Celebrate food this spring with festivals, a restaurant and some new brands

WORDS ROBERTA MUIR

IT’S A SCOOP

Mövenpick, Switzerland’s favourite ice cream brand for over 30 years, has just opened Australia’s newest ice cream parlour. The country that boasts the third-highest per capita consumption of ice cream in the world now has Mövenpick stores in Harbour Town on the Gold Coast (Shop K7 Harbour Town, cnr Gold Coast Hwy and Oxley Dve, Biggera Waters, tel: +61 (7) 5529 3101) and Hamilton in Brisbane (Shop K1 Portside Wharf, Kingsford Smith Dve, Hamilton). The stores do present a problem, however – the choice between classic scoops such as Caffè Macchiato, Caramelita and Maple Walnut, fruit-based sorbets, or a feast such as Belle Hélène: Swiss chocolate and vanilla ice cream with poached pear, chocolate sauce and chocolate pieces.

BLOODY DELICIOUS

It’s easy to love Christchurch’s new modern Thai restaurant, ChinWag Eathai, with its slogan “bloody good food… made with love”. The brainchild of Christchurch chef/restaurateur Tony Astle – of award-winning Asian restaurant Indochine – ChinWag aims to take New Zealanders beyond green chicken curry and fish cakes. Start at the funky bar for Thai-style snacks and Thai-inspired cocktails, then adjourn to either the traditional communal tables downstairs or the more intimate tables upstairs. Open from 5pm Tue–Sun. 161 High St, Christchurch, New Zealand, tel: +64 (3) 365 7363.

THE SWEET TASTE OF SYDNEY

Don’t miss one of the longest standing and most successful food and wine fairs in Australia on 27 October. Now in its 17th year, the Sydney Food & Wine Fair presents quality food and wine in the leafy setting of Hyde Park. Buy tasting tickets, then graze among food and drink stalls from leading Sydney restaurants, including Guillaume at Bennelong, Quay, Salon Blanc, Sailor’s Thai, Otto, Buon Ricordo, Flying Fish, Sean’s Panorama and Longrain. All proceeds go to the AIDS Trust of Australia. Noon to 5pm, tel: +61 (2) 9285 4400.

FEAST LIKE A KING

Adelaide’s the place to be this month when Tasting Australia, its biennial celebration of all things tasty, returns on 13–20 October. It kicks off along Torrens River with the free Feast for the Senses (13–14 October) showcasing the best in Australian food, wine, beer and coffee, along with entertainment and children’s cooking classes. During the week, learn to cook Italian-style with Antonio Carluccio, discover Indian cuisine with Madhur Jaffrey or sniff out the world of cheese with Will Studd. The free James Squire Food, Beer & Wine Writers’ Festival wraps things up on 18–20 October, with over 50 international and local food, drink and travel authors, TV presenters, chefs and cookery teachers educating and entertaining on gastronomic topics at the South Australian Museum. With over 50 events on over the eight days, call 1300 655 276 for program details.

SUPERSIZE ME

Bite Me Burger Co., Australia’s first super-premium burger chain, was launched in Paddington in July and opens a new store in Bondi this month. Founder David Michaels claims the idea for the chain was born from hunger: he paid a fleeting visit to Sydney last January and was frustrated when he “couldn’t find a decent burger anywhere”. Expect the freshest local ingredients (try the wagyu truffle burger at AU$17) with a focus on organic and free-range produce, all cooked to order and served on china with good cutlery. 340 Oxford St, Paddington, tel: +61 (2) 9331 1916 and 112 Campbell Pde, Bondi. Look out for more Bite Me Burgers soon.