If you are up for a great foodie weekend, be sure to pencil Feast Waikato in your calendar for next year!
Feast Waikato 2019 started with a bang with a wee progressive dinner for 60 in central Hamilton. Holy Moley, 60 guests – would that give you wobbly knees as a home cook?!
Anxiously anticipating a big evening, we gathered at Palate Restaurant where we enjoyed bubbles and nibbles, including freshly shucked oysters with a Processo and Kawakawa foam. I know this because it was debated heavily on our leisurely stroll alongside the Waikato River, leading us to our next course – nibbles! Apparently, according to good sources, the Processo and Kawakawa was put through a Soda Stream to create the foam. All that effort for just a small detail didn’t go unnoticed. After all….it’s Feast Waikato, where food is to be celebrated.
Our short walk lead us through a recently developed terraced park that overlooked the Waikato River, set up and ready to go for the free outdoor movies held that weekend, then up the steps to Mr Pickles. While somewhat biased, as I had already indulged in the most gorgeous lunch there, it was off for entree of delicately seared herb-encrusted tuna and fresh figs. By day and night, Mr Pickles has fabulous ambience with great views and range of menu varieties to suit everyone.
Feeling rather full already, we meandered en masse to Dough Bros for a HUGE main that just kept on giving. Local producers, Soggy Bottom Farm, provided the meat and the chefs at Dough Bros weaved their foodie magic. The whole kaboodle, ‘nose to tail’, was served up in endless shared plates for the table. Meat heavy on this occasion, but they are known for delicious pizzas amongst other delicious menu items.
Finally, the progressive dinner party positively wobbled to Gothenburg for a delicious pannacotta and port. I’d never been there before (alright, I don’t dine out much) but by day it is smack-bang next to the river (by night, you wouldn’t really know). It’s a huge restaurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor dining options.
It does sound like uber-indulgent start to Feast Waikato, and indeed it was.
These maticulously arranged dinners don’t happen every day, but I would encourage you to create your own if you want to explore your city’s own backyard. It was such a wonderful way to explore Hamilton’s Victoria Street and sidestreets at leisure. I discovered new eateries I hadn’t been to before, but certainly will again now I know they exist.
The rest of the weekend looked like a blast. There was ‘how to cook a great steak’ and dumpling workshops, mini farmers markets, free outdoor movies with a ‘foodie’ theme, and talks about foraging, fermenting, preserving….heaps! So much to see and do.
Next year folks, be there!
A big shout-out and thanks to Waikato Food Inc, Bidfresh Hamilton and Hamilton Tourism for making it all happen.
