The Ten Best Things to Do at March Into Merivale 2016
A European laneway festival, '90s pop parties and a 16-room immersive cocktail showcase.
The Ten Best Things to Do at March Into Merivale 2016
In partnership with
A European laneway festival, '90s pop parties and a 16-room immersive cocktail showcase.
Clear your culinary calendar, Merivale’s epic food and wine festival March into Merivale is back for the eighth year in a row. For five glorious weeks, you’ll be treated to pop-up feasts, international DJs, a laneway festival, dining specials, masterclasses and mystery banquets. Altogether, it’s more deliciousness and fun than we can handle — but we'll try.
Very last release tickets are on sale now for the epic March into Merivale Launch Party this Wednesday, February 10. Tickets are just 45 bucks a pop, which buys you entry, along with eight food and drink tokens. Plus, the weather's expected to be glorious (28 degrees and sunny) so it's set to be a pretty perfect summer evening.
By Jasmine Crittenden with Shannon Connellan.
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You definitely want to be there when the big ol’ ship Merivale launches its major voyage for 2016. On one night, in one spot, you’ll get in to indulge in all the things that have made the Hemmes empire one of Sydney’s biggest hospitality success stories.
Taking over ivy, including the Pool Club and Ballroom, and spilling into Ash St laneway and Palings, the party will feature stalls and pop-ups from each and every one of Merivale’s venues – from Ms.G’s and Mr Wong to est. and Papi Chulo. You’ll also get a sneak preview of places-in-the-making, like The Newport and Queen Chow, soon to open at the Queen Victoria Hotel. In between feasting, there’ll be chances to dance to live music, roaming performers to mingle with and surprise appearances from special guests.
Tickets are just 45 bucks a pop for entry and eight food and drink tokens. You can top them up all night long.
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Sydney’s reached peak burger obsession, so we reckoned it was about time for a good ol’ fashioned burger battle — and so did Merivale. This February, we invited 16 of Merivale’s top chefs to the Ivy Ballroom to hit the kitchen and cook up their ultimate burger for March Into Merivale’s Between Two Buns.
From dozens of entries, our enviable panel of burger experts whittled down the shortlist to seven. You’ll be able to try every single on of these juicy delights at March Into Merivale, at Between Two Buns on Wednesday, February 17. After you’ve tried ’em all comes the most important moment: vote for your favourite. The winner will not only score a spot on Merivale’s pub menus for a year, and bragging rights forevermore.
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Don’t have the time to make it to French Riviera this year? Dreaming of Rome, but don’t have the cash for the flight? Wondering how you’re going to drag yourself through the autumn and winter?
Take a mini-trip to Europe while skipping jet-lag at Merivale’s European Laneway, Darling, coming to Ash St. laneway on February 22. Spend an evening with all the things you love about the continent, from food stalls to fine wine, spiced up with a dash of good ol’ Aussie eccentricity and dare.
Numerous venues are getting on-board to bring you delicious delights, namely Felix, Ash St. Cellar, Uccello,Bistrode CBD, Lorraine’s Patisserie, Palings, and The Paddington. Meanwhile, master sommelier Franck Moreau is curating a wine list, showcasing excellent drops from several major regions. All you have to do is get your Hepburn-level glamour on and act like you’re on vacation.
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You might’ve tasted the best dumplings in Sydney, worked your way through our cracking ramen list and dined at these respectable Chinese establishments — but you’ve never done Asian the way you’ll be doing it at Wok On.
As Merivale aficionados will know, Asian fare makes up a significant portion of the company’s portfolio. For this cracking March into Merivale event, Ms.G’s, Mr Wong, Sunee’s Thai Canteen and sushi e, along with soon-to-open Queen Chow, will all be turning up at Establishment for one delicious night. While they’re serving dishes and cocktails to meet your every culinary craving — including Ms.G’s killer yuzu vodka slushie — Halfway Crooks will be delivering a plethora of hip-hop beats. Keep your eyes open for some live surprises, too.
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You’ll quickly forget any farewells to the sunnier months at the Coogee Foreshore Festival, a seaside celebration transforming Coogee Pavilion into a burgeoning marketplace.
It’s just one tasty, beachy adventure amongst the annual March into Merivale festival. Head along to the Coogee Pav on March 20 for a day of foreshore frivolity — and you’d be well-advised to leave your self-consciousness behind. Want to get your face painted, tie an animal balloon to your wrist or get your pic taken with a roving entertainer? Do it already.
Just in case you’re finding it hard to let your hair down, there’ll be summery drinks a-plenty, courtesy of Veuve Clicquot, and oodles of food, from not only Coogee Pavilion and Coogee Rooftop, but some of our favourite Merivale restaurants including Papi Chulo, El Loco, Mr. Wong and sushi e.
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Good food doesn’t have to be fancy. Sure, it can be fun dining out on ingredients that you can’t spell. But, sometimes, all you want to do is sit down in front of a familiar dish, cooked with love. At The Kitchen Table, chef Danielle Alvarez and author/cook Nadine Levy Redzepi, will be bringing dinner back to basics — and to what the season says is right.
There’s every chance you’re familiar with one half or the other of this dynamic duo. Alvarez, who’s sharpening her knives in preparation for taking on head chef position at Fred’s, Merivale’s new Paddington destination, has cut her teeth at San Francisco’s Chez Panisse and Napa Valley’s three-Michelin-starred French Laundry. Meanwhile, Levy Redzepi is a celebrated home cook and writer (who happens to be married to Noma’s René Redzepi).
These two have chosen the lovely, open venue of Uccello for their feast, where they’ll be serving fresh, Australian produce, turned into simple, generous dishes.
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Sick of the same ol’ dinner plans? Want to shake up the norm and put a little mystery in your meal? As part of the annual March Into Merivale festival, Merivale is bringing back their Mystery Feasts. You pick the date and time, Merivale picks the restaurant.
For an easy $75pp, your ticket grants you a premium three-course dinner (your choice off the à la carte menu) with three glasses of wine at Mr. Wong, sushi e, The Paddington, Bistrode CBD, Felix, est., Uccello or Ms.G’s. Merivale will let you know just a few hours before where you’re off to — oh, the anticipation.
They’re also offering mystery lunches for $35pp, including one course and a glass of wine. You can pre-book any day or night from Monday to Saturday throughout March into Merivale.
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Two of Sydney’s top chefs and several local crustaceans meet in a secret spot. To find out what happens next, you’ll need to buy a ticket to Shellfishness.
On Thursday, February 25, est.‘s Peter Doyle and Coogee Pavilion‘s Jordan Toft will work their magic on a whole bunch of fresh local oysters and lobster. And you’re invited to see what they come up with. While gorging on their creations, you’ll be sippin’ on champagne, alongside a handpicked selection of wine and beer. The event’s clandestine location won’t be revealed for some time yet, but Merivale is promising something pretty swanky.
If you’re familiar with Doyle or Toft, you might know that this is far from their first collaboration. Back in 2000, they worked together at Celsius and, more recently, Toft helped out when Doyle took over Merivale’s est. Good things happen when these two team up.
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Ever wondered why all of Merivale’s venues look so spiffing, yet still manage to retain their uniqueness? Want to know how a sommelier makes decisions when putting together a wine list? Not sure why your Instagram posts aren’t attracting as many hits as Kim Kardashian’s? Can’t figure out why you’re so addicted to chocolate?
If you’re a questioner, seeker, sampler or Instagrammer, March Into Merivale‘s Show and Tell Mondays are for you. Every week, an expert — or a bunch of experts — will get together to talk about what they do and why they’re so good at it. And you won’t just be using your ears at these sessions — they’ll be offering you samples of their wares too, be it chocolate, wine or some hands-on Insta tips. There will be five sessions, held each week during March into Merivale 2016.
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Madonna diehards, Britney fans and Spice Girls devotees, you can now spend six weekends in a row giving in entirely to your passion for pop music. DJ Sean Rowling is bringing his epic party, Guilty Pleasures, to Sydney all the way from the UK. You’ll find him at Merivale’s Palings every Friday night, between February 19 and March 18.
On top of unashamed dancing to Rowling’s beats and huge collection of tunes, you’ll be able to spill your secrets in confessional booths, belt out your fave songs in the safety of numbers with crowd-aoke, feast your eyes on magnificent dancers and check out the Chandon Unplanned house band. Come fabulous and prepare to leave your inhibitions at the door.
