
spectrum, from sweet and floral to bitter
and earthy. What ties them all together,
says Bodycote, is an ingredient you won’t
find in the recipe: “It’s just plain fun.”
MAKE IT YOURSELF
For hopped sherbet, combine 30gm lime peels with 70gm
orange peels in ajar, and add 100gm caster sugar. Leave at room
temperature for 24 hours. Add 100ml lime juice and 200ml orange juice
to the sugar, mix until the sugar has dissolved and remove the peels. In
a cocktail shaker, combine 45ml hopped sherbet, 30ml Four Pillars Fresh
Yuzu Gin, 15ml Campari, 15ml orange liqueur and 1 drop of orange blossom
water. Fill with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into
a Nick and Nora glass and garnish with a makrut lime leaf.

1
(Л
THREE ORANGE
LIQUEURS
TO TRY
Autonomy Distillers
Orange Liqueur
Spent orange and blood
orange peels from a local
juice factory star In this
silken-textured number
from a loop-closing
Melbourne distillery.
$49 for 500ml
autonomydlstillers. com.au
Luxardo Triplum
Triple Sec
There’s a floral top note
to Luxardo’s orange
liqueur, thanks to the
addition of orange
blossom, pennyroyal
and verbena.
$55 for 7OOml
danmurphys.com.au
Pierre Ferrand Dry
Curasao
Those looking for
nuanced, spice-driven
complexity will find it
here, In master distiller
Alexandre Gabriel’s take
on a 19th-century recipe.
$77 for 7OOml
nicks.com.au
Top drops
PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES & KRISTINA SOUO (PORTRAIT).
4 WINES
TO TRY
Texture is I lie word on t he street, says NED
GOODWIN as tannic wines take the spotlight
Soft, soupy wine styles bereft of
structure that smell like lilac and
cola are yesterday. Texture is in!
Today, wine with maximum street
credibility is equated with savouriness and
tannic chomp derived from the grape skins,
rather than obvious oak. Not too much,
mind you, but enough chewiness to stimulate
the saliva in readiness for the next glass.
These trending wines permit a bit of a chill
rather than the deep freeze of the “chilled
red” category.
Wine made by real people from real
places is cool, too. Better that than wine
derived from an algorithm punched into
a machine, a formula relayed to a phalanx
of steel vats. For the cool kids, these mass*
produced wines evoke dystopian visions of
the world dying, akin to heavy bottles and
pairing menus. The street says be open-minded,
try new things, drink what you want as long as
it is not raw oysters and red wine, especially
from a big, heavy bottle.
The street suggests that it is even better
when those places are coolish climate, or
filled with later ripening, less thirsty and
environmentally apt grenache and other
Mediterranean varieties. Cool, too, when
those real people know what they are doing.
Reconciling the trophies of ethical vineyard
certification with poor practises in the cellar,
is as challenging as vapid talk of sustainability
when the earth between the vines is scorched.
Finally, goodbye Provencal rose, a category
best returned to its traditional custodians in
sandals and socks.
Ned Goodwin is a Master of Wine and wine communicator at Langtons, anedgoodwinmw
2022 Graci, Etna Bianco
DOC, Sicily, $55
From the sulphurous caldera
of Etna, a living volcano in
Sicily, bestowing a wine style
destined for street cred.
Textural precision, breadth,
pungent mineral torque and
latent power. Repeat after me,
“carricante”. An example of
why texture over fruit is a far
more Interesting proposition.
2022 Alkina Kin Grenache,
Barossa Valley, SA, $35
McLaren Vale gets most of
the press when it comes to
grenache, yet when forensic
soil studies, clay amphorae,
biodynamic viticulture and
a crack team of craftspeople
mesh in the Barossa, it is
best the street takes notice.
Kirsch, dried thyme and
campfire in a glass.
2021 Le P’tit Domain Le
Coup d’Douze, Saumur-
Champigny, Loire, $40
Once, all roads led to
Burgundy. Now they divert
elsewhere, as pricing
becomes unsustainable for
all but the oligarch on a yacht.
The rumble on the street has
long upheld the shimmering
beauty of franc from the Loire.
Floral and piquant, with a
refreshing verdant lilt amid
currant and sap.
2021 Capanna, Rosso di
Montalcino DOC,
Tuscany, $45
Few do chew and chomp
better than Italians.
Sangiovese from the
decomposed shale of
southern Tuscany. Brunello
may be the luxe wine from
these parts, but I’d rather
a frisky rosso any day of
the week, particularly
from a staunch traditionalist
like Capanna.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 49

Bendigo International Collections
PARIS
Impressions of Life 16 March - 14 July 2024
1880 - 1925	Bendigo exclusive
BENDIGO
ART GALLERY
bendigoartgallery.com.au
MUSEE
CARNAVALET
HISTOIRE
DE PARIS
©CITY OF GREATER
BENDIGO
^^ORIA
blue illusion
LATROBE
UNIVERSITY
о/ AllianceFran^aise
I Melbourne
LIIL balgownie
Illi BENDIGO
® BENDIGO
TOURISM
М^гИге
Ш HOTELSX^
@bendigoartgallery o©
Exhibition organised by the Мизёе Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris, Paris Musdes. Image credit: Jean Bdraud, The Entrance to the 1889 Universal Exhibition (detail) 1B89, oil on wood, Musde Carnavalet
© CCO Paris Musees / Musee Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris.
— MARCH —
l .\ I in l)V>
Easy entertaining, weeknight dinners and suppers to share,
all made with speed, without sacrificing flavour.
VEGETARIAN
GLUTEN FREE
DAIRY FREE
Photography JOHN PAUL URIZAR Styling LUCY BUSUTTIL
Food preparation REBECCA LYALL Recipes DOMINIC SMITH
GOURMET TRAVELLER 51
Prawn and crab toast with herb salad
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 20 MINS (PLUS REFRIGERATING)
1 loaf sourdough bread
Black sesame seeds, for scattering
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Sriracha mayonnaise, to serve
PRAWN AND CRAB TOPPING
600 gm uncooked prawns, coarsely
chopped
1 eggwhite
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp fine salt
2 tbsp thinly sliced coriander stems
125 gm uncooked crab meat (see note)
GREEN PAPAYA AND HERB SALAD
80 ml (1/з cup) each lime juice and
lemon-infused olive oil
Уд cup each (loosely packed) coriander,
mint and Vietnamese mint leaves
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/д green papaya, cut into julienne
1	For prawn topping, place all
ingredients except crab in a food
processor and pulse to a coarse paste.
Transfer to a bowl, season to taste and
stir through crab meat. Refrigerate for
at least 30 minutes to firm up.
2	Remove ends from sourdough and cut
loaf into 1cm-thick slices. Top each slice
with a thick layer (1cm) of topping and
sprinkle with sesame seeds.
3	Heat oil in a deep-fryer or deep
saucepan to 180°C. Fry each piece of
toast separately until golden and
topping is cooked (3-5 minutes). Drain
on paper towels and cut in half.
4	For green papaya and herb salad,
place ingredients in a large bowl,
season to taste and toss to combine.
5	To serve, scatter with green papaya
and herb salad with sriracha mayonnaise
on the side.
Note Uncooked crab meat can be
bought frozen from speciality grocers
and fishmongers.
COOKING TIP
After assembling prawn toast,
refrigerate for 15-30 minutes.
Chilling helps the prawn mixture
set, making it easier to handle
and prevents the filling falling
apart while frying.
52 GOURMET TRAVELLER
375 gm sheet butter puff pastry (see note)
300 gm ricotta
1 egg
1/4 cup each (loosely packed) tarragon
and flat-leaf parsley
Zucchini, ricotta and mixed mushroom galette
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 20 MINS (PLUS REFRIGERATING, RESTING)
1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Cut four,
Hem-diameter rounds from pastry, place
on an oven tray lined with baking paper.
Score part-way through pastry with
a small sharp knife to form a 1cm border.
2 tsp thyme
Prick inside border with a fork,
1 lemon, finely grated rind only
refrigerate for 15 minutes.
300 gm mixed seasonal mushrooms
(we used shimeji, shiitake and king
brown), coarsely chopped
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 zucchini flowers, stems thinly sliced,
leaves torn
2 Process ricotta, egg, herbs and rind in
a food processor until smooth, season to
taste, then spread over tart bases, inside
borders. Bake until golden and crisp
(15-20 minutes).
3 Meanwhile, place mushrooms in
a single layer on a baking tray.
Drizzle oil over mushrooms and roast
until golden (10-12 minutes). Transfer to
a bowl with zucchini, torn flowers,
season to taste and toss to combine.
Divide mixture among tarts, drizzle
with roasting juices; serve warm.
Note We use Careme butter puff
pastry. >
GOURMET TRAVELLER 53
SERVING SUGESTION
For added texture,
sprinkle with chopped
peanuts or cashews.
2
2
1
100
Pork and shiitake sang choi ban
SERVES 2 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 6 MINS
2
400
Г/2
2
2
5
tbsp peanut oil
gm minced pork
tbsp finely chopped ginger
garlic cloves, finely chopped
golden shallots, thinly sliced
shiitake mushrooms, trimmed,
thinly sliced
tbsp Shaoxing wine
tbsp soy sauce
tsp each brown sugar and sesame oil
gm rice vermicelli, soaked in boiling
water for 5 minutes, drained
Baby cos leaves, bean sprouts, sliced
spring onion, sliced red chilli, to
serve
1 Heat oil in a hot wok over high heat,
add pork, ginger and garlic, and stir-fry
until fragrant (1 minute). Add shallots
and mushrooms, and stir-fry until
beginning to soften (30 seconds), then
add wine, soy sauce, sugar and sesame
oil, and stir-fry until pork is cooked
(3-5 minutes).
2 Add noodles and toss to combine,
then spoon into lettuce cups. Arrange
on a platter scattered with bean
sprouts, sliced spring onion and sliced
red chilli.
54 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Everyday
Lemongrass and palm
sugar lamb skewers
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 10 MINS
(PLUS MARINATING, RESTING)
4
3
1
1
2
2
2
1
30
1
1/4
2
60
garlic cloves
coriander roots
lemongrass stalk, white part only,
finely chopped
tsp white peppercorns
tbsp peanut oil
tbsp condensed milk
tbsp fish sauce
tsp gluten-free soy sauce
gm light palm sugar, finely grated
tsp coriander seeds, toasted
tsp ground star anise
lamb backstraps (250gm each),
trimmed, cut into 2cm strips
ml coconut cream (1Л cup)
Betel leaves, to serve
1 Place garlic, coriander roots,
lemongrass, peppercorns, oil,
condensed milk, sauces, sugar and
spices in a food processor and process
until finely chopped and combined.
Transfer to a large bowl with lamb,
season to taste and toss to combine;
marinate for 30 minutes.
2 Heat a barbecue or char-grill pan to
low. Thread two lamb strips onto each
skewer and grill in batches, turning
occasionally and brushing with coconut
cream, until charred and just cooked
(6-10 minutes). Serve on betel leaves
with a side of steamed rice (optional). >
FLAVOUR TIP
If you have time, marinate the
lamb the day before to allow the
flavours to develop.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 55
800 gm chat potatoes, halved
60 ml (1/д cup) vegetable oil or ghee
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1	onion, thinly sliced
2	tbsp finely chopped ginger
1 long green chilli, finely chopped,
plus extra thinly sliced to serve
5 fresh curry leaves, plus extra fried
to serve
1 tsp cumin seeds
Уд tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 head broccoli (480gm), cut into
large florets
4 eggs
Basmati rice and lime pickle (see
note), to serve
1	Cook potato in a saucepan of boiling
salted water until tender (10-12 minutes),
drain well and set aside to steam
(5 minutes).
2	Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan over
medium heat, add mustard seeds and
cook until seeds pop (1 minute). Add
onion, ginger and chilli, and cook until
tender (5-6 minutes). Add curry leaves
and spices and cook until fragrant
(1 minute). Add potato and florets with 2
tbsp water, cover, and simmer for 5
minutes. Season to taste and keep warm.
3 Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over
medium-high heat and fry eggs until
cooked to your liking (3-4 minutes for
just set), transfer to a plate (keep warm).
Serve hot potato mixture on a bed of
basmati rice, top with a fried egg, scatter
with extra fried curry leaves and chilli,
season to taste. Serve with lime pickle
on the side.
Note Lime pickle is available from
supermarkets and Indian grocers.
ORIGINS
This recipe is inspired by
Bombay Aloo, a popular Indian
dish where boiled potatoes are
paired with a fragrant mix of
onions, tomatoes and spices.
56 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Salmon with ginger bol ter,
soba noodles and radish
SERVES 4II PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS RESTING)
4 boneless salmon pieces (200gm
each), skin on
270 gm packet soba noodles
1/д cup Chinese cabbage, shredded
3 mixed baby heirloom radishes,
shaved
2 small Lebanese cucumbers,
thinly sliced
60 ml (Уд cup) ponzu
Ajishima Nori Furikake (see note),
edamame and salmon roe, to serve
GINGER BUTTER
250 gm unsalted butter, at room
1 For ginger butter, place butter in bowl
of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk
attachment and whisk until light and
fluffy. Reduce speed to low, add
remaining ingredients, season to taste
and whisk until combined. Place % cup
butter in a small saucepan over medium
heat, stirring until melted (1-2 minutes).
Brush salmon liberally with melted butter
and season to taste.
2 Heat a large frying pan over high
heat. Add half butter and cook salmon
skin-side down until skin is golden
cabbage, cucumbers and ponzu in
a bowl, toss well to combine and divide
among serving bowls. Scatter over
edamame, salmon roe and Ajishima Nori
Furikake. Top with salmon and serve
immediately with extra melted butter
on the side.
Note Ajishima Nori Furikake and ponzu
are available at supermarkets and
Japanese grocers. >
temperature
1 tbsp finely grated ginger (see note)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked,
finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salmon roe, to serve
and crisp (3-4 minutes) turn and cook
further until salmon is cooked to
medium (3-4 minutes). Rest before
serving (5 minutes).
3 Meanwhile, cook soba noodles in
a saucepan of boiling salted water until
just tender (3-5 minutes), refresh under
USE IT UP
Leftover butter can be wrapped in
plastic wrap and frozen for up to six
months. Defrost and use as desired.
MIX IT UP
Get creative with shapes.
You can make classic straight
churros or try making loops
or spirals for something
a bit different.
Lemon sugar churros with mixed berr
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 20 MINS (PLUS RESTING, COOLING)
325 gm plain flour
30 gm caster sugar, plus extra for
dusting
60 ml (Уд cup) olive oil
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
MIXED BERRY COMPOTE
220 gm (1 cup) caster sugar
125 gm each raspberries and
strawberries, halved
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
LEMON SUGAR
125 gm caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 Combine flour, sugar and a pinch
of salt in an electric mixer fitted with
a paddle attachment.
2 Bring oil and 450ml water to the boil
in a saucepan over high heat, then, with
the motor running on low speed,
gradually add to flour until all
incorporated. Increase speed to high and
beat until a very smooth dough forms
(2-3 minutes). Transfer dough to a piping
bag fitted with a 1.5cm star nozzle and
push down to remove any air bubbles
in the bag. Refrigerate to rest for
30 minutes.
3	Meanwhile, for mixed berry compote,
bring sugar and 125ml water to the boil
in a small saucepan. Add berries and
simmer until mixture thickens slightly
(10 minutes). Remove from heat and
stir in lime juice and rind; transfer to
a bowl to cool.
4	For lemon sugar, place ingredients
in a bowl and stir to combine.
5	Heat oil in a deep-fryer or deep
saucepan to 180°C. Working in batches
of three to four, pipe lengths of mixture
(about 10cm-15cm) into hot oil, cutting
off dough with scissors (be careful,
hot oil will spit). Deep-fry, turning
occasionally, until golden (3-5 minutes),
then remove and drain on paper
towels. Toss in lemon sugar, shaking
off excess and serve immediately
with mixed berry compote. •
58 GOURMET TRAVELLER
DENMARK
COOKWARE,
REDEFINED
Meet the demands of your busy kitchen with
HaptlQ. It pairs durable, commercial grade
nonstick with a five-ply stainless-steel body.
Scanpan HaptiQ • 4.8L Chef Pan
scanpan.com.au

BHAV.C
ONINGS
se chicken
Masterclass
When chef Josh Lewis noticed his hometown of Brunswick Heads, NSW,
was missing a classic chicken shop (and he had some downtime from
running his fine diner Fleet) he took matters into his own hands.
Years in the making, Birds of Paradise is a quintessential takeaway
chicken shop reimagined for the Northern Rivers. While rotisserie chooks spin every
day, occasionally, Lewis will do his version of a Portuguese-style bird. “Whenever I put
something like this on, 1 tend to use our same brined birds we cook day to day. Then
we just marinate them in the fridge for a further 12 hours before cooking,” he says.
He recommends cooking over coals in a basket or skewered, or directly on a barbecue.
Ask your butcher to butterfly
your chicken for you. Your
chicken is cooked when the
internal temperature reaches
75°C on a meat thermometer.
Step by step
BEGIN THIS RECIPE A DAY AHEAD
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 25 MINS (PLUS BRINING, MARINATING) // COOK 55 MINS (PLUS RESTING)
1 (1.6kg) chicken, butterfl led (see tips)
5 tsp cumin seeds
5 tsp smoked paprika
Т/г tbsp sweet paprika
V2 tsp whole black peppercorns
V2 tsp cayenne pepper
6 garlic cloves
160 ml (2/з cup) extra-virgin olive oil
Peeled zest and juice of 1 lemon
8 sprigs thyme
5 sprigs oregano
3 sprigs rosemary, plus extra to serve
Lemon wedges, crinkle-cut chips and
hot sauce, to serve
CHICKEN BRINE
3 tsp citric acid
85 gm (1/4 cup) fine salt
IFor brine, place citric acid, salt and
2.5 litres (6 cups) water in a large
non-reactive container and whisk until
salt has dissolved. Add chicken and
submerge, ensuring brine completely
covers chicken. Cover with lid and
refrigerate overnight. Drain well and pat
dry with paper towel.
2 Heat a small frying pan over
medium heat. Add cumin and cook,
tossing, until toasted (2 minutes).
3 Place cumin, smoked and sweet
paprika, peppercorns, cayenne,
garlic, olive oil and lemon juice in
a blender; blend on high speed until
smooth; season to taste. Transfer
marinade mixture to a large dish lined
with baking paper. Add lemon zest,
thyme, oregano and rosemary, and
stir to combine.
Л Add chicken to marinade and coat
_L well. Cover with plastic wrap and
marinate in the fridge for 12 hours.
kx Preheat a lightly greased barbecue
* J with a lid to medium-high. Remove
chicken from marinade and cook,
skin-side down, until lightly browned
(5 minutes). Turn over and cook until
lightly browned (5 minutes). Leaving
chicken skin-side up, place over indirect
heat. Close barbecue lid and roast at
200°C, basting occasionally with
remaining marinade, until chicken is
charred all over and cooked through
(40 minutes). Rest for 10 minutes
before serving.
6 Transfer chicken to a large serving
platter. Serve with lemon wedges,
crinkle-cut chips and your favourite hot
sauce on the side.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 61
IT’S SHOWTIME
LET’S COOK
Set the stage for a crowd-pleasing feast with this delicious herb-crusted lamb rack
with roasted autumn vegetables and Lurpak as the supporting act.
The countdown is on. With
Easter celebrations just
around the corner, the
pressure on every cook is to deliver
a sizzling performance in their
kitchen. It’s your time to be the
master of your craft and to
impress your friends and family.
Every dish will have its moment...
as will you.
From the time you choose your
first recipe to selecting your
ingredients, your time to shine
draws closer. Lists are made,
quality ingredients are purchased,
knives are sharpened and the
performance really begins.
It’s a finely timed show in the
kitchen as each act leads to the
next. Pots and pans form the
chorus as you take your rightful
place. And then, as masterfully
as it was planned, your guests will
delight in the magnificent reveal.
An Easter masterpiece - a delicious
mouth-watering showpiece that
will have everyone in admiration
of your kitchen prowess. Get
ready to take a bow.
Lamb rack with herb crust and autumn vegetables
SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 1 HR 30 MINS
Lamb is a classic centrepiece at many Easter celebrations. This simple recipe for a lamb
roast is sure to impress guests. Lurpak® Slightly Salted Butter will help create a delicious
herb-infused crust for the lamb and also enhance the nutty flavour of roasted autumn
vegetables as a side.
2 lamb racks (8 bones;
about 900gm)
HERB CRUST
150 gm Lurpak® Slightly
Salted Butter
4 tarragon sprigs
Zest of 1 lemon
1	tsp cumin seeds
2	garlic cloves, finely
chopped
2 spring onions, finely
chopped
50 gm breadcrumbs
(see note)
AUTUMN VEGETABLES
5 carrots
4 turnips (about 400gm),
trimmed, cut into wedges
3 spring onions, cut into
3cm lengths
50 gm Lurpak® Slightly
Salted Butter
5 tarragon sprigs
Juice of 1 lemon
1 For herb crust, remove
leaves from tarragon stems
and coarsely chop.
2 In a bowl, mix butter with
tarragon, lemon zest, cumin,
garlic, spring onions and
breadcrumbs. Season to
taste with sea salt and
freshly ground black pepper.
3 Spread the crust mix over
the lamb racks and
refrigerate for 30 minutes
for the butter to set before
roasting.
4 For autumn vegetables,
cut carrots in half and then
again in half lengthways.
5 Melt butter in a frying pan
and add vegetables and
tarragon, and cook for a few
minutes. Season to taste
and place in a roasting pan.
6 For lamb rack, preheat
oven to 155°C (fan-forced)
or 175°C. Place lamb on
vegetables in roasting pan
and roast for 20 minutes or
until crust is golden.
7 Rest lamb, covered, for
5-10 minutes. Cut lamb
racks into 8 cutlets, leaving
the bone on. Place
vegetables on a serving
platter and top with lamb,
making sure crust is evenly
spread on lamb.
8 Drizzle lamb and
vegetables with lemon juice
and serve immediately.
Note For breadcrumbs,
toast stale bread until
dry and crumble; the
crumb does not need to
be superfine.
Lurpak® Butter
With its delicate taste, Lurpak® Slightly Salted Butter enhances
the flavour of any dish or recipe you add it to. Let Lurpak elevate
your cooking performance.
esi9 у	> ’901
LURPAK
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Easter recipes visit
lurpak.com
Not all avenues are created equal, writes LEE TULLOCH.
Here, she shares her favourite boulevards and avenues across
the globe, made for strolling, roaming and window shopping.
I’ve been a flaneuse all my life. That’s the female
equivalent of flaneur - a stroller, a saunterer, one
who “wanders with no purpose,” according to the
word’s origins.
Tire flaneuse loves nothing more than a boulevard
where she can roam and observe the passing crowd,
where she can peer into shop windows, unhurried,
resting occasionally at a well-placed cafe to continue
the observation with a coffee or an aperitif.
Window shopping is a pastime loved by the
flaneuse, because it’s something that can be done on
a whim, according to mood, and even when shops are
closed. It involves no commitment. As an inveterate
stroller, I’m an expert window shopper.
I’ve often wandered the world’s best avenues and
shopping streets without buying anything, except
perhaps the odd accessory or two at Ginza’s famed
Mitsukoshi department store or an irresistible shoe
from Bergdorf Good man’s iconic Fifth Avenue store.
The joy of looking is not disturbed by anything as
boring as standing around at counters and exchanging
money. Actual shopping betrays a purpose of intent
that destroys the art of flaneuring.
But for many, the point of Singapore’s Orchard
Road or Los Angeles’ Rodeo Drive is the shopping,
and no excursion is complete without finishing with an
armful of glossy designer bags, worn like trophies. Even
in economically tougher times, it’s difficult to flaneur
down popular streets such as London’s Bond Street or
Fifth Avenue without being jostled by people shopping
till they drop.
Not all streets are equal. Bond Street boasts the
world’s densest concentration of luxury brands, while
Fifth Avenue is the world’s most expensive street for
renting a retail outlet. Sydney’s ugly Pitt Street Mall >
Clockwise from
above: luxury
window shopping
on Via
Montenapoleone in
Milan; Avenue
Montaigne, Paris.
Opposite: a view of
Rome’s Spanish
Steps from Via dei
Condotti.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 65
is the eighth most expensive in the world, proving
that good shopping and attractive streets do not
go hand in hand.
But let’s get the definitions right first. Road,
street, avenue, or boulevard?
A road is a conduit that connects two places.
Singapore’s Orchard Road has high end and
high street shops but it’s also a way of getting
somewhere. A street is a public road with buildings
on either side. Think Oxford Street in London.
An avenue, such as Park Avenue, has buildings
on both sides, plus trees. A boulevard is an avenue
that usually has a median strip. That’s the Champs-
Elysees. A pedestrian mall, such as Copenhagen’s
Stroget, doesn’t allow cars.
Many of my favourite boulevards are not really
shopping meccas, when it comes down to it. The
Champs-Elys£es may be the most beautiful
boulevard in the world, but in recent decades
it has shed its smaller, chic boutiques in favour
of big fashion and entertainment brands. It’s had
a bit of a makeover lately (it’s especially lovely at
Christmas), but those with big shopping budgets
tend to head around the corner to the Avenue
Montaigne or the Faubourg Saint-Honore.
And consider Hollywood Boulevard. Once the
place to find movie stars in silken gowns and furs
sliding out of limousines on their way to film
premieres, it has been down-at-heel since the
1960s, the Boulevard of Broken Dreams incarnate.
Thick with crowds ogling the Hollywood Walk of
Fame and the costumed action figures that pose
Clockwise from
left: the Cartier
Fifth Avenue
Mansion In New
York; Gucci on via
Montenapoleone,
Milan; The Bund,
Shanghai.
for photographs (for a fee) outside the mall, it has
been brought back to life in recent times with
speakeasies, retro bars and re-loved classics like the
Frolic Room and Musso & Frank. In parts it’s still
tawdry and eccentric, full of tattoo parlours and
costume hire, but never less than entertaining. For
shopping for anything other than Forever 21 visit
Rodeo Drive, but it’s not as much fun.
New York’s Fifth Avenue is still a great place
to stroll, if you avoid the peak times, especially
lunch time, when it’s a real crush. Any street that
has both Bergdorf Goodman and Saks is fine by
me, although you have to search for gems among
the proliferation of chain stores such as 1 I&M
and Zara.
Milan’s via Montenapoleone is still the
epicentre of Italian style, the “golden mile” of
premium Italian brands such as Prada, Valentino
and Gucci. On Rome’s via dei Condotti you can
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66 GOURMET TRAVELLER
soak up the atmosphere of la dolce vita without
having to spend a eurocent. La Rambla in
Barcelona is similarly entertaining for strolling,
especially if you like street artists, but it’s very
touristy and better shops can be found in the
Passeig de Gracia.
The Bund is another favourite walk. This
promenade along the Huangpu River in
Shanghai offers sensational views across the
water to the crazy illuminated towers of the
Pudong area. It is framed by a protected
historical district containing architectural
landmarks but the shops there are limited
to a few tomb-like luxury stores. The locals
gather here for the Chinese version of
flaneuring, taking in the views, the gardens, the
old people practising tai chi. Nanjing Road and
Xintiandi are where the serious shop; the Bund
is where they socialise.
Without doubt my favourite strolling
avenue is the pedestrianised Ginza in Tokyo.
Not only is there so much street fashion to see,
from ladies wearing their beautiful kimonos
to the latest teenage craze, it’s lined with some
of the best department stores in the world,
where service is unfailingly polite and even
when entering the store just to look around,
you’re greeted by smiles and bows, as if you
were a cherished visiting dignitary.
Plus, they have the best food halls in
the world - a welcome respite for the
tired flaneuse. •
TOP 10 BOULEVARDS
FOR STROLLING
	1. The Ginza, Tokyo. Kimonos, elegant department stores, magical food halls.	4. Fifth Avenue, New York. Tiffany & Co, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, legendary.
Clockwise from		
above: Bond Street, London;	2. The Bund, Shanghai.	5. Orchard Road,
fashionistas	Dazzling views, gardens,	Singapore.
on Avenue	art deco and morning	Retail heaven, futuristic
Montaigne in Paris; Rodeo	tai chi.	malls, young designers.
Drive’s iconic signage;	3. Via Montenapoleone,	6. Avenue Montaigne,
an Avenue	Milan.	Paris.
Montaigne	Italian style, fashion	Glamour, LVMH, expensive
flaneur.	mecca, ultra-luxury.	jewellery.
7. Via dei Condotti, Rome.
Prada, Bulgari, atmospheric
cafes, grand architecture.
8.	Bond Street, London.
Classy, international luxury,
bespoke fashion, British style.
9.	Rodeo Drive, Los
Angeles.
Palm trees, Walk of Style,
Vera Wang, Fred Hayman
10.	La Rambla, Barcelona.
Street performers, terraces,
La Boqueria market.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 67
fountain
•IM MIA AI4- v
ihwa: 300.20Q и
JESS HO pens
a love letter to
dining sans table

NAM SING BIRD NEST
Old Shop Original in Yaowara
5\w.n viuz* najvJ й
notice
Street food is God tier, and you cannot change
my mind. As a person w ho has made a career and
hobby out of eating, I can unashamedly say that
the best dining experiences I’ve had in my life have
been on the street. Granted, street food is not for the
precious. There have been countless times w here I have had
buckets of w astew ater throw n at my ankles. I have had to be
prepared and bring my ow n w et w ipes. I have had my
mobility tested w ith the height of stools (you know’ the
ones). I have stood in extreme w eather for hours w ith a
rumbling stomach and dissolving w illpow er. I’ve shared
tables w ith strangers. I’ve even eaten a bow l of hot, soupy
noodles w ithout the aid of a table. Shoes, singlets and
shirts have all become collateral damage.
Finding the best street food, in some w ays, is a sport.
It starts before I even make it to my destination. I pore
over articles, social media and videos to hone in on the
dishes I w ant to eat. I Google streets, venues and review s.
1 dow nload local chat programs, maps and area guides and
read w hat the residents think. From there, I create my ow n
maps, spreadsheets and itineraries, making sure there is
enough activity betw een vendors so I can eat absolutely
everything I w ant. I learn as much of the language as
I can to get by, order and say thank you. But there is only
so much I can plan w ithout having been somew here
before. Sometimes I have to make split second decisions
by cutting venues and reacting to the location, w’eather
and traffic. Sometimes, no matter how’ much 1 stalk a venue
and its food, the reality of it is a huge, w aving, red flag.
Street food forces me to use my street smarts. Low’
turnover at a stall? Stay aw ay. Eating unrefrigerated meat
in a tropical country after midday? Forget about it.
A laminated menu? Absolutely not. Fruits and vegetables
must alw ays come cooked or peeled. Skip the ice. Boil the
w ater. Eat the hot food hot and the cold food cold. Clean
your ow n cutlery. Sanitise regularly.
Does this mean I have come out the other end
completely unscathed? No. But w ithout risk, there is
no rew ard. And w hen it comes to street food, the
rew ards are mighty.
I’ve only ever eaten the best versions of street food on
the street. Fish balls, Hainanese chicken, dumplings, >
70 GOURMET TRAVELLER
PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES.
71
Street food forces me to
use my street smarts. Low
turnover at a stall? Stay away.
Eating unrefrigerated meat
in a tropical country after
midday? Forget about it.
Clockwise from
above: Train Night
Market Ratchada
in Bangkok; a
street vendor
prepares pho at
market in Вас Ha
in Vietnam.
PREVIOUS PAGES
Chinatown in
Bangkok.
Eating on the street is a multi-
sensory experience. It is a lot
of give and take. It’s theatre
and sustenance. It’s street
smarts mixed with street cred.
It’s loud and unapologetic.
tacos, pho, bank xeo, pizza, chole bhature,
soondae. The list goes on.
Elevated, fine-dining, restaurant interpretations
always leave me wanting more. It’s not because the
produce used isn’t world class, or because food
regulations differ in commercial kitchens. The
urban myth of street food tasting better because
it’s laced with bacteria is just that - a myth. It’s
because street food vendors are experts at what
they do. They devote their lives, literally, to making
one dish, all day, every day, rain, hail or shine.
They can smell if a dish needs more seasoning.
They can feel if a dough needs more work. They
know how to react to the seasons, the temperature,
the weather, or a change in direction of the wind.
Their muscle memory is more reliable than an
industrial machine. They, quite literally, can do it
with their eyes closed and there is just no way to
compete with that.
But how do you know which street food vendor
is the best? The number of times I’ve been told one
place is better than the other is astounding. Locals
have stronger affiliations with their street food
vendors than Melburnians do to their football
teams. “This woman cooks over coal.” “They make
the sauces fresh every morning.” “This guy is at the
markets at 4am every day to pick out the best cuts
of meat.” “This woman grows all her own
vegetables.” “They’re in store hand-making noodles
before the sun is even up.” “They only make fifty
portions a day.”
In such a highly competitive arena, street food
vendors cannot afford to be mediocre. The best
advice that I can give is to suss out the stall owners
and their practices and see if you have similar
72 GOURMET TRAVELLER
BEST
STREET
EATS
I believe a lot of the enjoyment of street
food comes from context Last year,
I decided it would be an amazing idea
to go to South Korea for the first time,
during winter. It was minus 1 degree
Celsius in Busan, and I charged
straight into Bujeon Market, stood
over a bubbling vat filled with a variety
of house-made fish cakes at Goraesa
Eomuk and stuffed myself until I was
warm again. Best fish cakes ever.
PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES.
tastes. What does this mean? If you have a sweeter
palate, eat from the vendor who openly sweetens
their food more than others. Don’t like garlic? Eye
off the station. If you prefer more meat in your
dish to carbohydrate, check the ratios of the dishes
being served. Can you smell the breath of the wok?
Is there enough lard in your dish? Do your eyes
sting from spice in the air? Does the rolling broth
look as crystal clear as you’d like?
Eating on the street is a multi-sensory
experience. It is a lot of give and take. It’s theatre
and sustenance. It’s street smarts mixed with street
cred. It’s loud and unapologetic.
And it’s probably the best food you will ever
have in your life. •
Clockwise from
left: chicken satay
skewers on
banana leaf;
lamb satay
skewers; tacos
at Taqueria
Los Cocuyos
in Mexico.
The tongue and head tacos from
Taqueria Los Cocuyos in Mexico
City have ruined all tacos for me.
Cuts of beef sit in bubbling cauldrons.
Portions are fished out and diced
up on a fat-slicked chopping board
before they’re pressed onto a double
layer of corn tortillas and showered
with coriander and raw onion. Limes
and salsas are available for you to
add to taste. You will definitely order
another portion.
It hurts my soul to only name one
place from Bangkok, but nothing will
ever compare to the charred, quivering
mound of fresh rice noodles cooked
in lard, over coal with chicken, bacon,
squid and lettuce at Jay Hong Pan
Fried Chicken Noodles.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 73
PICK UP
People the world over love snacks on sticks.
LEE TRAN LAM lakes us on an global
tour of skewered street foods.
STICKS
Who needs cutlery when you can pierce your
favourite foods with bamboo, sugarcane, bay
leaf sticks or literal swords as you enjoy them
on the run? Humans have been perfecting the
art of grab-and-go dishes for centuries: archaeological research
suggests ancient Greeks were skewering meat nearly four
thousand years ago. Since then, different styles of charring
food on sticks have emerged across the world, marked by trails
of smoke, sizzling soundtracks and multicultural influences.
Satay, for instance, can be found across Southeast Asia and
was likely inspired by Arab traders who turned up in
Indonesia and Malaysia. Kebabs initially emerged in the
Middle East and have changed eating habits globally - at all
hours of the day. Many of these dishes showcase flair and
creativity, giving unpopular ingredients a culinary makeover
through intense flavour-enhancing flames and resourceful
marinades. Or think of the sugarcane reed in Vietnamese
chao tom: it isn’t just a handy skewer for charring - it’s also
something you savour as you chew on its refreshing, sweet
stalk afterwards.
ILLUSTRATIONS ISTOCK & GETTY IMAGES.
74 GOURMET TRAVELLER
KEBABS
The name “kebab” is Persian and the first
written reference to this food appeared in 1377
in a Turkish text (Kyssa’i Yusuf). One of the
best-known versions of this dish - the shish kebab
- apparently originates from Turkish troops grilling
meat on swords that they strategically placed over
campfires. Over time, variations of this smoky
staple have appeared across the world, using less
deadly skewers. Chinchinga are rubbed with a
spiced peanut mix called suya and charred on the
streets of Ghana, while you can grab cumin-
flavoured chuan’r in China and in Portugal, beef is
threaded on bay leaf sticks and known as espetada.
YAKITORI
Yakitori comes from the Japanese words “yaki” (to grill)
and “tori” (bird). Given Japan’s Buddhist and vegetarian
history, the dish is a relatively recent addition to the
country’s cuisine. Today’s version of yakitori emerged
around the Meiji period (1868 to 1912), when chickens
became more widely available, but can also include other
kinds of meat. Because these proteins could be rather
expensive, yakitori ingeniously uses up every animal scrap
- from hatsu (chicken heart) to chochin (unfertilised egg
yolks). Brushed with a caramel-like tare sauce and smoked
over charcoal, yakitori transforms lesser cuts into something
worth savouring. While die skewered meats were historically
enjoyed at ya tai (street stalls), today this Japanese staple can
be found at konbini (convenience stores) and top restaurants.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 75
ANTICUCHOS
Like yakitori, anticuchos are shaped
by resourcefulness: here, unwanted
innards are reimagined with smart
strokes of culinary magic. The name
itself has Incan roots (from Quechua
for “cut stew meat”) and originally
was made with llama, but the
iteration that inspires street-food
queues in Peru today was invented by
the enslaved population that arrived
in the country from the 16th century
onwards. Plantation owners offloaded
“lowly” offcuts onto slaves of African
descent, but they ingeniously turned
chewy beef hearts and other offal into
something remarkable by marinating
them in vinegar and local aji peppers,
skewering them with sugarcane stalks,
and charring them over fire.
Anticuchos are shaped
by resourcefulness: here,
unwanted innards are
reimagined with smart
strokes of culinary magic.
BANANA CUE
Throwing skewered ingredients ox er high heat
might be associated with savoury dishes by default
- but in Japan, dango (sweet dumplings) are grilled
on skewers and in the Philippines, there’s banana
cue. The name is a handy explainer for the dessert:
it blends the fruit with the heat-intensified flavours
you expect with barbecue. The beloved street snack
uses the local Saba banana: it’s deep-fried and
blanketed in caramelised sugar and happily handed
out on bamboo sticks.
ILLUSTRATIONS GETTY IMAGES.
76 GOURMET TRAVELLER
ELOTE
From tortillas to tostadas, corn is foundational to
Mexican cuisine. So it’s apt that one of its most
beloved street foods turns bright yellow kernels
into a headlining star as well. The elote comes
from the Nahuatl word for elotl (tender corn) and
converts grilled cobs into flavour-maximising
wonders. The charred kernels are slathered with
various toppings (think lime juice, chilli,
mayonnaise and salty sprinkles of Cotija cheese)
and can be eaten on a stick or by precariously
holding the husk. Elotes are sold by vendors who
also offer other corn-based snacks, like esquites,
which is a salad version of this staple that’s
scooped into a cup.
CHAO TOM
This Vietnamese dish featuring minced prawns on
sugarcane sticks originates from I lue in the country’s
centre. It’s appeared at banquets served at the Imperial
Palace and is associated with Emperor Tu Due (who
reigned from 1848 to 1883). 1 le had a reputation for
demanding 50 different dishes for his meals and
requesting his servants scoop waterdrops from lotus
leaves to prepare his morning tea. Making chao tom
does require a bit of work, but you don’t need imperial
staff to pull it off: the prawn is pounded into a soft
mousse-like consistency and charred on sugarcane
stalks that you can bite into for a sweet, juicy hit.
Despite the dish’s historic links to special occasions,
you can find it in more casual settings nowadays. •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 77
SELLER
1 low to be
an ethical
lou rist
The road to conscious travelling
bypasses cookie-cutter holiday spots
in favour of lesser-known parts.
RUSIIANIEPA uncovers the way
to he a more sustainable traveller.
m here’s a warm coastal breeze in the air and tourists walk around
in the heat, clad in shorts and singlet tops that stick to their
I	sides. Signs along the beach promise poke and acai bowls in
I	Russian, and bars blast Bob Marley and house music to lure
holidaygoers. The last place you might imagine this scene is the beachside
town of Mirissa on the island of Sri Lanka, but this is what tourism
gentrification looks like in a small town.
It might sound harmless, but tourism gentrification is insidious when
left unchecked. It strips communities of their identity and dilutes it in
favour of the Western palate, making a place like Mirissa just another
beach town with no personality. Travel further inland, and you w ill see
locals in the village, receive invitations to eat the best, freshly caught fish
ambulthiyal in someone’s home, or try some of the country’s finest kottu
roti at a small restaurant.
Tire late author and chef Anthony Bourdain encouraged people to
be travellers and not tourists. It’s one of the antidotes to culture loss in
beautiful spots across the world. But how else do you curb this problem?
And what can you do to support locals?
Here are some tips on what you can do to be a more sustainable
traveller the next time you head overseas.
PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES.
EAT
LOCAL
Left: hoppers.
Opposite:
Mirissa,
Sri Lanka.
The rise of overtourism gives way
to the dissolution of regionality.
Across major cities in Italy,
restaurants now serve Neapolitan
dishes such as lasagne and pizza
in tourist traps that promise an
authentic experience. Cookbook
author and co-owner of Enoteca
Marilu, Emiko Davies describes
the impact on her former home
town of Florence. “Ten or 15
years ago, you didn’t see other
regional dishes in any Florentine
restaurants. It was just pure
Tuscan food. And now you will
see eggplant parmigiana on
menus,” says Davies.
Executive chef at Victoria’s
Many Little Bar and Dining and
Polperro Wines Gayan Pieris is
an expert on Sri Lanka’s
hospitality industry. “I went to
Bentota, a coastal town in Sri Lanka
where there are blood cockles
underneath the mangroves. Then,
in Tangalle, they have the best sea
urchin. No one really uses any of
those things on their menus.
They’re all selling Australian
lamb and beef.”
Pieris puts it down to the
language barrier and venue
owners not training their staff to
communicate local offerings. That,
and venues serving menu items
they construe as being “hot”.
“It’s much easier to sell a club
sandwich compared to a hopper,
because for someone who is
Russian that’s coming to Sri Lanka
for the first time, you really have
to put in an effort to explain what
a hopper is and how we have it.
I know that if I’m in someone else’s
country and I’m trying a different
culture’s food, if I don’t know what
exactly I’m having, I always go with
the things that I know.”
This might be why venues
across beach towns in Sri Lanka
spruik more acai bowls than bowls
of rice and curry. As a traveller, you
can gain a much richer experience
by researching the local cuisine
- all you have to do is ask around.
Davies says, “If you really want
to eat like a local, you need to ask
the locals, not other tourists.” And
if you think the answer lies in social
media, she says that can skew
regional food scenes too, “That’s
why we see a huge concentration
of people at one sandwich place.
People see that and go, ‘Oh,
I would like that many customers
too’ and then they open up
a similar shop next door, which
is what happened on the street
I used to live on,” says Davies. >
GOURMET TRAVELLER 79
Clockwise from left:
panini; a shop in
Florence sells
panini, toast,
pralines and
ricciarelli biscuits.
Opposite: San
Miniato.
SEASON
On the subject of Davies’ former street,
the food writer recently shared an
Instagram post showing via del Neri in
2023 versus nine years earlier. What
was once a quiet street that hosted “two
butchers, a bakery, a fruit and veg shop,
a dry cleaners and a fresh pasta shop”
is now home to countless panini shops,
attracting hoards in the summer.
“Most of the shops that served the
local community have been replaced
with sandwich shops.” Davies goes on
to explain that a minute’s walk from
this crowded scene are a number of
hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops,
which have operated since the 1800s.
“It’s amazing and nobody’s over
there. Instead, people are sitting or
queuing on the street in 35 degree heat
at 10am, and you can’t walk down the
footpath. They cover other businesses,
and the ground is covered in grease
and food droppings, and there’s
pigeons everywhere trying to eat.
It’s become so disgusting.”
Across 2022, there were nearly 11
million overnight stays in Florence alone,
that’s more than 15 times the permanent
population of around 711,000 people.
As people across the world continue
to seek their fix of la dolce vita, the allure
BE SOCIAL
MEDIA
CONSCIOUS
of Italy’s major cities is in danger of
extinguishing itself.
That’s because overtourism brings
with it an unfortunate gentrifying domino
effect that forces out locals, turning
cities into tourist hubs that rely on
commercialism during peak season.
Companies such as Airbnb are
accelerating the process by converting
neighbourhoods into hubs of highly
priced short-term rentals, making it
difficult for locals to keep up. “You feel
overtourism more in cities like Florence
and Venice because they are actually so
small,” explains Davies. “You can walk
from one side of the historical centre of
Florence to the other in 30 minutes.
That’s how small it is. I compare it to the
size of Canberra, and you have like 50
million visitors, marching through
Florence. It’s crazy trying to squeeze that
many people - double the population of
Australia - into the size of Canberra.”
Nearly triple the number of
Australians visited Italy between June
and August in 2023, compared to the
50,000 who visited in 2022 proving that
Aussies have a near-insatiable appetite
for an Italian summer. Fortunately, for
the sustainable sightseer Italy is just
as beautiful off peak.
With the rise of amateur food reviewers,
influencers and social media, any venue
has the chance to rise in popularity. While
this has its benefits, it also means locals
have less and less of a say.
“Before TikTok there was Tripadvisor.
Italians don’t use Tripadvisor, it was just
other Americans looking at Tripadvisor
and going, ‘Oh, this is where we need to
go’,” says Davies.
Anyone whose social media feed
has ever filled with dreamy scenes of
turquoise waters and people clad in
bikinis with a cocktail in hand, knows its
easy to find inspiration online. It’s even
easier to save these posts and look up
image tags to get a feel for a place from
halfway across the world. Chef and
co-owner of cooking studio Everyone
at the Table, Julie Marr has observed the
shift towards trending travel planning.
“We’ve found that people are basing
their trips around Instagram and they
follow where others have stayed, eaten
and the businesses they’ve supported
from trinkets to pottery. Instagram and
TikTok are now big because they are
visual whereas on Tripadvisor you look
at crappy pictures. Instagram is immediate
and it’s stories, it’s reels, it’s photographs,
words and tags,” says Marr.
For those who want to leave a place
better than they found it, social media can
have benefits. The key is zeroing In on
a chosen destination to find likeminded
people and businesses based there.
“Follow people who are doing
interesting things that link up with your
social conscience and interests. Try to
connect with those people. Put in a bit
of work to find something that isn’t
everywhere,” she says.
At Everyone at the Table Marr hosts
workshops with her partner Francesco
Creanza all year, leaning into the power
of community. “We base our model on an
actual connection to community, which
means we don’t just take people to places
that are open in the summer, or places on
Instagram. We’re taking people to the
places where we shop every day and
support 365 days a year,” she adds. “What
is off the beaten path is more rewarding.
It’s going to be less expensive and less
busy, you’re going to have more time and
attention with people there.”
PHOTOGRAPHY ADOBE STOCK IMAGES (SAN MINIATO) & GETTY IMAGES.
80 GOURMET TRAVELLER
STAY
OUTSIDE
THE
CENTRE
While major cities have the allure of
nightlife, restaurants and historical sites,
there’s beauty to be found in provincial
experiences. Especially those that are a short
journey to the city centre. As Davies explains,
“It’s worthwhile using another small charming
little town as a base and take trains. In San
Miniato, where we live now, it’s on the train
line between Florence and Pisa and you can
get anywhere in around 45 minutes. Plus
there aren’t many tourists who stay here.
It’s a fraction of the price of staying
somewhere like Florence,” she says.
Marr, who lives and operates her
workshops in sunny Puglia on the southern
end of Italy and runs daytrips to nearby
Matera is another advocate for small
towns. “There’s not a Venetian inside
Venice because no one can afford to live
there. Matera is the light version of that.
Almost any place you’re going to go in
a small town to eat is likely to have
a family member cooking. The cave
restaurant in Polignano a Mare does
not need your business. Go a little
deeper. Maybe you don’t have an itinerary
all planned out with the five-star restaurants;
maybe come to Italy as a traveller who
is willing to have less of an agenda and
a list of hotspots.” •
JI JI Utt nil
GOURMET TRAVELLER 81
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— MARCH —
FOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BRETT STEVENS.
Korean Rice Cakes
A Latin American flavour fiesta,
South Korean recipes from Soul
Dining, and Ho Jiak’s Junda Khoo
shares a taste of Malaysia.
Flavour trip
GOURMET TRAVELLER 85

Styling OLIV I \ BLACKMORE
GOURMET TRAVELLER
Golden Stripe coupe, Golden Stripe
tumbler, Jaded tumbler and cutlery
all from Kip & Co, used throughout.
All other props stylist’s own.
These antojitos little cravings from the
streets of Mexico, Panama, El Salvador
and beyond will get the party started. J
AND
IESTA
GOURMET TRAVELLER
Prawn ai
einpand
picanl
id lomat<
das with
ft sauce


да
Mexican-style
amaranth and chipotle
mayonnaise
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 10 MINS
Baby corn delivers a delicate twist to
this street food favourite. Pictured p87
2 tbsp amaranth (see note)
40 gm butter, melted
100 gm (Уз cup) whole egg mayonnaise
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp chipotle Tabasco
500 gm baby corn
Olive oil, for drizzling
1/4 tsp each smoked paprika and
Mexican chilli powder
80 gm feta, crumbled
2 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander
Micro amaranth leaves, to serve
(optional) 1 2 3 4
1 Heat a saucepan over medium-high
heat, add amaranth, cover with lid, and
cook, shaking pan, until amaranth has
puffed (2 minutes). Pour into a sieve to
discard unopened seeds. Set aside.
2 In a small bowl, whisk butter,
mayonnaise, lime juice and Tabasco
until combined; season to taste.
3 Heat a char-grill pan over high heat.
Place corn in a bowl, drizzle with oil and
season; toss to combine. Cook corn,
turning often, until charred (5 minutes).
4 Spoon chipotle mayonnaise onto
a platter and top with corn. Sprinkle with
paprika and chilli powder and scatter
with feta, puffed amaranth, coriander and
amaranth leaves. Drizzle with extra oil.
Note Amaranth is available from select
supermarkets and health food shops.
Blistered shishito with quesofundido
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 15 MINS
Proving opposites attract, this combination of smoky charred peppers and rich, melted
cheese is the ultimate party starter. Oaxaca cheese, also known as quesillo and queso de
hebra, Is worth seeking out but mozzarella can be substituted.
300 gm shishito peppers (see note)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/д cup salsa macha (see note)
I1/? tsp dried jalapeno flakes (see note)
OUESO FUNDIDO
60 ml (Уд cup) reposado tequila
1 tbsp cornflour
1 garlic clove, crushed
250 ml (1 cup) lager
1 tbsp lime juice,
100 gm Cheddar cheese, finely grated
200 gm Oaxaca, finely grated (see note)
1	Heat a lightly greased barbecue or
char-grill pan to medium-high. Place
shishito peppers in a large bowl and
drizzle with oil. Season to taste and toss
to combine. Cook, turning frequently,
until charred and blistered (5 minutes).
Remove from heat and return to bowl.
2	For queso fundido, combine tequila
and cornflour in a small jug. Heat garlic,
lager and lime juice in a saucepan over

high heat. Bring to a simmer then whisk
in cornflour mixture. Cook, whisking
frequently, until mixture boils and
thickens (6-8 minutes).
3	Add cheese in three batches, stirring
vigorously with a wooden spoon after
each addition. Once mixture has
come together, season and transfer to
a serving bowl. Drizzle with salsa macha
and scatter with jalapeno flakes.
4	Serve shishito with questo fundido 1
on the side.
Note Shishito are small, mild chilli
peppers, harvested while green, and are
available from select supermarkets. If
unavailable, substitute jalapenos or long
green chillies. Oaxaca, a semi-soft,
white, stringy cow’s milk cheese that
originates from Mexico, is available from
specialty shops. Salsa macha and dried
jalapeno flakes are available from select
supermarkets, specialty food shops and
South American grocers. >
88 GOURMET TRAVELLER

GOURMET TRAVELLER
Yellowfin tuna nachos, picklesand fried wontons
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 10 MINS (PLUS PICKLING, RESTING)
Inspired by the fusion flavours of Nikkei cuisine - the result of Japanese
immigration to Latin America - this nacho reboot bursts with vibrant flavours
and satisfying textures.
Vegetable oil, for frying
20 square wonton wrappers, halved
diagonally
100 gm edamame, podded
1 avocado, coarsely chopped
1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 cup (loosely packed) coriander leaves
Salmon roe, ponzu, and Kewpie
wasabi mayonnaise, to serve
PICKLES
6 baby red radishes, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
150 gm daikon, cut into julienne
250 ml (1 cup) white vinegar
75 gm (Уз cup) caster sugar
1 tsp ground turmeric
SESAME-CRUSTED TUNA
11Z? tbsp each black and white sesame
seeds
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tbsp soy sauce
400 gm sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna loin
1 For pickles, combine radish and onion
in a small heatproof bowl. Add daikon
to a separate small bowl. Combine
vinegar and 250ml water, sugar and
1 tbsp sea salt flakes in a saucepan over
low heat, stirring occasionally, until
dissolved (3-5 minutes). Pour two thirds
of hot liquid over radish, onion and
remaining third over daikon. Add turmeric
to daikon and stir until dissolved. Cool to
room temperature (15 minutes), cover
and chill for 30 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, for sesame-crusted
tuna, combine sesame seeds, Italian
seasoning, and 2 tsp sea salt flakes on
a shallow plate. Brush tuna with soy
sauce and roll in sesame mixture to coat.
Heat a frying pan over medium to high
heat and sear tuna, turning frequently,
until lightly golden all over (2-3 minutes).
Transfer to a board and rest for
5 minutes. Thinly slice to serve; tuna
will be rare.
3 Heat oil in a saucepan to 180эС.
Fry wontons, in batches, turning \
occasionally, until golden (30 seconds).
Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate
lined with paper towel to drain, season
to taste.
4 To assemble, scatter fried wontons
onto a serving plate. Top with tuna,
edamame, avocado, cucumber, pickled
vegetables, jalapeho, coriander, and
salmon roe. Drizzle with ponzu and serve
with a spoonful of wasabi mayonnaise. ►

Й<Г
-


GOURMET TRAVELLER

Birria beef short ribs with charred
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 45 MINS // COOK 3 HRS (PLUS SOAKING, COOLING)
Birria is a traditional stew from Jalisco served with its braising liquid. And, in taco
form, it’s having a moment right now. Here, short ribs add richness while pineapple
plays the great equaliser, cutting through with its juicy acidity.
2
5
1
6
60
V/2
2
1
2
5
500
2
1
1
1
16
each dried ancho, guajillo and arbol
chillies, toasted (see note)
tomatoes, quartered, core removed
onion, halved
garlic cloves, peeled
ml (Уд cup) apple cider vinegar
tbsp brown sugar
tsp cumin
tsp smoked paprika
tbsp olive oil
beef short ribs (450gm each)
ml (2 cups) beef stock
fresh bay leaves
Charred tortillas, to serve
CHARRED PINEAPPLE SALSA
small pineapple, peeled
small red onion, finely chopped
jalapeno, finely chopped
cup (loosely packed) coriander
leaves, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 2 limes, plus extra
lime cheeks to serve
1	Place chillies in a small bowl and
cover with 300ml boiling water; soak
until softened (15 minutes).
2	For birria sauce, heat a lightly greased
barbecue or char-grill pan to high.
Grill tomato, onion and garlic, turning
frequently, until slightly charred
(12 minutes). Transfer to a bowl until
cool enough to handle (10 minutes). Peel
tomato and transfer to a blender with
onion, garlic, chillies with soaking water,
vinegar, sugar, and spices; blend until
smooth and set aside.
3	Heat oil in a large heavy-based
saucepan with a lid over high heat.
Season beef, and sear, in batches,
turning frequently until browned all over
(12-15 minutes). Pour in birria sauce,
stock and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer
then reduce heat to very low and cover
with a lid; cook until meat is very tender
(2-216 hours).
4	Meanwhile, for charred pineapple
salsa, cut pineapple in half lengthways,
then quarters and remove core. Cook
pineapple on barbecue or char-grill pan,
turning frequently, until charred all over
(4 minutes). Transfer to a board and cut
into rough 1cm pieces. Transfer to
a bowl, add remaining ingredients and
toss to combine; refrigerate until ready
to serve.
5	Remove meat from pan and continue
to simmer birria sauce uncovered until
sauce has reduced and thickened
(15 minutes). Meanwhile, return beef to
hot char-grill pan and grill until lightly
charred (1-2 minutes). Transfer beef to
a serving dish, pour over birria sauce
and use two forks to shred.
6	Serve beef with birria sauce,
pineapple salsa and charred tortillas with
extra lime cheeks on the side.
Note Dried ancho, guajillo and arbol
chillies are available from specialty food
shops and Mexican grocers. If unavailable,
substitute long dried chillies. >
GOURMET TRAVELLER 93
Plantain chips with lime cream and spicy mango salsa
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 10 MINS
On the streets of El Salvador, plantains are thinly sliced and fried until crisp, while riffs on the salted snack appear all
over Central America. This dish brings bright citrus and bold heat to the mix - all the better with an ice-cold drink.
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 plantains, thinly sliced lengthways
LIME SOUR CREAM
240 gm (1 cup) sour cream
1 lime, finely grated, plus extra zest
to serve
1 tbsp lime juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
SPICY MANGO SALSA
2 golden shallots, finely chopped
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 mangoes, seed removed, flesh
coarsely chopped
1 tsp finely grated fresh turmeric
1 tbsp each apple cider vinegar and
Jalapeno hot sauce
cup (loosely packed) coriander
leaves, finely chopped
1	For plantain chips, heat a large
saucepan one-third full with oil to 180°C.
Fry plantain slices in batches, turning
occasionally, until golden (2-3 minutes).
Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper
towel to drain, season to taste.
2	For lime sour cream, combine
ingredients in a small bowl and season
to taste; refrigerate until ready to serve.
3	For spicy mango salsa, heat 1 tsp
oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add
shallots, jalapenos and garlic and cook,
stirring occasionally, until softened
(3-4 minutes). Add mango and turmeric
and cook, stirring occasionally, until
mixture has broken down but is still
chunky (2-3 minutes). Transfer mixture to
a bowl. Stir in vinegar, hot sauce and
coriander. Season to taste.
4	Serve plantain chips with spicy mango
salsa and lime sour cream scattered with
extra zest on the side.
Prawn and tomato empanadas with picante sauce
MAKES 10 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 25 MINS (PLUS RESTING, COOLING)
Our tip is to make a double batch of this picante - a smoother, more ref ined version of salsa - to serve at will. Pictured p86
360 gm plain flour, plus extra for dusting
170 gm unsalted butter, chilled, chopped
1	egg
Vegetable oil, for frying
PRAWN FILLING
2	tbsp olive oil
1	small brown onion, finely chopped
2	garlic cloves, crushed
1 tomato, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 small red capsicum, finely chopped
250 gm uncooked prawns, cut into 2cm
pieces
400 gm can diced tomatoes
120 Colby-Jack cheese or mozzarella,
coarsely grated
PICANTE SAUCE
250 ml (1 cup) can crushed tomatoes
1/г white onion, finely chopped
1	jalapeno, finely chopped
60 ml (1A cup) lime juice
2	tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 To make dough, add flour and !6 tsp
sea salt flakes to a food processor and
process to combine. Add butter, egg and
80ml chilled water and pulse until
mixture just comes together and
resembles shaggy dough. Transfer to
bench, divide mixture into two, and form
two separate discs. Wrap in plastic wrap;
refrigerate and rest for 1 hour.
2	Working with one disc at a time, on
a floured surface, roll out to a 5mm thick
circle. Using a bowl as a guide, cut into
five, 15cm-diameter rounds. Transfer to
a tray, cover with plastic wrap. Repeat
with remaining dough; refrigerate until
ready to use.
3	Meanwhile, for prawn filling, heat oil in
a frying pan over low heat. Add onion,
garlic, tomato, and capsicum, cook,
stirring occasionally, until softened
(10 minutes). Add prawn and diced
tomato and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese
until melted (1-2 minutes). Transfer
mixture to a bowl and allow to cool
slightly (15 minutes); refrigerate for
2 hours or until cold.
4	For picante sauce, place ingredients
in a bowl, season and stir to combine.
5	Place 2 tbsp filling into centre of
each dough round. Fold in half, wet
edges and gently press together to
enclose. Pinch and fold edges inwards
to make a pattern to secure. Repeat with
remaining empanadas.
6	Fill a large saucepan a third full with
vegetable oil and heat to 180°C. Fry
empanadas in batches, turning
occasionally, until golden and pastry is
cooked (4-5 minutes). Transfer to a tray
lined with paper towel and keep warm.
Serve empanadas with picante sauce. •
94 GOURMET TRAVELLER


Tleokbokki
GOURMET TRAVELLER
Masters of finessed yet fun Korean dining,
Soul Dining’s ILLA KIM and DAERO LEE
share some of their best-loved recipes.
YURINGI
Lemon soy chicken
SERVES 6-8 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 30 MINS
When Sydney’s Soul Dining opened in
Surry Hills five years ago, it did not snap
to people’s expectations of a Korean
restaurant. “Where is the rice, where
are the chopsticks?” guests asked.
The banchan (complimentary side dishes) were absent,
too - but husband-and-wife team Illa Kim and Daero Lee
never claimed their venture to be traditional. Yes, there was
rice, but sculpted into angular cubes of bread and cleverly
made from makgeolli (Korean rice wine). Likewise, their
beef short rib was nothing like what sizzled at Korean
barbecue joints. “Daero cooks it in three different ways,”
says Kim. “It takes about two-and-a-half days to make one
portion.” It draws on flavours from wide-ranging influences
(American barbecue, French techniques, Korean marinades)
and speaks to Soul Dining’s blending of culinary styles and
Lee’s border-hopping CV: he’s cooked for the Korean
military service, undertaken a culinary scholarship in Italy,
and worked in kitchens across New Zealand and Australia.
Since launching the restaurant in Surry Hills, the couple
has gone on to open two sister venues, Soul Deli and Bar
Soul, before relocating their flagship restaurant to a larger
home on Carrington Street in Sydney’s CBD, where it
continues to delight as it defies expectations.”In the end, it’s
all about showing different aspects of Korean cuisine and
pushing boundaries a bit,” says Kim. souldining.com.au
Going out for this was a childhood treat for chef Daero Lee, who has experimented with this Korean-Chinese staple at Soul Dining.
4 skinless chicken breasts (200gm each)
2 cups (firmly packed) iceberg lettuce,
coarsely sliced
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Charred lemon halves, to serve
YURINGI SAUCE
125 ml (1/2 cup) soy sauce
60 ml (Уд cup) white vinegar
55 gm (1A cup) caster sugar
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 each long red and green chilli, seeds
removed, finely chopped
1	tbsp lemon juice
BATTER
280 gm (2 cups) potato starch (see note)
35 gm (!4 cup) plain flour
2	egg whites
250 ml (1 cup) soda water
2	tbsp vegetable oil
1	For yuringi sauce, place all ingredients
and 100ml water in a bowl and stir until
sugar has dissolved.
2	Using a meat mallet, pound chicken
breasts until 1cm thick. Season to taste;
cut into 4cm-wide strips.
3	For batter, place starch and flour in
a large bowl and stir with a whisk to
combine. Make a well in the centre, then
gradually whisk in combined egg whites,
soda water and oil; season to taste. Add
chicken then toss to coat.
4	Preheat a large, deep saucepan
half-full of vegetable oil to 170°C.
Deep-fry chicken, in batches, until batter
is light golden and chicken is cooked
(3 minutes). Drain on paper towel.
Repeat with remaining chicken;
season to taste.
5	Arrange lettuce on a large serving
platter. Top with chicken. Drizzle over
yuringi sauce, scatter with spring onion
and serve with charred lemon halves.
Note Potato starch is a different product
from potato flour. It is available from
Korean and Japanese grocers. >
Yuringi Dolcevita bowl in Orange from
Guzzini. All other props stylist’s own.
98 GOURMET TRAVELLER
GOURMET TRAVELLER 99
PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER. ( PORTRAIT)

Korean spicy pork jaffles
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 35 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
Lee salutes the Australian jaffle with this toastie. The filling recalls jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork) and a Korean style of pizza
flavoured with blue cheese and yuzu honey. The condiments are garden-variety marmalade and jam, which Kim says are inspired
by a street toast in Seoul, which uses jam, “but it doesn’t have any spicy meat, so this is Daero’s spin on it.”
Softened butter, for spreading
8 slices square white bread
200 gm firm mozzarella, thinly sliced
Orange marmalade or strawberry
jam and flat-leaf parsley leaves
(optional), to serve
JAFFLE FILLING
300 gm frozen sliced pork neck,
thawed, shredded (see note)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
30 gm gochujang paste (see note)
30 ml Korean corn syrup (see note)
1 tbsp gochugaru (see note)
1 garlic clove, crushed
1	tspfinely grated ginger
2	tsp soy sauce
2	tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1	For jaffle filling, place all ingredients,
except oils, in a large bowl; season to
taste and stir to combine.
2	Heat oils in a large frying pan over
medium-high heat. Add filling and
cook, stirring frequently, until pork is
caramelised (10-12 minutes); cool slightly.
3	Preheat jaffle-maker. Butter bread and
place, buttered-side down, on a work
surface. Top half the slices with filling,
then sliced cheese. Top with the
remaining bread slices, buttered-side up,
and cook, In batches, until golden and
the cheese has melted (4-5 minutes).
Serve immediately, scattered with
flat-leaf parsley, with orange marmalade
or strawberry jam on the side.
Note Frozen sliced pork neck, gochujang
paste (Korean hot pepper paste), Korean
corn syrup and gochugaru (red chilli
powder) are available from select
supermarkets and Korean and Japanese
grocers. For a less hot and spicy filling,
reduce the amount of gochujang paste
and gochugaru.
TTEOKBOKKI
Korean rice cakes
SERVES 4 AS A SNACK // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK 15 MINS
Lee recalls grabbing after-class snacks at a stationery stall near school. “My favourite was tteokkochi,” he says. These savoury
skewers - a cross between tteokbokki (rice cakes) and Korean fried chicken - are sweetened with a ketch up-powered sauce.
The chef has removed the signature stick and crafted his own version for Soul Dining. Pictured p97
300 gm tteokbokki (rice cakes; see note)
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil, plus extra
for drizzing
Roasted black and white sesame
seeds, to serve
CHILLI SAUCE
125 ml (V2 cup) tomato sauce (ketchup)
80 ml (1/з cup) Korean rice syrup or corn
syrup (see note)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp gochujang paste (see notes)
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 For chilli sauce, place all ingredients
and 125ml (!6 cup) water in a small
saucepan over high heat. Bring to the
boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until
reduced slightly (5-6 minutes).
2 Meanwhile, cook rice cakes in a large
saucepan of boiling salted water until
just soft (2 minutes). Drain well; place in
a large bowl. Drizzle with a little extra oil
and toss to combine. Prick rice cakes
three times with a toothpick; this will
prevent them from popping when frying.
3	Place vegetable oil in a large
saucepan and heat to 160°C. Fry rice
cakes (be careful, hot oil will spit), in
batches, turning frequently, until a crust
forms (1-2 minutes). Drain on paper
towel. Repeat with remaining rice cakes;
season to taste.
4	Place rice cakes in a large bowl.
Add chilli sauce, season to taste and
toss gently to combine.
5	To serve, place on a large serving
plate and scatter with roasted white
and black sesame seeds
Note Tteokbokki rice cakes, Korean
rice syrup and gochujang paste are
available from select supermarkets
and Korean grocers. >
10O GOURMET TRAVELLER

Korean cauliflower curry
SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 25 MINS (PLUS COOLING)
The dish evokes a popular Asian curry brand that’s sweetened with apple and honey.
The use of florets is inspired by the cauliflower rice found in Australian supermarkets.
2 cauliflowers (900gm each), trimmed,
cut into large florets
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra
for drizzling
1	each large onion and carrot,
finely chopped
1	large green apple, peeled, cored,
finely chopped
500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
100 gm packet Korean curry powder
(see note)
2	tbsp honey
Micro chervil and micro green shiso,
and steamed Korean rice (short
grain), to serve
CAULIFLOWER SPICE
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
3A tsp smoked paprika
1	Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced.
For cauliflower spice, combine powders
and paprika In a large bowl. Add
cauliflower. Season to taste, drizzle
with extra oil and toss to coat. Transfer
to two oven trays lined with baking
paper and roast, turning occasionally,
until golden (20-25 minutes).
2	Meanwhile, heat oil in a large
saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add vegetables and apple; cook, stirring
occasionally, until softened (5-6 minutes).
Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce
heat to medium; simmer until vegetables
and apple are tender (8-10 minutes).
Add curry powder and honey, and cook,
stirring occasionally, until thickened
(3-4 minutes). Cool slightly, then transfer
to a high-speed blender and blend until
smooth; season to taste.
3	Divide sauce among serving plates
and top with roasted cauliflower. Scatter
with micro chervil and micro green shiso
and serve with steamed Korean rice.
Note Korean curry powder is available
from Korean grocers and specialty food
shops. We used Ottogi brand, which is
similar to Japanese curry roux blocks but
comes in powder form. It is available in
mild, medium and spicy; we used
medium for this recipe.
102 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Corn riblets
SERVES 6-8 AS A SNACK // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 30 MINS
A social media star, corn ribs get run through a Korean culinary filter here; sparking
memories of Lee charring cobs in his gran’s agungi (oven) and vendors selling
steamed corn on the side of the roads.
4 sweetcorn cobs, husks removed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Torn roasted seaweed and aioli,
to serve
GARLIC BUTTER
3 garlic cloves, crushed
150 gm softened butter, chopped
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra
to serve
1 Cook corn cobs in a large saucepan
of boiling salted water until just tender
(15 minutes). Drain, then cut lengthways
into quarters. Transfer to a large bowl;
add oil, season to taste and toss to coat.
2	Preheat air-fryer to 200°C. Cook corn,
in batches, until light golden and slightly
curled (10-15 minutes). Alternatively, bake
in the oven at 200°C fan-forced.
3	Meanwhile, for garlic butter, place all
the ingredients in a bowl, season to taste
and stir to combine.
4	Place corn in a large bowl with half the
butter; season to taste and toss gently to
combine. Transfer to a serving platter, and
scatter with seaweed and extra smoked
paprika. Serve with aioli and remaining
garlic butter on the side. >
Kimchi fritters
SERVES 4 AS A SNACK // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 15 MINS (PLUS REFRIGERATION)
Lee merges classic kimchi jeon (pancake) with the cauliflower fritters he encountered in New Zealand, and reshaped the combo
into a more snackable size. Start this recipe a day ahead. Pictured p96
125 gm self-raising flour
125 gm (8 slices) Jack cheese slices, cut
into 1cm pieces (see note)
1	golden shallot, finely chopped
250 gm kimchi (see note), drained,
coarsely chopped, plus extra to serve
2	eggs, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil, for frying
Soy sauce and ranch dressing,
to serve
1 Combine flour, cheese, shallot and
kimchi in a large bowl; season to taste.
Add eggs; stir to combine. Cover and
refrigerate overnight. The mixture will
still be slightly wet and sticky.
2	Using an ice-cream scoop or
tablespoon, scoop 50gm portions of
mixture onto an oven tray lined with
baking paper. Using oiled hands, shape
into ovals. (Makes 10 portions.)
3	Fill a large saucepan one-third full with
oil and heat to 180°C. Using a palette
knife, transfer fritters, in batches, to oil.
Cook fritters, turning frequently, until
golden all over (3-4 minutes). Drain on
paper towel; season to taste.
4	Arrange fritters on a serving platter
and serve with extra kimchi, soy sauce
and ranch dressing on the side.
Note Monterey Jack cheese, sometimes
shortened to Jack, is a Californian white,
semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a mild,
slightly sweet flavour. If unavailable,
substitute firm mozzarella. Kimchi is
available from select supermarkets,
Korean and Asian grocers, and specialty
food shops.
HOTTEOK
Korean fried doughnuts
MAKES 6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 25 MINS (PLUS PROVING, COOLING)
Hotteok are a popular street food during winter, offering instant hand-warming relief from the freezing temperatures. “The stuffing
is quite special,” says Lee, recalling the thrill of cinnamon syrup oozing from the just-baked pancakes. At Soul Dining, this is plated
with thyme ice-cream, but this simplified take offers a sharp, herbal contrast to the buttery richness and sweet fruit.
200 ml lukewarm milk
1 tsp dried yeast
20 gm caster sugar
250 gm (12/з cups) plain flour, sifted
50 gm glutinous rice powder
(see note), sifted
1 tbsp vegetable oil
40 gm butter, chopped
Pouring cream, to serve
CARAMELISED APPLES
30 gm butter, chopped
2 red apples, cored, sliced into
5mm-thick rounds
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp thyme leaves, plus extra to serve
1 tsp lemon juice
FILLING
50 gm brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Whisk milk, yeast and sugar in a small
jug; set aside for 5 minutes. Place flour,
rice powder and a pinch of salt in the
bowl of an electric mixer fitted with
a dough hook. With mixer on low speed,
slowly add milk mixture and oil until
combined. Increase speed to medium
and knead until smooth (5-6 minutes).
Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover
with a damp tea towel and stand in a
warm place until doubled in size (1 hour).
2 Meanwhile, for caramelised apples,
heat a large frying pan with butter over
medium-high heat. Add apple and
sugar, and cook, tossing gently, until
apple is caramelised and just tender
(3-4 minutes). Stir in thyme, lemon juice
and a pinch of salt flakes. Transfer to
a plate and set aside.
3	For filling, combine ingredients in
a small bowl to form a paste. Knock
back dough and remove any air bubbles;
stand until slightly puffed (30 minutes).
Divide dough into 6 portions and roll into
balls. Using lightly oiled hands, push
a hole into the middle of a dough ball
with your finger. Fill with 1 heaped
teaspoon of filling, pinching dough
together to seal. Repeat with remaining
dough balls and filling.
4	Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced.
On a clean work surface, gently flatten
dough balls without breaking the seal
to form 10cm-wide x 1cm-thick discs.
5	Heat a large non-stick frying pan over
medium heat. Add half the butter and
cook half the doughnuts, turning halfway,
until golden on both sides (1-2 minutes).
Transfer to an oven tray lined with baking
paper, then repeat with remaining butter
and doughnuts. Bake until cooked
through (6-8 minutes).
6	To serve, divide doughnuts among
serving plates and top with caramelised
apple, cream and thyme.
Note Glutinous rice powder is
available from Korean, Japanese
and other Asian grocers. •
104 GOURMET TRAVELLER
GOURMET TRAVELLER 105
Photography ALANA DI MOL
MALAY
MAGIC
HoJiakchefJUNDAKHOO shares
recipes inspired by his amah
(grandmother) and Kuala Lumpur’s
street vendors in his new book.
106 GOURMET TRAVELLER
PHOTOGRAPHY KATJE FORD (PORTRAIT).
slated for later this year. “Eating is still my passion and
FTlhe truth is my passion is eating, always has been.
From a young age I loved to eat. I ate everything:
I bitter melon, stinky salted fish, pork intestines, spicy
1 food, veggies other kids wouldn’t touch, everything,”
says chef Junda Khoo of Sydney’s growing Ho Jiak empire.
“Cooking is my second passion. I learnt to love cooking
in my amah’s kitchen,” he says referring to his grandmother
who cared for him in Kuala Lumpur when he was a child
and later in Sydney as a teen. “She basically raised me, and
to this day she is one of the biggest influences on who I am
and my cooking. Even from a young age I would watch her
cook, help her prep, follow her to the wet market and eat
with her at hawker stalls.”
As an adult Khoo left a career in finance to cook
professionally, starting from the bottom. In 2014 he opened
his first venue Ho Jiak Strathfield, with the name translating
to delicious in Hokkien. A decade later, Khoo oversees three
locations in Sydney, including the boundary-pushing flagship
Ho Jiak Town Hall, plus a three-level Melbourne opening,
I somehow made that into a career,” he says.
Many accolades later, Khoo’s venues still take inspiration
from amah’s home cooking, together with Malaysian hawker
stalls and Australia’s contemporary dining scene. As he tells it,
“My food can be traditional, it can be modern - it can be
anything, but it has to be delicious. It has to be ho jiak.” >
GOURMET TRAVELLER 107
KIAM HU CHOAY BAK
Steamed pork with salted fish
SERVES 4
“The salted fish in Malaysia has a pungent smell but somehow it’s also delicious,” says Khoo. “When Amah got too old to cook,
I would always try to make this dish as close to hers as I could.”
1 kg minced pork
1 tbsp tapioca starch
1 tbsp chicken stock powder
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 whole egg
2 tbsp each crispy salted fish (see note)
1	tbsp salted fish oil (see note)
2	tbsp Kecap Manis (see note)
2	tbsp garlic oil
Spring onions, chopped, to garnish
1 In a large bowl, combine the minced
pork with the starch, stock powder,
pepper, egg, 1 tbsp of the crispy salted
fish and the salted fish oil until well
mixed. Spread the mixture evenly over
a metal or ceramic steaming plate, then
cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
for at least an hour to set.
2 Prepare a steamer by filling the
bottom of a lidded wok or large, wide
saucepan with water and insert a metal
steaming stand, upturned heatproof
bowl or chopsticks to place a steaming
plate on. Bring the water to a boil,
remove plastic wrap from the steaming
plate and place inside the wok, then
cover with a lid and steam the pork cake
for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
3 Carefully remove the plate from the
steamer, sprinkle the remaining crispy
salted fish over the pork cake and drizzle
with the kecap manis and garlic oil.
Garnish with the spring onions and
serve with steamed rice.
Note To make a batch of Khoo’s crispy
salted fish and its oil, steam 1kg ikan
karau (dried salted fish) for 30 minutes,
then drain and refrigerate to cool. Break
into small pieces and discard bones.
Deep-fry until golden brown, drain and
then seal the crispy fish and its oil in
a jar and store in the fridge for up to
a month. Khoo makes his own light soy
blend, which we have substituted here
for Kecap Manis. Khoo’s recipe can
be found in his book.
cold water until ready to serve. Put apple
in cold salted water to stop browning.
5 In the centre of a large serving plate,
make a salmon rose. Start by rolling one
slice of salmon into a tight spiral shape,
then stand that on its end - this will be
YEE SANG
Prosperity salad
SERVES 4
“Yee sang is a Lunar New Year salad. It is tossed high while you call out good
wishes,” says Khoo.
10 wonton skins
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1	tbsp sesame seeds
2	tsp sesame oil
2	tbsp plum sauce
1 tbsp maltose (see note)
100 gm yellow pickled radish
100 gm daikon (white radish)
100 gm carrots
100 gm red cabbage
100 gm green apples
100 gm Japanese pickled red ginger
400 gm salmon sashimi, finely sliced
2 tbsp trout or salmon roe
Coriander leaves, to garnish
1 tbsp crushed peanuts, to garnish
1	Slice wonton skins into thin strips.
Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan and
deep-fry until golden and crisp. Remove
with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2	Dry toast seeds in a small frying pan
and set aside.
3	In a bowl, mix sesame oil, plum sauce
and maltose together and set aside.
4	Finelyjulienne pickled radish, daikon,
carrots, cabbage, apples and pickled red
ginger. Place each in a separate bowl of
the centre of your rose. Wrap one slice
of salmon at a time around this centre
piece, overlapping the ends. When all
the “petals” have been wrapped around,
squeeze together gently at the bottom
to open it up a little, then adjust the top
edges to make it look like a rose.
6	Drain prepared vegetables then
arrange each component separately
around the salmon rose.
7	Garnish with coriander. When
everyone is gathered at the table,
sprinkle with peanuts and salt and
pepper, then dress salad with the sauce
in a circular motion.
8	Finally, grab a chopstick each and get
everyone to stand around the salad.
When ready, toss the salad as high as
you can while loudly making your wishes
for the coming year.
Note Maltose is available from Asian
grocers and specialty food shops. >
GOURMET TRAVELLER 109
110 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Laksa bombs
SERVES 5
“When we were testing dishes for Ho
Jiak Town Hall, I decided to put all the
elements of a laksa into a dumpling
to enjoy a whole bowl in a single bite,”
says Khoo.
200 gm uncooked prawn meat
200 gm chicken fillet, finely sliced,
2 tbsp fresh hokkien noodles, finely
chopped
2 tbsp dried rice vermicelli, soaked and
drained, finely chopped
Sugar and MSG to taste (see note)
20 wonton skins
5 handfuls of bean sprouts, to serve
Sliced mint and shrimp sambal
(see note), to garnish
LAKSA SOUP
1
5
5
V4
1
1/2
1
quantity laksa paste (see below)
tbsp vegetable oil
tbsp curry powder
tsp ground chilli
tsp ground turmeric
cup fresh curry leaves
star anise

I
1	cinnamon stick
2	litres (8 cups) unsalted chicken stock
4	chicken leg quarters
1 ginger flower
1 bunch Vietnamese mint, washed
400 ml coconut milk
200 ml coconut cream
1 tbsp sugar
1	tbsp chicken stock powder
LAKSA PASTE
2	red onions, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 lemongrass stalk, coarsely chopped
10 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled
and chopped
2 tsp belacan, toasted (see note)
3 candlenuts (see note)
2 tbsp dried shrimp (see note)
25 whole dried chillies
1	For laksa paste, pulse ingredients
in a food processor until a smooth
paste forms. Set aside.
2	For laksa soup, heat oil in a saucepan
over high heat. Add laksa paste and
cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant
(5 minutes). Add the ground, fresh and
whole spices with 150ml water and 1 tbsp
salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring until
combined and thickened. Remove from
heat and set aside.
3	In a large saucepan, bring the stock
to the boil and poach the chicken
leg quarters until cooked through
(25 minutes) then remove with a slotted
spoon to an ice bath (to shred and use
at another time). Add the sauteed laksa
paste, ginger flower and whole bunch
of mint to the stock. Bring to the boil,
reduce heat to medium and simmer for
1 hour. Strain through a fine sieve into
a clean saucepan and discard solids.
Freeze half to use at another time.
4	In a saucepan, simmer 500ml of the
laksa soup until reduced by half. Transfer
to a bowl and refrigerate.
5	Blend prawn meat in a food processor
until a paste forms, then transfer to
a mixing bowl and combine with the
chicken, noodles and vermicelli. Season
with a pinch of salt, sugar and MSG, then
add the cold reduced laksa soup and
mix well. Return to the fridge to firm up.
6	Lay out wonton skins and place 1 tbsp
of filling in the middle of each. Fold each
skin in half to form a rectangle and seal
the edges with a little water. Pull the
bottom corners (opposite the long,
sealed edge) together to form a wonton
shape, pinching the meeting points
together with a little water. After
wrapping all the bombs, place them
on a tray, not touching, and leave
uncovered in the fridge for an hour.
7	Bring a large saucepan of water to the
boil and cook bombs for about 7 minutes,
then remove with a slotted spoon.
8	Meanwhile, heat the remaining 500ml
laksa soup in a small saucepan. Bring
another small saucepan of water to the
boil and blanch sprouts briefly; drain.
9	To serve, place a handful of bean
sprouts in the centre of a serving bowl
and arrange four bombs around them.
Ladle some warm laksa soup over and
garnish with mint and sambal. Repeat for
the remaining four serves.
Note Belacan is Malaysian shrimp paste,
available at Asian grocers. To toast, cut
into 5mm slices and bake in an oven at
200°C on a lined tray for 15 minutes.
Cool before breaking into smaller,
rice-sized pieces. Shrimp sambal is
available at select supermarkets and
Asian grocers. Junda Khoo makes his
own, which you will find in his book.
Candlenuts, dried shrimp and MSG are
available from Asian grocers. >
Golden tofu
SERVES 2
“This recipe pairs pumpkin with salmon
roe and deep-fried, crunchy egg tofu for
texture,” says Khoo.
V2 butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded,
cut into cubes
200 ml water
5 tsp kombu dashi
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
300 gm (2 tubes) egg tofu
2 tbsp salmon roe
1	Prepare a steamer and cook pumpkin
for 25 minutes. Put cooked pumpkin in
a food processor with the water and
blend into a paste, then stir through
kombu dashi. Transfer to a saucepan
and season with salt and sugar to taste;
bring to a simmer over a low heat.
2	Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan
to 180°C (the end of a wooden spoon or
chopstick will sizzle when dipped in). Slice
the egg tofu into 2cm rounds and deep-fry
(in batches if necessary) until golden brown.
Remove with slotted spoon and drain on
paper towel.
3	Pour pumpkin puree onto a serving
plate then carefully position the tofu
slices on top. Spoon the salmon roe
over each slice of tofu and serve.
Wagyu satay
SERVES 5
“I wanted this recipe to be a cross
between Malaysian and Indonesian
satay,” says Khoo. “I’d always wanted
to try a satay medium rare, so we got
good-quality fresh beef with lots of fat
that would crisp and crackle on the grill.”
Pictured p106
1 kg wagyu striploin
20 bamboo skewers, soaked
SATAY SAUCE
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
200 gm skinless peanuts
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
25 garlic cloves, peeled
300 ml vegetable oil
1	tbsp chilli giling (see note)
150 gm smooth peanut butter
2	tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp MSG (see note)
4 tsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
4 tsp tamarind paste
200 gm sugar
MARINADE
1	red onion, coarsely chopped
2	lemongrass stalks, coarsely chopped
200 ml vegetable oil
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground cumin
4 tbsp brown sugar
6 tbsp Kecap Manis (see note)
Fried shallots, to serve
1	For satay sauce, heat oil in a heavy-
based saucepan and deep-fry peanuts
until brown and fragrant. Remove with
a slotted spoon and allow to cool, then
blend in a food processor until smooth.
Remove and set aside. Blitz onion and
garlic into a paste in the food processor,
then heat 300ml vegetable oil in a wok
and saute the paste with chilli giling until
fragrant (10-15 minutes). Mix in the
blended peanuts and peanut butter
and saute on a low heat for (10 minutes)
then add turmeric, 1 tsp salt, MSG,
tomato sauce and tamarind paste and
saute for a further 5 minutes. Add sugar
and stir vigorously as it will caramelise
quickly, then turn off heat when well
mixed. Add 1 litre water and blitz the
mixture with a hand-held blender until
it looks like satay sauce. Pour into
a saucepan and simmer gently until
thick; set aside.
112 GOURMET TRAVELLER
SANG HAR MEE MARRON
Marron crispy noodle
SERVES 2
2	For skewers, trim any fat from striploin
and slice thinly into 3cm x 1cm strips.
3	For marinade, blend onion and
lemongrass in a food processor. Combine
with the rest of the marinade ingredients
and 2 tsp salt in a bowl. Add beef strips
and mix well; refrigerate for 4 hours.
4	Thread about 8 strips of beef onto
each bamboo skewer, packing the meat
tightly; each skewer should weigh around
50gm. Cook the skewers over charcoal or
on a barbecue on high heat for 4 minutes
(1 minute on each side). Arrange the
satay skewers on a platter and serve
with satay sauce and fried shallots.
Note Khoo makes his own dark soy
blend but we have substituted Kecap
Manis here. Khoo’s recipe features in his
book. Chilli giling and MSG are available
from Asian grocers.
“When I was a kid, sang har mee was
very, very luxurious. Even though it was
just crispy noodles soaked in gravy, the
river prawns made it special,” says
Khoo. “I made it with Australian prawns,
but they didn’t give that crustacean
flavour and lobster wasn’t the same.
One day I made it with marron and it
instantly reminded me of home.”
О
This extract from Ho Jiak:
A Taste of Malaysia by Junda
Khoo (Hardie Grant Books,
$55) has been reproduced
with minor GT style edits.
1/z dried flounder (see note)
1	litre chicken stock
200 gm fresh egg noodles
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
2	marron
3	tbsp vegetable oil
10	cm piece ginger, peeled and sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1	tbsp kombu dashi (see note)
Sugar and MSG, to taste (see note)
2	tsp potato starch, mixed with
3	tbsp water
3 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
2 egg whites
2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (see note)
Coriander leaves, to garnish
1 Toast flounder on both sides over
a stove or barbecue flame until browned.
Place in a large saucepan with stock.
Bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer.
2 Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.
Blanch noodles for 30 seconds. Drain,
dunk into cold water, then drain again.
3 Heat a heavy-based saucepan of oil to
180°C (the end of a wooden chopstick will
sizzle when dipped). Then add noodles,
deep-frying until golden. Remove with
tongs and drain on paper towel, then
arrange on a large serving platter. Cut
marrons in half lengthways, then flash-fry
one half at a time in the hot oil until shells
turn bright red (10 seconds). Remove
and drain on paper towel.
4 Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok. Saute ginger
and garlic until brown. Strain the
simmering stock, discarding flounder.
Add stock to the wok with kombu dashi,
season with salt, sugar and MSG to taste
and bring to the boil. Add marron halves
(stacked if large) and lower heat to
simmer until cooked (5 minutes). Stir
through potato starch mixture to thicken
and add the spring onions. Bring to the
boil then turn off heat, add egg whites
and rice wine, and stir slowly. Pour the
sauce and marrons over the crisp
noodles and garnish with coriander.
Note Dried flounder meat (not powder),
kombu dashi, MSG and Shaoxing rice
wine are available at Asian grocers. •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 113
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PHOTOGRAPHY TIM BOND.
—MARCH —
Flavour hopping in Mauritius, a pisco-led
tour of Lima, Bangkok’s best street food,
a luxury hotel opening in Perth, and
living large on the Las Vegas Strip.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 115
What do travellers mean by “sh eet life”?
AN IN A H Л RT wal ks the streets of
Madrid in search of an answer.
116 GOURMET TRAVELLER
The art of travel
ILLUSTRATION ADOBE STOCK IMAGES.
Anna is a travel
and lifestyle
journalist, and
author of the
travel memoir
Departures.
iaannadothart
FTThi s month I am in Madrid, famed for its
“vibrant street life”, a city where “life is
I lived on the streets,” according to every
 .И . guidebook and parroted by every traveller.
This street life stuff sounded enticing, having just
endured a soggy Christmas in Belfast. In Ireland, we
try to get off the streets as soon as possible, before
we die of the cold or get stabbed. I associate streets
more with potential death than vibrant life.
So the promise of “vibrant street life” reeled me
in. Then I arrived in a drizzly Madrid, w’here the
streets look precisely as full of people and places as
they do in other capital cities, and I realised I have
no idea what “street life” truly means. Sure, there
are people eating and drinking on the streets,
spilling out of bars and restaurants and shops,
sitting at pavement cafes, arguing over the price
of something in a shop window. But this is surely
a given, on most streets from Melbourne to
Mumbai. What was I expecting to be different?
Did I envisage Madrid as a sort of
immersive theatre unfolding
around me as I popped from my
Airbnb to the Apple store to
purchase a forgotten charger?
Colourfully clad food vendors,
merchants and minstrels
bedecking the kerbs, while
women in flamenco dresses lean
out their windows to sing or shout at suitors below?
Perhaps a sex worker or tw o? Well, yes, this is sort of
what I had in mind for my city break, a 21st century
Spanish West Side Story number to brighten up
a European winter. And so I am spending my week
in Madrid assembling my own understanding of
why walking the streets of Madrid is so delightful,
vowing to ban the nebulous and meaningless term
“street life” from my vocabulary, and replace it with
specifics. I have just one new year resolution for
2024: “Say the actual thing.”
So what does everyone mean by “vibrant street
life”? Because they don’t necessarily mean street
food. “Nah, in Madrid, we don’t really have street
food,” confirms my new friend Andy Robinson,
Latin America correspondent for the Spanish
newspaper La Vanguardia, seeming quaintly
bemused by the idea. We’re sipping one-euro
canas (small beers) alongside free plates of tapas.
“I suppose you don’t need street food when you’ve
got bar food,” I say, equally bemused this has come
as a surprise. This might be my first visit to the
capital, but I lived in Mallorca for a year, and
Along the way,
I realised how happy
I felt. Because this is
a truly a life-affirming
city to stroll through.
I cherish the fact that in Spain, eating and drinking
(indoors) is a gloriously democratic pleasure. The
majority of workers have always been able to afford
the time and money to eat indoors, and Spanish
streets are lined with cafes catering to the people of
the street. To most Europeans, the concept of street
food (beyond that of a bakery7) is relatively novel,
and although every large city now’ has its fair share
of cult food trucks, overpriced food markets and
Instagram-propelled street food pop-ups, nobody
can say that Madrid is a street food capital. To my
mind, these garlands belong to Asian cities, Latin
American cities, African cities; cities w here quickly
and cheaply feeding outdoor w orkers on the move
has developed into a culinary art form.
So I kept on w alking, still searching for
a working definition of “vibrant street life”. And
then, along the w ay, I realised how happy I felt.
I w onder if w hat makes Madrid’s streets magical,
w hat people are really referring to when they
enthuse about “street life”, is how’
Madrid’s streets make them feel.
Because this truly is a life-
affirming city to stroll through.
The first shop to restore
my faith in humankind was
a haberdashery called Balcon de
Pontejos off Plaza Mayor, w hich
had a queue out the door of
capable customers purchasing buttons, ribbons,
clasps and any other item you could possibly need to
adorn or mend any item in your wardrobe. “People
actually make and fix things,” I murmured, in aw e
of this shop and its prodigiously practical customers
w ho I w ant to be close to in times of apocalypse.
A few’ doors dow n is Libreria Mujeres, the w omen’s
bookshop, a haven of progressive political thought,
w ith its own imprint. I love old-fashioned progress,
and the Madrilenos I meet are passionately political
and philosophical. In Madrid, you are expected to
bring your beliefs to the bar. There’s La Azucena,
a family crisps and nuts business, obsessed with
perfecting the crisp since 1943, and I tingle with
delight at tlieir dedication. There are mad retro
cocktail bars w ith names designed to tickle, like
Salmon Guru, just dow n the road from a gorgeous
old Sherry bar that seduced Hemingway, La
Venencia. I am only getting started, w alking the
streets of Madrid, but every7 few’ steps,
I see something that delights me. I still don’t know’
exactly w hat “street life” is, but I do know that
Madrid’s streets make me happy to be alive. •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 117
Кв* гЯ.:
Si Ч '
PHOTOGRAPHY MONIQUE CECCATO.
Shell and coral crackle beneath my step, the
fossiled fragments of Mauritius’ fringing
reef brought ashore by the gentle tide. I’ve
learned my lesson from previous barefoot
strolls along Trou aux Biches and, this time, stride
along well-shod, with all the confidence of a local.
This coconut palm-lined stretch of coastline is our
familial favourite; we’ve stayed here time and time
again. And, though my mum’s family come from
sugar cane country in the island’s south, our
relationship with Mauritius is now entirely to do
with the north, where extravagant resorts and
everyday life со-mingle, a taste of the real Mauritius
just at the end of the gated driveways.
Trou aux Biches’ bay is peppered with dozens
of moored fishing boats, unmoving on the
ocean’s mirror-like surface. Fishermen return
from a morning on the outer side of the reef and
heave hefty sword-nosed marlin onto the boat
ramp, locals watching on from beneath a sprawling
tropical almond. In the shade of the leafy tree
is a somewhat famed lunch spot, tucked between
luxury properties and private beaches. Each day,
residents and workers tote their bowls of fried
noodles - known in the local tongue as mine frire
- over from street vendor stalwart Chez Meung,
dining with uninterrupted views of the Tiffany-
blue and steel-mottled water.
I join them with my meal: a generous serving
of dense tapioca and choko-based dumplings
called boulette chouchou. A ladle of clear
bouillon is optional, but a side of the ubiquitous
green chilli sauce isn’t - at least not in my
opinion. It’s a warming addition for anyone
raised on it, as I was, but a fiery one for the less
initiated. I let my feet dangle over the seawall,
savouring my three-dollar bowl of dumplings with
that million-dollar ocean view.
Different in texture, flavour, and base
ingredients to Chinese dumplings, boulettes are just
one example of Mauritius’ early 18th-century
Chinese settlers’ ingenuity when traditional
ingredients were scarce. They arrived on the island
as indentured labourers, part of the British scheme
to replace abolished slavery with “free labour”, along
\A’ith workers from India, Eastern Africa, and >
Clockwise from top: pineapple with chilli
and salt at Port Louis Central Market; a
bowl of boulettes with bouillon at Trou aux
Biches; Sega dancers at Sands Suites
Resort and Spa. Opposite: a hammock
by the beach at Oberoi Beach Resort.
A bus horn jolts me back to modern-day
Mauritius, a bustling and vibrant island
now proud in its multicultural identity.
Madagascar. It was, essentially, a form of
contracted slavery, with the plantation workers
eventually attaining freedom, but only at the end
of their tenure. It’s a pockmarked past, explained
in detail at Port Louis’ former immigration depot,
the UNESCO-listed Aapravasi Ghat.
Portraits of hopeful first arrivals line the
now-museum’s walls, the imagery punctuated
with colonialist comment on the brilliance of
their “great experiment”. I take in the site at
a slow pace to fully digest the heavy history that
is the basis of my mother’s culture. Outside, by
the remains of the basalt rock infirmary, a blaring
bus horn jolts me back to modern-day Mauritius,
a bustling and vibrant island now proud in its
multicultural identity.
In the heat of the early afternoon sun, I’m led
from the museum to the capital’s finest example of
dhol puri, a floury, dhal-stuffed paratha, which has
deep roots in India. We weave along the narrow
sidewalk, dodging leaning bolts of garish floral
fabrics and the handlebars of precariously parked
motorbikes. Without expert guidance, Ahmed’s
alleyway stall would have remained secret, unsigned
and hidden from the clutter of the Port Louis
streets. He’s the fifth generation to work Dhol Puri
Mimosa, waking with the bakers at 3am daily to
prepare 300 servings of griddle-cooked flatbreads.
Traditionally, they’re topped with a vegetarian
curry, one of Mauritian cuisine’s defining dishes.
But, our national version is noticeably different
to that of Thailand, Malaysia, or India - there’s
a distinct absence of cream, ghee, and coconut
cream, despite the island’s abundant coconut-
bearing palms. Instead, it favours European spices
- like thyme - and a tomato-based sauce. 1 lere,
Ahmed goes for something even more atypical,
adding smears of richly flavoured tomato, thyme,
and onion rougaille and coriander chutney, loosely
folding the flatbread before serving. It’s satisfyingly
messy, the tails of the thin sauces leaking from the
edges and coating my hands.
Later, a more traditional, albeit far more
refined, version of the street snack appears on the
table at the Sands Suites Resort and Spa
restaurant, Spices. I spoon it full of a succulent
chicken and prawn curry, fashioning the flatbread
into something of a Mauritian burrito. As we eat,
the table chatter slows, and dancers glide their way
down from around the main pool deck, swirling
their colourful ruffled skirts to the rhythmic drums
and bells of Sega music.
Lapping tides and rustling palm fronds make for
a more peaceful morning soundtrack. It’s just after
dawn, and a golden glow illuminates the coastal
mountain of Tamarin across the bay, the early morning
light stirring the flitting moineaux and their birdsong.
The birds and I share the garden path on the way to
the lobby, where my ride to the island’s heart awaits.
I’ve been told everything in Mauritius is an hour
away, but timekeeping has never been a strong suit for
the happy-go-lucky Mauritian people. A supposed hour
in the van, and we’re nearing Moka, one of Mauritius’
more desirable and affluent residential areas. It’s in
the shadows of the famed Pieter Both mountain,
known for its face-shaped boulder teetering
precariously on top. But, for the most part, Moka
is a patchwork of multi-storey flat-topped homes
and well-manicured gardens.
Among it all, we stop for lunch. There’s only
a small, ground level sign that alludes to a cafe hidden
inside this well-kept family cottage. Seventy-five-year-old
Majo Forget resides there, and the eatery behind,
Escale Creole, is the brainchild of her daughter,
Marie-Christine Forget.
Green and orange hibiscus curtains billow in the
soft breeze. Somehow, they both clash and match with
the open-air pavilion’s plaid tablecloths and hibiscus
staff uniforms. It’s a visual that takes me right back
to my grand-pere’s own luridly dressed kitchen;
tasteful minimalism is an unfamiliar concept to the
colourful Creole.
Even lunch errs on the side of excessive. No patch
of palm frond-patterned tablecloth is left uncovered,
cluttered with dishes showcasing the four typical Creole
sauces. There’s a tomato-based sausage rougaille;
mustard, vinegar, and turmeric vindaye poisson (curry
fish); a rich red wine and tomato venison salmi; and
the famously coconut-free cari poulet (curry chicken).
The gaps betw een are filled with the family table staples
of rice, dhal, pickled vegetable achard, and stew ed
chouchou. Then there’s Marie-Christine’s ow n version
of green chilli sauce, made simply with oil, garlic, and
some love .
Most cooks w ill tell you love is their secret
ingredient, but it’s genuinely believable w hen it comes
from Marie-Christine. She’s beaming as she bounces
around the table w ith Majo, spooning generous
helpings of her heart and soul onto our plates.
“Creole cuisine is to be eaten at home, with family
and friends,” she says, the essence of w hich she’s
captured so perfectly at Escale Creole, lunch being just
as it alw ays used to be at home w ith my grand-pere.
I have vivid memories of many of his home-cooked >
GOURMET TRAVELLER 121
Getting
there
Air Mauritius has three direct
flights a week between Perth and
the Sir S. Ramgoolam International
airport in Mauritius. Flights are
approximately eight hours from
Perth to Mauritius.
meals - the tender curried octopus and vinegar-
spiked bittermelon salads - but none quite as
vivid as that of salted fresh apple. A fruit stall at
the edge of Port Louis’ heaving Central Market
triggers that memory, selling can ed and quartered
Queen Victoria pineapples topped liberally with
a homemade salt and chilli blend. Picking up on
my enthusiasm, the owner hands me a bonus piece
of pickled green mango as a parting gift, which
I crunch on as I shoulder my way through the
throngs shopping for their chouchou and bags
of green chilli.
After the chaos of the markets, the calm of the
Oberoi Beach Resort is soul-cleansing. Space in
Mauritius is a luxury, and this resort has it in
spades - eight gated and manicured hectares of it,
to be exact. Now blanketed in fragrant frangipanis,
pampas grass, and various species of palms, the
only indications that these grounds were once
a fortress - an integral part of Mauritius’ defence
in the 1700s - are a handful of greenery-covered
restored relics.
My allotted space is one of the 70-square-metre
luxury pavilions with a four-poster bed, sunken
bathtub, and indoor-outdoor rainfall shower.
Double doors open from the room onto a private
porch, where I lounge on a sunbed and recompose
myself with a glass of chardonnay and glimpses
of the basalt-peppered Turtle Bay.
The view remains unchanged over dinner at
On The Rocks, which starts with a delicate
smoked marlin and palm heart salad and ends
with a plump seafood medley barbecued over filao.
We’re sat on the very edge of the island, the basalt
and a wooden pier the only things between us and
the bay. It’s a humbling feeling.
At the end of the pier, two silhouetted figures
kiss and embrace as the sun dips on the horizon.
All signs point to an imminent proposal, our small
group watching on from the pool in anticipation.
After some fumbling, he drops to one knee, and
a cacophony of screams and cheers pierce the air.
We’re just as much a part of this moment as his
newly minted fiance. It’s Champagne all round as
we congratulate the happy couple: not hotel guests,
simply young locals equally aware just how special
of a place this is. •
Clockwise from
above: the
streets of Port
Louis; boulette
chouchou from
Chez Meung in
Trou aux Biches.
Opposite: the
view at Sands
Suites Resort
and Spa.
122 GOURMET TRAVELLER
We’re sat on the very edge
of the island, the basalt
and a wooden pier the
only things between
us and the bay.

The spirit of Lima
Sipping the old and the new, ALEX MITCHESON
takes to some of Peru’s best bars, determined to peel
back the veil on an often-misunderstood spirit .
GOURMET TRAVELLER 125
Between polished brass and
black and white photographs,
nostalgia clings to the air in
the lounge bar at the Gran
Hotel Bolivar, Lima. On its outside
balcony, I sit drinking their Pisco Sour
Catedral beside one of Peru’s busiest
squares to a choir of car horns in
the street below. This scene has
Getting
there
Latam Airlines and Qantas operate
daily flights from Australia’s main
centres to Lima, connecting in
Santiago. United Airlines offer
an alternate route connecting
In Austin, Texas.
undoubtedly changed over the years
compared to when aristocrats, artists,
and diplomats would come here in
their droves to swill the same cocktail
a century ago — but the taste hasn’t.
Nor has the size. As the story goes,
a notable businessman of the 1920s
would visit the bar and request a hefty
double-sized sour before attending
Sunday mass. The name stuck, and
the smooth yet lusciously tangy cocktail
has been served in hefty pear-shaped
vessels ever since. God-fearing or
not, it’s casual-looking but with
a considerable dose of alcohol.
I came across pisco more than
a decade ago when a Chilean friend
implored me to try it. If you want to
know the origin story of this humble
spirit - depending on who you ask
- be prepared to hear spirited claims
for Chile and Peru. Yet outside the
Americas, it’s mostly buried away
on back bars: seen but glossed over -
however, over time, the more I drink
pisco, the more bartenders seem to
know it. As an imaged brandy from
already fermented wine musts, the
spirit has an unusual grapey yet earthy
flavour. A love child of grappa and
tequila some say. If you’re looking to
drink pisco and willing to put your
hand in your pocket, the scope of
tastes, characteristics, and overall
drinking experience can be huge.
“It’s a seriously versatile spirit; you
can use it creatively just like gin or
vodka,” beams Riccardo, my bartender
for the evening at Lima’s most lauded
bar, Carnaval. Behind an unassuming
revolving door, the venue has been
a regular on the World’s 50 Best
Bars list, celebrated for its boundary-
pushing conceptual cocktails with
South American flair. And tonight,
there isn’t a single seat empty. I take
my first sip of its Pisco Punch,
seamlessly balancing pisco, Lillet Blanc,
pineapple, elderberry, and spices; it’s
exotic and interestingly floral - juicy
even. If truth be told, tasting blind,
I would likely never guess this was
Clockwise from top left: a
selection of spirits at Lima’s
celebrated bar, Carnaval;
Gran Hotel Bolivar;
Carnaval’s Zombie cocktail.
Opposite: behind the bar at
Antigua Taberna Queirolo.
pisco. Afterwards, I go to Bar Capitan
Melendez in Miraflores, where the
back bar has more than 100 bottles
of the spirit to choose from. After an
exceptionally fluffy’ sour backed by a
soundtrack of ’80s electronica, I make
it to the bohemian neighbourhood
of Barranco to stop by another
well-known late-night hangout,
Ayahuasca, to specifically order
a cocktail with pisco they macerate
with coca leaves. Assured no police will
jump out of the bushes, the drink has
a fascinating herbal complexity7; slowly,
I feel its uplifting effects. I ask the
bartender whether he thinks pisco
is originally from Chile or Peru. He
shoots me a smirk. “There is Perm ian
126 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Must-visit Lima
I )isco bars
GRAN HOTEL BOLIVAR
Steeped in history and grandeur,
bow-tied bartenders will mix you
one of the best pisco sours you’ll
ever have.
CARNAVAL
Make your way to this hidden-in-
plain-sight venue for incredible
cocktails and an authentic
immersion into Lima’s internationally
acclaimed bar scene.
ANTIGUA TABERNA QUEIROLO
This classic neighbourhood tavern
is a holdout in a fast-growing city.
Drop by for the friendly atmosphere,
relaxed pace, and brilliant drinks.
AYAHUASCA
A traditional 19th-century city
mansion reimagined as a vibrant
multi-space bar venue makes the
small hours disappear without
a trace.
BAR CAPITAN MELENDEZ
When owner/bartender Roberto
Melendez talks about pisco, you
listen. What he doesn’t know about
this drink isn’t worth knowing.
pisco, and there is the fake one - it’s
that simple!”
There’s some argument surrounding
the history of the invention of the
Pisco Sour, but most tales start and
end with the Morris’ Bar close to
Lima’s historic Plaza Mayor. Founded
by an American railway worker in 1916,
the establishment was a gathering spot
for Peruvian upper classes and ex-pats.
After serving a torrent of whiskey sours
one particularly revelrous evening in
the 1920s, the bartender turned to
pisco in replacement - and the drunk
crowd accepted the substitute with no
fuss. Unfortunately, you can no longer
pull up a stool at the fabled Morris’
Bar. I track down its location to find
the space - now a neon-lit betting shop
- has no mention that one of South
America’s best-known cocktails was
born here.
Antigua Taberna Queirolo in
affluent Pueblo Libre feels like
a moment caught in time. Opened by
Italian immigrants in 1880, the tavern
is a living, breathing time capsule:
a hospitality7 institution in this part of
the city. A place where creole-inspired
small plates and pisco have brought
friends and family together for well
over a hundred years. At a marble-top
table, I peruse the menu and come
across a large section of Pisco
Chilean os. But what are they? I learn
from the waitress the drink is prepared
with pisco, lime juice, simple syrup,
and topped with ginger ale - with
ample opportunity7 to customise
with different flavours - and, in her
opinion, “a superior drink to the
sour”. I choose the classic and begin
to watch a football match on a small
television as a group of older men
shout at the screen. Before I know
what is happening, they invite me to
join them between beckoning waves
and wrinkled smiles. 1 spend the rest
of the game pushing the limits of my
Spanish alongside more delicious,
refreshing chilcano adaptations infused
with passionfruit and cinnamon.
To this day, I have no idea which
football team won in the end. •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 127
CHECKING IN
Wonil Hotel Perth
We take the guesswork out of local travel with our tips on where
to stay, eat, drink and play. This month 6Theads to Perth.
STAY
Where
21 Hackett Dr,
Crawley, Perth, WA
Facilities
Prices from
$209 per night
for a king room
Hotel bar Yes, one
Room service No
Free Wifi Yes
In Nyoongar - the first language of southwestern Australia - wonil is the Indigenous name of the native
peppermint tree, a tree with weeping branches that traditional owners used for medicine and shade.
You’ll find plenty of wonils in Crawley along Perth’s Swan River, along with a new luxury hotel named for
these trees. Wonil, the first Australian hotel from Accor’s global Handwritten Collection stable, isn’t shy
when it comes to repping its hometown. The lobby is decorated with Indigenous artefacts and art
including striking, ethereal paintings by Nyoongar artist Shane Pickett, while hotel rooms are blessed
with Instagram-ready river views. The rooms themselves might be understated - all the better to
highlight the precinct’s beauty - but there’s thought in the design. A muted, woodsy colour scheme;
blonde timber furnishings and elegant curves throughout create a calm space that feels conservative
for corporate travellers while retaining a cool, contemporary edge. This WA-first focus also drives West
Kitchen & Bar, the hotel’s in-house eatery that only serves West Australian wine, beers and spirits (sorry
tequila and Margarita fans) as well as local produce at dinner. But while chef Jason Floyd keeps an
all-WA pantry, his menu roams globally: golden Cone Bay barramundi wings are spiced with fragrant ras
el hanout, fiery chimichurri ignites meaty Southampton chicken, and flourless torta Caprese made with
Margaret River chocolate is another great moment in Australian-Italian co-operation, accor.com
128 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Checking in
PHOTOGRAPHY TOURISM WESTERN AUSTRALIA (KINGS PARK).
ш Located on the university campus, the Lawrence Wilson Art
•— < Gallery keeps things interesting with a vibrant exhibition
< schedule. During Perth Festival season, nearby Somerville
l— ш Auditorium - a beautiful outdoor cinema - hosts the
tn О Lotterywest Film Festival.
GREAT OUTDOORS
Sure, you could hit the pool and gym at nearby
University of Western Australia, but why not soak up
that Perth sunshine? Inner-city green lung Kings Park
is a 45-minute walk away while a jogging and cycling
track hugs the nearby Swan River.
Clockwise from
left: Kings Park;
Yiamas’ Athens
Sour; Lotterywest
Film Festival;
baked goods at
Common Bakery.
Opposite: Wonil
Hotel’s reception.
Breakfast
Felix & Co has long been part of
Perth’s specialty coffee discussion
and remains an integral part of
many locals’ day-to-day. Despite
being a more recent arrival on
the Nedlands food and drink
landscape, Common Bakery
has also endeared itself to locals
<	thanks to its top-shelf pastries
ш	and viennoiseries.
Lunch
Nearby Subiaco is a perfect day trip
for guests staying at the hotel. You
no doubt already have Lulu La
Delizia - one of Australia’s great
pasta experiences - on your radar,
but newcomers including modern
Greek taverna Yiamas (Sat-Sun
lunch) and flash corner pub Subi
Continental (Mon-Sat lunch) also
warrant attention.
Dinner
“Little kitchen, big taste” is the apt
war cry of Ma Kin Thai, a bijou
eatery that specialises in beef khao
soi noodles, som turn and other
punchy Northern Thai hits. Prefer
your classics more European?
Bonsoir Mistelle: a French bistro
doing a strong line in onion soup,
house charcuterie, steak tartare and
other Gallic hits.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 129
PANDAN LAYER CAKE
UidzoUan
wsauniu
PEELED
MANGO
uuciuua
STEAMED STIC
WITH BANANA
THAI PUDDING WITH
COCONUT TOPPING
• UUUlflfJU
STUFFED
k DOUGH
PYRAMID
PHOTOGRAPHY THOMAS DE CIAN.

hat does street dining look like today in the city that has come
to define it? DANI VALENT hits the Thai capital to find out.
he best food cities are ungraspable: their appeal is generated by energy'
that refuses to be harnessed and change that occurs at a belting pace.
But there’s also depth to a great culinary destination. Unshakeable
tradition sits alongside innovation, seasonal rhythms and pride in

sharing culture and flavours.
On any of these measures, Bangkok - an ever-expanding megacity’ of more than
11 million people - is unbeatable. Being food-obsessed in Thailand’s capital is an
adventure restricted only by time and eating capacity. With that in mind, here are
some current favourites. We’ve focused east of the Chao Phraya River that bisects
Bangkok, in the old city that centres on Chinatown and in the buzzy’ Thong Lor
neighbourhood, which is delightfully walkable.
CLASSICS
Soei
Bangkok insider Zenon Misko (Roaming
Bangkok on Instagram) warned me the
food at seafood specialist Soei was
spicy but I didn’t know this large
chilli-loving restaurant would take me
on an emotional rollercoaster, starting at
optimism (I can eat this!), shifting to
disbelief (how Is It so hot?), creeping
through agony (my ears were buzzing)
and ending at euphoria (I’d do it again).
Recommended: the spicy egg salad, fried
mackerel head and mackerel tom yum.
Phibun Watthana 6 Alley, Phaya Thai
Mae Varee Mango Sticky Rice
Is it possible to visit Bangkok without
becoming obsessed by mango sticky
rice? Not in my case. Mae Varee does
an exemplary rendition, with three
colours of rice, excellent mango, the
perfect balance of sweet and sour, and
a good sprinkling of crisp bits.
1 Thong Lo, Khlong Tan Nuea,
Watthana
Hom Dee Noodles
You can sit in the shop here but it’s
more fun to perch out back in the
laneway. Barbecued pork and shrimp
wonton are the picks. There’s also
perfectly fluffy crab fried rice.
460 Mittraphan Rd, Pom Prop, Pom
Prop Sattru Phai
Tang Meng Noodle
I was on my way to another noodle
restaurant when this dim soup cave
reeled me in. Slurp egg noodles with
crisp wontons in an outstanding broth
that shimmers with care and goodness.
887 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Toei Nuea,
Watthana
132 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Clockwise from right: fresh
produce and stall holders at
markets including Khlong
Toei; street dining at Hom
Dee. Opposite: Khlong Toei
Market. PREVIOUS PAGES
Left: mango sticky rice at Mae
Varee. Right: the catch of the
day at Khlong Toei Market.
Mimata
Japanese food is huge in Bangkok,
with Thong Lor particularly well served.
Mimata is a longstanding backstreet
izakaya where you can eat sushi
and soup, drink shochu and watch
baseball on the TV.
22, 161/13 9 Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana
MARKETS
Siam Paragon shopping mall
I avoid malls in Australia but they are a
crucial part of the Bangkok experience.
There are restaurants throughout Siam
Paragon but the basement is the best:
the line-up replicates classic street food
stalls. If you want duck noodles with a
side of air-conditioning, this is the place.
991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan
PHOTOGRAPHY THOMAS DE CIAN & КГТТ1 GOULD.
Khlong Toei Market
It’s open all day and night but dawn is
a good time to visit this tightly packed
fresh food market. Watch trucks unload
freshly slaughtered pigs, wander aisles
with geese and ducks awaiting their fate
and marvel at the variety of eggplants
and tomatoes.
121123, 125 Khlong Toei
Jodd Fairs
Open from 4pm until late, this night
market is a good place for trinkets
and T-shirts as well as food and
entertainment. Sit-down restaurants
offer towering pork bone soup {gloves
provided) and there are stalls sizzling
skewers for eating and wandering.
Rama IX Rd, Huai Khwan >
Clockwise from far left:
pets are welcome at
The Commons; coffee
at Mother Roaster;
a motorcyclist outside
Mother Roaster; and one
of Mother Roaster’s
baristas. Opposite: the
bar at Rabbit Hole and
its Triple X cocktail.
COOL COFFEE
Bask Project
It’s easy to find great coffee in Bangkok:
people are obsessed with beans, roasts
and methods. Bask is an indie store with
zines, vintage clothes and stellar brews.
883/3 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea,
Watthana
City Boy Coffee
I could not get enough of this outdoor
coffee stand with excellent filter coffee
and espresso. Pull up a stool and watch
the light filter through abundant plants.
140 Kaulin Building, Khlong Tan Nuea,
Watthana
Mother Roaster
In the laneways of Talat Noi, a haven for
specialty coffee awaits above an old
workshop. It’s a pilgrimage for brew
geeks and backstreet wanderers.
1172 Soi Chareonkrung 22, Talat Noi,
Samphanthawong
PHOTOGRAPHY THOMAS DE CIAN.
The Commons
Locals bring dogs and meet mates at
this multi-level multi-cuisine food and
drink hangout that also screens movies.
Eat anything from pad kra pao to
ceviche to pizza.
335 Akkhara Phatsadu Alley, Khwaeng
Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana
Jack’s Bar
Popular with expats and local chefs,
this late-night waterfront bar also does
simple Thai food: the chicken wings are
excellent. Say hello to the resident parrot.
62/1 Wat Suan Phlu Alley, Khwaeng
Bang Rak, Khet Bang Rak
Rabbit Hole
Hiding in plain sight behind an
unmarked wooden door, this three-
storey bar pulls a clued-up crowd of
cocktail seekers. Work your way
through the alphabetical list - there’s
an inventive creation for every letter
in the English alphabet.
125 Thong Lo, Khlong Tan Nuea,
Watthana
The Warehouse
An ever-changing destination for flea
markets, food stalls and DJs, the
hidden winner at this semi-abandoned
warehouse is the upstairs bar with
vinyl spinning through an incredible
sound system.
867 Charoen Krung Rd, Talat No I,
Samphanthawong
008 Bar
I stayed (and paid) at the Muu hotel in
Thong Lor and loved the friendly staff,
comfortable room and rooftop pool.
Hidden bar 008 is the hotel’s jazz club
with excellent cocktails and late-night
appeal. How to find It? Head through
the big brown door past the Italian
restaurant on the pool deck.
Muu Bangkok Hotel, 11th floor, 88/333
Thong Lo, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana
Charmgang
Love the cocktails, adore the food
(smoked pork jowl salad, grilled
cuttlefish with mangosteen) and
appreciate the upbeat energy of this
modern restaurant with an open kitchen.
14, 35 Charoen Krung Rd, Talat Noi,
Samphanthawong •
GOURMET TRAVELLER 135
WHAT HAPPENS IN
Tetsuya Wakuda, Kylie Minogue
U2 and a neon-lit strip like no
other, Sin City always puts on
a show, writes LIZ BOND.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 137
Las Vegas Strip
with the
Fountains of
Bellagio.
’m watching night swallow up the day.
Moonless, the darkness seems magnified by
the electrifying light show. Each and every
of U2 concert extravaganzas, now filmmaker
Darren Aronofsky’s groundbreaking audio-visual
production, Postcard from Earth, puts Sphere’s
audacious neon starburst and revolution
“22nd-century immersive technology” to the test.
dances and fights for my dollars. All recklessly
glowing until the sun clocks on for the day shift.
When it does, early morning machines wash
the streets and nearly all traces of the night before.
Day does the grunt work to re-supply the city and
ensure each nightly show is brighter than before.
As sure as night follows day, Las Vegas’ essential
promise has always been reinvention, from casinos
and hotels to the latest street hustle. Old neon
doesn’t get to retire; it’s repurposed and works
every night at downtown’s Neon Museum, only
in Las Vegas.
But there’s a new light show, a new face in
town. An enormous, brightly animated emoji.
Parked on prime real estate, it silently surveys
tourists, conventioneers, big spenders and me
on one of the world’s most photographed
promenades - Las Vegas Boulevard, aka the Strip.
More otherworldly than creepy, this enormous
yellow, expression-filled mug transforms in the
blink of an eye into a snow globe kaleidoscope
before changing into a spinning Mother Earth and
next a crater-filled moon. These are some of the
many faces of Sphere - Las Vegas’ latest, world-first
LED-lit entertainment venue. Much like the city
itself, Sphere doesn’t stay still for long.
Where else but the world’s capital of
entertainment and distraction could this $3.4
billion marvel be? Officially launched by a series
Mother Nature plays the leading lady in this
spectacular “film” that is both a cautionary
tale and documentary, filling the 270-degree,
16K x 16K resolution “screen” that wraps up and
around Sphere’s 17,000-plus audience. Audio is
supplied by 167,00 hidden speakers, and as an
African elephant brushes past my face, my seat
rumbles with every thundering footstep. I’m
calling it; all bets are off - it will be a long time
before Vegas outdoes this.
Sphere is just the latest in Las Vegas’ history of
transporting travellers somewhere else. Where else
could I walk from the Eiffel Tower to St Mark’s
Square and the Statue of Liberty all in one day?
While gaming is still the real money-spinner,
Las Vegas is becoming a sporting destination, with
Formula 1 cars speeding down the Strip each
November, NHL and NFL franchises and a Super
Bowl-worthy venue - Allegiant Stadium.
And it’s a new generation of headliners leaving
touring behind and taking up Vegas residencies.
Adele, Lady Gaga, Keith Urban, Shania Twain and
the aforementioned U2 are pulling in the crowds,
keeping the bars and restaurants busy and filling
resort rooms. Resorts like The Venetian, known
for the most expansive bathrooms on the Strip,
have undergone multi-million dollar renovations.
But, when it comes to dining, Las Vegas’
fascination with celebrity chefs continues. Since >

138 GOURMET TRAVELLER
h

Clockwise from
top: the neon-lit
Wakuda interiors;
Welcome to Las
Vegas signage;
the dining room
at Wakuda.
Opposite: Sphere.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 139
Getting
there
Michelin packed up their stars and went elsewhere,
Food Network stars are the currency.
Which makes the debut of one of Australia’s
finest chefs, Tetsuya Wakuda, all the more unlikely.
But thanks to a stellar reputation and a Michelin-
starred restaurant in Singapore, the chef, in
partnership with 50 Eggs Hospitality Group,
arrived at the Palazzo with immediate success.
Wakuda is electric from the first moment -
illuminated by artist Hiroyasu Tsuri’s flamboyant
style recreated in neon. Next, in the elegant
lounge bar’s golden glow, Shohei Otomo’s
ballpoint pen figures embrace both contemporary
and traditional Japan.
The main dining room is divided and guarded
simultaneously by sumos and sakura before
opening onto the Strip’s most oversized patio
with prime boulevard views.
Chef Wakuda says his restaurants in Singapore,
Las Vegas and the iconic Tetsuya’s in Sydney are
all different. “We don’t do franchises, and while
I never thought I would have restaurants across
the world, I feel very fortunate,” he says.
He explains that in many ways, “Las Vegas has
been a challenge as American guests like to order
fast and be finished in ninety7 minutes or less.
Everything has to be extra efficient”. Even the
glamorous eight-seater omakase room with a long
waitlist is not immune from the need for speed.
“Discovering new ingredients, including
distinct wasabi and miso varieties, and meeting
farmers in Japan,” he continues, ‘revitalises’ him
and ensures his menus stay ahead of the curve.
Chris Chan (ex-Nobu Melbourne and Las Vegas)
is Wakuda’s most trusted executive chef. As Caesars
Palace executive chef, he learned more about the
idiosyncrasies of the American palate and the
dynamics of Las Vegas hospitality. He guarantees
the signature Tetsuya grace and humility and the
next-level contemporary dining experience.
Cocktails seem the place to start, and The
Lychee Martini - Haku vodka, Ginjo sake, lychee,
lemon, honey with a tiny Kumomo peach meets
my brief. The sake (some Wakuda-exclusive) and
Japanese whisky lists run pages long.
The artful presentation of the Kanpachi
carpaccio with ponzu, EVOO, baby mizuna, yuzu
kosho and citrus is pretty in pink. King salmon
with truffle soy and aged parmesan and Aburi New
Zealand King salmon are standouts.
Sizzling Duck on the Rocks and supremely
marbled A5 Kagoshima wagyu are sublime, but it’s
Serviced by Harry
Reid International
Airport, Las Vegas is
just over an hour’s
flight from Los
Angeles, or
a scenic four-hour
drive through the
Mojave Desert.
Right: the bar
at Wakuda.
Opposite, from
top right: The
Coffee Bean
at Wakuda;
a bedroom
suite at The
Palazzo at The
Venetian Resort.
All the Strip’s smoke and mirrors
make it easier to live large. It’s
escapism on an epic scale - a little
decadent and a lot of fun.
chef Wakuda’s own mother’s recipe for seabass
miso with Patagonian toothfish that leaves us
speechless. We keep room for “only in Las Vegas”
desserts - gold leaf-topped miso soft serve and
The Coffee Bean.
With Wakuda’s success and Kylie Minogue
opening the new 1000-seater Voltaire next door at
the Venetian, Australia is having a Vegas moment.
Kylie fans can’t get her out of their heads with
first tickets to her More Than Just A Residency -
a 75-minute, intimate cabaret performance
selling out within minutes.
Las Vegas’ ability to distract and entertain
will always be its greatest attraction. All the Strip’s
smoke and mirrors make it easier to live large,
drink that second Martini and dance like no one’s
watching. It’s escapism on an epic scale - a little
decadent and a lot of fun. And right now, it’s
absolutely awesome. •
PHOTOGRAPHY TIM BOND.
140 GOURMET TRAVELLER
WHAT’S NEW IN VEGAS
Australia’s Ross Mollison will
open his latest Spiegelworld
extravaganza DiscoShow next
summer at the Linq Hotel, directed
by Steven Hoggett (Harry Potter
and The Cursed Child).
Palms’ new chic and contemporary
rooms and suites offer some of the
best views of the Strip.
The Bedford by Martha Stewart is
open in the Paris Casino. Although
the restaurant is Martha’s in name
only, it’s still doing a brisk trade
in Marthatinis.
Elon Musk’s The Boring Company
opened the first stage of its
futuristic “people mover” system
- the Vegas Loop underneath the
new Las Vegas Convention Center
expansion with autonomous Teslas.
There are plans for more stations
throughout the Strip and downtown.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 141
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FASHION • HOME • BEAUTY
STYLE
City gritty
When the sidewalk is your
runway, neo-industrial interiors,
trending beauty and cool tech.
146 GOURMET TRAVELLER
2
PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER. STYLING JACQUI TRIGGS.
7
1 Alexander McQueen Peak chain earrings,
$890, Farfetch. 2 Bottega Veneta Loop mini
intrecciato leather shoulder bag, $2680, Net-
A-Porter. 3 Puf mini crossbody bag, $1845,
Moncler. 4 Christian Louboutin cosmetic
pouch, $895, Matches Fashion. 5 Oversized
trench coat, $2605, Max Mara. 6 Vixi Eau de
Parfum, $299, Trudon. 7 Rivalry low shoes,
$150, Adidas. 8 Oscar de la Renta gold-tone
and enamel brooch, $868, Net-A-Porter.
9 Utility denim shirt, $450, Basslke.
OPPOSITE Zodiac square scarf, $750, Dior.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 147
PHOTOGRAPHY LISA COHEN. STYLING BREE LEECH. MERCHANDISING ANNA McCOOE.
148 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Home
1 Saguaro cactus potted plant, $400, James Lane. 2 A Colourful Yarn vessel, $246, Formantics. 3 Large Paradis mirror in Rose, $1990, En Gold.
4 Muuto Ambit pendant light, $339, In Good Company. 5 Reggio room spray, $310, Trudon. 6 Anthea vase in Chalk, $259, Domayne. 7 Marlow Curve
3-seater sofa, $3597, Castlery. 8 Rinnai inbuilt gas log fire, $5299, Home Gas. 9 HK Living chest of drawers in Camel, POA, House of Orange. 10 Dulux
Wash&Wear interior paint in Tan Wagon, from $59.50 per litre, Dulux. 11 Mika Burl Wood side table, $799, Castlery. 12 Driade Roly Poly Armchair in Peat,
$1585, Hub Furniture. 13 Luma coffee table, $1190, En Gold. OPPOSITE Solstice living room styled by Bree Leech for the Dulux Colour Forecast 2024.
GOURMET TRAVELLER 149
Home
1 Laminate in Steel Blue Natural, from $142 per square metre, Laminex. 2 Tiered sconce, POA, Sarah Nedovic. 3 Zanotta Quaderna cupboard, $20,750, Cult
Design. 4 Arute Kohsuta mosaic tiles In Kohsuta Mustard 1442, from $118, Artedomus. 5 Large Earth bowl in Lemon, $300, Dinosaur Designs. 6 Raku Open
vessel in Natural, $280, Jardan. 7 Bialetti Venus Induction espresso maker, $58, Espresso Connect. 8 Artie buffet in Powder Blue, $4100, Globe West.
9 Stelton Foster vacuum jug, $275, HardToFind. 10 Normann Copenhagen Dit side table in Grey, $850, Arrival Hall. 11 Jim High outdoor stool in Yellow
Ochre, $775, Koskela. 12 For Good Measure cup, $30, Lightly. 13 Cotto Manetti floor tile in Litos Tobacco, from $191, Artedomus. OPPOSITE The Scoop
Kitchen by Studio Doherty for Laminex.
PHOTOGRAPHY DEREK SWALWELL.
150 GOURMET TRAVELLER
COLOUR POP
A little bit of neon
lights up a cool,
calm kitchen.
in—


GOURMET TRAVELLER 151
Beauty
OVERNIGHT FACIAL
Wake up and glow. These nocturnal skincare finds go to work while you sleep.
1	ELLA ВАСНЁ SPIRULINESLIFT
FIRMING NIGHT CREAM
Sleep and beauty are forever linked. In fables
and in science too. That’s because circadian
rhythms Increase blood flow to the epidermis
at night. It’s also when cell renewal peaks and
when skin is most permeable. This turbo-
charged night cream seizes the moment by
delivering nourishment into the epidermis and
sealing in moisture. $143, ellabache.com.au
2	ALLIES OF SKIN MULTI ACIDS & RETINOID
BRIGHTENING SLEEPING FACIAL
When you don’t have time for a professional
facial, two to three nights with this next-
generation peel will give you big results,
plus the benefits of prioritising sleep.
$157, mecca.com
3	FRESH LOTUS YOUTH PRESERVE
RESURFACING DREAM SERUM
Cells turn over more quickly at night but this
gentle exfoliant kicks the natural process along,
sloughing as we sleep. $98, sephora.com.au
4	ABOUT TIME WE MET RESTORE
NIGHT CREAM
Those with dry, dehydrated skin will benefit
from a night cream that seals In moisture.
This one does just that while soothing and
brightening too. $89, abouttimewemet.com.au
5	STATUS QUO THE ULTIMATE
MOISTURISER
Treating like a serum, protecting like a cream,
this hybrid complexion hero gives good glow.
$148, statusquoskin.com
6	JURLIQUE NUTRI-DEFINE SUPREME
REJUVENATING SERUM
This silky formula promises to be good in bed.
$166, jurlique.com.au
7	KIT GOOD NIGHT BALM
Lathering this tea tree oil-enriched night balm
Into the complexion before bed protects skin
overnight while lavender, eucalyptus and
sandalwood fragrances trigger the mind
and body to unwind. $48, mecca.com
8	AUGUSTINUS BADER THE RETINOL SERUM
Dermatologists and facialists agree, retinol
is a powerful addition to your beauty arsenal
but it’s not fit for daytime use. The vitamin
A derivative can break down under UV
rays so It’s more effective at night.
$526, mecca.com
WORDS ANNA McCOOE. PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER. STYLING & MERCHANDISING HANNAH BLACKMORE.
152 GOURMET TRAVELLER
2
Colour theory
GT team
favourite

From ramped-up rose loa grunge-inspired eye.
colour is this season’s street-style hit.
1 Rose-coloured eyes in matte, shimmer, and glitter finishes. Fenty Beauty Snap Shadows Eyeshadow Palette, $46, Sephora. 2 A palette to take you from a
pretty pink to smudgy 1990’s eye. Huda Beauty Pretty Grunge Eyeshadow Palette (Limited Edition), $119, Sephora. 3 Warming the complexion with a rose or
coral flush. Roses Coquillage Blush Duo, $110, Chanel 4 A burst of sheer colour for that just-pinched look. Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush
in Big Melons, $35, Sephora 5 A rosy creme blush to bring a bloom Into play. Kevyn Aucoin The Color Stick in Awaken, $94, Mecca.
Objects of desire
High spec
Give your t ech a high fashion
makeover with this luxe edit of
wearables and accessories.
BANG 5.OLUFSEN
Clockwise from left: Polycarbonate cross-body bag, $1870, Rlmowa. Fife texture phone crossbody, $199, Oroton. Apple Watch Hermds Series 9 case
in stainless steel and single tour band in Gold/Ecru, $1899, Herm£s. In-ear headphones, $405, Montblanc. Beoplay HX headphones in Gold Tone,
$950, Bang & Olufsen. Beosound Explore portable speaker, $400, Bang & Olufsen. Summit 2 stainless steel and leather watch, $830, Montblanc.
Beoplay EX earbuds, $700, Bang & Olufsen.
PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER. STYLING SAM YAl
154 GOURMET TRAVELLER
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