Have you been lusting over those pop-up alfresco dinner parties that our capital city cousins have been splashing about on social media?
Exclusive and whimsical dining events in carefully-selected locations, with next-level cuisine, and an effortlessly breezy ambiance? Us, too!
Well, we’ve got some VERY exciting news to share, folks. Our clever friends at Etsu Izakaya have just dropped word that they’ll be hosting their first ever Feast Under A Tipi event this August, and ya’ll invited!
Effervescent Etsu co-owner, Nerissa has long wanted to attend an event under twinkling lights and the canopy of a magical tipi. So, what do you do when you own one of the best restaurants on the Gold Coast? Well, you gather up all your skills, your talented crew, the finest ingredients you can get your hands on, hunt down a suitable location, and you plan your own!
Held over two nights, Friday , August 19 and Saturday, August 20, tickets to Feast Under a Tipi will be uber exclusive, with just 64 seats to be made available each night. In a yet-to-be-revealed outdoor location, somewhere inland between Mermaid and Burleigh (though just an easy Uber ride away!) it’s certain to be an intimate night of insanely tasty food and good times with a cool crew of peeps.
A new signature event for Etsu, Feast Under a Tipi is intended to become a quarterly affair; the first instalment being a “Winter Wasabi Wonderland” where guests will be warmed by an open fire pit positioned in the centre of the tipi and serenaded by top-tappin’ live sounds by Blues band and an Etsu fave, The James Street Preachers.
Each special dinner event will also shine a spotlight on one seasonal ingredient the team at Etsu are totally crushing on. This August, the product of the moment is exotic and rare Australian-grown wasabi. No, not any ol’ wasabi that you’d usually find mischievously perched on the edge of your sushi plate, this cold climate plant will be sourced direct from Shima Wasabi, a Tasmanian producer who has perfected the art of the hard-to-grow crop.
Etsu’s Mitch and Nerissa McCluskey believe very few people have had the privilege of tasting freshly-grated wasabi including the flowers, leaves, stalks, and root. You might be surprised to know, fresh wasabi isn’t actually sinus-clearing hot and instead has an intriguing depth, dimension, and flavour explosion. And by the end of this carefully curated five-course feast, you’re sure to have a new appreciation!
Tickets will be inclusive of a mind-blowing five-course meal, matching wine and sake (yep, booze is included!), entertainment, plus an on-site cash bar pouring all manner of Japanese tap beers, wasabi-inspired cocktails, and Japanese whisky served on hand-cut ice should you wish to purchase additional pre and post-dinner drinkies.
Limited tickets will soon be on sale, so keep your eyes glued to the Etsu Facebook page where details will be released. Stuff like this doesn’t happen on the Coast very often, so we reckon it’s going to be a case of blink, and you’ll miss out.
Cheers, Etsu. You guys rock!
Want to hear more from the loveable duo behind Etsu? Check out our five-minute chat with Mitch and Nerissa McCluskey.
Photo credit: Tipievents.com