Royal Croquet Club

The Royal Croquet Club has transformed the banks of the Yarra below Fed Square. Complete with a giant croquet pitch, DJs, bars with plenty of Pimms, tennis on the big screen and food curated by Broadsheet, there is everything to like about this place.

Food wise, we're talking Meatmother, MissChu, Mr Claws and DOC, serving up an innovative range of tantalising dishes, with St ALi and Gelato Messina sweetening the deal. 

Crispy Hanoi Vegetarian Net Spring Rolls

Light and crispy, Miss Chu's spring rolls were an excellent starter to the night.

Chunky Spicy Lobster Roll

Chunky Buttermilk Lobster Roll

Reunited with Mr Claws, we devoured not just one, but three of these succulent lobster rolls. Toasted soft brioche buns filled with sustainably fished lobster meat with a a choice of three dressings: miso wasabi, Sriracha-spiced mayonnaise or buttermilk ranch. 

Panino Porchetta

Polpette Della Nonna

From the Italians, we tried the Panino Porchetta - roast pork roll with wild fennel and tarragon and Polpette Della Nonna - think Grandma's meatballs with tomato sumo and a healthy having of parmigiano reggiano.

BBQ Lamb Cutlets

Burnt Ends

The guys at Meatmother won my heart with their smoky American BBQ flavours. True to the classic Aussie BBQ, we enjoyed lamb cutlets dressed with mint over a bed of caper and cornichon potato salad. 

The show stopper for me was definitely their buns though. Firing things up with their 10-hour oak smoked brisket, cubed and crisped burnt ends, and jalapeño slaw slathered in Meatmother's BBQ sauce, this was my favourite dish of the night.

American Chow Down

Black Forest Bisque

Gelato Messina never fails to please. Every aspect, they just seem to take above and beyond. This time around, we were graced with Messina's International Soup Kitchen - a soup kitchen concept serving up dessert in a Campbell Soup’s iconic tin cans. 

Choose from Black Forest Bisque – chocolate-fondant gelato, cherry jam, kirsch cream with kirsch-soaked sponge or the Vietnamese inspired Faux Pho – salted-coconut sorbet, kaffir-lime marshmallow, lychee coconut cream with chilli-cashew crunch.  Or perhaps the Zuppa Duppa – hazelnut gelato, wild-strawberry preserve with an addictive pistachio crunch and Amaretti biscotti or the American Chow Down – peanut gelato, Oreo custard, cream-cheese mousse and pretzel crunch.  You can't really go wrong either way.

Still sorting out plans for Australia Day ? No worries, the Royal Croquet Club has got you covered with their Truck-A-Palooza festival. For Australia Day only, the food trucks joining the Royal Croquet Club line-up are Beatbox Kitchen, Taco Truck, Cornucopia, Hammer & Tong, The Little Mushroom Co, Nuoc Mama, Toasta, Trailer Made, Round The Way Bagels and The Brulee Cart. Get excited.

Go on. Head on over for a hit of the croquet mallet, a spot of barbeque and a few drinks. It's the place to be seen this summer.

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of ID Collective and Royal Croquet Club

What: Royal Croquet Club

Where: Birrarung Marr (near Federation Square), Melbourne 

Cost: Free entry event from Sunday through to Thursday. Friday and Saturdays are $5 after 7pm.

When: Friday 16th January to Sunday 1st February

http://www.royalcroquetclub.com.au/