The Box on the Water at Ettalong Beach is set to host an exclusive series of wine dinners, offering an opportunity for guests to enjoy carefully crafted menus while engaging directly with some of Australia’s top award-winning winemakers.
Building on the success of their sold-out celebrity chef takeovers, with luminaries such as Christine Manfield and Sean Connolly, owners Monique Keogh and Natasha Nicholson are shifting focus to exceptional winemakers.
Keogh said the dinners would celebrate the restaurant’s 10th year.
“It’s a way to honour our guests and a decade-long commitment to great food and wine on the Central Coast,” she said.
“Guests will enjoy a delicious meal with paired wines and get insider knowledge, straight from the grapevine – literally!”
The program kicks off on Wednesday, June 26, with a Midsummer Scandinavian Feast, curated by Swedish head chef Anders Knopp.
Guests will meet Mal Williams of Young & Rashleigh and enjoy Toast Skagen, a prawn and fish roe salad served on white toast, and Laxmacka with gravlax and mustard sauce on house-baked rye bread.
For the main course, Knopp will serve poached cod with egg sauce, peas and new potatoes, whole roasted loin of venison, served with chanterelle mushrooms, lingonberries and celeriac, complemented by the 2022 Pizzini Pietra Rossa Sangiovese from King Valley, Victoria.
The Box celebrated its 10th anniversary on Wednesday, July 24, with a five-course degustation menu, hosted by Dave Swift of Printhie Wines.
Diners will learn the award-winning Printhie winemaking process, and have the opportunity to purchase a case or two at special prices.
“We are thrilled to give back to this incredible community by introducing them to some of the best Australian winemakers,” Nicholson said.
“These events offer a rare VIP experience.”
In 2014, Keogh, the former owner of Ettalong’s beloved COAST café, and Nicholson, previously a publicist, discovered the tender for The Box and knew they had to create an outstanding proposal for the space.
“We stayed up late one night and didn’t finish the proposal until it was perfect,” Keogh said.
Their efforts paid off as they submitted a rigorous 90-page tender to the Central Coast Council and won.
They have since become best friends and business partners.
“We have been through a lot together,” Nicholson said.
“Our dear late husbands, Brent and Will, played a crucial role in bringing our dream to life.
“They designed and built The Box.”
The restaurant features chic floor-to-ceiling windows, hanging ferns, and full-length mirrors that capture stunning coastal views, and arguably the best sunsets on the Coast.
It is located on The Esplanade.
Additional wine dinners will include: Howard Park Dinner, August 28; and Shut The Gate Dinner, September 25.
The Box also has Locals Night every Thursday, offering a two-course meal and a glass of wine for $52.
High Tea by the Sea is every Wednesday and Sunday, providing a relaxed afternoon with delicious treats and ocean views.
Happy Hour is every Friday to Sunday, from 4pm-5pm, featuring $7 tap beers, house wines, and sparkling, along with a $15 cocktail of the week.
For bookings and more information call 4339 3369 or email bookings@theboxonthewater.com