This year felt bigger as it coincided with World's Top 50 Restaurants Awards and Melbourne was awash with cooking royalty.
We were lucky that after heavy rain the day before, it cleared up and the impressive long table stretching down several blocks was so welcoming and inviting. We were entertained by singers making their way down the tables and Carluccio himself did a lap of honour in a golf cart.
Given there were about 1800 people there, Peter Rowland Catering did a great job with the food and the hospitality was warm and generous. We were so well looked after by the wait staff that served our section of the table and were impressed at how well run the event was. The news reporters covering the event had a harder time trying to find sections of revelmakers that wouldn't interrupt the filming with waving and cheering! Less successful for them!
This is a great event and I'm sad we haven't discovered it earlier so that we can make it a regular thing! Definitely get a group together, take the day off (it's on a Friday), let the hair down and enjoy!
For the occasion, The Press Club went from Greek to Indian. There were moments of delicious food but we actually felt the event was over priced and over sold. It didn't run with the precision of the Long Lunch nor was the hospitality as warm or generous. Sadly it was a bit of let down for us.
The queues moved quickly, the food was tasty and with 6 accompanying drinks, price wise it was decent value. Not to mention, we didn't have to queue for a Lune croissant and instead it was served to us! That in itself is a rare experience right?
Had we not been hitting the events every day since Friday I think we'd have stuck around longer and made sure we got our 6 drinks.
Seated at a round table (table 8 was the best table in my opinion) it was like being at a super fun and very beautiful wedding with plenty of good cheer and some amazing food from Scott Pickett. The Sher wagyu beef with the Vichy carrots and fermented black truffle was a stand out!
At one point we were served three glasses of pinot noir, 2010, 2012 and 2015 alongside a delicious duck and cherry dish. Such a treat and so nice to see a table groaning under the weight of numerous glasses of pinot noir.
This was far, far, far from banqueting food you could imagine and it was a delightful way to spend the evening.
Truly delicious and well balanced spicing from the first taste to the last. It was a lovely way to ward off the chill and rain of the incoming Winter.
As hostess I was gifted the most elaborate Easter centrepiece complete with fluffy chicks, a manic looking bunny and plenty of chocolate! It was exactly what our little soiree needed!
And Amelia has also been having fun. She's pulling plenty of funny faces these days!