Emerging from 2020 reinvigorated, Malt Shovel Taphouse introduces its new head chef and menu
One year after shutting its doors because of the pandemic, Malt Shovel Taphouse in Birtinya is coming back strong in 2021 with a new head chef, a new menu and a new drinks list featuring the beers on tap we missed so much in lockdown.
At the helm of the reinvigorated kitchen team is head chef Matthew McNamara.
His love of food started at a young age with his Nana during weekends away in her cottage in England, making a mess in the kitchen and learning to cook fun dishes.
His journey in the industry began when he started working at a seafood restaurant on the Wirral and making homestyle bistro food.
Matt left England in 2012 and travelled the world discovering different cuisines. After working as a chef in Darling Harbour in Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland, he settled on the Sunshine Coast.
“High quality homestyle dishes are at the heart of my cooking style and at the heart of this new menu for Malt Shovel Taphouse,” he said.
“Rotisserie meats are reminiscent of Sunday family lunches catching up over grandma’s roast and produce from the garden… and this menu captures that spirit.”
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Owner Ian van der Woude said 2020 was a year that brought everything into sharp focus.
“It was devastating to see our venue closed only six short months after opening… but also seeing our community coming together and bonding as a neighbourhood reminded us why we do what we do,” he said.
“We are here to deliver a great food and beer ‘exbeerience’ to the Sunshine Coast, and especially our Kawana community who supported us through 2020 and who have brought us back to life.”
The team is focusing on neighbourhood homestyle food done well and perfectly paired with a craft beer.
Rotisserie lamb forequarter, beef brisket, beer-marinated chicken and pork porchetta take centre stage but there’s plenty more to savour with loaded fries and nachos, soft pulled tacos, gnocchi and quesadillas.
The kitchen team will have an opportunity to show off at the venue’s upcoming ‘Beer and Beef Chef’s Table’ on April 28.
It’s the seventh event in the series and the first menu designed by new chef Matt McNamara with dishes like slow braised beef rib with celeriac slaw and bourbon BBQ glaze and Beeramisu.
The bar has also had a shake up with a new signature cocktail list. Highlights include a guava lychee mojito, a chocolate negroni and the Apple Pie with Finlandia vodka, Licor 43, apple and cinnamon.
Seasonal craft beers are flowing again too. Many smaller breweries limited their production for bars in 2020 to focus on canned and bottled products, but now the rotation of exciting tap beers are back on.
Standouts to look out for are the Panhead Rat Rod, a hazy IPA, and the White Rabbit Pana Chocolate Stout, pouring for a limited time only.
