La Boca Bar & Grill is no stranger to epic Tasting Australia dinners, having participated for the last three years with sell-out events. The 2020 dinner event at the North Terrace venue will be no exception.

Traditional Argentinian chef Nicolas Arriola teams up with fine dining chef Jason Goh for a five-course collaboration that celebrates the humble pig and showcases South Australian produce at every turn.

The chefs started from the basis of their shared nose-to-tail ethos, but honed their menu to deliver crowd-pleasing pork cuts packed with flavour.

The Primero (first course), pictured above, is a mojo pork roll with Cajun and bourbon broth – think crunchy spring roll casing with juicy shredded pork resting in a shallow (yet ample) broth with just the right structure of stock. The dish is an appetite opener that will leave you eager for the next course – but not before cleansing your palate with the paired Honey Dew Martini Cocktail, featuring Applewood Gin, locally produced honey, simple syrup and fresh basil.

For Segundo, a 48-hour pork cheek rests upon a cauliflower purée and apple relish.
It is a perfectly balanced plate of slow-cooked pork, together with a gelatinous layer cutting through with the finely diced green apple salsa set atop. As accompaniment, guests will enjoy a KIS Rhubarb Haven Cocktail made with Kangaroo Island Spirits Wild Gin, homemade rhubarb syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Tercero is a prettily plated, rolled and finely sliced suckling pig with figs, served with endives salad. As good as it looks, after diving in the dish won’t last long. Playing off the figs, the Night Flower Cocktail made with internationally renowned 78 Degrees Gin, Mancino Bianco, lavender syrup, citrus and a dash of egg white serves as the paired imbibe.

Course Cuarto offers a more traditional Asador pork belly marinated with stout, served with smashed chive potato. This dish is happiness on a plate and still leaves room for the suitably matched Mad Hatter Cocktail mixed with gin, absinthe, passionfruit, smoked tea soda and fresh citrus.

The Quinto finale is a masterpiece of strawberry and lavender pistachio shortcake with vanilla gelato. Light, moreish and a perfect end to the degustation, this dessert is paired with a Blueberry Thyme Farm Cocktail created with 78 Degrees Gin, Prosecco, blueberry, thyme and citrus.

La Boca is a generous, comfortable and surprising restaurant that aims to please and never misses.

Tickets are selling fast for this value packed, official Tasting Australia dinner event.

Nose to Tail and Gin Degustation, Thursday April 2, 7pm-11pm, $89 per person (+booking fee)

For bookings, click here.