I was lucky enough to be invited along to MuMu Grill’s first ever ‘Take It Slow’ night recently – a celebration of slow food, with matching wines by the Mr Riggs Wine Company. Mumu Grill is an upmarket steakhouse and grill located in Crows Nest. Owner and chef Craig Macindoe believes in using sustainable produce but still being able to offer affordable prices, and his knowledgeable and passionate is evident in everything he says and does.

A major incentive to arrive early was the promise of a kitchen tour. It was exciting to see behind the scenes of an event such as this one. Craig showed us the lamb in the cool room, and explained a little about how the Arcadia Saltbush lamb was raised and how hanging the meat makes it more tender. We were invited to mingle in the bar, and to try the 18 month Jamon served on Catalan Bread with tomato oil.

Graham Strong from Arcadia Saltbush Lamb expanded on what Craig had explained earlier, telling us more about the diet and lifestyle of the lambs. The Old Man Saltbush is a plant with deep roots into the soil that give the animals the minerals they need and in turn helps to reduce the salinity of the soil. The leg of lamb is slow roasted for 13 hours, and the cutlets from the mid-section are cooked medium-rare. This produces the most spectacularly tender meat you can imagine. It is served with a tasty minted eggplant and white bean puree, green beans and beetroot jus. The flavours all work well with the lamb and this is an absolutely delicious dish.

Ben Riggs chatted to us about the wine being served tonight, and his long and fascinating history in the wine-making business. Proceeds from ‘The Gaffer’ Shiraz (that was served with the lamb) go to acquiring a patent for breast cancer research that could be revolutionary in treating one of the most prevalent diseases in Australia.

I was so looking forward to trying the 2 ½ hour double roasted duck. Having been cooked in it’s own juices, the tender meat literally fell off the bones, and had a gorgeous crispy skin. I loved the cute poached pears and the bok choy; the flavours all went beautifully together. It was served with Mr Riggs Shiraz Viognier, a blend of white and red grapes to create more delicate red wine. It was an extremely generous serving and I wondered how I was going to fit in any dessert!

But when this beauty was set in front of me, I was tempted to lick the plate clean. I’d never had a brown sugar pavlova before, but the taste was amazing, and the pineapple and seasonal fruit was delicious with the whipped cream. I also fell in love with the Mr Riggs Sticky End Viognier, a zesty yet sweet dessert wine made with air-dried, hand picked grapes. It was a wonderful night, and a great chance to share an excellent meal with old friends and new. Check out Lorraine’s, Howard’s, Arwen’s, Jen’s, Steph’s, Simon’s, Shez’s, Anna’s and Trina’s blogs for their posts about the night!

MuMu Grill, Shop 70-76 Alexander St Crows Nest