Overview
The martini faithful will insist this cocktail classic never went away — and they'd be right. James Bond's favourite tipple is hardly an obscure concoction, but ubiquitous as it may be, this stalwart sip is nevertheless having a moment in Sydney right now.
One of the nation's most revered chefs and restaurateurs, Neil Perry, added Bobbie's, a basement martini lounge, to his Double Bay empire this week, tapping a New York bar legend to bring the project to life. Linden Pride, who alongside Nathalie Hudson launched Big Apple hotspot Dante, is not merely overseeing the cocktail list. Bobbie's is so named in honour of Pride's grandfather, Australian DJ Bob Rogers OAM, the nation's longest-serving radio announcer who is credited with introducing Top 40 radio programming on 2UE in the late 1950s. In a further nod to Pride's illustrious grandfather, Bobbie's will also be a live music venue.
Chippendale also scored a new martini bar this week from veteran barkeep Grant Collins. Dry Martini, as the name suggests, is dedicated to celebrating the evolution of its namesake beverage as well as its caffeinated cousin, the espresso martini. Meanwhile, over by Darling Harbour, Barangaroo House is putting on a month-long martini festival, with $10 mini 'tinis and martini-inspired specials on offer across all three levels throughout September. The rising popularity of the martini has not gone unnoticed in Potts Point either. Following the runaway success of its limited-time $5 martini happy hour in August, upmarket brasserie Franca is extending its Five @ 5 offer indefinitely.
But why is the martini so damn popular? "Drinks, like fashion, are cyclical," Collins (pictured above) explains to Concrete Playground. "They were big in the 50s and 60s and then made a comeback in 90s." During their last renaissance 30 years ago, innovative mixologists gifted us fruit-laced neo-martinis like the infamous passionfruit-powered Porn Star martini, as well as the now wildly popular espresso martini, creating playful alter-egos for an otherwise rather serious cocktail.
By contrast, the most recent uptick in the martini's popularity is getting back to basics, according to Collins. "Consumers are looking for healthier drinking options, sans sugar, and a martini is about as clean as you can get with regards to mixing a cocktail — neat liquor stirred well over ice, no sugar sugar syrups, sweet juices or liqueurs," Collins explains.
Dexter Kim
While that simplicity is certainly true of the gin and vermouth OG, the martini has been a powerful muse for bartenders, with countless variants now gracing the menus of bars all over the world.
"Its a drink with such a rich history and legacy," Collins says of the martini's power to inspire. "It's always had such romance on the silver screen, in movies like Casablanca, All About Eve and Some Like It Hot, where Hollywood stars like Clarke Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr all promoted and drank martinis in their movies. And of course, there's also the popularity created by Ian Fleming and his Bond novels in the 50s and 60s, which is also where we get the Vesper martini from. World leaders like Churchill and Franklin D Roosevelt also swore by them. I think all of this cemented the martini as a drink that was never going to go away."
The Gidley, Dominic Loneragan
So, where are the Harbour City's best martinis?
While you should certainly check out both Bobbie's and Dry Martini, CBD steakhouse The Gidley should also be top of your hit list. It has one of the savviest martini offerings in town, served with a silver platter of accoutrements including pipettes with brine and vermouth as well as olives, citrus skins and pickled onions so guests can pimp their dirty, dry, wet or Gibson martini any way they like. And because a single martini is never enough, every order automatically comes with a second serve, kept in a small bottle on ice so it remains perfectly chilled when you come to pour.
At Alfie's, also owned by Liquid and Larder who operate The Gidley, the city's "iciest martini" awaits. Chilled to -10 Celsius, it's poured from a sub-zero thermos and made with Four Pillars olive leaf gin or Mother of Pearl vodka, vermouth, and a splash tarragon vinegar. While you can choose your preferred garnish, the pink onion is our recommendation, for a pop of colour and some extra zing on the palette.
Bar Planet
The Cantina OK! team perfected the margarita at their tiny laneway outpost in the CBD, so it's little wonder they've done the same for the martini at their Newtown cocktail joint, Bar Planet. Featuring a specially distilled small-batch gin from Marrickville's Poor Toms, the house signature is a great gateway sip for martini newcomers.
The Continental Deli trailblazed its innovative canned cocktail line with the mar-tinny. The OG was a silky smooth number with a twist already included in the can, but the recipe has leaned dirty in recent times, including a limited-edition truffled version that, we'll be honest, was something of an acquired taste. Not only can you order these perfectly preprepared cocktails chilled and ready to drink while dining at The Continental, you can also stock up and take a supply home with you.
The Continental Deli, Kitti Smallbone