Winter Wonders at Locale
As the seasons change, so does our appetite. Deb Caruso discovers winter wonders that are making her heart race and mouth salivate.
As the weather turns colder, our bodies instinctively crave heartier foods and ingredients that align with the season. Call it biology or gluttony but I crave heartfelt dishes that warm you up from within – a warm hug for your insides. In fact, I’d be very happy living the bear’s life – feasting until I had my fill and then hibernating in a dark cave.
The good chefs and restaurants of Noosa understand this and present fresh and seasonal dishes that makes our hearts and tummies sing – creative comfort food to ease the shorter, colder days.
My thoughts turn to Locale Noosa with its warm Italian hospitality and moody, inviting spaces; friendly bar staff that know just the tonic you need; and food that never disappoints.
Head chef Chris Hagan and owner Rio Capurso conspire to serve flavour-packed dishes that delight and surprise with every mouthful. The winter menu includes standout dishes that showcase the best local and seasonal ingredients with a nod to Rio’s hometown of Bari in the region of Puglia, Italy.
Here’s a tasty and tempting preview:
POLPO – Fremantle octopus salad, salsa verde, radicchio, pickled shallot, cucumber, piquillo, hummus.
Being a popular and traditional ingredient in Puglia, octopus is always on Rio’s mind – and on the menu. For winter, it is presented as a refreshing salad with radicchio and shallots to deliver a sweet bitterness along with fresh cucumber and spiciness of piquillo peppers. Finished with the umami flavour of hummus, I’m a sucker for it – voila!
FUNGHI – Eastwell Farm oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, macadamia and coconut puree, chilli oil.
This celebration of local mushrooms is earthy with a nutty puree and hit of chilli – it’s warming, wonderful and wild!
BURRATA – Hand spun cow’s milk burrata, grilled figs, sunflower seed cracker, black garlic honey.
Burrata is one of the top-selling cheeses in Puglia – and for good reason including its texture, taste and the theatre of breaking through the soft belly to the creamy goodness within.
Served with grilled figs, beautiful sunflower seed crackers and Noosa Black Garlic honey, it’s the perfect combination of crunch and creaminess.
TARTARE – Northern Rivers veal tartare, sundried tomato pesto, kipfler chips, caper leaf.
The purity and flavour of Northern Rivers veal is brought to life by the tang of pesto and acidity from the caper leaf, which grows wild in Italy. Grounded by homemade kipfler chips, if you’ve been daring to try tartare, this is the one!
FIORI DI ZUCCA – Scallop & prawn mousse-filled zucchini flowers, tomato and bonito sugo, salted zucchini, Yarra Valley salmon roe.
The soft crunchiness of flash fried zucchini flower with the cut-through of beautiful acidity from the sugo, combined with salted zucchini and richness from the salmon roe, burst onto your palate and plate.
The soft, velvety flavours of the mousse will linger in your heart long after the final bite.
CRUDO – Ocean Trout ceviche with a bergamot dressing, fingerlime, crème fraiche and lemon oil.
A fresh, soft and delicious dish with a zesty flavour to delight your tastebuds! Simplicity shines through with all the elements working in perfect harmony. Mangia!
GNOCCHI – Organic désirée potato gnocchi, pumpkin puree, Reggiano, aged balsamic, pecans.
This is a celebration of winter flavours. The lightest pillows of gnocchi with pumpkin roasted with lemon, pureed and topped with 18-month old Reggiano and balsamic – add pecans for crunch.
PACCHERI – Durum wheat paccheri pasta, venison ragu, cavolo nero, baby tomato, pecorino.
From the Campania region of Italy, Paccheri tubular pasta is made in-house using the finest durum wheat flour and is perfect for soaking up the full-of-flavour venison ragu. Finished with flash-fried cavolo nero, baby tomato and shards of pecorino, this is hearty, wholesome and a hero for winter!
MANZO – 200 day grain-fed Black Angus beef tenderloin, grilled roman lettuce, shallot dressing, hazelnut, red wine jus.
Juicy, tender melt-in-your-mouth beef – no steak knife needed. The grilled lettuce adds a smoky element with the shallot dressing, hazelnut crunch and red wine jus demanding to be enjoyed with a beautiful glass of your favourite red wine. Salut!
While focusing on the new dishes for winter, Rio said it would be remiss to not mention Locale’s #1 dish – Tagliatelle with Fraser Isle Spanner Crab, which is a mainstay on the menu due to its popularity. “This is a dish that speaks for itself. It is always on the menu and never changes – we wouldn’t dare!”
Now, if you don’t mind, I have a warm cave to find.
