A Taste of Australia at The Sunburnt Calf in New York City

Posted on March 20, 2013

I was recently invited to a BlogHer lunch hosted by Tourism Australia at The Sunburnt Calf in New York City. Blogger events are always fun because I get to meet and see some of my “blog friends.” This was also a good opportunity to experience Australian cuisine and learn about Australia’s food and wine culture.

SONY DSC SONY DSC

 

While I’ve had my fair share of childhood Outback Steakhouse experiences (I used to go with my best friend and her family while we were growing up!) and have been to one or two Australian restaurants in the city, I never really got the chance or took the time to understand what Australian food actually is. Representatives from the different regions of the country–including Queensland, South Australia, and Tasmania–spoke to us about the lifestyles of their areas. (Hi Audra!)

SONY DSC

Michael Moore, a world-renowned chef, cookbook author and entrepreneur, defined Australian cuisine as laid-back but sophisticated: sophisticated in the quality of food, but laid-back in atmosphere. I really liked how he described it that way, and it made me think of California a little bit. Everyone also emphasized the farm-to-table movement across the regions and just how open and light everything is. So much calmer than crazy New York City. Honestly, the pictures and descriptions of the different regions made me want to go to Australia immediately. Maybe I can get someone to send me there for one of their Food and Wine Festivals… Wishful thinking!

 

And as for the food at the event, this was definitely a step up from my typical made-at-home salad lunch! Take a look at the beautiful and flavorful dishes we were served!

 

Classic Prawn Cocktail, with shredded iceberg and creamy cocktail sauce. The shrimp were fresh and the cocktail sauce was just the right touch to highlight the shellfish.

SONY DSC

 

Stuffed Mushrooms, with wild mushroom mousse, olive tapenade, and Manchego. The mushrooms were meaty and substantial without being overly filling for an appetizer. I was happy that the flavor from the olive tapenade was not overpowering; the flavors just came together nicely.

SONY DSC SONY DSC

 

Oysters “Kilpatrick”: tempura-fried oyster, pickled shallots, and Worcestershire-bacon butter. This was my favorite dish of the day. The oysters were perfectly cooked and the flavors were great. The bacon gave it a nice smokiness, while the shallots added the perfect acidic balance.

SONY DSC

 

Steamed Buns with red braised pork belly. The buns were fresh and soft, which complimented the savory meat and fresh garnishes well.

SONY DSCSONY DSC

 

We had a choice of three entrees, but I still got photos of the other two beautiful plates!

 

BBQ’d Barramundi Fillet with sea scallops, frisee salad, new potatoes, anchovy aioli. I actually chose this dish because I am a sucker for sea scallops. One of the two scallops was seared perfectly, and the fish was light and flavorful; it felt slightly more substantial than tilapia. We actually saw a photo of the biggest Barramundi and it was huge!

SONY DSC

 

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine with roasted almond and mint couscous. I didn’t taste it but I could smell Joanne’s across the table. It smelled amazing!

SONY DSC

 

Grilled Australian Rack of Lamb with roasted winter vegetables and minted yogurt. Another beautifully plated dish. I think that is Jacqueline’s arm in the back. :-)

SONY DSC

 

And finally dessert! Pavlova with sticky meringue, fresh cream, kiwi, mango, and passion fruit sauce. I loved the passion fruit sauce!

SONY DSC

 

Peach Melba with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. I didn’t try it, but those who did said it was good.

SONY DSC

 

Thank you so much to Tourism Australia for hosting this lunch! This is a sponsored post, but all opinions stated are my own.

You Might Also Like...
Comments (4)
  • Joanne says:

    Reading through your post makes me want to go all over again!! I’m probably going to spend today depressed that I’m stuck here in this city…

  • Faith says:

    Reading through these lovely posts on this event make me want to visit Australia too, lol! Looks like it was such a fun time – and the food looks beautiful, flavorful, and completely enticing!

  • Jeanette says:

    What a fun lunch – it was my first experiencing Australian food. Great pictures! Hope I have a chance to visit one day.

  • I am so behind on my blog reading that I’m just now seeing this.
    Your pictures turned out amazing- love that you caught an action shot! Haha- I may need a copy of that.:)

    I love any chance I get to see you- I’m hoping another comes up soon! xo

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *