CLUB’S NEW DINING DISTRICT LIKE NOTHING AUST. HAS SEEN BEFORE

District 8 marks the newest and most exciting phase of the multimillion-dollar redevelopment at Cabra-Vale Diggers.

Housed within the club, District 8 covers some 2000sqm of newly renovated space  – 400sqm of which is the main kitchen –  and boasts several South East Asian food options and ‘stations’: dumplings, congee, soup, noodles, BBQ, grill/stir fry, seafood, Chinese à la carte, an in-house Asian bakery, fresh fruit and sugar cane juices, salads, and an Asian bar.

The Club has also announced the appointment of Adam Liaw as brand ambassador for District 8.  Liaw is a well-known television presenter, author, media personality, columnist, and ‘MasterChef’ TV show winner.

“Western Sydney is the fastest growing area in Australia at the moment and the demographic really is a reflection of where modern Australia is, and where modern Australia is going. To have this incredible dining destination at District 8, where people can go and enjoy themselves and eat excellent food, taking the century-long heritage of Cabra-Vale and adding to its evolution, and showing just how important clubs in Australia are becoming … all of it is a very exciting project for me to be a part of,” said Adam Liaw.

“I think that Australia has the best Asian food in the world and I mean that quite seriously. District 8 could only happen here at Cabra-Vale Diggers because of the unique demographic here. I think the food you can eat in clubs is a very clear representation of Australian culture, and when you see how multicultural Canley Vale is, it’s really lovely to see this reflected in the face and the soul of Cabra-Vale Diggers. For it to be done with such incredible quality, where no expense is spared, is a real credit to where both Cabra-Vale Diggers and Western Sydney are heading.”

“Cabra-Vale Diggers’ District 8 development is a great dining and entertainment destination, but it is much more than that; it really is something the entire community can be a part of and also be extremely proud of,” added Liaw.

Boris Belevski, CEO of Cabra-Vale Diggers said, “District 8 is stage two of a multi-stage food revolution at the club. Cabra-Vale Diggers has spent $18 million on the first two stages of its new dining rooms. Stage 1 is the newly opened Brasserie on Park and the Poppy Café. District 8 is stage 2, our upcoming steakhouse is stage 3, and the dining facilities of the new hotel are stage 4.”

“There is some logic behind District 8, as some Asian countries are divided into districts. Not only does the number 8 imply good fortune, but there are eight food outlets that will be selling a wide variety of authentic Asian foods, with a concentration of South East Asian tastes. District 8 will be able to seat 550 – 600 diners at the one time. Plus there is an interactive playground for kids of all ages,” said Mr Belevski. “All the dining precincts – which in total seats up to 900 people – will provide a multi-faceted East meets West eating hub, and are a demonstration of the club’s diversification.”

To put the size of the development into perspective, the six-month build of District 8 is the largest scale project that construction company Rohrig has undertaken in its’ 24-year history. The detailed interior design was handled by Altis Architecture and took over three years to complete.

Project Leader, Interior Design, from Altis Architecture Tina Fox said,“We wanted to create a unique environment where the customer could experience a culinary journey through South East Asia. We were particularly inspired by the tastes, smells and sights of the Mekong River that flows through Vietnam, Thailand, China, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. We also wanted to create an exciting space with an outdoor street feel and different types of seating and food and drink stations, creating a new discovery and point of interest at every turn. We have created ‘streets’ and walkways throughout the scheme, surrounded by columns, plants and Hong Kong style illuminated signage to really give that feeling of being outdoors.”

Cabra-Vale Diggers has over 30,000 members, 38% of which are of South East Asian origin, and 62% of those were born in Vietnam. District 8 will officially launch on October 10.