MUMU Grill: Boutique Beer Tasting Dinner, Crows Nest (3 Feb 2010)

70 Alexander Street, Crows Nest NSW 2065
http://www.mumugrill.com.au

A passion for grass-fed beef

Thank you to Chef Craig (pictured) from MuMu Grill for inviting me along to be part of his tasting focus group in the new private dining room for the Beer Tasting Dinners coming soon which I think should be more appropriately named as 'Boutique Beer Tasting Dinners'. For lovers of good quality beer you'll be impressed with the depth of knowledge Dan Hampton from Beer Snobs will share with you while guiding you through the boutique beers sourced mostly from Australia which are carefully matched to the dishes prepared by MuMu Grill. There's four appreciation steps I learnt tonight when sampling beer besides opening the bottle and drinking it. 1. Swirl, 2. Notice the colour, clarity and carbonation, 3. Smell it – three times, then finally 4. Taste. We agreed that The Local Taphouse is one of the best places so far in Sydney where you can really enjoy a large range of boutique beers at the moment, also RedOak Boutique Beer Cafe is another one.

Tonight there were two standout dishes I really enjoyed. The Angus Pure T-Bone cooked Tagilatta style slow cooked with rosemary and garlic was excellent with great taste and tenderness of meat. And the Sour Cherry Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut Sorbet was delicious with melt in-your-mouth chocolate and refreshing hazelnut sorbet which matched the caramel and chocolate taste of the Moo Brew Dark Ale. The Braised Cuttlefish and Chorizo was an interesting combination which I thought worked well with the mint and finely shredded red cabbage — the cuttlefish was nice and tender. The simplicity of the Ox Heart Tomato with 18 month Jamon Serrano was also good as a starter — although I poured my matching Murray's Pilsner with too much vigor and ended up with mostly froth, oops!

Other visits to MUMU Grill:
• 29 Mar 2011 - Porkestra The Encore

• 22 Sept 2010 - Ribfest (Lamb, Pork and Beef ribs)

• 31 Aug 2010 - Lambageddon Dinner

• 3 Feb 2010 - Beer Tasting Dinner

• 15 Aug 2009 - Lunch Express Menu, Pumpkin Gnocchi, Eye Fillet, Zucchini Flowers

• 30 April 2009 - Take It Slow Wine Dinner, Mr Riggs Wines, Jamon, Saltbush lamb, Double roasted duck, Brown sugar pavlova

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Sustainable produce, Boutique beers appreciation

CONS: Not for vegetarians or those who dislike beer

MUST TRY: Angus Pure T-Bone cooked Tagilatta style slow cooked with rosemary and garlic, Sour cherry chocolate tart with hazelnut sorbet

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Tasting Match 1

Grass fed Angus Pure beef tartare on cruets

Moo Brew Hefeweizen, Tasmania

Tasting Match 2

Garden home grown Ox Heart Tomato with 18 month Jamon Serrano on herbed bread

Murray's Pilsner, Port Stephens. Check out the really bad pour by me, WOOH that's a lot of froth — I don't think I'll be pulling beers at a pub too soon ;-)

Tasting Match 3

Sydney Rock Oysters and Pacific Oysters

Marston's Oyster Stout, UK

Tasting Match 4

Slow cooked pork shoulder cooked in beer and sage with baked beans, bacon and topped with lightly battered zucchini

Pigs Fly Pale Ale, Bowral

Tasting Match 5

Angus Pure T-Bone cooked Tagilatta style slow cooked with rosemary and garlic and served with duck fat potatoes

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Enterprise Knappstein Brewery Reserve Lager, SA

Tasting Match 6

Braised Cuttlefish and Chorizo

Fish Rock Brewery Red Emperor Amber Ale, Mittagong

Tasting Match 7

Sour cherry chocolate tart with hazelnut sorbet

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Moo Brew Dark Ale, Tasmania

The Beer Tour Guide

Dan Hampton from Beer Snobs

The Private Dining Room

Social Media pre dinner drinks

Chef Craig welcoming guests to the private dining table

Wood-fired oven in private dining area

Chef Craig providing information about grass-fed beef

View to a room

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