E.P. & L.P. x The Dolphin Hotel Aperitivo Party

Overview

Influential Los Angeles-based restaurant and bar E.P. & L.P. is winging its way to Sydney to take over The Dolphin Hotel for one epic evening. Co-owners Grant Smilie (Australian DJ and co-director of the Royal Croquet Club) and fellow Aussie David Combes opened their West Hollywood venue with head chef Louis Tikaram (ex-Longrain) in 2015, and have been enjoying firm success for the last two years. They'll take over Crown Street's most eclectically renovated pub at 5pm on Sunday, June 11, treating you to five hours of drinks, snacks and music.

The menu is split into two sections. On the first, dubbed Wine Room Aperitivo, you'll find blue swimmer crab congee, wagyu crackers, Hollywood abalone and Kakoda Fijian-style ceviche, all priced $5–7. Meanwhile, on Tikaram and Dolphin head chef Monty Koludrovic's bar menu, to be served in the Dining Room, you can pick from Lou Dogg's famed crispy chicken sandwich, Mullum Fries (tofu fries with soy and peanut) and Marty's Pizza (five-spice caramel hock with Thai basil and pickled chilli), among other offerings.

The drinks list is a collaboration between E.P. & L.P. and The Dolphin. Look out for Dirty Bubble Teas, beer buckets and a few of of L.P.'s best-loved cocktails, such as the Where Love Lives Margarita (passionfruit, guava, lime, chilli, mezcal, damiana, salt) and California Love on The Roof (rosé, rosé aperitif blend, seasonal fruit).

"This will be my first time back in an Aussie kitchen since leaving Australia to open E.P. & L.P. in 2014," said Tikaram. "I'm super excited to be teaming up with the guys at the Dolphin, to share my experiences and influences from Southern California so far and also tell my story through the menu from as far back as Mullumbimby. It's going to be one hell of a Queen's Birthday weekend."

As you might've guessed, Grant Smilie will be on the decks until the party winds up until 10pm. Joining him will be Beni and a bunch of yet-to-be-announced special guests.