The Auswine Forum

Dinner last week at a reasonable standard Thai fusion joint in Adelaide, corkage $30 ridiculous

Yes apart from the cheap and cheerful Chinese restaurants in Melbourne, very few post-pandemic now offer BYO. Last week, I rang about 15 places, all a firm no, so we had pre-dinner drinks in the hotel, drank beer or cocktails with dinner, then more decent wine when we got back. Pity as when I frequented Melbourne pre-pandemic, even a local pub accepted BYO.
Cheers Craig

phillisc wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 9:21 am Yes apart from the cheap and cheerful Chinese restaurants in Melbourne, very few post-pandemic now offer BYO. Last week, I rang about 15 places, all a firm no, so we had pre-dinner drinks in the hotel, drank beer or cocktails with dinner, then more decent wine when we got back. Pity as when I frequented Melbourne pre-pandemic, even a local pub accepted BYO.
Cheers Craig

Craig,
You need to go to Scopri, Paris Go or Matteo’s in terms of byo other than at cheap shopping strip Asian joints You’ll pay corkage, but they do it
Cheers, Malcolm
ps: Scopri is a personal favourite, outstanding food and care with wine

Yes, think you have mentioned a couple of these previously. Will get to them when next in town.
Cheers Craig

Lucille Bistro in Ivanhoe and Umberto in Thornbury allow byo for those in Melbourne's north.

One of Sydney’s best restaurants, Pilu is having BYO Friday for June and July. $25 a bottle are free if taking the degustation menu

First time flyer here.

mjs wrote: ↑Tue May 16, 2023 9:21 pm corkage $30 ridiculous

There are two sides to the "corkage charge".

Many restaurants don't make much (or any) margin on food. Some folks in the restaurant trade have highlighted to me that the [increasingly large] corkage charges are a way to compensate the restaurant for:

• The restaurant is not making the margin they would otherwise make on selling items off their wine list (i.e. a "$20 bottle" which they are probably paying $12~16 wholesale/trade for, and which is on the list for $60~80

• Incresed time in the restaurant, noting drinkers will generally remain longer than non-drikers (i.e. renting the table, if you will - potentially not being able to turn it over)

• Glassware - even if you do not break any, every cycle in the dishwasher does wear glasses which eventually break

Whilst the restaurant may not appear to "do" much to earn their money with respect to corkage, as I have gotten older, and based on the above, I am happy to pay a "reasonable" corkage charge to enjoy a great bottle, and to contribute to the the restaurant still being there next time I want to dine there.

Obviously we all have different ideas of what is "reasonable".

YMMV.

mjs wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 10:26 am You need to go to Scopri, Paris Go or Matteo’s in terms of byo

All great places in Melbourne.

I would also suggest Choi's in Hawthorn, and The Recereation Bistro in North Fitzroy. Both are nicer fine dining type places which are BYO.

And of course, The Olive Tree in South Melbourne, and Topolinos in St Kilda are old favourites which are BYO with very reasonable corkage every day of the week.


NB - Many restaurants may let you BYO if you ask nicely, and discusss/negotiate with them (generally best done in advance).

What’s the Recreation in Fitzroy like ? Seems to have an odd 1 bottle per person limit, but I presume that’s just to put off those that bring a $10 bottle.

Is Moretons Brasserie in Carlton still BYO? I joined a couple of offlines there last decade. Excellent French food and just the right atmosphere.

mychurch wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2023 10:28 pm What’s the Recreation in Fitzroy like ? Seems to have an odd 1 bottle per person limit, but I presume that’s just to put off those that bring a $10 bottle.

Food and service both very good in my experience.

The menu can be quite versitle, with good matches across a wide range of wine varietals and styles.

Regarding the 1 bottle limit, some hypotheses include:

• To encourage RSA and/or discourage "booze cruise" type groups

• To discourage "tasting" type groups who use / request an excessive number of glasses per person

FWIW, shortly after that limit appeared I was part of a group which had [just] more bottles than people and it was fine.

Waiters Friend wrote: ↑Wed Jul 05, 2023 1:22 am Is Moretons Brasserie in Carlton still BYO? I joined a couple of offlines there last decade. Excellent French food and just the right atmosphere.

I think I was there with you!

penegal wrote: ↑Tue Jul 04, 2023 9:51 pm

mjs wrote: ↑Wed May 17, 2023 10:26 am You need to go to Scopri, Paris Go or Matteo’s in terms of byo

All great places in Melbourne.

I would also suggest Choi's in Hawthorn, and The Recereation Bistro in North Fitzroy. Both are nicer fine dining type places which are BYO.

And of course, The Olive Tree in South Melbourne, and Topolinos in St Kilda are old favourites which are BYO with very reasonable corkage every day of the week.


NB - Many restaurants may let you BYO if you ask nicely, and discusss/negotiate with them (generally best done in advance).

Chois is excellent, have had many great burgundy tasting nights there. Food is generally very good

Africola in Adelaide asking for $40 a bottle. OK if they didn’t have an uninspiring, hipster wine list. Anyways moving on.

Interesting experience at Choi's in Hawthorn last month. Went there with a friend who was paying and a TCM professor who wanted to make a selection from the Chinese printed menu that did not list the price. My mate went to pay and turned a little pale. In the car on the way home he was speechless, on asking he said the prawn dish that was good at best cost $100 and the steamed Barramundi that was half eaten cost $300. So, check the prices. Other than that it's a nice place if you order on the main menu.

I lived very close to Choi's many moons ago (in Hawthorn) and used to go there quite a lot, long before I had ever been to China.
Since that time, say 25 years ago, I have re-married and now returned to Australia after 10 years in China. For old time's sake, I thought we would give it a go with my Chinese wife and son.
Went there back in May. Brought along a stunning Matrot Perrieres 2014, which raised my mood greatly, but didn't enjoy the food particularly. As we left, I asked my wife what she thought, errr, the translation would best stated as.. " low grade dog food"

I often wondered how inexcusable poor Chinese food ( or any cuisine for that matter ) could be in Australia considering our magnificent and fresh produce. Anyways last month I jumped one of my company’s jets and rode to Hong Kong to catch up with friends in the wine game. Wow! The food I’d forgotten how magnificent it was. Often the meat and poultry and notably the giant SA crayfish were Aussie. In the last twelve months I’ve spent 3 months based in UK an and 3 months based in USA. Fresh produce from supermarkets exceptional. We are completely duped on produce. We must export the good stuff? Woolies and Coles are little different to local supermarkets in Asia these days. It’s a crime.

Where in the UK/USA and what stores?
My experience in the produce in Australia is very very good on average.
Whereas in both the UK/US, it sucks, on average.
You can find incredible produce in both the UK/US, but you pay for it and, depending on where you are, you need to really look for it...

I was at Gatwick for three months on course and I didn’t even have to go beyond Tesco Extra. I was buying fresh produce and often organic. Much of it was from the Continent. Far fresher and better quality than Woolies and Coles. London I only did the markets.

The USA did a month in Florida which was expensive compared to the following though standout was how much better the beef was. Boutique supermarkets predominantly. Moving in to Georgia and Whole Market was amazing albeit a little expensive. Local produce cheap and loaded with flavours not seen in Australia- blueberries. Chicago was Whole Foods again and mind blowing as it catered for inner city. Eataly a joke price wise. Couple of months lower Michigan and produce amazing and easily accessible. It’s sad as I’ve never seen so many sick looking salad dodgers yet Meijer very good Walmart less so though organic sections eclipsed Aussie efforts! Health food shops were extensively stocked and a little dear but worth it.

Inflation and the currency will push the price comparison up in the future. Though it labour inflation more a driver if eating out than shopping to eat in.

In Adelaide I have to drive to the hills to get a decent apple versus local supermarkets. SA seafood is shipped abroad. Anyone find any King George whiting? Crays …/ don’t get me started. Aussie exceptionalism is boringly average to me.

JamieAdelaide wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2023 1:52 pm I was at Gatwick for three months on course and I didn’t even have to go beyond Tesco Extra.

In Adelaide I have to drive to the hills to get a decent apple versus local supermarkets.

I don't know the area around Gatwick that well but if you found "excellent" produce in a Tesco Extra that would be very much the exception not the rule in my experience. In the Tesco stores in East London "acceptable" would be the best you can hope for, likewise at Sainsbury. I don't see them any different to the average Woolies or Coles (i.e. outside the posh areas!)

(Honestly, even Waitrose has lost its way on this, the fruit and veg at their Stratford store is appallingly bad... M&S seem oddly to have improved, but it has gone hand in hand with prices now I reckon on par with Waitrose)

In Adelaide I can think off the top of my head of the Foodland at Frewville and the one at Norwood which are both exceptional, Norwood being accompanied by very good independent stores as well. For Italian there is Mercato on Lower North East or the small but pleasant Bottega 1995 on King William. Then of course the Central Market which is also great for Asian ingredients (e.g. Kim Wang Supermarket). Some of the Romeo's also seem to do a good job these days- at least the one in the CBD off Rundle Mall was decent when I went in last month.

Readjusting to the British supermarkets was one of the biggest challenges of moving back here from Paris

JamieAdelaide wrote: ↑Thu Oct 05, 2023 1:52 pm SA seafood is shipped abroad. Anyone find any King George whiting? Crays …/ don’t get me started. Aussie exceptionalism is boringly average to me.

Try Ferguson Australia - factory outlet on Circuit Drive, Hendon. You can pick you own live Crayfish.

I picked one up from these guys last year and had it with Grand Cru Burgundy and Leeuwin Estate. What was amusing a few weeks ago was the easy access to Aussie crays in HK. No complaints, Canto cooking is probably the most complimentary cuisine for SA crayfish.

sjw_11 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 06, 2023 11:07 pm Readjusting to the British supermarkets was one of the biggest challenges of moving back here from Paris

Tesco at Gatwick is twice the size of anything in Australia. It was awesome as I kept my weight whilst living in a hotel for two months. Many didn’t fare so well due the British breakfasts and regular pub eating. I broke it up with a nearby Waitrose which was excellent due their delicatessen. As I mentioned in above I knew it wasn’t London where such superstores impractical. I ate a lot of raw vegetables which was testament to the quality. Fruit exceptional either local, continental or Latin American. Faustino Gran Riserva at 18 quid was my go to drop.

I know those Adelaide supermarkets well as I used them to fill suitcases of produce years ago to take back to HK. King George Whiting alas no more They are way more expensive than Cole’s and Woolies and my local is in North Adelaide where prices extreme and it’s always an incomplete shop.

Anyways we’ll see how it goes as a part time expat and I won’t be pining for the produce of Woolies and Coles.

sjw_11 wrote: ↑Fri Oct 06, 2023 11:02 pm In Adelaide I can think off the top of my head of the Foodland at Frewville and the one at Norwood which are both exceptional, Norwood being accompanied by very good independent stores as well. For Italian there is Mercato on Lower North East or the small but pleasant Bottega 1995 on King William. Then of course the Central Market which is also great for Asian ingredients (e.g. Kim Wang Supermarket). Some of the Romeo's also seem to do a good job these days- at least the one in the CBD off Rundle Mall was decent when I went in last month.

Frewville's sister Foodland supermarket at Pasadena is even better. I also often shop at the Asian supermarket on Henley Beach Road for Asian stuff. Our local Foodland in Mitcham isn't too bad, just don't get to the Central Market often enough. Kirkbright, our local fishmonger is ok as well. In the Barossa, the new Foodland in Nuriootpa is excellent

The Foodland at Mitcham is my local too, and I agree, not too bad.

But the Central Market is where it is at!

Trip to Melbourne last week.
3 BYO's worth mentioning
Monday nights BYO at Estelle. In Northcote and the food was excellent and glassware was OK.
Tuesday nights at Enteca Boccaccio. In Balwyn, the food was amazing as was the glassware and service. A real highlight of the week.
Wednesday night at Scopri. In Carlton and a place we go every year. Excellent food, glassware and service.

Not sure of the corkage charge as I didn't pay a lot of attention.

The Melbourne group had lunch yesterday at ll Gambero on Lygon Street. Corkage was $10 a bottle. Food was the simple pasta/pizza variety, but it was all edible and the service was good. Kitchen closed at 3, but we could still order deserts and there was no rush to get us out - we left just after 5. As usual we all brought glasses, so no comment on the stemware.

No notes from me - Tom Cannavan was over from the UK and it was nice to catch up with him, the boys and all our partners. There is a full write-up from Tom already on his site.

Chuck wrote: ↑Sat May 13, 2023 10:28 am On BYO for those is Sydney we enjoyed a great French dinner at Sous le Soleil last night. $80 for 3 courses of authentic French cuisine and on Wednesday and Thursday nights they have BYO for $5 per person. It's at 60A Clanville Rd Roseville. It's in a converted house in a park so a bit tricky to find at night. Plenty of individual rooms for groups too which may suit tasting nights.

Thanks for this tip - I've been trawling this thread as I'm pulling together a list of BYO-friendly venues in Sydney, so this one is good to know.

Edit: Bugger - turns out it closed in December!

One other Sydney BYO Recommendation from me - the Herring Room in Manly.

They offer $10 BYO per person, and the food is great (international in theory, but in practice lots of Asian influences, local & native ingredients, lots of fish / seafood). I've had a few great dinners there recently with family, friends, and also hosted a dinner there where they permitted BYO for a group of ~25 - the only parameters being that we also bought some wine from the list. Their end of the bargain would have been being able to open the restaurant on a night it would otherwise have been closed, as well as getting a lot of new potential future customers through the door.

Any more Sydney tips would be appreciated!