Restaurant Hjem and Cafe Mercy announce collaboration on one-off Oysters and Cocktails experience in Newcastle
by Barbara Hodgson · ChronicleLiveAward-winners Restaurant Hjem and Cafe Mercy are to combine their talents in a tasty new partnership this November which will serve up a luxury experience for customers.
The Michelin star Hjem, which is based at Wall in Northumberland, is teaming up with the Newcastle cocktail bar - run by Mother Mercy which is ranked among the best in the UK - for an Oyster Shucking Special. And this one-off event, taking place at Café Mercy in Grey Street on November 10, will pair fresh oysters with premium cocktails and fine wine.
The seafood will be prepared by the team at Hjem, which currently also has a city centre collaboration going with Fenwick where it launched a cafe takeover this summer - with 'Rockefeller oyster' being included on that menu too - and it proved so popular that its run has been extended until New Year's Eve; now coinciding with another pop-up at the store: the newly-opened Greggs Champagne Bar which is matching pasties and fizz.
Mother Mercy developed signature cocktails for those collaboration too. Now the new food and drink match is offering another inviting option for foodies, with the top quality local produce guaranteed to prove a hit at what will be a casual, drop-in event with a mid-afternoon start-time of around 3pm, although this is still to be confirmed.
While oysters and Champagne may be a more familiar combination, with flavours of one said to enhance the taste of the other, the Oyster Shucking Special promises to be an inspired mix with what is described as 'a well-rounded experience of flavours'. The kitchen takeover will serve 200 oysters so those keen to go are encouraged to arrive early to take advantage of the limited numbers, which will come served with two signature accompaniments in Hjem's house-made hot sauce and a Scandinavia-inspired pickle which is a nod to the roots of the restaurant and its Swedish co-founder and chef Alex Nietosvuori.
The clean and salty mineral tastes of the oysters, which will cost £2 each, will be complemented by cocktails developed by Café Mercy whose co-founder Neil Donachie is "thrilled" about the collaboration. He said: "At Café Mercy, we pride ourselves on creating experiences that bring people together over great drinks, food and conversation.
"Partnering with such an incredible Michelin-starred restaurant to serve fresh oysters fits perfectly with our ethos of celebrating quality and artisanry." Along with cocktails, there will be hand-picked wines which can be enjoyed by the glass and they will include a selection from Hjem’s cellar, some of which have been stored for years and will be served from magnums.
Martin Waugh, Hjem’s sommelier, said: "Magnums always bring a bit of fun and a party feel." An informal atmosphere, vinyl records and good company are set to conjure up a laid-back Sunday afternoon vibe on the day and Martin added: We’ve known Neil and the team at Café Mercy for years and their venue on Grey Street is the perfect place for us to present this type of event.
"It’s a bit of an oyster party - laid-back, with friends, great music, paired cocktails, and serving some of the best local produce." Those interested in joining the party can just drop in to Café Mercy throughout the November 10 afternoon, when oysters will be served while stocks last.
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