09-05-2025
The perfect last-minute Mother's Day gift that every mum will love: 'Deliciously serene'
One of the nation's top chefs has created the ultimate gift for mums this Mother's Day - and it's the ideal 'all-in' present from family members.
Tucked away in a lush corner of Sydney lies the spectacular Botanic House - a gorgeous hideaway in the iconic Royal Botanic Gardens.
And as a delectable treat, renowned chef Luke Nguyen has curated a very special degustation experience on RedBalloon, blending South East Asian flavours with native Australian ingredients - many of which can be found in the surrounding gardens.
Designed to awake the senses, the $380 1.5-hour experience for two is served share-style with paired wines.
As guests are sat in their garden oasis they can admire glimpses of Sydney Harbour while they savour delights like dumplings, chicken rice paper rolls, steamed coral trout and sticky date tamarind pudding.
Highlights include seared Hokkaido scallops, Nem Nuong lemongrass pork, BBQ roasted duck and smoky char-grilled beef short ribs, with wines from Orange, NSW, France and Germany.
Botanic House is widely regarded as one of the nation's 'hidden gems', with the multi-level dining adventure, as they describe it, perfect for long lunches, laid-back coffee dates and gorgeous dinners.
Nguyen is all about 'celebrating nature's bounty', with the chef prioritising fresh, locally sourced ingredients as he infuses Vietnamese flavors with an Aussie flair.
The chef famously also offers the ultimate date experience, with special curated picnic boxes designed for couples looking for something a little different.
The $90 boxes serve two and are available Monday to Sunday between 11am and 3.30pm (pre-ordered).
The boxes include an array of mouthwatering treats, from Vietnamese prawn crackers to coral trout, prawn and scallop spring rolls.
Other highlights include caramelised pork belly bao buns, lemon myrtle chicken, jellyfish, cabbage and Asian herb salad and a Pandan lava cake with jackfruit sticky rice, coconut cream and seasonal fruits.
