Australian Gourmet Traveller - (12)December 2019 (1)

FAUX-REAL

There’snothingnewabout

chefsplayingwithdiners’

minds.Butdidyounotice

anythingfishyaboutyour

noodlesthisyear?Seafood

surrogateswereonhigh

rotation–whyuseflourand

waterwhenyoucanboost

flavourandtexturebycalling

ontheoceaninstead?At

Brisbane’sGauge,ribbons

ofcuttlefishweredressedin

ayuzu-spikedmusselcream,

whileatJoy,linguine-style

confitsquidsatatopavivid

zucchinipurée.AtArc,

squidstoodinforshort

noodlesalongsideapoolof

sage-colouredsaltbushsauce

andink.AndatMelbourne’s

Lesa,braisedarrowsquid

inclamsaucearrived

lookinglikesnowy

rice-noodlesheets.

FISHANDBITS

Snacksmadefromfishswimbladders.Crackerscraftedfromeyeballs.

2019 maynotgodownastheyeardinerssaidfarewelltothefishfillet,

butchefscertainlyembracedafin-to-scaleethos.Settingthestandard

isseafoodpioneerJoshNiland(pictured)ofSaintPeterinSydney’s

Paddington,whohasbeendelightingdinerswitheverythingfromsilken

coraltroutthroatstokingfishintestinescutasmacaroni.Furthernorth,at

PipitinPottsville,BenDevlinusedalbacoreheartsinakatsuobushi-style

seasoningforsquidragù,turningthetuna-headmeatandbloodintoa

purple-wombokrollcanapé,whileAlannaSapwellfromArcinBrisbane

servedbarbecuedsquidgarnishedwithwafersmadeoutofsquidguts.

THE

SOBER

TAKEOVER

Some might see it as the end of (civilised)
days but there’s no denying the zero-
alcohol trend has gone from niche to
mainstream. The best thing? A whole
range of options has opened up beyond
tea and juice matching, with restaurants
such as Momofuku Seiobo, Lûmé, Vue
de Monde and Bentley proving there’s
plenty of life there yet. Also driving the
booze-free movement are new labels like
Non (zero-alcohol wine), Brunswick Aces
(zero-alcohol gin) and Sobah (ditto beer).
And with mocktails and house-made
sodas increasingly taking up real estate on
drinks lists, it seems there’s never been
a better time to stay clean and serene.

TRENDS

2019 WAS THE YEAR OF...

COLLAGEN FIXES

PLAYING IT SAFE

FAREWELLING BOTTLES

EXTREME RESTAURANTING

SAVOURY SWEETS

THE SOBER TAKEOVER

FAUXREAL

FISH AND BITS

HOT BRANDY

HOT BRANDY

Until recent times, brandy has been somewhat of a wallfl ower, languishing with a nanna-ish,

medicinal reputation and a cocktail repertoire (Brandy Alexander, Brandy Crusta) that’s like the

punchline to a bad joke. But thanks to old- and new-school Australian distillers, brandy has a new

and improved name – and taste. For quality homegrown brandy keep an eye out for Sullivans Cove,

Bass & Flinders Distillery, Twenty Third Street Distillery and the new XO range from St Agnes.

GOURMET TRAVELLER 77