How Sydneysiders can head south for some seafood fun

Fancy a weekend trip from Sydney?

Seafood lovers, in particular, might be tempted by the EAT Festival, which returns to the Sapphire Coast on March 7-10.

EAT Festival is a celebration of the Sapphire Coast’s local produce, producers and chefs, and offers the chance for visitors to enjoy local flavours, chefs’ creations and dining experiences, with the region’s pristine surrounds a bonus.

The event is held over four days with a series of paddock-to-plate and tide-to-table (that's clever) experiences that celebrate the food, the heritage and the wildness of the Sapphire Coast.

For more information on what will be happening see www.eatfestival.com.au

Eat Festival started in 2013 and has attracted growers, brewers, farmers and chefs.



Gourmet events will be held at various locations from Cobargo in the north to Eden in the south.

The main event, Eat Merimbula, runs from 10am-2pm on the Sunday. 

This year, old favourites will rub shoulders with new creatives. 

The Longstocking Brewery from Pambula will be pumping out brews and the famous Sapphire Coast Wilderness Oysters tent will serve up its shuckings. 

This is a non-ticketed event - just rock up with an appetite.

Images: David Rodgers Photography

Subiaco celebrates Italy over 10 days

Get even more of a taste of Italy at the annual Subi Spritz festival at Subiaco in Perth from March 8-17. 

Think negronis, cannoli, burrata and pizzas over 10 days that aim to re-create the atmosphere of the Med. 

Subiaco's streets will become a hub for events that celebrate all the best elements of Europe including pop-up al fresco restaurants in parklands, daily aperitivo hour, Italo disco-themed DJ sets, a cinema under the stars and deep dives into European wine and food at hands-on workshops.

AHOY Management joint director Brianna Delaporte said the 2024 festival would be the biggest yet, with more than 25 European-themed events across the 10 days.

'Many festival favourites are making a comeback like the Long, Long Lunch where we build a pop-up restaurant in Subiaco Theatre Gardens and invite four WA chefs to come play, as well as the Conti Roll Contest which sees conti roll creators from across Perth battle it out to be crowned conti roll champions,' she said.

'We're so excited to bring a brand-new concept to the festival this year called Pasta Lane, which will see three of Subiaco's laneways transformed into al fresco dining hotspots, serving up delicious meals in the style of a traditional Italian streetside trattoria.

'We also welcome back many of Subiaco's standout venues including Juanitas, Bar Amelie, 4Sisters Paint and Sip, Dilly Dally, Bark, Lums, Refuge and Lady of Ro, as well as welcoming newcomers Bar Banter, Subi Continental and Storehouse.

City of Subiaco Mayor David McMullen said: “Subi Spritz is our iconic event showcasing Subiaco food and beverage experiences to the whole of Perth. 

“It not only draws visitors to the City of Subiaco during the festival, it keeps them coming back all year round once they discover what our fantastic venues have to offer.”

Visit www.subispritz.com.au for more info. 

What a bloody mess: café worker sacked for "job terrorism"

Now here's a seriously weird story.

A Japanese café has sacked one of its employees after she allegedly used her own blood in place of coloured syrup to make cocktails.

The Mondaiji Con Cafe Daku in Sapporo, Hokkaido - whose name loosely translates to 'Problem Child Concept Café' - apologised for the staff member's actions.

The establishment’s owner added that the café had been forced to close for a day while all drinking glasses were replaced as a safety precaution.

“Such an act is no different from part-time job terrorism and is absolutely not acceptable,” the owner Tweeted.

The woman's motive was not revealed.

The establishment is one of Japan's concept cafes offering different experiences. Other offerings include cat cafés and maid and butler establishments.

The bizarre behaviour followed a spate of so-called "sushi terrorism" in Japan, where restaurant-goers interfere with sushi going round on a conveyor belt, Drinks Business reports.

In February, the share price of Akindo Sushiro’s parent company dropped by 5%, after a video was shared of a teenage boy in a restaurant in Gifu Prefecture licking and then returning a soy sauce bottle and tea cup.

Two major restaurant chains have disabled their conveyor belts and returned to a traditional table-serving process to remove the risk of people carrying out the crimes, which have include spraying hand sanitiser on passing plates of food.

Image: Ivan Naunov, Scop.io