We spent several very enjoyable hours checking out wines, cheeses, dips, smallgoods, coffee—you name it, it was there for the sampling. The show merchandise was very clever too. Upon entry, if you wanted to sample wine, you had to buy a glass. We bought the wine glasses with neck straps—an excellent idea for keeping the hands free for picking up food samples and carrying purchases. After about an hour we’d bought so much that we then had to buy a trolley so we could wheel our purchases around instead of lugging them. If only they had cooler bags…

Going on Friday instead of over the weekend also meant that the crowds weren’t too bad and we never had to wait too long to be served.

A couple of downsides though…

Firstly the convention centre in Brisbane lacks any kind of style, which detracts from the overall atmosphere of the event. It’s rather soulless and very much likely wandering around a huge tin shed.

The second issue was that while there were ample food stalls to sample, the eating area serving lunch was expensive. Whatever happened to the gourmet sandwich or pizza, or what about a meze platter? We’re not particularly interested in paying $20+ a plate for lunch just because some ex-MasterChef contestant developed the dish…a real chef, maybe…

Overall, it is certainly a great way to try lots of different wines without having to commit to buying a whole bottle. I just think that the Brisbane Good Food and Wine Festival lacked the breezy vibe of Taste of Sydney (which we’ve just booked to attend again in 2012). Mind you, they are quite different events—the Sydney one focuses on restaurants serving samples from their menus, whereas this one focuses on food and wine producers showing off their wares.

Taste of Sydney is a great place to try signature dishes from some of Sydney’s best cafes and restaurants, not to mention Australian wines. There were also demonstration classes and chef’s tables where you could experience firsthand how these signature dishes are created, which is absolutely fascinating for motivated home cooks like us.

We only managed to squeeze in sample plates from five restaurants, but the offerings were incredible. If only we could have eaten more!

Here’s what we had…

Etch Dining

• Seared scallops with cauliflower puree, bhaji and curry

This was without a doubt our favourite of the day. The scallops were seared perfectly so that they were sweet and tender. The cauliflower puree was deliciously creamy, contrasting beautifully with the crunchy bhaji. The curry sauce was flavoursome but not overpowering—a tasty mix of sweet and savoury with just a hint of heat.

Restaurant Balzac

• Saddle of suckling pig with baby garden peas

The pork had obviously been slow-cooked for a very long time and any trace of fat had melted away. It literally fell apart in the mouth, so juicy and tender. The peas were sweet and minty, a refreshing cleanser after the richness of the meat. Fantastic!

Four in Hand

• 12-hour braised lamb shoulder with pea and feta salad

Minty peas seemed to be a common theme with the meat dishes. These peas were really yummy with feta melted through to make a sort of dressing. The lamb itself was amazing. So full of flavour, it reminded me of nana’s lamb roast—the one she’d cook slowly and lovingly for hours in her wood-fired oven. Divine!

Assiette & District Dining

• District Dining spicy free-range Lilydale chicken with lime aioli and coleslaw

So tasty! This dish was large pieces of tender chicken breast in a spicy, crispy batter. The coleslaw had lots of crunchy vegetables and a really light and zingy dressing. All served with lime aioli, which was creamy, with just the right amount of tang, and oh so more-ish. Think of it as a grown-up version of KFC’s crispy chicken strips…District Dining’s strips satisfy the kid within but are actually fresh and healthy.

Bilson’s & Number One Wine Bar

• Apple tarte tatin with calvados crème anglaise

You just don’t see enough calvados (a pear and/or apple brandy) on menus. So when we saw this dish on the tasting menu, we knew we had to have it. Soft, sweet apple, crisp pastry and rich cream—really, does it get any better than that? This was a lovely way to finish off the afternoon.

Taste of Sydney was a brilliant afternoon out. Being around others who love food and wine as much as we do, and chatting together about our experiences, it really heightened our excitement about food.

We’ll definitely be keeping 8–11 March 2012 free for the next festival.