The geniuses behind Serai, Rockpool, Liberté and Chat Thai tell us the unique matches that shouldn’t work, but totally do.
Negronis suck sometimes. Sounds controversial? It’s meant to. That’s the thing about hot takes. They’re designed to shock and enlighten, to chew up tradition and spit out something better. After all, it’s only via the seven stages of grief that one can move beyond accepted wisdom and into a place of hard truths. Truths like ‘Negronis suck sometimes’. Feeling uncomfortable? Stick around.
We wanted hot takes on food and drink pairings, so we shook a few trees and got some unexpected matches from four extraordinary Aussie chefs. Some will surprise you. Some will shock you. Some might even anger you. But trust us when we tell you that each and every one is worth a shot. Hell, they might even become accepted wisdom! Let’s go.
With its soaring vaulted ceilings, marble-clad everything and the palpable rustle of pricey woollen blazers rubbing shoulders, Rockpool Bar & Grill is home to Sydney’s most iconic power lunch. It should be no surprise that the staple order here is a big steak and even bigger Aussie reds. But for the fine diner’s talented Culinary Director, Corey Costelloe (who also looks after Spice Temple, Rosetta, and Sake), the perfect pairing is slightly more left of centre.
“I’m a sucker for chilled red wine,” says Corey. “I cook a lot of Chinese-inspired meals, and Sichuan and chilli just marry so well with a crisp gamay, which might surprise a few people. I’m not saying ice cold, just enough chill so that the wine’s not jammy and stays smashable,” he says. “I’ll drop an ice cube in if it’s getting too warm.” Beaujolais and bang bang chicken, anyone?
And throwing some cold water on the cocktail du jour, Corey reckons it might finally be time to pump the breaks on Negronis. “Much to my sadness, Negronis don’t go with everything,” he says. We know it’s hard to accept that your fave drink has a fatal flaw, so if you’re only gonna cut it from one meal, make it the final course. The sweetness of most desserts just heightens the bitterness of the Negroni too much – a mistake Corey admits he’s made too many times. “Just hold off!” Corey says. “Eat dessert, then have the Negroni.”
In a venue where all of the bartenders undergo rigorous training to make the perfect Gibson Martini (under the watchful eye of Corey himself), there’s more than one reason to try something else.
Palisa Anderson’s mother, Amy Chanta, started Chat Thai over 33 years ago. In that time it’s grown to become one of Sydney’s most treasured and innovative dining institutions. Taking over the reins as “Chief Enabler” after her mother’s passing, Palisa added Boon Luck Farm in Arakwal Country (Byronshire) to the portfolio, where she grows beautiful produce to serve in her restaurants. “I love my job,” she says. “I get to wear many hats (too many sometimes!), which keeps things interesting. To see the seeds of labour literally nourish my diners is incredibly rewarding.”
Her approach to food and drink pairings puts the emphasis on personal preference. “I would say, don’t be afraid to drink what you want. I love herbaceous amaros on the bitter side, so I’ll order a Cynar Spritz as an aperitif and don’t particularly mind if I nurse it into my mains,” she says.
“Thai and Mexican foods share many similar ingredients,” says Palisa. “Different compositions, but the lovely casualness of the meal structure of both these cuisines invites you to drink something fun, and there’s nothing more fun than tequila.” Take your cues from Palisa the next time you plan on devouring a platter of moo ping or spicy larb and mix things up with a Mexican classic. “I love a good Margarita,” she says. “It pairs so beautifully with Thai food. Excellent companions. The best ones can be found at La Casita in Brunswick Heads.”
Palisa extolls the virtues of sake and Japanese liqueurs, too. Her pairing advice? “As long as they’re not super fruity, sake or drier yuzushu or umeshu liqueurs pair deliciously with anything zingy.”
Ross Magnaye’s flavour philosophy is a simple one: take unique Filipino ingredients – think buro, calamansi, bagoong – and the best Australian ingredients, and cook them over fire. He’s the Owner and Head Chef at Melbourne CBD’s hottest new restaurant, Serai, where that simple philosophy leads diners to brilliantly unexpected places. “We build our dishes and cocktails around those core flavours and see where it takes us,” he says.
His pick? Prawn and pandan. “We do Skull Island prawns over the fire with spiced buro butter,” says Ross. “Buro is a fermented shrimp and rice condiment that we add smoked butter to” London dry gin, toasted latik coconut, lime, and pandan chardonnay foam come together to create the dish’s drink match – the Ponso Sour. “The prawns are very umami. Buttery, smoky and rich,” he says. “The cocktail's texture is creamy without having cream in it. It’s basically eating prawn toast, but with pandan.” Having eaten this exact combo just last week, our Editor assures me Ross is very much onto something.
In 2024, Ross and his team are expanding their celebration of Filipino culture beyond the kitchen, with events in their laneway collaborating with different artists and chefs. Keep an eye on their socials so you don’t miss out.
Oysters and Guinness. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos with Margs. These are just a few of Amy Hamilton’s favourite things. Amy is the Owner and Chef at Liberté, a Parisian-style restaurant and cocktail bar on Australia’s south-west coast. “Our menu explores the French influence in Vietnamese cuisine, told through the ingredients of the Great Southern region,” Amy explains. And she’s got some searingly hot takes when it comes to matching your dinner and drink.
“Don’t take it too seriously! Food and drink pairings should ultimately be fun and should never involve you drinking something you don’t want to drink,” she says. “Look for matches that either complement or contrast.” Think oysters and stout are a mismatch? Think again. “It’s always fun to pair oysters with something other than riesling,” she says. “There’s something really complimentary about the umami richness of each.” Also in this complimentary category, Amy recommends seared kangaroo with a Manhattan. “The gaminess of the kangaroo marries really well with the savoury notes of whiskey and sweet vermouth.”
We’re stoked that we can even get Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in Australia, and Amy reckons America’s favourite fried starch is an excellent match for our Margaritas. “We need accessibility in our life, right?! And who doesn’t like a Margarita – or Cheetos, for that matter? It’s a good example of both a complimentary and contrasting pairing. The sweetness of the Margarita is great for taming that chilli kick, while lime and tequila cut through the fat.” And while we’re on the chip train, Amy says “Cheezels and Champagne make a winning combo, too.”
