Christmas Day Lunch - 25 Dec 08

Enjoy a stress free Christmas with family and friends - leave the hard work to someone else and head to one of these popular restaurants for an unforgettable Christmas Day Lunch. Kids 3 and under are FREE.

• MEDITERRANEAN - Butchers Grill - Docklands & Bourke St City.
• BRAZILIAN - BlueFire - Docklands. Ph 9670 8008
• SEAFOOD - Fish Seafood Grill - Docklands. Ph 9640 0686
• MODERN AUSTRALIAN - Windows on the Bay - Mordialloc. Ph 9580 2899
• STEAK - Steakhouse - Port Melbourne & Docklands
• GREEK - Saganaki Greek Cuisine & Grill - Docklands. Ph 9606 0008
• ITALIAN - Bellissimo Cucina & Trattoria - Docklands. Ph 9326 6636
• MOROCCAN - Mecca Bah - Docklands. Ph 9642 1300
• SEAFOOD - Livebait - Docklands. Ph 9642 1500
• CRUISE - Rivers Restaurant Cruises - Docklands. Ph 9285 0000
• CAFE - Hot Chocolate - Docklands. Ph 9642 1818
• CHINESE - Yum Cha Dragon - Docklands. Ph 9329 6868

Christmas Day Dinner
Due to popular demand, Rivers are holding a NEW Christmas Dinner Cruise on Christmas Day. Includes 3 courses and entertainment. Ph: 9285 0000 www.rivers.net.au

Share Your Thoughts to Win?

Complete a short survey for your chance to win a $60 restaurant voucher. There are 20 to be won, you have until the end of October 08 to enter.

The survey is online at fishrestaurant.com.au

Have you booked in your Christmas function yet?

Don't leave it to the last minute and miss out on your preferred date and location. Rivers' team of dedicated event co-ordinators can match the perfect venue to your requirements. With over 15 quality waterfront or floating options to choose from you'll be spoilt for choice.
Locations: Bourke St CBD, Docklands, Port Melbourne, Mordialloc

Ph (03) 9285 0000 Web www.rivers.net.au

LEARN FROM THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS

Celebrate the beautiful, fresh, seasonal produce of Queen Victoria Market. At the Electrolux Cooking School, chefs, cookery authors and culinary professionals from Victoria and interstate conduct classes in a range of cuisines, styles and techniques.

Classes last around 2.5 hours and take on a demonstration format. The maximum class size is 16 persons, which provides for intimate interaction with the presenting chef.

GREEK
Chef Abraham Kourtidis, from Saganaki
Date: Sat 25th Oct 2008 Time: 12:30pm
Abraham Kourtidis from Saganaki Greek Cuisine and Grill will be showing some modern versions of traditional Greek flavours – described as evolved Greek Cuisine. Abraham borrows flavours from his ancestors but uses them in a thoroughly modern way. He may even spoil the class with a special Greek sweet – his own mother’s Baklava recipe. <more>

SEAFOOD
Chef Jared Ikihega, from Livebait
Date: Sunday 9th Nov 2008 Time: 12:30pm
The Tastes of Japan and the Pacific Rim from Livebait.
Livebait has been at the forefront of the Dockland’s restaurants since the area’s inception. Six years on it still has a loyal band of seafood lovers. Nowadays Jared Ikihega is at the stoves and he brings to the menu, the eclectic tastes of Asia and the Pacific Rim while staying true to Livebait’s policy of the very freshest seafood. <more>

BOOKINGS: Phone 9320 5835. The Electrolux Kitchen at the Queen Victoria Market Cooking School, 69 Victoria Street, City View the Program Guide

Butchers Grill Head Chef "Trevor Jenkins"

This month in the series of "5 Minutes With..", where you get to know some of Melbourne's top Chefs - we interview Trevor Jenkins, Head Chef at the new Butchers Grill

Find out Chef Trevor's inspirations and the food he can't bring himself to like -- you will be surprised! Read the Interview

“dine out… help out" from 10th November to 24th December 2008

For six weeks in the lead-up to Christmas, StreetSmart partners with restaurants to ask diners to make a small donation to StreetSmart on their bill. Every table is asked to add $2 or more to their bill. It’s a simple idea that adds up to a big impact on the lives of people who are homeless.

So when you are planning a night out think about taking a simple action and book at a StreetSmart participating restaurant. While you are there encourage your fellow diners to dig deep and leave your donation on your bill. Be it meeting up with friends, family or an office or business function we need you to get involved.

100% of your donation goes to work:
StreetSmart operational expenses are funded through sponsorship partners allowing us to guarantee to the community that 100% of your donations are distributed directly to charity recipients. Find Out More

Butchers Grill is opening a second location at 141 Bourke Street, Melbourne

This new restaurant is set to open late October 2008 - check the web site for further updates. www.butchersgrill.com.au

Consommé

Ingredients
1 ½ cups frozen raspberries
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup champagne or sparkling wine
Method
• Mix all ingredients together and let it boil for 2 minutes
• Strain and allow to cool

Italian Meringue

Ingredients
4 egg whites
1 ¼ cup caster sugar
80ml water
1 ½ leaves of gelatin (soaked in ¼ cup of water at room temperature)
Note: Leaf gelatin can be purchased at specialty food stores
Method
• Boil the sugar and water in a pot until it reaches 120˚c. Use a sugar thermometer to determine the temperature. (A sugar thermometer can be purchased from most kitchen stores)
• Whisk the egg whites on a high speed until they double in size.
• Melt the gelatin with a small amount of syrup until it is dissolved.
• Add syrup into the meringue and whisk until cold.

To Serve
• Remove ice cream from moulds and place on a tray, leaving space between each ice cream.
• Pipe the meringue onto the ice cream using a small plain nozzle and freeze for 3 hours.
• Remove from freezer, place on centre of large plate and drizzle consommé around the dessert.
• Use a blow torch to flame the meringue all around.
• Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Livebait