Food: Next-level picnics

There are picnics, and then there are picnics. And with in-house dining still closed and the weather warming up, many chefs have turned their attention to fancy picnic fare. Sea urchin or green falafels anyone? The bar has been raised and it seems the humble picnic will never be the same again. Here are some suggestions on how to take your picnic to the next level.

Outdoor Japanese Grill
The San Telmo Group opened Robata in the CBD in July in the midst of lockdowns, but that hasn’t stopped them from innovating. Robata’s website sells an eco-friendly, disposable grill for $25, which means you can take it to the park and cook up one of their “At Home” feasts outdoors. Work on perfecting your char game with dishes such as chicken meatballs, chook thigh yakitori and wagyu kushiyaki.

robata.com.au

Sea Urchin & Sashimi
Uni Boom Boom specialises in ready-to-eat sea urchin and premium ingredients, such as sashimi and wagyu. The Ringwood and Glen Waverley stores have flash sales every week, and many of their menu items are in high-roller picnic territory. Decadent sashimi platters and rice bowls include New Zealand scampi with caviar, abalone, Hokkaido scallops, bluefin tuna and Tasmanian urchin, but there are also more affordable bento boxes and chirashi rice for less than $20.

uniboomboom.com.au

Portable High Tea
The Westin Hotel’s famous high tea sessions are transferable to a picnic setting. There are a number of hampers that can be delivered or picked up at specified times. High teas cater for one to four people. They feature more than just finger sandwiches, too: think rolls dyed pink from beetroot and fillings such as trout and river mint, scones and sweets. There’s also High Cheese, a collaboration with Maker & Monger that sees cheese appear as spreads, dips, in wedges, and even in madeleines. They all come with a tiered cardboard stand. Add wine or bubbles. 

providoor.com.au/promo/thewestin

Picnic Well, Do Good

Free to Feed is a brilliant, not-for-profit social enterprise that assists people seeking asylum, refugees and new migrants in finding meaningful employment opportunities through food. Their Brave Meals program helps generate work for their participants, and there are some picnic-friendly packs available to order. Shadi’s four-person DIY falafel wrap box is the pick(nic), with green falafel, hummus, spring slaw, pickles, zhug and Lebanese flatbread for $40. Pick up from Fitzroy North on specified dates or check online for suburb delivery.

freetofeed.org.au/brave-meal

Carnivore Galore
If you can make it to Houston’s Barbecue at 99a Slater Parade in Keilor East on October 10, you should order a Wild West BBQ Box. It’s a one-off collaboration between Houston’s Barbecue, Fancy Hanks and Bluebonnet that will make a very meaty picnic. Inside is 200 grams of brisket, 300 grams each of pork and beef short ribs, another 200 grams of house sausage, cornbread, mac ‘n’ cheese, pickles and condiments from all three venues. It’s $120 and must be ordered online.

wildwestbbqcolab.square.site