Apollonian Hotel – Food & Wine
The food trails during the Noosa International Food & Wine Festival sell quickly so you might want to make plans while there are tickets left.
A new addition to the trails this year is the Apollonian Bush & Bluegrass Adventure on Friday, May 16.
Begin with a leisurely bus ride up to Boreen Point to The Apollonian Hotel where new owners Michelle and Greg Brain will have the fires well stoked and roaring beneath the barbecue spit.
Enjoy a beer sitting out on the hotel’s historic verandas beneath the bougainvillea while the pig turns on the spit and a side of beef slowly cooks.
Nicky Riemer
Nicky Riemer from Union Dining in Victoria spent her childhood in hotels all over the world where she could always be found in the kitchen watching the chefs’ techniques and preparations.
Nicky Riemer
She served her apprenticeship with the Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation and spent her final year under mentor Stephanie Alexander before moving to the Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder.
Then it was off to Mecca in Southgate and Mecca Bah at Docklands before finding her way to Langton’s.
Her motto is: “salt, butter and extra virgin olive oil make the world go round”.
Annie Smithers comes with an impressive pedigree. (below)
Turn up to her restaurant Annie Smithers’ Bristrot in Kyneton in country Victoria without a reservation and you won’t stand a chance of getting a table.
Her menu changes several times throughout the day depending on what fruit and vegetables are ready in her kitchen garden, or if a friendly neighbouring farmer drops in with a special delivery.
Like Nicky Riemer, Annie’s mentor is Stephanie Alexander. She served her apprenticeship under her which, along with her talent, assured her culinary success.
Annie Smithers
While you sit down at tables beneath the old leafy trees at The Apollonian, staff will pour the Robert Oatley wines and Uncle Bob’s Jug Band will play.
Michelle and Greg Brain have 17 years’ experience running hotels.
They bring a fresh approach to The Apollonian and one of their many promises, is to serve bigger meals using only fresh ingredients.
On our visit last weekend, Greg Brain was tending to a pig on the spit for a wedding while Michelle and her family were preparing to host a 40th birthday in the back bar.
If we needed any reassurance that the Brains mean “bigger” when it comes to the size of their meals, it arrived at the table in the form of two giant steaks with all the trimmings.
You are assured of a top day at The Apollonian Bush & Bluegrass Adventure on May 16.
Your ticket at $135 per person includes the bus travel, the spit barbecue lunch with beer and wine and free entry to the Noosa International Food & Wine Festival welcome party and concert the evening following the lunch.
The party promises to be a real showstopper with X-Factor winner Dami Im performing, along with The Deadliners and Honey Music.
Food kiosks at the party will ensure you are well fed, with offerings from berardo’s seafood shack, Noosa Catering, Spoon Fed Catering and Woodfire Australia
Apollonian Hotel – Boreen Point
About the Author
Ann Rickard is a Noosa (Australia) local and author of six successful books, all humorous travel narratives. In 2005 Ann won the prestigious ASTW’s Australian Travel Writer of the Year and in 2007 she won the ASTW Travel Book of the Year. Ann takes a culinary tour to the South of France in June every year . Ann writes travel, dining and columns for the Sunshine Coast Daily and is the Life editor of the Noosa News. Ann also maintains a well read and popular blog site. Ann’s travels have seen her explore cuisines all over the world.
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