Australians may be dining out less often amid the current cost of living, but it would seem they have not stopped valuing the experience. MISC. Parramatta owner and H&R Block Australia’s SMB Ambassador, Jad Nehmetallah, says tighter household budgets have made diners more selective about where they spend their money and less willing to overlook an experience that falls short. Best known to many Australians from Gogglebox Australia, Nehmetallah has built a hospitality portfolio that includes the waterside Parramatta restaurant, with a second venue now on the way. “Going out for dinner has become less about doing it every week and more about making it count when they do. “If someone’s spending their hard-earned money, they want to leave feeling like it was worth it. That’s why hospitality has to deliver on every level, from the food and service through to the atmosphere. You can’t rely on people coming back out of habit anymore; you have to earn it every visit.” For diners, that means a meal out increasingly needs to justify the spend. For venue owners, it places more pressure on every part of the experience, including the decisions customers never see. Good food is only the baseline Nehmetallah believes diners now remember how a venue made them feel just as clearly as what arrived on the plate. “Great food is the baseline now, but they’re also looking for genuine hospitality, consistency and venues with personality. “Customers remember how a place made them feel just as much as what they ate. They want warm service, a welcoming atmosphere and an experience that feels authentic rather than manufactured.” Social media has also changed how customers discover restaurants, but a strong online presence will only carry a venue as far as the first visit. “People discover venues online, but they’ll only come back if the experience lives up to what they saw.” That demand for personality and connection can give independent venues an advantage over larger operators. Independent teams are often able to adapt quickly, build relationships with regulars and create experiences that reflect the communities around them. “People can tell when there’s real passion behind a venue. They’re supporting local businesses because they know there’s a person behind the counter who’s invested in making every service better than the last. “That authenticity is hard to replicate, and I think it’s one of the biggest strengths independent hospitality has.” Dining out has become more intentional COVID changed Australians’ relationship with dining out, according to Nehmetallah, making customers more deliberate about where they go and less forgiving when the experience does not match the price. Operators are balancing those expectations against rising costs, staffing challenges and changing consumer behaviour. “It’s a much tougher environment than it was a few years ago. That’s why running a venue today isn’t just about serving good food. It’s about making good business decisions across the board.” Those decisions can have a direct impact on the customer experience. Cash flow affects whether a venue can retain staff, invest in its menu and maintain the consistency diners increasingly expect. The future of hospitality As Nehmetallah prepares to open a second venue, he is also managing the less visible side of growth, including suppliers, staffing, compliance, tax and finances. “Getting the financial side right is just as important as getting the menu right,” he says. At MISC. Parramatta, one of the biggest lessons the team has learnt is that a single impressive meal is not enough to build lasting loyalty. “The biggest lesson has been that consistency builds trust. People don’t just come back because they had one great meal. They come back because they know what to expect every time they walk through the door.” Opening another venue has also shown Nehmetallah how quickly the number of decisions facing a small business can grow. “It’s easy to think you’ve got everything covered until you’re actually in it. Working alongside H&R Block has been a good reminder that ‘good enough’ isn’t always enough when it comes to those financial decisions. “Having the right advice gives you confidence to focus on growing the business rather than worrying about what’s been overlooked.” Despite the pressure facing the industry, Nehmetallah remains optimistic about the future of independent hospitality. He believes the venues most likely to thrive will be those that stay adaptable, understand their customers and pay close attention to the business beyond what happens on the floor. “Margins are tighter than they’ve ever been, so every decision matters. Whether it’s investing in the right people, improving the customer experience or making sure your finances are in order, those small decisions add up over time. or Nehmetallah, the venues that survive will be the ones that understand great hospitality may begin on the floor, but it has to be backed by a business built to last. 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Quick Bite Pincho Disco has launched a new Thursday night Sushi Fiesta and brought back Saturday Bottomless Brunch to its Collingwood restaurant. The Latin American-inspired venue is now serving a $99 Nikkei sushi platter from 5pm every Thursday, with oysters, salmon rolls, sashimi and nigiri designed to share between two or work as a starter for a larger group. Nikkei cuisine traces back to Japanese immigrants who settled in Peru in the 19th century, combining Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients. The new platter brings that crossover to Pincho Disco’s menu, giving diners another option for date nights, group drinks and late-week dinners. On Saturdays, the venue’s Bottomless Brunch returns with 90 minutes of food and drinks for $75 per person. Bookings run from 12pm to 2pm, with a share-style menu featuring cheese and corn empanadas, chipa bread, lamb tacos, woodfired cheesy chorizo tacos and crispy cassava fries. Drinks include red and white sangria, mimosas, house wine, beer and a chilli grapefruit margarita. Pincho Disco is located at 59 Cambridge Street, Collingwood. Source: Sense Communications Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

Connoisseur is bringing strawberry matcha to the freezer aisle with a new ice cream stick launching exclusively at Coles in late July. The new release takes one of the year’s biggest drink trends and turns it into matcha ice cream swirled with strawberry syrup, then covers the lot in a strawberry-flavoured pink chocolate shell. Strawberry matcha has moved quickly from café menus into desserts and bakery cabinets, helped along by more than 110,000 TikTok videos shared under #strawberrymatcha. The combination has become especially popular with Gen Z, pairing the earthy flavour of matcha with sweet strawberry and, crucially, producing something extremely photogenic in the process. Connoisseur senior brand manager Vanessa Mason said shoppers were increasingly discovering new flavours through social media and online culture rather than during a trip to the supermarket. “Consumers today aren’t just discovering flavours in store anymore; they’re discovering them through culture, social media and what’s trending online. “As strawberry matcha is one of the biggest flavour sensations of the past year, we saw an opportunity to be the first to reimagine it into a premium ice cream stick. It captures everything people know and love about the flavour trend while delivering the indulgence and craftsmanship Connoisseur is known for.” Connoisseur is calling the launch a first for premium ice cream sticks in Australia. It follows the success of the brand’s Pistachio Gelato range, with the pistachio sticks now its second best-performing multipack. Matcha is not entirely new territory for Connoisseur either. The brand already sells a Matcha Green Tea with White Choc one-litre tub, making strawberry matcha the next logical addition to its growing line-up of trend-driven flavours. Connoisseur Strawberry Matcha sticks will be sold in packs of four for $12, exclusively at Coles from late July. Source: Wired Co. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

The team behind Italian hotspot Rovollo is opening a new 30-seat wine bar in Sydney’s Martin Place this September. The Heritage Room will sit just metres from its parent restaurant, bringing Tuscan wines, food cooked over a Josper grill and an intimate private dining room to the CBD. While the new venue will indeed operate as an extension of Rovollo, it promises to bring its own identity to the table. The Tuscan touch Inspired by traditional Italian wine bars where food gets just as much attention as what is in the glass, the menu will feature a rotating selection of artisan Tuscan cheeses and meats hand-selected by Esper Group executive chef Cami Feliciano. Larger dishes will include a signature ciabatta sandwich and handmade pastas, giving CBD workers a lunch option that sits somewhere between takeaway and a full restaurant booking. The enoteca’s wine list will cover bold Italian reds including Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino, alongside Tuscany’s best-known white, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, with plenty more available by the glass. Esper Group director Andrew Wallace said the new venue would retain the warmth and old-world hospitality diners had come to expect from Rovollo, while creating something more flexible. “We love the intimate dining experience we’ve created at Rovollo, but due to its size we haven’t been able to accommodate the many requests we’ve had from guests who are looking to either pop in for a wine, or for an exclusive space. “With The Heritage Room, we are creating something that’s intentionally designed to meet their needs, alongside the service and experience they know and love.” A working wine cellar will hold more than 150 bottles from acclaimed wine regions, including vintage Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino. The venue will also include a private dining room for up to 25 guests, designed for long lunches, dinners and special events. Wallace said the private dining room had been purpose-built to offer guests a more personal experience. “A lot of private dining in Sydney is an afterthought,” Wallace said. “This won’t just be a space to gather; it’ll be immersive and customisable with thoughtful touches that leave people feeling like the room has been created just for them.” Feliciano’s set menus for the room will complement the Italian wine list, with indulgent grills including Tuscan bistecca and infused, dry-aged steaks. The entire venue will also be available for private events of up to 50 people. The Heritage Room by Rovollo will open from midday until late, Tuesday to Saturday, with the private dining room available to book on request. Source: Wineglass Media Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.