Luxe Wine & Dine: Subo Newcastle

…Experience a creative take on fine dining that champions Australian producers by focusing on locality and seasonality.

The past few months have been a whirlwind for all of us. Rather than dining out with friends and family, we’ve been spending more time at home, with a newfound appreciation for the little things and for the people around us. As social restrictions continue to ease around Australia, many are simply looking for any excuse to sit down for a meal they haven’t also prepared. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or just as a treat, no place could be better suited for that special night out than Newcastle’s only hatted restaurant, Subo.

Pre-COVID, patrons would flock to Subo, opened by experienced and passionate chefs Beau and Suzie Vincent in 2011, to experience a creative take on fine dining that champions Australian producers by focusing on locality and seasonality. This is reflected throughout their rotating menu all the way down to the wine list, comprised of items from Australia’s best producers of organic, bio-dynamic and minimal intervention wine all the way from the ACT to our own Hunter Valley.

“Hardworking, creative people have been the key,” Suzie said about Subo’s survival. While the past few months have been witness to the restaurant’s innovative at-home delivery service, Subo At Home, the team is now ready to begin hosting their full table service again. Patrons can look forward to the creative, ever-changing menu the restaurant is known for, complemented by a fresh outlook on the dining experience.

We were lucky enough to get an exclusive peek into Subo’s return with the first menu they will serve at their tables from June 26.

Begin the evening with prawn tataki with shiro dashi and yuzu, pandan and roast almond. Move on to crispy fried silken tofu with bonito and black soubise, locally sourced brassicas sorrel. Follow this with dry-aged duck breast and caramel stock. The sweetness is highlighted even further with rhubarb and barbequed celeriac. Cassia bark, tonka and lime are next as a light refreshment before finishing the evening with dessert. The white polenta cake soaked in mandarin syrup is accompanied by a black sesame ice cream and grapefruit for a refreshing balance of flavours to complete the service.

While a variety of refreshments are available, it would be a missed opportunity not to pair the meal with something from Subo’s wine list, especially with ‘best accompanying’ wines available upon request. If you feel like supporting local produce even further, why not try something like the 2018 Vinden Estate ‘Headcase’ Semillon, sourced from the Hunter Valley.

While the rotating menu features a range of produce, dietary requirements of all kinds can also be catered to. From dairy free to gluten free, pescatarian to vegetarian, any diet can be catered to with enough notice.

Now in its eighth year, the team at Subo is more excited than ever to continue to serve the high-quality, delicious and interesting five-course menus they have become known for. While social restrictions are still in place, Subo will be running two exclusive and intimate seatings each night, with Suzie looking forward to bringing everything back to the way they love to operate: “Tasty food, good service and letting people enjoy themselves.”

Subo will reopen its doors June 26 with a new menu, a refreshed team and renewed focus on what creates a great Subo experience. Follow them on Facebook or @subogram on Instagram.

photographer: Sarah Candlin. review: Nadene Budden