Food & Wine Fest From Down-Under

Thoughts of Australia warm my heart. No, I haven’t been there but I once worked in a multinational financial services company, which mother-company is headquartered in Melbourne, and I’ve had a string of Australian bosses who acquainted me to their ways, and food and wine choices at business functions and parties. So when the invitation to preview the “A Taste of Australia” wine and food festival at the Oakroom Restaurant of Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center in Ortigas, I jumped at it to re-live a bit of my past.

I was expecting the usual crowd of people that I encounter in press conferences or launches but when I arrived at the posh venue, I only saw a long table for 20 people, just enough for selected guests from media, for Oakwood Premiere’s general manager, Brian Connelly, and public relations and marketing communications manager, Genny Puno, and Wine Depot’s Monette Atilano.

“We are thrilled to feature a range of great wines from the iconic Barossa and Eden valleys, known for its Shiraz and Riesling among others. The “aged” wines go well with the lamb and steak while the “Stumpies” – best while they are “young”, match the lighter fare,” shares Mr. Connelly.

To complement the wines, Oakwood Premier’s executive chef Jerome Cartailler, cooked up an Australian fare storm for us to sample.

The menu reads:

Chili and Pesto Bread
Pepper Berry Butter

Trio of Sydney Rock Oysters
Kilpatrick, Mornay and Florentine

Grant Burge Benchmark Chardonnay

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Lamb Chop and Bay Bug
Grilled Australian lamb chops and slipper tail lobster
Bush tomato chutney and pesto mash

D’ Arenberg Stump Jump Grenache, Shiraz, Mouvedre

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Sticky Date Pudding
Homemade Toffee Ice Cream
Coffee or Tea

As the chatter around the table began, the appetizer of Chili and Pesto Bread with Pepper Berry Butter was served. These bread flavors excited me and so I savored each bite – crusty on the outside but delightfully soft on the inside, with wonderful flavors and a touch of spice. The butter was creamy soft and had an interesting sweet-chili flavor brought about by Australian pepper berries.

Chili and Pesto Bread with Pepper Berry Butter

The next fare was a trio of Sydney rock oysters…oohhh! I love baked oysters! The first I tried was a Kilpatrick, which is basically baked oyster seasoned with Worcestershire sauce and topped with rashers of bacon and chopped parsley, which explains the smoky flavor and mild spice.

Kilpatrick Oyster

Next was a Mornay, baked oyster topped with a thick concoction of what seems to be milk, corn flour and cheese. This one serve at the Oakroom has a hint of fire because of the three red peppercorns added on top.

Mornay Oyster

The last oyster, a Florentine, had the oyster meat resting on top of a bed of spinach, flavored with bacon, parsley and chili. Upon seeing it, one would think it was just an innocent, yummy-looking oyster but I sensed a strong kick of chili in my mouth just before I swallowed it.

Florentine Oyster

The Grant Burge Benchmark Chardonnay (white wine) had mild fruity aroma and salty-citrus flavor that seemed to amplify the fire in my throat from eating the spicy Florentine oyster. What a way to start the meal!

For the entrée, Lamb Chop and Bay Bug were served. Bay bug? Oh, no! What a relief to learn that it was just a catchy alias for the slipper tail lobster. Whew! The tender lamb chop had a smoky flavor, which was intensified by the balsamic reduction sauce on the side. The pesto mash potato that came with it was heaven! I appreciated the mild pesto flavor and it was surprisingly light to the mouth and tummy. The lobster, which was probably the fattest and meatiest lobster I’ve seen and eaten in my life, was seasoned just right with salt and pepper. The bush tomato chutney’s sweetness provided an interesting contrast to the lobster and lamb while the grilled vegetables on the side was a good equalizer from the dish’s swirl of flavors. Salivating yet?

Lamb Chop and Bay Bug: grilled Australian lamb chops and slipper tail lonster with bush tomato chutney and pesto mash

The D’ Arenberg Stump Jump Grenache, Shiraz, Mouvedre (red wine) had a strong earthy aroma and a strong bitter-salty flavor appropriate for the lamb and lobster.

As the raves and discussions on the food served slowly tapered, hinting that the guests were fully satiated, out came the Sticky Date Pudding topped with Homemade Toffee Ice Cream and candied caramelized sugar. The ice cream was smooth and gelatinous, however it was too sweet for my palate when eaten alone. It was wonderful when eaten together with the pudding: the ice cream bringing out the nutty-fruity flavor of the pudding and the pudding taming the strong sweetness of the ice cream. This is the perfect time to rub a satisfied tummy!

Sticky Date Pudding with Homemade Toffee Ice Cream

Devour everything I have described here and more at the “A Taste of Australia” wine and food festival. It will run from March 7 to 27, 2011 and will feature three wines from Wine Depot (Grant Burge Benchmark Chardonnay, St. Hallet Faith Shiraz and Eden Valley Riesling and D’ Arenberg Stump Jump Grenache, Shiraz, Mouvedre) and a gastronomic feast from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) which includes Tajima Wagyu Beef Striploin, Braised Lamb Shank, Sautéed Barramundi Fillet and a selection of Australian cheeses.

Oakroom is on the 6th level of Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila, located at 17 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig. For details and reservations, please call the Oakroom direct line at 719 1160 or visit www.oakwood.com.