Seaweed set to be big. Jared Ingersoll’s North Queensland cobia, clams and mussels smoked in sweet kombu with ogonori and Australian ulva. Picture: John Fotiadis. Source: News Corp Australia
LET’S face it, food trends are as transient as a reality TV contestant’s fame.
By the time you’ve wrapped your laughing gear around a fried chicken kimchi taco, the throng of food-obsessed social media snappers have vanished to queue in a secret location for the next big face-stuffing thing. Of course, the problem with trends is the inevitable replication and proliferation of such across the board. Brioche buns for instance. Do we have to put everything on them? And kale, oh man. It’s not the only green vegetable on earth, and as for ancient grains — namely quinoa. Aren’t they all ancient? Let. It. Go.
Anyway, here’s a list of what to expect dining out in 2015.
1. Yakitori
Things on sticks. We love them. Chicken skin, thighs, wings, gizzards, hearts and the like smoked over charcoal with a side of sake. Although we’ve had Japanese restaurants, like Toriciya, offering it as part of the overall mix, in Japan they are stand-alone establishments. It wasn’t until Sepia’s Martin Benn started delivering top-shelf yakitori at the bar that people started to take notice. We’ve had two Yakitori bars open since — Chaco Bar and Tokyobird — as well as quickservice franchise Q San in Central Park.
Yakitori at Sepia Restaurant in Sussex St. Source: News Limited
2. Nose to tail fish
We’ve been hit over the head by the ‘nose to tail’ ethos with pigs and cows, but it’s time for the same approach on fish. There’s much more than a fillet on the denizen of the deep. Expect to see fish heads cooked over charcoal, fish tails cooked on the bone, and even fish livers in salads. Provenance and fish labelling will also come to the fore.
Chef John Susman at Sydney Fish Markets. Source: News Corp Australia
3. Chefs to watch
Lennox Hastie, formerly of Spain’s Etxebarri, will finally open Firedoor in Surry Hills this year. The multimillion-dollar development of the Old Clare Hotel on Broadway will house three restaurants — one by talented young chef Clayton Wells (ex-Momofuku Sieobo) called Automata, Kensington Street Social by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton (Pollen Street Social) and another yet-to-be-named by Sam Miller (ex-Noma). Danielle Alvarez, from famous San Francisco restaurant Chez Panisse, will man the pans at the latest Merivale venture in Paddington too.
Lennox Hastie, who uses a wood fire to cook, is opening a new restaurant in Sydney with local restaurant owner John Fink. Source: News Limited
Chef Jared Ingersoll prepares a variety of dishes with seaweed. Picture: John Fotiadis. Source: News Corp Australia
4. Native seaweed and foods
Asia’s influence has introduced seaweed to our culinary landscape. Expect to see it being used a lot more, particularly Australian seaweed, in contemporary cuisine. Although the majority of seaweed we consume comes from overseas, 15 years of research by Phyco Foods has resulted in the production of a native ulva (sea lettuce) with many culinary applications, from a simple powdered seasoning to the base of broths. Also expect to see more native ingredients including saltbush, warrigal greens, wattleseed, quandongs and quality, ethically harvested kangaroo to feature on menus.
5. Respect for vegetables
We’ve come a long way from the meat and three veg world, but for a while we left the veges in our meat-obsessed wake. The focus is being put back on what has long been an afterthought. Respect to sides and cracking vegetable dishes that make it the hero of the plate will be a theme of 2015. Restaurants such as Rockpool Bar and Grill already deliver smashing sides, while restaurants like Ester (wood-fired cauliflower), Nomad (wood-roasted beetroot) and 4fourteen (celeriac three ways) are proving you can win friends with vegies. Flying Fish’s Steven Seckold and Con Dedes will also open a new restaurant mid-year in the CBD with a huge focus on vegetables.
Cauliflower side dish at Ester restaurant in Chippendale. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied
6. Chippendale
Chippendale is the food suburb to watch in 2015. In a small amount of time we’ve seen the opening of Ester, LP’s Quality Meats, Brickfield’s, Din Tai Fung, Ipuddo, Freda’s and The Chip off the Old Block, but the area is being redeveloped as we speak.
Katya Ginsberg at laneway bar The Chip Off The Old Block in Chippendale. Picture: Craig Wilson Source: News Corp Australia
7. Boom in quality pub dining
Dropping down the local for a few brews is practically a national pastime, but the decade-long push for smart casual dining has had an enormous impact on hotels and what they offer. The Charring Cross, The Centennial, The Welcome Hotel, The Swanson all joined stalwarts like Four in Hand Dining Room and The Riverview as quality pub restaurants.
The Swanson Hotel in Erskineville. Source: News Corp Australia
8. Food by the gram
Forget set menus, fixed prices or the standard entree, main, dessert pricing formulas, there’s a small movement for food by the gram. That’s right, pick your poison and purchase the amount you want to consume, paying for food by the weight. Jazz City BBQ, Opera Bar and Deli Wine Bar are charging for food by the gram.
9. Orange wines
No, they’re not made with oranges. The wine gets an orange hue due to extended skin contact. Sure there are good and bad orange wines, but here’s a newsflash — there are good and bad of every wine. Expect to see more spins on the bloody mary.
10. Middle Eastern
There is so much more to the fragrant and smoky seduction of the Middle East. Chefs are taking note and starting to use Middle Eastern spices and rices. Although we’ve had a few legends like Almond Bar and Emma’s, there have been a number of new restaurants such as Zahli and Al-Amar making their mark too.
Seasoned rice pilaf with minced meat, topped with slow cooked lamb and roasted nuts, served with cucumber yoghurt at Zahli. Picture: Simon Bullard Source: Supplied
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