Australian Gourmet Traveller — May 2017

RESTAURANT

NEWS

Hains & Co’s Crimson Mainsail

Don’t be fooled – this cocktail looks pretty but packs a punch fit for a pirate.

Hidden down a laneway in Adelaide, Hains & Co is a nautically themed bar without the

naff. Yes, there are model ships and an anchor present, but there’s also an impressive

selection of gin and rum, and a long list of stellar cocktails. One of them is the Crimson

Mainsail. “We created this cocktail to showcase sloe gin,” says owner Marcus Motteram.

“We’ve made it with Plymouth and Haymans, and are currently using Elephant sloe gin

from Germany.” A word of warning: don’t be fooled by the drink’s good looks. “It’s boozy

enough to make you feel like a real pirate.”Hains & Co, 23 Gilbert Pl, Adelaide, SA,

hainsco.com.auSAMANTHA TEAGUE

> Combine 45ml sloe gin, 15ml bourbon

(Motteram suggests Maker’s Mark),

30ml lemon juice, 25ml sugar syrup (equal

parts caster sugar and water) and an

eggwhite in a shaker. Shake once without

ice, then add ice and shake again. Strain

into a chilled coupe, garnish with viola

flowers, and serve.

SIGNATURE DRINK

HAINS & CO’S

CRIMSON MAINSAIL

COCKTAIL
Veritas Coupe from Riedel.
All other props stylist’s
own. Stockists p175.

MAKING TRACKS The Indian Pacific hosts two epicurean itineraries in June.

The first of the three-day train trips departs Adelaide bound for Perth on 1 June.

All aboard for gin, local wine, cheese and chocolate. greatsouthernrail.com.au

MELBOURNE

Kiwi chef Hayden McMillan

has opened Etta on

Lygon Street with his

wife, Dominique Fourie

McMillan (Cutler & Co)

and former Rosetta staffer

Hannah Green. The menu

at the 80-seat bistro is

mainly vegetarian, with

dishes such as mozzarella

pasta with zucchini and

black olives, and charred

carrots with smoked

cheese and macadamia.

IF Architecture is behind

the room’s design, which

features a statement bar,

banquettes and a mural

by artist Robert Bowers.

SYDNEY

After Sepia closes its doors

on 31 December ahead of

the lease expiring on its

Sydney CBD site, Martin

Benn and Vicki Wild will

move to Melbourne and

set up shop with veteran

restaurateur Chris Lucas

(Chin Chin, Baby, Kong,

Hawker Hall). The new

restaurant will trade under

a different name, but the

couple’s commitment to

fine dining will live on.

“Martin’s style is Martin’s

style,” says Wild. The new

restaurant is slated to

open in Melbourne’s CBD.

CANBERRA

East Hotel’s dining options

have been given a lift with

Agostinis, a new pizza and

pasta restaurant on the old

Ox Eatery site. The menu

bounces from focaccia al

forno and frico, the potato

and cheese roasted snack

from Friuli, to traditional-

leaning pizze, pasta and

a one-kilo bistecca. The

wine offering includes

three Italian wines on tap

and a house red made

by Bryan Martin from

Ravensworth Wines.

MARGARET RIVER

Aaron Carr, chef at Vasse

Felix for a remarkable

21 years, will leave the

Margaret River winery at

the end of May to open an

eatery in Dunsborough,

15 minutes from Yallingup.

Carr says Australian

producers will feature

heavily in both the kitchen

and the cellar at the new

digs (he’s joining forces

with new-wave wine label

Snake & Herring for

the venture) and cites

Sydney’s Ester and

Fred’s as inspirations.

The restaurant is tipped to

open in November. Carr’s

successor at Vasse Felix

is yet to be announced.

NEW YORK

Former WD-50 and Alder

chef Simone Tong has

opened Little Tong,

a casual Yunnan-inspired

noodle house in the

East Village. Mixian rice

noodle pots are central

to the menu, with half a

dozen variations on offer

including Grandma Chicken,

with fermented chilli, confit

chicken, and black sesame

and garlic oil, and Little Pot,

with minced pork belly.

ETTA’S TAMARI-ROASTED

BUTTERCUP

gourmetNEWS

PHOTOGRAPHY BEN CHRISTENSEN (ETTA), ADAM GIBSON (ON THE PASS), RODNEY MACUJA (BOTTLES & ICE-CREAM) & ROB SHAW (SIGNATURE DRINK) STYLING AIMEE JONES (SIGNATURE DRINK)

24 GOURMETTRAVELLER.COM.AU