Wasabi Restaurant & Bar - Noosaville

Had just returned from a foodie trip to the States and still found this space to be the equal of anything I had experienced in the previous weeks. Noosa Food and Wine hosted a young chefs function and the space was perfect for the occasion....A small room allowed a collaborative team of chefs to shine and converse with the guests with ease. The informality brought out the best in both the food and conversation far better than a meal in their day job restaurants.

So much more than just a meal; it satisfies all the food senses , perfection of food and cooking, quality produce but the collaboration between the Wasabi team and the visiting chef adds another dimension. Zeb's food and contribution is superb but the collaboration with...Guy Stanaway from Jackalope Hotels made it even more special. AND the wines are getting even better Lara's contribution is important as she brings a fascinating range of wines to best complement the food.

Like many foodies, I travel the world to find the ultimate food experience. Have been to many of the world's best in the past year but the crazy thing is that my best dining experiences this year were at my backdoor; Quay in Sydney...and Ibento in Noosa. Danielle and her Wasabi team have hosted a series of collaborative evens and they just keep getting better. The Wasabi Muse collaboration brought out the best of top chefs, Zeb Gilbert from Wasabi and Troy Rhoades-Brown from Muse in the Hunter. The camaraderie and collaboration between the was a joy and the quality produce and delivery was amazing. So many great dishes from Maori cod, painted crayfish, smoked cobia, nasturtium ice cream; how do you choose a favourite but an absolute knockout was the wood fired wagyu with brown kashihikari and shitake. The highlight though with only diners is that you are part of the collaborative experience you are involved in the discussion and watch the preparation but as well, you have a chance of making new friends with common interests.

Every event is amazing but what is especially appealing is how they continually change the focus and experience so you can never get bored. This occasion was a joint event with Alan Cooper from Cobaw Ridge, not a huge winery nor seen in most liquor...shops. By having a whole night to explore the wines, it gave Alan a much better opportunity to explain the the terroir of his property, the similarity in climate to major regions and the reasons for grape selections, none of this could be done in a minute discussion. The food was not typical Wasabi Japanese style; a totally different selection of tastes that showed the diversity and skill of Wasabi's chef Zeb. As always, these events are the best in town for local foodies.

These events are always amazing but typically it is because the Wasabi team bring top chefs from the southern states who we would rarely see to share their skills and experience. This though was almost more special it gave us a vision of the...future. A collaboration between Shui Ishizaka, sous chef from Bennelong who won the Electrolux Young Chef of the Year and Wasabi’s own sous chef, Clement Vachon, it reassured foodies that the future is assured. It's an understatement to say that the food was innovative and creative of the most wonderful quality but what was most fascinating was the collaboration and teamwork between these young chefs. The confidence and poise of the young chefs was a delight to share. What was even more fascinating was Shui's creativity which would not normally be obvious in the limitations of a commercial environment like Bennelong.