Bombay Sapphire and Biota Dining's James Viles Have Created the Ultimate Sydney Gin Pop-Up

With a five-course menu, the city's best cocktails and a rooftop bar to boot.
Lauren Vadnjal
Published on November 19, 2015

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Gin fiends, drop everything. Right now, somewhere in Sydney, there are gin cocktails — and gin cocktails alone — being shaken and stirred. There's a rooftop terrace and yummy morsels from one of the best chefs in the country. It's called Project Botanicals, and it's a gin-lovers dream.

Premium gin giants Bombay Sapphire have teamed up with award-winning Biota Dining chef James Viles for the three week pop-up, which will see the upper levels of the former Queen Street Studios building in Chippendale's new Kensington Street precinct temporarily transformed into a degustation restaurant and rooftop bar.

Taking inspiration from the 10 exotic botanicals found within Bombay Sapphire — juniper berries, coriander seeds, liquorice, almonds and cassia bark — Viles and the Bombay Sapphire team have created two five-course menus matched with five inventive gin cocktails. The offering will rotate weekly, so you'll have the chance to try two botanical menus, 'Plants & Roots' and 'Berries & Bark'.

“I'm constantly challenging myself to work with new and unusual ingredients," says Viles. "Working with 10 botanicals found within Bombay Sapphire was really exciting in creating flavour combinations that emphasised what is at the core of Bombay Sapphire."

But you don't have to go the whole five-course hog to enjoy this pop-up. Project Botanicals will also boast a rooftop bar, open from 5.30pm Wednesday to Saturday. The drinks have been created in collaboration with some of Sydney's best bars, including Eau de Vie, The Barber Shop, The Rook and This Must Be The Place. There's no doubt that this is the best place to get your gin on.

Running for just three weeks, the pop-up will only be around until Saturday, December 5. So if you want to indulge in some 'ginstronomy' and savour the spirit in the most Sydney way possible, best you get your tickets now.

The Sydney debut of Project Botanicals will run at the Old Rum Store warehouse at 10 Kensington Street, Chippendale until Saturday, December 5. Sittings are available at 6pm and 8.30pm Wednesday to Saturday. Tickets are $105 and include a five-course menu matched with five Bombay Sapphire cocktails. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and can be bought here

Published on November 19, 2015 by Lauren Vadnjal
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