We’ve obtained a lot to let you know about on this newest Version.
Rooftop bars and festivals of sunshine (with corresponding cocktails after all), new and wonderful experiences to have at Uluru, excellent new Sydney gins, huge birthday partakings at a spirits competition (and a wine tasting tacked on too), pretty associates visiting who we haven’t seen for ages, cheese fests and, not least, bunny chow!
We hope you get pleasure from this Version
Jim & Christina xx
Christina and I do love a rooftop bar – we even discuss it a bit right here – and Zephyr in Sydney’s Darling Harbour actually scratches an itch.
Tonight, we’re up right here to take a look at the lights of Vivid and the bar’s particular choices for this annual crowd-drawing competition of sunshine.
A part of the Hyatt Regency Sydney, Zephyr already holds excessive stakes within the cocktail world. Its spectacular bar, which appears out over the most important pure harbour on the planet, has been serving excellent drinks since 2017 and the one factor to vary about that’s the menu.
For this yr’s Vivid competition, Zephyr has teamed up with 4 Pillars Distilling Co to create some wonderful cocktails.
First we attempt the Uncommon Concord – 4 Pillars Uncommon Dry Gin, Rhubi Mistelle, Marionette Bitter Curacao, and pineapple and lime juice – and Yuzo Glow Bitter – 4 Pillars Recent Yuzi Gin, Marionette Blue Curacao lemon juice and sugar syrup.
They’re each very vivid colors (on objective after all), that are helped together with enjoyable coasters that mild up when your drink’s positioned on them. The Uncommon Concord sounded fairly candy after we first heard the substances, however the result’s a beautiful balanced drink. As for the Yuzu Glow Bitter, the blue color is a bit off-putting at first, nevertheless it’s a superb drink. The bar has been daring about its sourness and hasn’t held again, which is as refreshing as this little blue quantity.
Subsequent we give the particular 4 Pillars martini trolley a roll, the place a mixologist makes the signature drink – Pillars of Humanity – at your desk. This drink contains two gins, the excellent 4 Pillars Olive Leaf and their Recent Yuzu Gin, together with a dry vermouth and orange curacao. It’s mild but punchy, clean but has a nice citrus zing.
We additionally attempt the Shiraz Breeze, terribly served in a light-bulb-shaped glass – one other nod to Vivid. This makes use of 4 Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin, lime, sugar, mint and soda, and brings gin mojito vibes.
To maintain us firm and the drinks protected, we even have a run on the meals menu. Standouts for us are the fried chevre balls in a pleasant panko crumb and the popcorn lobster. The ‘popcorn’ chunks of lobster have been deep fried and the lobster shell serves as a dip receptacle. Scrumptious and ingenious.
Thanks, Neilson the bar supervisor for these suggestions.
Be sure to recover from to Zephyr throughout Vivid to attempt a few of these excellent delicacies – twenty fourth Could-Fifteenth June 2024.
This afternoon, Christina is on the Museum of Up to date Artwork to listen to about an incredible new providing from Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia – the identical individuals who introduced the astounding Wintjiri Wiru drone show to Uluru which you could learn extra about right here.
This time spherical, CEO of Voyages, Matt Cameron-Smith advised the assembled media about Dawn Journeys – a conscious mild and sound expertise that highlights historical tales from Anangu, the individuals of Uluru, and the brand new Australian Native Excessive Tea – a scrumptious assortment of snacks made with native bush tucker entrance of thoughts.
These experiences each occur on the attractive stage the place the Wintjiri Wiru present is seen from with the dramatic panorama of Uluru and Kaka Tjuta as its backdrop.
Each of those new each day experiences will begin from August 1st 2024, however bookings are open now, so don’t miss out!
Tonight, Christina and I are out with a few friends in preparation for the Sydney Spirits Pageant that we’re all going to. The 4 of us have made our solution to an previous favorite: Hickson Home Distilling Co.
This Rocks-based distillery can also be one of the crucial elegant bars within the metropolis and so they also can make a banging martini. Much more so now they’ve simply launched a model new gin: Harbour Bridge Gin.
Not solely is the distillery virtually instantly beneath the Harbour Bridge, the constructing was used to retailer the steel and timber beams because the bridge was being constructed. And because the centenary of the Harbour Bridge approaches (it was opened in 1932), Hickson Home have introduced their plans to launch a brand new gin yearly till 2032.
This, the primary of the sequence, celebrates breaking floor for the bridge in 1923.
At the moment, Christina is with our pretty buddy and completed journey author Kate Hennessy. They’re at Rozelle’s White Bay Energy Station to take a look at the Sydney Biennale earlier than it finishes on June tenth.
This should be Christina’s Fifteenth journey to the Biennale this yr, so she’s one thing of an professional. Nevertheless, she nonetheless extremely recommends happening an organised artwork tour for the deeper meanings and historical past behind these spectacular items.
Don’t overlook, there’s a free bus from the QVB that takes you proper to the doorways of the Biennale right here, and on the weekend, there’s a free shuttle bus that takes you proper into Balmain correct so you possibly can take a look at the fun of this distinctive Sydney suburb. We’ve obtained extra particulars on this on IG right here.
It’s lastly right here! My birthday and the Sydney Spirits Pageant – what an alignment of the celebs. And after this quantity of liquor, it’s most likely the one factor that will likely be in a line!
On the Abroad Passenger Terminal at Round Quay, an enormous variety of each small native distillers and large world producers have arrange stalls to showcase their wares.
All the time a standout in the event that they’re right here, Ester Spirits from Marrickville make their presence identified. Felix is a legend btw. Their Robust Gin is a perennial favorite for us, however the issues Felix is making now are unbelievable.
We trek spherical the massive house and check out as many various spirits as we will. There’s the whole lot right here, from craft gin to mezcal to bourbon to rum to curios like Australian-made soju and fruit-flavoured tequilas. It’s a hell of loads of enjoyable.
It’s additionally shocking how ‘efficient’ small, 5-10ml pours of spirits can creep up on you. By the tip of the three-hour competition, we’re all fairly merry!
It’s time for lunch so we head to Ribs N Burgers. I don’t know who advised it, however everybody appears fairly joyful! Peter, Ben and I are anyway. I don’t learn about the remainder of the patrons!
As a result of three strong hours of tasting spirits hasn’t been sufficient for us, we’ve determined (this was my thought truly) to go to a really particular little spot within the Rocks.
Sydney’s solely cellar door for a Barossa vineyard, Chateau Tanunda, one in all Australia’s oldest present wineries, has opened a tasting room within the historic confines of Nurses Stroll, tucked properly and actually away within the alleys of Australia’s oldest colonial district.
We style some wine, we purchase some wine, we speak some wine. And I hope we aren’t annoying Justin the cellar door supervisor an excessive amount of. He’s a pleasant man. However if you would like a wonderful wine tasting expertise of a few of Australia’s greatest Barossa wine, go to the Rocks and annoy Justin just a little bit!
This night, Christina is again at White Bay, however not for the Biennale! She’s right here together with her buddy Rex to see The Different Artwork Honest.
This can be a nice solution to uncover unbiased artists with work on the market from $100. This yr was in actual fact on the White Bay Cruise Terminal, not removed from the facility station and the Biennale, and it’s a fantastic house to discover the artwork, meet the artists, and watch epic artwork battles in ‘velocity portray’ rounds.
Maintain a watch out for dates in your metropolis as this very cool artwork honest strikes world wide.
This afternoon, we’re excited to be hanging out with our wonderful buddies Chris and Sonia, who we’ve identified for years. They used to reside in Adelaide, however now reside in Lennox NSW. It’s good to have them in our state, however it will be even higher if they might come a bit nearer to Sydney!
In an try and woo them south, we’re displaying them a few of our favorite native spots: exhibit A – the Bald Rock Resort in Rozelle. Simply my favorite pub, this place does wonderful burgers and so they preserve their beer properly too.
As we roam the Balmain Peninsula, we lastly discover ourselves at Cinnamon – a splendidly cosy restaurant and bar that makes a number of the greatest Thai/South East Asian meals round.
Excessive on the record to re-order after we come again right here (top-left to backside proper):
Salt lemon and pepper squid, rooster chilli basil stir fry, panfried mataba roti with yellow curry minced wagyu beef, and massaman beef curry however with mantou buns – scrumptious steamed-then-fried pillows of dough good for mopping up massaman sauce!
Additionally, they promote their little spherical desk lights right here, which Sonia kindly gifted us. They’re 3D printed and appear like the moon. pleasant.
This afternoon, Christina is having a gathering with the Balmain Rozelle Chamber of Commerce, the writer of native journal Darling (preserve a watch out for this coming winter version Concern 14) for a little bit of a cameo).
They’re on the very cute Bar 26 in Lilyfield, tucked away like a speakeasy. However this place additionally has an unlimited distillery subsequent to it, the place the house owners of Bar 26, Eduard and Julie Otter, craft their very own gin, vodka and whiskey. Try Otter Craft Distilling’s spirits right here.
The explanation for this venue – other than the wonderful cocktails – is that Christina is talking at a Ladies in Enterprise occasion for the Chamber of Commerce and Bar 26 is internet hosting.
Sadly, this occasion is bought out now, however preserve a watch open. I’m certain this received’t be the final.
Tonight’s meal: bunny chow!
When you’ve by no means heard of this dish earlier than, don’t fear. However earlier than we get began, no; no rabbits have been harmed on this story.
This can be a conventional South African dish from Durban when the cane business was in full move. Indian migrants – particularly these from the service provider or ‘bania’ caste – made a residing from making this hearty dish of curry in a hollowed out loaf of bread. A bit like a cob loaf dip. However curry.
We first had bunny chow in Durban and fell in love with it. We’ve had a crack at this dish earlier than too, however this time I feel we nailed it due to a particularly Durban curry sauce we present in Aldi and my present favorite kitchen gadget: my bread machine. Sure, I made the bread.
Annually, Bon Fromage – a joint incentive between European Cheeses, Cheeses of France and the EU – brings a metric tonne of cheese to Sydney to point out us simply how good they’ve it on the Continent.
This morning, Christina and I are on the Abroad Passenger Terminal at Round Quay for the beginning of this cheese extravaganza, which at all times begins with a media brunch.
This brunch options 4 completely different decadent dairy derivatives (triple cream brie, bleu d’Auvergne, comté and epoisses) for us to style, guided by the sensible cheese thoughts of one of many world’s prime 10 cheese mongers Aurore Ghigo.
We’re additionally fed a cheese-inspired multi-course meal by the daring Chef Jimmy Wong from Masterchef.
The main target of this yr’s cheese competition is about seasonality. Do you know cheese tastes completely different relying on when it’s made – primarily as a consequence of what the cows have been consuming.
Cheese made out of milk made in spring will style vibrant with grassy notes and have a softer texture as a result of the cows have been consuming wealthy younger tender grass. Nevertheless, Cheese made with autumn milk can have a powerful flavour and really dense aroma due to the regrowth grass the cows feed on right now of yr. Fascinating.
We hope you’ve loved this Version. Catch you once more quickly.
Jim & Christina xx
