Brown Brothers has entered into an agreement with Gunns Limited to purchase its Tamar Ridge Estates vineyard and winery interests.
Brown Brothers CEO, Ross Brown said the family was delighted to have the opportunity to acquire Tamar Ridge Estates which will be the ideal complement to its existing vineyards and brands.
“The Brown Brothers Board has been carefully considering how global warming may impact our vineyards through drought and high temperatures and recently adopted a strategy to source grapes from cooler areas. As part of this process, we discovered Gunns Limited in …

Brisbane’s Eagle Street Pier is in for a facelift. Dining venues like  Il Centro, Cha Cha Char and ARIA will continue to enjoy the iconic waterfront precinct while Stockland commence their multi-million dollar refurbishment. There are also plans for additional premium restaurants and several high quality quick service lunch operators.
Plans have been approved by the Brisbane City Council and work has commenced with completion due in late 2010.
Stockland Queensland Regional Asset Manager, David McGuire, said Eagle Street Pier was already synonymous with fine dining thanks to award-winning tenants such …

Situated in Melbourne’s Artemis Lane, the 1,200 SQM restaurant brings the tastes of Hong Kong to Melbourne via Paris.
Accommodating up to 300 diners, Duck Duck Goose is divided into the ‘light side’ and the ‘dark side’. The light side serves Chinese cuisine: fresh, fast and flavoursome yum cha to diners seated on stylish Scandinavian Wegner chairs.
The ‘dark side’ of the restaurant is the glamorous, French part, which features an in-door pool crowned with bamboo pendant lights, prominent wine room, solid black marble table tops and champagne bar.
Restauranteur, Edward Ng who …

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is using its new powers to issue infringement notices to a number of restaurants and cafés which have menus that fail component pricing laws.
Infringement notices carry penalties of $6,600 for corporations and $1,320 for individuals, and if the infringement notice penalty is not paid, the business may face court action.
The infringement notices are being issued against restaurants and cafés which have failed to provide the total price for menu items where weekend and holiday surcharges apply.
“The course of action taken by the ACCC follows …

The six month trial of the Scores on Doors foodservice safety and hygiene rating system begins in NSW 1 July 2010, with 20 local Councils across the state taking part, Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan said today.
“The NSW Food Authority was overwhelmed with the support and enthusiasm shown by its Local Government food safety partners,” Minister Whan said.
“The 20 participating Councils are an excellent representation of metropolitan and regional LGAs which will give us a good feel for the experience of communities across NSW.”
The Councils participating in the trial are:
Goulburn, …

Female, baby boomer with a supply of working capital and a coffee machine – that’s the profile of a hospitality success story, according to a Hospitality Industry Success Index (HISI), developed by national equipment financier Silver Chef.
Unveiled in Brisbane on July 1 at Vapiano, the national report provides an insight into the health of the hospitality sector and has found the industry is not as risky an enterprise as public sentiment suggests.
It revealed more than 90% of hospitality businesses succeed in the first 12 months of operation. The key ingredient …

The third New Shanghai has recently opened in Chatswood.
It boasts to “bring together the best of authentic Shanghai cuisine in a traditional 1930’s street-style setting.”
New Shanghai Chatswood Chase has been designed to transport diners back to a 1930’s Shanghai scene – a lively backdrop to enjoy the dumplings that have made the restaurant’s predecessors so popular.
The interior design is based on the idea of longtang – a traditional Shanghai backstreet or alleyway – reminiscent of the place where New Shanghai’s style of food would typically be served. Representing a …

On any given evening at Casimir, it’s entirely likely to find a smattering of the city’s best French chefs—not cooking in the kitchen, but relishing in the dining room. “That’s Payard’s executive chef, Phillipe Bertie,” a staff member whispers, “and at the end of the bar—the famous chef from La Goulue.” In its 11 years of business, owner Guillaume Blestel’s proud bistro has evolved from hotspot to classic mainstay, one that even the most exacting customers know, trust, and keep coming back to. But with the kind of consistency and …

Just off South Yarra’s trendy Chapel Street, Mosq welcomes diners looking for a decedent dining experience. With its vaulted ceiling, Moroccan antiques, comfortable daybeds, ottomans and a relaxed outdoor terrace, Mosq evokes connotations of the opulence of Laurence of Arabia cinematic era.
It’s partly to do with the relaxed ambience and authentic atmosphere – guests can even smoke the shisha pipe after dinner – but then there is Nandi Parmar’s menu and the cocktail creations by Dave Chick.
Owner Jehan Peri concedes the name of the venue could have been risky, but …

The new Port Phillip Estate winery is set to open its doors on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
In a recent press release, they have stated that “the new building will feature a restaurant, cellar door and tasting room, outside deck overlooking vineyards and Western Port Bay, and state of the art winemaking facilities.”
They also mentioned that it will be a showpiece for the Mornington Peninsula.
The vineyards are owned by Giorgio Gjergja and his family. The wines are crafted by winemaker Sandro Mosele.
“The building reflects the level of skill, craft and artisanship that …