By Carole Levy
The culture and culinary diversity of Melbourne’s west will be on show this month when Eat Drink Westside (EDW) kicks off in style with 25 delicious events running as part of Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (MFWF) from March 8-24.
Jonathan Levitzke from Yarraville’s new hot spot, Johnny’s Emporium, has entered the EDW program for the first time, having been a fan of the program since its inception:
“The EDW guide has always been my go-to program for events that are in the west. It can be overwhelming to pick and choose events from the entire MFWF guide, so the EDW guide is a great way to see what’s local and worth checking out,” he says.
To celebrate all that’s Australian, Johnny’s Emporium will be hosting a beastly three-course dinner and sensory tasting session, featuring some of Australia’s most interesting small producers.
Joining Johnny’s Emporium’s tasting extravaganza is an impressive line-up of special events with a range of cuisines from across the globe.
Enjoy a produce-driven four-course lunch matched to wines at the Regional World’s Longest Lunch Wyndham at Shadowfax Winery.
Discover the fun and flavour of eating the true Somali way at ‘The Somali Experience’ in Flemington.
Enjoy a special one-night-only ‘Battle of the Dumplings’ dinner at Luxsmith in Seddon.
Feast on wine and cheese while meeting small goods producers at Seaworks in Williamstown.
Celebrate Cretan food and wine at Philhellene’s in Moonee Ponds
Hear from local chefs and sample their ‘classic curries’ at the Sunshine Food Fever.
If you’re the adventurous type, then take a culinary tour of Footscray where a local chef will show you where to source exotic ingredients, before returning to Yarraville Community Centre to whip up your findings.
If you enjoy learning a new skill, then Eat Drink Westside is for you.
Let Spice Bazaar in Seddon guide you through creating six cheesy dishes matched with wine.
Learn how to cook with seafood while enjoying tapas and cocktails at The Drunked Sailor in Newport.
Learn ancient olive oil harvesting and Sicilian wine-making practices at Rose Creek Estate.
These are just some of the delicious food and wine experiences on offer in the 2019 Eat Drink Westside program.
This year’s program is presented by Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Moonee Valley and Wyndham City councils.
For more information, visit the Eat Drink Westside Facebook page. For bookings, go to melbournefoodandwine.com.au
