Lunch with the Hardys: Fine dine with fine wine

Hardys Trio Reflection

Call us very casual drinkers for we Happyfoodies really eat more than drink. However, an invitation to sample some of the best Australian wines one fine weekday came as a proposition too good to pass up. The wines we’re tasting are made by Hardys, the most popular brand from Down Under. With Oakwood Ortigas as host, we knew the pairings with Oakwood lunch fare would be worth the trip.

The occasion, a rather intimate small group lunch, introduces the Hardys’ new Heritage Reserve Bin – Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon — continuing the company’s tradition of blending grapes from different regions to come up with complex wines. Distinguishing itself from vintners that make wines from single plots or regions, the Hardys have carved a name for taking grapes from different places and maturing them to come up with complex blends.

Having a G’ day at Aussie Cafe

Aussie Cafe and Resto Pepper Tenderloin Steak

Apart from the food offerings of longtime stalwart, Outback Restaurant, we admit we’re not that exposed to Australian cuisine. Oh, we have images of Australian icons in our heads but still, we asked ourselves, “what is Australian cuisine?” Googling the topic reveals a bit of insight like the fact that traditional Australian cuisine borrows heavily from the British tradition (think fish and chips, pies, et al). The modern iteration, however, is not as easy to define as understandably, their cuisine is influenced by and infused with other cuisines, especially of the people who have been transplanted to the continent like Asians. Follow the Happyfoodies as they venture to the southern part of the metropolis to get a taste (and a flavorful idea) of Australian cuisine at the appropriately-named Aussie Café and Resto.

Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Orton Blog by Crimson Themes.