Vic Cherikoff, Author at Dining Down Under®

Vic Cherikoff

Author Archives: Vic Cherikoff

Redgum Restaurant at Boronia House Mosman

This episode, Vic Cherikoff visits Redgum Restaurant inside the historic Boronia House in the northern Sydney suburb of Mosman. Originally located at the corso in Manly, Uli and Sean’s Redgum Restaurant relocated to Boronia House in 2001 when the Manly Pier was being renovated.

Built in 1885, Boronia House is listed as one of the finest on the heritage register and has a timeless quality. The wooden floorboards, open fireplaces and high ornate ceilings create a feeling of grandeur. Fully refurbished in 1997 the house offers a style that affords a sense of space, light and harmony. The French doors open onto the surrounding veranda’ which overlooks the grounds and gardens. On a sunny Sunday afternoon you could believe that you are on a country estate surrounded by areas of open space instead of being 30 metres from the busy Military road. Inside, the restaurant is decorated in the warm colours of the Australian outback with large pieces of Aboriginal art adorning the walls and displays of native Australian flowers and greenery completing the fusion of Victorian and contemporary style.

Redgum’s menu is a combination of European/Asian cooking with the influence of Australian herbs and spices with dishes such as Calamari with passionfruit and Mountain Pepper BBQ Sauce, Salt bush lamb with kumara smash and for dessert a gumleaf brulee.

Redgum Restaurant has since closed, and Boronia house operates as a wedding and function centre. However, Chef Ulli has migrated to Queensland and runs a highly successful Australian themed restaurant called Picnics at the Rocks at Yandina about an hour and a half north of Brisbane.

Web links

www.boroniahouse.com

Address

624 Military Rd
Mosman, NSW, 2088
Australia

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The Cowrie Restaurant Terrigal Beach

Redgum Restaurant at Boronia House Mosman

Web links

www.boroniahouse.com

Address

624 Military Rd
Mosman, NSW, 2088
Australia

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Feast Restaurant on Avoca Beach

Vic Cherikoff heads north to the beachside suburb of Avoca where French Chef, André Chouvin runs Feast Restaurant. Every seat in the house commands stunning beach views, but more importantly it boasts some of the best food for many miles around.

Once occupied by the Awabakal Aborigines, the first European land grant in the vicinity was that of Irish army officer John Moore. He received a 640-acre grant of Aboriginal land in 1830 which he called Avoca and he built a house on a ridge overlooking Avoca Lake, just to the west of the beach. He planted cereals, fruit and grapes. In 1836 he was charged with cattle theft but was acquitted. He journeyed to the goldfields in the 1850s but while he was away, his house burned down. Today, Avoca beach has become a popular holiday retreat for Sydneysiders because of its close proximity to ‘the big smoke’.

Chef Andre’s food at Feast Restaurant is influenced by 3 star chef, Paul Bocuse as well as Michel Lorrain, Marc and Paul Haeberlin and uses the finest Australian produce, even though the menu is classic French. Feast’s kitchen brigade is regarded as one of the most skilled on the central coast and boasts a team of 7 chefs each shift. Andre’s food is extremely flavoursome as much as it is visual art. Two dishes which are symbolically served at Feast Restaurant are the Australian lamb loin and ratatouille as well as the golden cappuccino dessert. His lamb loin is served in a deconstruction style which is gaining popularity in Europe and the USA in recent times. The golden cappuccino is created in a chocolate cup and is served complete with mock-froth and cocoa dusting.

Web links

www.feast.com.au

Address

Shop 3, 85 Avoca Drive
Avoca, NSW, 2251
Australia

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Lillipilli in the Rocks

Hidden in the tangled lanes and walkways of Sydney’s colonial past, Vic Cherikoff found the Aboriginal owned and run Lillipilli in the Rocks. Lillipilli in the Rocks is one of a kind, offering diners one of the most diverse menus in Australia. Guests can order exotic game like kangaroo, emu, crocodile, wallaby, possum, stingray, all lovingly prepared with indigenous vegetables and herbs.

During Vic’s visit at Lillipilli in the Rocks some of the items on the menu included char grilled kangaroo fillet with bush tomato jus, tempura crocodile with lemon myrtle mayonnaise, wild icecream pyramid with Davidson Plum and mango syrup.

Apart from the unique Australian native cuisine, Lillipilli in the Rocks offers a variety aboriginal entertainment, ranging from dreamtime stories to didgeridoo players creating electric sounds completing the total dining experience.

Lillipilli In The Rocks is currently moving to a new location as such is presently closed.

Web links

http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/E/V/SYDNE/0069/90/50/1.html

Address

1 Globe Street at Nurses Walk
The Rocks, NSW, 2000
Australia

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Margaret River and restaurant Vat 107

Having worked and lived in Western Australia for some time, Benjamin Christie was well qualified to take us 3 hours south of Perth down to the wine growing region of Margaret River where he visits Vat 107 Restaurant and a number of wineries.

Margaret River is located near the coast between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin and boasts a variety of vineyards growing high-quality table wine grapes in the Mediterranean climate of the region. Some of Australia’s most popular wines are produced in Margaret River with well known brands such as Amberley Estate, Brookland Valley Vineyard, Brookwood Estate, Cape Mentelle Vineyards, Clairault Wines, Cullen Wines, Driftwood Estate, Evans & Tate, Howard Park Wines, Leeuwin Estate Winery, Madfish Wines, Moss Brothers, Palandri Wines, Sandalford Wines, Voyager Estate and Xanadu Wines.

Owned and operated by Jenny Spencer and Gary Cream, Vat 107 is a unique establishment bringing a little of the city to the country. Vat 107 has stylish decor, polished floorboards and marble bars ooze style and city slick. Chef Jamie Farrer, who has been with the Vat since its opening in April 1999, designs his menus with an extensive and intelligent knowledge of local produce. Jamie is a great advocate of local foods and uses fresh seasonal produce from around the south-west region. While Benjamin was there Jamie cooked, flame grilled Western Australian marron with a Greek salad, tempura oysters with sweet soy dipping sauce and twice cooked duck with Chinese pancakes.

Apart from producing some of Australia’s best wines and fabulous dining, Margaret River is also known for its surf with beaches near the mouth of the river famous for their large waves. In fact, in spite of the relative isolation, surfers from around the world come to the region to enjoy the surf and the beautiful coastline.

Web links

www.vat107.com.au
www.margaretriver.com

Address

107 Bussell Highway
Margaret River, WA, 6285
Australia

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Swiss Grand at Bondi Beach Sydney

Literally minutes from Sydney’s Central business district, chef Benjamin Christie explores the famous Bondi Beach and visits the Swiss Grand to try their native Australian menu.

In 1851, Edward Smith Hall and Francis O’Brien purchased 200 acres of the Bondi area that embraced almost the whole frontage of Bondi Beach, and it was named the “The Bondi Estate.” Between 1855 and 1877 O’Brien purchased his father-in-law’s share of the land, renamed the land the “O’Brien Estate,” and made the beach and the surrounding land available to the public as a picnic ground and amusement resort. As the beach became increasingly popular, O’Brien threatened to stop public beach access. However, the Municipal Council believed that the Government needed to intervene to make the beach a public reserve. It was not until June 9, 1882, that the Government acted and Bondi Beach finally became a public beach.

These days Bondi Beach is a mecca of dining options reaching from one end of campbell parade to the other. During this episode Benjamin visits Epic Brasserie at the 4.5 star luxury all-suite Swiss Grand Resort and Spa Bondi. The Epic Brasserie showcases modern Australian cuisine with a focus on the finest Seafood available and here dishes like Baby Barramundi wrapped in paperbark and Kangaroo fillet with mango chutney are prepared.

Web links

www.swissgrand.com.au

Address

Cnr Campbell Parade & Beach Rd.
Bondi Beach, NSW, 2026
Australia

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Alberts Lakeside Restaurant Norwest Sydney

This episode, Mark McCluskey takes us to the restaurant where he spends most of his time as Executive Chef, Alberts Lakeside Restaurant and talks about his menu, vision and style at this corporate by day, casual by night restaurant in the Hills District of Sydney.

Alberts Lakeside Restaurant is located at the Norwest Business Park, 30 minutes drive north west from the Sydney CBD. Norwest has in the past few years attracted over 400 businesses to relocate to this area. Right in the middle of this complex is a man made lake and overlooking this lake is Alberts Lakeside Restaurant. Parking and other amenities are conveniently nearby.

Given Mark’s classical English culinary training, the menu features well structured dishes combing European styles with native Australian ingredients. During this episode, Mark demonstrates two dishes, a pan seared emu fillet with summer greens and macadamia nuts and a Rainforest Lime Tart which both feature on the current menu.

Update: Unfortunately, Mark has moved on from this restaurant (see Mark’s bio) and Alberts Lakeside Restaurant is under new management with the current chef not using indigenous ingredients. Interestingly, the new owner describes his food offering as ordinary so we presume that’s what you can now expect. At least we have enshrined Mark’s innovative food style at the time in the show and in the cookbook so the good food may be gone but not forgotten.

Address

Shop T36 Norwest Marketown
Norwest Blv
Baulkham Hills, NSW, 2153
Australia

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Wattleseed pavlova

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Wattleseed pavlova title=

Ingredients

7 egg whites
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon corn flour
1¼ cups castor sugar
300ml whipped cream
2 tablespoons Wattleseed extract
½ cup crumbed Dick Smith Foods’ Bushfood Breakfast cereal or biscuit crumbs
strawberry jam
juice of 1 lemon
¼ teaspoon Fruit Spice

Method

1. Add the Wattleseed extract to the cream and whip this to stiff peaks; this can and is best done the day before to allow the full flavour to develop; taste and add more extract if you want a stronger flavour
2. whip the egg whites to soft peaks; add the sugar and lemon juice slowly until stiff peaks form
3. line a baking tray with baking paper to cover an area the width of the baking paper and 1¼ times the length
4. spread the pavlova mix over the baking paper in a rectangular shape to a depth of 2cm
5. bake at 150°C for 10 to 15 minutes or until firm and nearly touch dry but not browned; it should look like soft meringue at this stage
6. remove from the oven and slide it off the tray to stop it cooking on; sprinkle the top with the crumbed breakfast cereal evenly coating the surface.
7. flip the meringue over, seasoned side down, onto a clean tea towel and remove the baking paper carefully; if it sticks, place a wet towel which has been heated in a microwave (or soaked with really hot water) on to the baking paper for 30 seconds; try peeling the paper away again and it should come away cleanly
8. spread the Wattle cream evenly over the meringue to a thickness of around 1cm or ½ an inch
9. roll up the pavlova using the long edge of the towel; cut the ends on an angle (good cooks will selflessly taste-test the trimmings)
10. before removing the towel completely, lift the pavlova onto a platter and roll the pavlova off the towel

Styling

Serve with a sour fruit coulis, for example, a berry jam mixed with enough lemon juice to taste tart and to pour like a thick sauce. I’d add a pinch of Fruit Spice to this sauce as well to enhance the fruitiness.

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Dining Downunder Cookbook

This Australian recipe of Wattleseed pavlova is included in the Dining Downunder Cookbookwhich can be purchased online at the Dining Downunder Online Shop. Also available online is a wide range of native Australian herbs and spices, sauces, syrups, infused oils and bush tucker ingredients such as wattleseed and paperbark rolls.

Episode: Feast Restaurant on Avoca Beach

Recipe By: Vic Cherikoff

This has to be a contender for an Australian national dish. Even if the Kiwis simultaneously concocted the same sort of meringue mixture, the idea of serving it in Swiss roll fashion instead of as a cow pat must put us in front.

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Wattleseed pancakes with riberry confit

Serves: As many as you want

Difficulty:

Ingredients

2-3 cups of self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
milk or water
a dash of Wattleseed Extract
oil spray for frying or a non-stick pan
Riberry Confit

Method

1. mix the flour and salt and add enough milk or water to just take up all the dry mix
2. continue adding liquid and stirring well to make a smooth, thick batter
3. add the wattleseed extract or the grounds to get a pale coffee colour and leave to stand for 15 minutes
4. adjust the thickness by adding more liquid, if necessary, choosing to make pancakes or crepes (thick or thin, respectively).
5. into a lightly oiled or non-stick pan heated to medium high heat, pour in a small ladle-full of batter (or use a squeeze bottle as I did on the show) using enough batter to make 12 or 13
pancakes all up (a good cook will always try one pancake in case it needs more flavour)
6. leave to cook through until the top side is just dry and flip the pancake over
7. cook briefly to finish (around 30 seconds)
8. store the cooked pancakes under a kitchen towel until all the pancakes are done

Styling

1. It’s your choice of stacking or spreading. All I can say is this is a frequent Sunday breakfast for me sometimes with wattleseed cream or Fruit Spice sour cream instead of the ice cream.

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Dining Downunder Cookbook

This Australian recipe of Wattleseed pancakes with riberry confit is included in the Dining Downunder Cookbook which can be purchased online at the Dining Downunder Online Shop. Also available online is a wide range of native Australian herbs and spices, sauces, syrups, infused oils and bush tucker ingredients such as wattleseed and paperbark rolls.

Episode: Hydro Majestic Hotel in the Blue Mountains

Recipe By: Vic Cherikoff

I normally don’t like stacked dishes because as soon as you hit it with a fork, it looks like the dog’s dinner. An alternative way to serve them is to cook thin crepes, pack them with the fruit mix and lavish them with cream or ice cream. Note that there are short cuts given in this recipe but some of the components are best prepared ahead of time or obtained ready-made.

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Wattleseed and walnut bread and butter pudding with stewed fruits

Serves: 4

Difficulty:

Ingredients

500ml milk
500ml double cream
6 small bread rolls
40g butter
200g sugar
6 eggs
25g munthari
60g Wattleseed
60g walnuts, chopped
80g Quandong Confit
100ml honey
juice and zest from ½ orange

Method

1. Slice the bread rolls evenly and butter each slice, with the remaining butter, line the dariole dishes
2. place the bread into the dishes together with the munthari and walnut pieces, scattered between the bread slices
3. combine the double cream, milk and wattleseed and bring to the boil in a pot
4. in a bowl cream the eggs and sugar together until firm
5. gradually add the milk and cream mixture to the eggs stirring well
6. pour the mix into the darile dishes
7. in a deep tray, lay some folded newspaper on the base and place the dariole dishes on it; fill the tray with hot water half way up the sides of the dishes and cover the whole tray with foil
8. cook in an oven at 160° for 25 minutes, remove the foil and continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until done; the custard should be set and the bread just browned
9. when cooked remove the dishes from the tray and allow to cool on the bench
10. in a small saucepan, warm the honey; add the quandong and the orange juice and zest
11. simmer for 5 minutes and allow to cool

Styling

To serve, dust with icing sugar and glazed quandongs.

Email This Page

Dining Downunder Cookbook

This Australian recipe of Wattleseed and walnut bread and butter pudding with stewed fruits is included in the Dining Downunder Cookbook which can be purchased online at the Dining Downunder Online Shop. Also available online is a wide range of native Australian herbs and spices, sauces, syrups, infused oils and bush tucker ingredients such as wattleseed and paperbark rolls.

Episode: Margaret River and restaurant Vat 107

Recipe By: Vic Cherikoff

This is a really simple but delicious dessert which can be substituted any number of ways. Use different fruits such as mango, apricots, peaches or stewed pears. Substitute the various herbs with Australian or varietal mints or peppermint, try basil or chervil, licorice or aniseed and mix them into a range of alternative cheeses such as quark or cottage cheese, cream cheeses such as Philadelphia, Neufchatel, mascarpone or even straight sour cream or yoghurt. Try a range of pure honeys, maple syrup, palm sugar syrup, brandy butter, golden syrup or fruit syrups (rose hip, pomegranate etc). And finally, introduce different nuts such as pecans, pistachio, Brazil nuts, pine nuts etc.

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