Craig Macindoe from Mumu Grill
Some restaurateurs are canny. Craig Macindoe from Mumu Grill is one of them. Whilst some restaurants lack even a basic website, some realise that not only is a website crucial, but your presence is also commanded on places such as twitter and facebook as that is where your diners are too. After Good Living printed a list of chefs and people in the food industry (food bloggers were largely absent from this list) chefs scurried online and figured out what twitter was quickly. Craig was there tweeting well before this mass invasion and as someone who sees the potential in food blogging, he invited 10 of us to dine at his Take It Slow Wine Dinner on him.
Craig and one of the Arcadia Saltbush lambs
The Take It Slow movement was started by Italy’s Carlos Petrini in 1989 as a way of consciously combating fast food and life and presumably to preserve La Dolce Vita in response to people’s waning interest in the food they eat and its origins and how our food choices impact the rest of the world. In turn this dinner involves letting us know all about how the food and wine is produced and knowing who and where it comes from. This dinner celebrates the Slow Food Movement in that the produce and cooking time took a total of 18 months (the 18 month jamon), 16 hours (the slow roasted Saltbush lamb and double roasted duck) and 40 minutes (the brown sugar pavlova).
Hanging the meat to tenderise it
Dining with me tonight are: Simon, Howard, Shez. Anna, Arwen, Lisa, Trina, Jennifer and Steph. At 6pm we’ve arrived to have a pre-dinner tour of his kitchens and backstage. Yes for a food blogger, a kitchen visit is like getting a Backstage Pass to meet your favourite artist. He shows us the cool room where they hang their meat for several days to tenderise. He also shows us the whole lamb, about 6 months old and about 12 kilos heavy and proceeds to hang that too. He points out that the space is cleaned and tested every 2 days for bacteria which you need to do if you hang meat. Hanging meat helps to break down the fibres in meat which in turn, makes it more tender and soft.
He also shows us the food preparation for tonight. The catalan bread is topped with tomato oil which is a fantastic and incredibly tasty sauce and it is topped with 18 month Jamon. We also see the duck which has been cooked twice and we take a peek (not too far in) into the purpose built meat oven.
The olives are juicy and spiked with rosemary and are delicious. We’re given a Mr Riggs Viognier 2008 and a Mr Riggs “Yacca Paddock” Tempranillo 2007.
The smell from the kitchen is beckoning but first we hear from Graham Strong, from Arcadia Saltbush Lamb who along with his parents raise the lambs on a diet including that of Old Man Saltbush in the Riverina district of NSW. They are suppliers to not only Mumu Grill but also Becasse and Etch. I wrote earlier about Saltbush lamb and the benefits of raising lamb on this but in short Saltbush is a hardy perennial which helps to reduce the salinity in soil which helps in times of drought which of course we have a lot of in Australia. They are also part of the WWOOFing movement (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) where in exchange for working on the farm, you get accommodation and food and get to be part of the experience.
Arcadia saltbush lamb roasted for 13 hours served with minted eggplant and white bean paste, green beans, beetroot jus
Our dish of Whole Arcadia saltbush lamb is roasted for 13 hours served with minted eggplant and white bean paste, green beans, beetroot jus. As Craig explained in the cool room, the leg was slow roasted and the mid section was cooked as a lamb cutlet. At first sight, the beetroot jus appears as blood from an unrested cut which is a little startling but a quick consult of the menu and I realise it is the beetroot jus. I can’t decide which part I like better, the soft, yielding and rich slow cooked part or the tender cutlet. It’s a moot point really though as I devour both along with the minted eggplant which is an unusual combination that works well together and white bean puree.
Simon and the bone
Anna and I battle internally as to whether we should pick up the rib and get the last morsels off, it’s a dilemma and we err on the side of caution. Simon however chomps away without a care in the world.
Food bloggers do their thing
Our second course is preempted by a talk by Ben Riggs from Mr Riggs wines (said to be a Winemaker’s Wine) who have supplied the wines for the night and he talks about the history of the brand as well as his own hisotry culminating in a deal with Moet Chandon.
2 1/2 hour double roasted duck with bok choy and poached pear
The serve of the 2 1/2 hour double roasted duck with book choy and poached pear is extremely generous. The duck is, as expected, fall apart soft much like a confit and slightly crisped on the outside. The bok choy and poached whole pear are perfect accompaniments to this.
Brown Sugar Pavlova with seasonal fruit
It seems almost crazy that we would have room for the pavlova but once I sink my fork into the pavlova I immediately make room. Having never had a brown sugar pavlova before I immediately wonder why I haven’t as it’s delicious. With a soft, chewy texture inside and a crisp exterior and a dollop of cream and blueberry flecked fruit it’s a perfect ending.
Arwen’s plate-can you tell that she liked it? 
A game of options by Mr Riggs where everyone has the chance to win a fantastic bottle of Mr Riggs rounds out our night (none of us won sadly). And I can’t imagine a better setting for an education. Why wasn’t University more filled with classes like this?
Mumu Grill Take It Slow Dinner
Shop 1-6/70-75 Alexander Street, Crows Nest, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9460 6877
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28 Comments | Add your own
That 13 hour roasted lamb looks the best!!! I’m drooling over here!
The duck looks amazing. Never had a brown sugar pavlova though, so that sounds just as delicious. What a night of good eats!
That pavlova was superb! It was a great event, and so nice to meet you at last.
Looks like you had an enjoyable and tasty evening. My holy grail is to go backstage, so I’m sorry I missed it. And you should have gone and gnawed on the bone – the last bits are usually the best!
I’m so sad I missed this! What a wonderful night.
Good on you Lorraine for inviting some of Sydney’s best bloggers to share this experience with you!
Wow! That lamb looks incredible. You are a lucky lucky girl.
Oh and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
I still can’t get over how huge that lamb was! And that photo of Simon is great, he looks so content chewing on that cutlet haha. It was so lovely to meet you there
God, I want to be you. Yum! And how cool to see some restaurants finally opening up to the bloggers.
I think I dribbled on my keyboard. Lamb does it for me in any form, but that really looks delicious! The brown sugar pav looks great too – I might try making one of those sometime.
PS I am definitley a bone chewer, my Mum used to give me the lamb shank to chew on after lamb roasts. I have no shame!
Looks like a lovely night out…more and more restaurants are opening up to food bloggers which is a great thing
Must have been a great night with the backroom tour and meal with accompanying wines. The jamon and lamb cutlet look great!
ooh! I love a guy who knows how to cook his meat!
Looks like it was a fantastic night! I love that pic of all the bloggers “doing their thing”
Tempranillo is my favourite before dinner wine…must get more…
Oh I’m devastated to have missed out. Must suppress the conscience next time and decide to leave the boy at home
Thanks so much again for the invite. My favourite part is chewing the meat off the bone. You should never question if to do it, just do it! It’s a sign of respect to the food hehe. I even did it at Gordon Ramsay’s 3 Michelin Star restaurant in London on the tiny quail bone.
Simon
I’m disappointed to not have been there to try it all with you! Looks like you all had a wonderful time… mmm, I’m eating well here (too well I think!), but I do miss some of the beautiful quality cut meats we’re privy to back home. Feast on for me
Lady – you have a mind like a steel trap. I didn’t see any note taking from you that night but the level of detail is impressive! *bows*
Look at the fat on the lamb! I like
The jamon looks like it’ll melt in your mouth and the lamb and duck dishes looks really yummy too. I’m not a big fan of pavlova however but would give that a go. Thanks for the post.
I am drooling over those pictures of the lamb – the lamb in London (mainly imported from New Zealand) is just not the same as in Oz
Seem this is a restaurant for a serious dinner yet it will not disappoint our tastebuds, rite? I have to try to drag my friends there as we never get around north sydney and beyond, though I’m working in north sydney. My friends always stopped at Circular Quay (so far that always the limit they will go for food)
it’s like he’s holding a baby!
…a headless, hairless baby. hmm.
Sounds like a fabulous night, and kudos to the chef for being ahead of the pack.
wow!!!! even though i dont eat red meat by choice, im drooling all over my keyboard now.
I like my meat, but I like it in the package. I like to pretend it mysteriously dropped from the sky and onto my plate.
Lucky you! That meal looked fabulous and chef is too cute!
Hi Anita -The lamb was really, really good
Hi The Duo Dishes-Me neither but trying it I instantly wondered why I hadn’t as it was fantastic! Twas indeed!
Hi Arwen-It was wasn’t it!
Yes it was so nice to finally meet you!
Hi belle-I did, yes what a pity about your work party! Yes next time I resolve to nibble on the bone
Hi Christie-It was, would have been great to have you there!
Thanks!
Hi Vita-Thankyou! And thanks for the birthday wishes!
Hi Steph-I know, and only 6 months old!
Haha yes he looked like he was in heaven. It was great to finally meet you!
Hi SydneyGal-Hehe yes it’s great to see it finally happen!
Hi Megan-Hehe I should really try making a brown sugar pavlova. I can’t really hang a side of lamb in my place!
I chew
on bones at home but feel self conscious doing it in public. Silly I know!
Hi Alexandra-It is! They’re slowly coming around!
Hi Simon-It was a great night for meat lovers like myself!
Hi Sop-Hehe yes it’s a great skill!
Hi Tiffany-Hehe it has to be seen to be believed!
Hi Chris-Haha must be ruthless!
Hi Simon -You’re welcome!
Hehe did you? Well you’re braver than I!
Hi Yasmin-We did have a great time. But you’re having all sorts of goodies where you are!
Hi Forager-I seem to have a good memory for food!
Plus I forgot my Mokeskine which I didn’t mean to do 
‘
Hi FFichiban -Hehe fat is good?
Hi foodie-central-The jamon was very good and I loved the tomato oil too! Oh that pavlova was to die for. It might make a convert out of you
Hi Gourmet Chick-Awww maybe when you come back here you could have some? I miss food a lot when I live elsewhere!
Hi Lilia -Yes they take their meat seriously. Hehe a lot of people have a mental barrier at the Harbour Bridge-my dad
especially!
Hi grace-Hehe yes it does look like it and proudly so!
Haha Grace you’re such a ghoul-love it!
Hi Cate-It was and indeed, a forward thinker is a good thing
Hi Humpty Dumpty-hehe was it the duck perhaps?
Hi Blond Duck-Ahhh is that too confronting perhaps?
Hi Jamie-Hehe I’m sure he’ll be very flattered at your comment!
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[...] made many pavlovas in my life but it was only this year that I tried a brown sugar pavlova at the Mumu Grill Take it Slow dinner. I even asked Chef Mumu if he would give out the recipe to no avail. So I went online and [...]
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