This, the first ever guest post at Consider The Sauce, was written, photographed and produced by our pal Daniel, winner of the two tickets provided to us by Melbourne Food & Wine Festival and the Bank of Melbourne. Thanks for taking the time!

The first thing that grabs your attention about the World’s Longest Lunch is the logistics: 1,200 people enjoying fine dining along the Yarra, across from the Melbourne’s Olympic Park precinct. A table that seems to stretch forever. And today, after Melbourne’s rolling wet weather, a perfect day by the river.

It was a three-course seasonal meal, covering:

* Entrée: salad of Harrietville smoked trout and autumn fruits (Simone’s Restaurant).

* Main: free range turkey thighs, tomatoes and tomatillos and Mexican flavours with a salad of avocado and succulents (Sunnybrae).

* Dessert: Rhubarb vacherin (Annie Smithers’ Bistrot).

Therése and I shared the meal with Almost Always Ravenous and other charming foodies. If you ever wanted proof of Melbourne’s sophistication and obsession around food, one of our food and wine festival events should provide that 😉

We found the entrée excellent. The main was fine but turkey isn’t my idea of a captivating meat (like duck). Dessert was a nice combination of rhubarb, cream and meringue: good texture, perhaps a bit more meringue would have been nicer.

Overall: we didn’t feel it was value for money food-wise (editor’s note: Daniel means, of course, if it had been the case that he’d actually had to pay!), but the affair was well-executed and a lovely experience dining by the Yarra in temperate weather. Plus it was my birthday, so a memorable occasion 😉

Much thanks to Kenny for enabling the experience!