Double Bay’s Vine paints a pretty picture on most days with an Eastern suburban feel against a soothing evening backdrop, but when paired with a French inspired pop-up bar, the vibe is taken to the next level just as the sun begins to set. I scored an early invite to the Grey Goose’s Salon at Vine pop-up, featuring the ultimate canapés and Grey Goose cocktails set against a French Riviera-inspired décor, previewing the temporary bar that will be at the restaurant until January 31st 2016.
The pop-up bar was created off the back of Grey Goose’s recent success with Salon de Martini. “After seeing the salon in action this year we’re thrilled to be able to put our own spin on and bring it to life here at Vine,” said Mikee Collins, Vine’s General Manager.
Drawing inspiration from his recent sabbatical at Paul Bocuse & Epicure in France, Vine Executive Chef Drew Bolton has crafted a contemporary French-inspired canapé menu paired with five innovative Grey Goose cocktails, priced at $25 per pairing.
First to greet us was the Hiramasa Kingfish sashimi with lemon puree and avocado matched with a Le Fizz cocktail (Grey Goose vodka, St-Germain Elderflower Liequer, fresh lime, chilled soda water).
Next in line was slightly underwhelming. The baby baked potato with crème fraiche and Oscietra caviar, which tasted exactly like it sounds, too much cream heaped onto a potato.
Its partner the classic Grey Goose Martini (Grey Goose vodka, Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth) was a little on the strong side personally, but I am not usually the type to go for shaken or stirred anyway.
Arriving shortly after were some crispy cones of chicken liver parfait filled with a spiced apple chutney and orange blossom. An earthy and flavoursome mouthful of these cigars comes alongside a Grand Pomme (Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka, apricot brandy, Cynar, yuzu curd, house apple soda).
Canapé number four came in the form of a seared swordfish with smoked bone marrow and salsa verde. This is where the cocktails really get interesting, with the La Vedette (Grey Goose Citron Vodka, Star of Bombay Gin, De Kuyper Crème de Cacao Liqueur, mandarin sorbet, Kilakanoon Vouvray). I called this one my favourite for the night.
The pairings ended well with Mandagery Creek venison tartare, beetroot, barberries and bitter chocolate. As a nightcap, it came with an Espresso Frappe (Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka, Locale espresso, De Kuyper Crème de Café & Curacao Liquer, fresh mint).
At $25 a pop, we’re of the mind that these pairings are not for the those with tight wallets. However each canapé did utilise quality seasonal produce and complemented the smooth butteriness of Grey Goose within each cocktail, giving you a good chance to check out the different ways Grey Goose fits with cocktails and food. Definitely check out Grey Goose’s Salon at Vine as part of a bar hop along the scenic Double Bay.
Vine
Address: 2 Short St, Double Bay NSW 2028
Contact: (02) 9363 0010
Website: www.vinebar.com.au
Headline image supplied and used with permission. All other images by Samantha Low for the AU review.
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