Featuring: Husk Distillers, Madam Fu, Paddington Social…

Just a stone’s throw over the Queensland border, Paul Messenger, of Husk Distillers, produced the first bottle of rum from a small green shed on the family sugarcane farm in the lush surrounds of Mt Warning in Northern New South Wales in 2012. Since then, he, wife Mandy and their three daughters have had quite the ride as farmers and distillers.
The initial vision was to produce a paddock to bottle agricole rum which, while inspired by the heady Carribean brews, would exhibit distinctive Australian hues. The family make the rum from freshly crushed sugar cane so this limits the harvest season to the months between August and November.
So while that first aromatic bounty was ageing away in barrels, the Messengers got to work on a pet project, to make gin using Australian native botanicals and that’s how the now world famous Ink Gin was born. The blue brew is made by blending 13 organic botanicals, including traditional and Australian natives. Like all great gins, juniper berries are the largest botanical component, however the defining character comes from the second tier botanicals – locally grown lemon myrtle, coriander seeds, Tasmanian pepper berry and freshly peeled sun-dried orange peel.
The final aroma is added post distillation and only for 24 hours. Petals of the butterfly pea flower are steeped overnight in the still and impart their distinct inky hue, hence the name. The magic happens when you mix it with something with low ph levels such as gin’s best friend, tonic, lime or lemon juice. Gradually the inky tones become a purply, then blush pink before you eyes.
The distillery, farm and much of the region was devastated by floods in 2017, the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie, and this delayed the completion of the planned expansion. Now the gorgeous cellar door and bar, where the range of cocktails will knock your socks off, a relaxed cafe overlooking rolling lawns and a barrel house are all now open for business and the Messenger family, including Tilly the resident labrador, are now welcoming guests for tours and tastings as well as casual visitors looking for a grazing plate and a rum or gin cocktail to enjoy in a lush, hinterland setting. 1152 Dulguigan Rd, North Tumbulgum; phone (02) 6675 9149.
Back over the border on the famous Isle of Capri, the popular shopping and dining precinct Via Roma has a new offering. Madam Fu is the second venture from the team behind popular Chevron Island dining spot Fu Manchu Oriental Kitchen. Wedged between existing venues the Fish Emporium and Edgewater, all 80 seats enjoy water views. The menu zig zags around Vietnam, Japan, China and Thailand, serving punchy favourites on tables made of wood reclaimed from a ’50s timber beach house in neighbouring Broadbeach.

The menu is designed for sharing and is divided into categories of raw or rare dishes such as lemongrass trout tartare with sea herbs, veal tataki with lilly pilly soy and smoked Mooloolaba tuna with fingerlime. Then there are the bao’s, dumplings and wonton taco’s – think beef rendang and pineapple tacos, sichuan snapper bao with fried egg mayo and spanner crab and prawn dumplings in ginger dashi. Larger dishes include kung pao lamb ribs with Warrigal greens, lemon myrtle spiced squid with citrus kewpie and grilled prawns with green papaya tom sam and toasted coconut. The wine list is small and skewed towards spicy food combo’s – Chaffey Bros Duft Punkt, the riesling-gewurztraminer blend works nicely with the punchy dumpling broths or you can choose from a small range of Asian beers or Kirin apple cider. Capri on Via Roma, 15-21 Via Roma, Isle of Capri; phone (07) 5531 5563.
When Sichuan Bang Bang and Pizzeria Violetta opened in a small, converted corner shop on the main drag of Paddington in Brisbane’s inner west, punters thought the mix of authentic Chinese and slow ferment pizza was curious, to say the least. The interior divided in two, the decor making it clear whether you were in Italy or Sichuan Province and the unusual pairing seemed to work. Until it didn’t. Closing quietly in early 2019, the space is now inhabited by another curious combo – this time three friends, Tyler, Gibb and Lek will operate out of the existing dual kitchens, minus the wood-fired pizza oven.
Under the new moniker of Paddington Social, Tyler takes the morning shift creating interesting breakfast options which include daily fresh baked goods like croissants, muffins and tarts made by Gibb who also produces a range of sweet and savoury baked goods daily to eat-in or take home.
After 5pm Lek takes over firing up the burners and creating his own version of Thai classics. Just when Paddington dwellers were getting used to their yum cha and pizza nights together, now there’s pain au chocolat and pad thai, go figure. 167 Given Tce Paddington; phone 0411 271 988.