As the sun sets on Noosa Food & Wine Festival, we declare the event the best yet and ponder whether the best is still yet to come?
Packing our bags for every weather eventuality, the forecast was for a significant rain event to hit the coast for the weekend. Refusing to let this news ruin our mood, we hit the road and made final preparations to welcome our guests to alluxia's Noosa Food & Wine Weekend!
Guests arrived at their leisure on Friday and checked in to their villas at The Rise Noosa. The Rise continues to be a winner for our guests with spacious, luxurious apartments within walking distance to the Festival village; it's absolutely ideal for groups. Guests were treated to cheese & wine on arrival and their fridge stocked with breakfast goodies procured from Vanilla Food at Belmondos Organic Market.
We headed down to the festival village for The Woods, only to find the event cancelled. After a day of constant rain, it was an excellent decision by the organisers and with it came the announcement that tickets could be used anytime over the weekend and opening times extended. Hoorah! The cancelled event didn't dampen our spirits and we settled in to neighbouring bar, Miss Moneypennys for cocktails and shared plates.
Saturday morning we woke to clear skies and the arrival of Alana our yoga instructor from Balance Noosa for our own private poolside yoga practice. It was a beautiful way to start the day and a way to balance out all the food, wine & indulgence to come...
With the sun shining, we were all keen for the main event – The Best of Movida on the Beach, under the Tipis on beautiful Noosa Main Beach. Details had been under wraps in the lead up to the event, but we were confident the organisers would deliver a top-notch event. We weren't disappointed with Frank Camorra and team delivering ten courses of Movida classics with matched wines by Mandala Yarra Valley. Incredible food, elegant wine, the sand between your toes and the stunning backdrop of Noosa Main Beach made for a memorable day!
Highlights from Frank Camorra's menu included the Lake Wapengo oysters with sea grape and finger lime dressing and the goat cheese and pepita crisps were absolute standouts on arrival and indicated the high standard of cuisine to come. Who doesn't love a croquette? Movida's leek and mahon cheese croquette was rich and oozy and was followed by the whimsical presentation of kinder egg filled with manchego cheese and truffle. Finishing the event on a high note with the dish of the day, coffee and rum ice cream with espresso granita, Catalan foam and candied Australian macadamias. Oh my!
Ushered out of the tipis to make way for the next event, we strolled down buzzing Hastings Street and popped in to Noosa Beach House for espresso martini's to revive us ready for the next round of events!
To The Woods we go! The festival village in a new location at the Noosa Woods Parklands proved a massive hit with some of Australia's best wineries represented, plus food trucks, cheese tasting and incredible DJ's keeping the crowds entertained into the evening. We kept close to Miss Moneypennys Aperol Spritz bar for sunset drinks by the river.
With the festival under new direction in 2017, Festival Director Maria Crews and team have created an epic event with two festival villages at its heart, The Woods & Noosa Main Beach. Both locations and multiple venues along Hastings Street and greater Noosa welcomed over 120 chefs and winemakers and we're confident the event will continue to grow from strength to strength...if you have the stamina!
We'll definitely be back for Noosa Food & Wine Festival, follow our Travel Events and register your interest to attend by emailing info@alluxia.com
