Honeysuckle Social opened at the site of the former Squire's Maiden in Newcastle cloaked in ambiguity. What exactly was it? Was it a bar? A restaurant? Some kind of exclusive social club?
It turns out Honeysuckle Social is all of the above - but it's far from exclusive. All are welcome.
Damian O'Reilly, who owned The Squire's Maiden, has simply rebranded his business of seven years. He has been trading in the Honeysuckle precinct for 15 years and has more than 20 years' experience in the hospitality industry.
"It's all about the atmosphere. From the ambiance, presentation, service and of course the food. We want to create an experience for our guests," O'Reilly said of the reinvented space.
Herald Weekender: Things to do in Newcastle and the Hunter
"In just three weeks the venue was completely renovated and revamped to what it is now. While the structure of the building hasn't changed, the design aspects and vibe of the space has been completely altered with the refurb injecting a whole lot of light and personality into the venue."
Honeysuckle Social's head chef is Mark Davis and Nayon Niamul is senior chef de partie. Both previously worked in The Squire's Maiden's kitchen.
Grand opening weekend
Hotel Elermore - formerly The Shaft Tavern - is throwing a launch party this weekend and you're invited. On Saturday and Sunday, March 7 and 8, from 10am there will be wine tastings, live entertainment, a petting zoo, face painting, a marching band, all-day dining with a new cafe and, of course, the new Sports Bar with "the biggest indoor screen in Newcastle".
Iris Capital purchased The Shaft Tavern in December 2018 with, a spokesperson said, "a vision of bringing life back to the venue and the community. Sam Arnout has a passion for rejuvenating communities by creating venues that bring people together".
Impressively, the Shaft Tavern remained open for business while being transformed into Hotel Elermore.
"It wasn't easy but it certainly was worth it to ensure our locals could still get a cold one at the end of the day," the spokesperson said.
"Elermore Vale is buzzing with young families and Iris wanted to ensure that Hotel Elermore was a place for everyone to enjoy. Sam is passionate about creating family friendly venues so it was always part of the vision with this redevelopment. The new kids' play area is one that they will certainly love - it has slides, tunnels, climbing and more. One feature they will be sure to like is the huge glass wall that means you can see your kids from almost anywhere in the dining area."
Final countdown
The Beach Hotel re-opens on Friday, March 6, having closed this week to give the new owners, Zenith Hotel Group, time to refresh the interior. Given that the new owners were responsible for giving us the new-look and aesthetically pleasing Shoal Bay Country Club, this could be interesting. To thank the community for their patience a special event - Back to The Beaches: A New Era - will be held at the historic Merewether hotel on Friday from 5pm with live music and complimentary food on arrival. Also, the first 500 people through the door between 5pm and 7pm will be shouted a drink. Check it out.
High Tea for a good cause
Friends With Dignity - High Tea With Friends is being held at the Wests New Lambton Starlight Room on Saturday, May 9, in support of National Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month. Tickets are on sale now.
Friends With Dignity helps survivors of domestic and family violence to start new lives with dignity and hope. One major initiative of theirs is the "Sanctuary" program which uses social media to appeal to everyday Australians to donate what they can to transform empty shells into homes for individuals or families escaping family violence.
"Our High Tea With Friends events offer an opportunity for guests to enjoy an afternoon with colleagues, friends and family while supporting a most worthwhile cause at the same time," Friends With Dignity chief operations officer Zoe Scharenguivel said.
"Admission includes a glass of bubbles on arrival, high tea, guest speakers, a live auction and raffles."
Friends With Dignity is hosting two free volunteer information sessions at Wests New Lambton Bowling Club on March 7: 10am to noon, and 2pm to 4pm. For details go to friendswithdignity.org.au.
Season's best
Slow Food Hunter Valley is sharing what's in season - locally - each month with Food & Wine. You can purchase fruit and vegetables at the bi-monthly Slow Food Earth Market at The Levee Central in Maitland, direct from the farmer. The next market is this Thursday, March 5, 8.30am to 1.30pm.
Freebie of the week
If you love Korean fried chicken, deep-dish pizza, pimped-up nachos, fat fries coated in gravy and cheese curds, pulled-pork toasties and monster meatball subs, this is the recipe book for you. Author Billy Law has tapped into the contemporary street-food scene he discovered on his many trips traversing the globe. Law is a former MasterChef contestant, a food blogger (A Table For Two), a two-time book author (Have You Eaten? and Man Food), photographer, travel writer and food stylist.
XXL: Epic food, street eats and cult dishes from around the world is out now through Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99. Food & Wine has a copy to give away. To enter, send the word "XXL" with your name, address and number to freelunch@theherald.com.au. Entries close on Monday at 9am.
