Your preview of the new Albury-Wodonga restaurant and bar, Yardbird, for one night only

Simon Arkless, a veteran of Victoria’s regional dining scene celebrated for his food at The Terrace and Thousand Pound Wine Bar in Rutherglen, is teaming up with restaurateur Denis Lucey (Bottega, Melbourne; Thousand Pound, Rutherglen; Luxsmith, Seddon) to open a new restaurant and bar in Albury-Wodonga. Get your sneak peek of Yardbird ahead of its October opening with a four-course menu from Simon full of regional produce.

To sip while you sup, the team we share pieces of “our vinous jigsaw puzzle” aka the Yardbird wine list, a beautiful collection of wines from near and far, “to intrigue and entice”. Each pairing will be introduced by “wine guy” Ben Knight. Think chenin blanc, Aussie icons and wines you might well have never heard of.

From the convenience of the Melbourne CBD, Simon, Denis and Ben will take your tastebuds to the north-east and leave you dreaming of a trip to to the countryside.

MENU

• Salad of roast Jerusalem artichoke, blood orange, goat’s curd and hazelnuts
• Smoked eel, crisp pancetta, frisee, warm kipfler potato and horseradish
• Roast Borrowdale free-range pork belly, sauce saupiquet, braised fennel
• Custard tart, poached rhubarb and strawberry sorbet

Food includes four courses and matching wines.