Hammer and Tong - Friends with Benefits Dinner (Nick Stanton)

To be honest, I was a little concerned about attending another Friends with Benefits Dinner at Hammer and Tong. I was worried that it wouldn't be as good as last time or that my expectations were now too high but thankfully after our first course was set down (and after a few big sips of my Tom Collins) all my worries flew out the window.

Placed before me was a beautifully plated dish of Hay smoked Cioba with pickled daikon, chilli and a smoked bonito infused dressing. The flavours were fresh and vibrant and the fried quinoa garnish added a fantastic crunch to the delicate fish.

Next was a Pork trotter nugget, seared scallop, apple, bacon and bourbon caramel. It was definitely one of the most elegant surf and turfs I've ever encountered. The timeless combination of pork and apple was enhanced by the taste of bourbon and the sweetness of a plump scallop, which my knife glided through like butter. 

This was followed by a Smokey beef brisket with kimchi, pineapple and pickled carrot. Never would I have thought that pineapple, beef and kimchi would be together in a single dish but it couldn't have made any more sense. The beef was cooked for 2 days and was sinfully succulent, whilst the kimchi, pineapple and carrot added the perfect amount of acidity and sweetness to cut through the intense richness of the beef.

Finally we arrived at dessert - a peanut butter waffle with salted peanut caramel, raspberry sorbet and chocolate sauce. It was absolutely divine! It was so good, we were scraping our plates for the last remnants of the amazing chocolate sauce. 

If I could sum up all the dishes of the night with one word, it would be 'balance'. Every course was packed with intense and bold flavours yet they combined together harmoniously. The textures of each dish were also well thought out, making each and every bite exciting and leaving you wanting more. I have such a wonderful time when I attend Hammer and Tong's Friends with Benefits dinners, I hope they become an annual thing. 

Nieuw Amsterdam - CBD

Nieuw Amsterdam located on Hardware street has a distinct old school New York vibe with its dark wood finishes and exposed red brick. Above their dimly lit bar is a stylish restaurant area, where diners can enjoy a selection of mains and sandwiches or something from the Pitt grill, such as their succulent Smoky beef brisket with a carrot remoulade.

For the indecisive diner, the $50 Nieuw Banquet is an amazing deal. You get a ridiculous amount of food (2 entrees, 2 mains, 2 sides and dessert) and it's all decided for you by head chef Nick Stanton (previously at Woods of Windsor). 

Along with the owner, Michael Roszbach (from Cookie) Stanton has created a menu that is undoubtedly American but I detected a slight hint of Asian and French influence. The kingfish ceviche had a light dashi dressing and our grilled eggplant was served with grilled tofu whilst the carrot remoulade helped to cut through the richness of our beef brisket.

We of course had to add their famous chicken and waffle dish to our banquet, rich pate and a chicken terrine atop a waffle with a orange caramel to add sweetness.

Desserts were also a huge hit at the table. We quickly devoured our silky chocolate delice with a liquid chocolate centre topped with sticky honeycomb before promptly tucking into our warm fluffy pumpkin donuts with a Kentucky bourbon cream. Out waiter was kind enough to instruct us on how to best eat the donuts without melting the cream. The trick is to split the donut in half, smother the insides with cream and create a warm, creamy pumpkin donut sandwich of sorts. Brilliant.

The drinks and service were lovely. Our food came out very quickly and I simply adored our waitress. She was very friendly and beautiful inside and out. It was a great place to have a drink, share a meal and catch up with friends.

(special thanks to Rachel Lung for providing some photos) 

Nieuw Amsterdam 

106-122 Hardware Street, Melbourne 

(03) 9602 2111

Hours 

Mon to Wed noon-1am 

Thurs & Sun noon-3am 

Fri & Sat noon-5am

nieuwamsterdam.com.au