Foodies’ Diary: The Hunt For Wet October

Last week I explored the varied eats available in October, this week I am all about the drinks. Beer, wine or cocktails, whatever your pleasure, it’s all packed in below!

Japan’s Master of Wine
Just when they had me completely converted to drinking sake with my sushi, Ocean Room is bringing out Ned Goodwin, Japan’s first Master of Wine. Now I’m told there are only 281 Masters of Wine in the world; and that Ned gets even spunkier when he talks! So join him on the 11th and 12th October for an exploration of the relationship between five courses of Raita Noda’s Japanese cuisine and a matching set of fine wines ($125/head).
www.oceanroomsydney.com

The Winery Wins
If you like your wines but haven’t found your perfect wine bar yet, The Winery in Surry Hills is a great choice! So great in fact, it just won Wine Bar of the Year in the 2010 Australian Bar Awards. Big sister, Kings Cross’s Gazebo Wine Bar has already won the award three times (no mean feat for a bar that’s only five years old), so it’s probably time her younger sibling got a look in! The Keystone Hospitality Group look after both venues and the winning Night Club of the Year, Kit and Kaboodle; so it’s with pleasure I relay that they kept the gong for Group Operator of the Year out of the Hemmes-sphere too. If you hurry, tickets are still available for a canapé, cheese and eight wine expedition hosted by Matt Skinner on Wednesday 13th October for $90/head…
www.thegazebos.com.au

Freestylin’ at Cargo
Another of the Keystone Group stable, Cargo Lounge is offering up the opportunity to see the best bartenders in Sydney fight it out during the esteemed Freestyle Cocktail Sessions on Wednesday October 13th. It’s the home turf of the Australian Hotels Association’s Bartender of the Year Stewart Luk, so the competition is sure to be hot! Pop on down for four of the most tantilising cocktails in Sydney, plus an entire evening of tunes, swapping shakers and tipsy party girls for a measly $40/ticket!
www.cargobar.com.au

Cheap Wine & a Four-Day Week
If you like to wind down after the working week with a cocktail, look no further than Ruby L’otel in Rozelle. They’ve just launched Flirty Friday’s where ladies get a complimentary glass of sparkling wine between 6-7pm. If you stay in the bar for a more than a couple, you can also enjoy $5 Cocktail Classics from 7-10pm, including Mango Daiquiris and Mexican Margaritas. Ruby’s just on the other side of the Anzac Bridge, so it’s well placed for an affordable pre-clubbing watering hole, complete with a great outdoor deck.
www.rubylotel.com.au

Bivalves & Belvedere
After shucking and slurping my way through a cracking dozen of Sydney Rock Oysters from Bateman’s Bay on the weekend, I am more than a little excited about Manta Restaurant & Bar’s annual Oyster & Seafood Festival on Sunday, 17 October 2010. Oysters are shucked on site to order by celebrating growers (who you can probe with questions). Beyond the briny juices, you can also imbibe the usual array of excellent wines and well-made cocktails, including their refreshing Manta Martini with crushed lychees, lemongrass, apple juice and Belvedere Vodka.
www.mantarestaurant.com.au

Beers Like Big Helga
While I’m not a big beer drinker myself, I really enjoyed a $19.99 six-pack of Matilda Bay’s Big Helga beer last week. Not only is it emblazoned with a busty beer wench; it is also crisp, malty and delicious. You can find it at premium liquor stores or at beer-drinkers heaven, The Australian Beer Festival 2010 at The Australian Hotel on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th October, 12pm-8pm. You can judge beers from over eighteen brewers and wineries, and decide if Big Helga’s good enough to nab your vote in the People’s Choice Best Beer Award. They’re expecting to pour over 20,000 litres of beer, so perhaps a pre-sale ticket and tasting cup ($15 including 10 tasting tickets) is a beery good idea?
www.australianheritagehotel.com