A
t itsheart,Gimletis a cocktailbar,“butit also
presenteduswiththechancetocreatesomething
a littlemore– tocreatefoodandcocktailsthat
enhancethebeautifulroomratherthantrying
tocompetewithit,”saysAndrewMcConnell.
AnyonewhohadthelucktoexperienceMcConnell’s
newestMelbourneCBDrestaurant,Gimletat Cavendish
House,inthebriefhiatusbetweenlockdownswouldagree
wholeheartedlyaboutthebeautyoftheroom.Large,elegant,
exciting,it’sdesignedwitha partyinmind,mostobviously
becauseofthebarthat’sthecentralfeature.
Inthespiritofwhatwillbe,McConnellhascreated
a menuofpartyfoodwithmatchingcocktailsforthis
month’sissue.Theobjectiveis a Gimlet-stylecelebration- as sophisticatedas it is fun.
“Thesweetspotformatchingfoodwithcocktailsis
restraint,”hesays.“Youdon’twanttoomanyflavoursin
yourcocktails– anchorthemwithtwoorthree– andyou
don’twantthemtoosweet.I likea moreapéritif-stylewhere
thedrinksleantowardsthesavouryandthesalty.”
Gimlet’sdishesembraceinfusions,pickles,preserves
andvinegars,similartothewaya bartenderwouldcreate
a cocktail.Pickledblackberriesaccompanythesaltwater
ducksalad,whichis tossedina dressingthatincludesthe
picklingvinegarinthemix.Therearepreservedcherry
tomatoesintheseafoodsaladandpickledonionsinthe
tunaandlemonmayonnaisesandwiches.
Accompanyingthesearethrillinglysavourycocktails,
suchastheBambino,a suavenumberincludingdryapera,
dryvermouth,elderflowerliqueurandcaperberrybrine.
“I likeflavoursthatmakeyoustopandthink;thatget
yourattentionwithoutscreaming‘lookat me!’,”says
McConnell.“I likeunderstatedfoodandcocktailslikethat,
especiallyat a partywhenthemainpointis peoplegetting
together.I thinkwegetthatpointnowmorethanever.”
Gimletat CavendishHouse, 33 Russell St, Melbourne,
(03) 9277 9777, gimlet.melbourne
Above:AndrewMcConnellandGimlet’sdiningroom.OppositeElitecocktailshakerandCocktailmixingglass
jug,bothfromTomkin;GinJourneysArashiball(left),
Mixologycoupe(centre)andIrishDogstumbler(right),
allfromWaterford.PREVIOUSPAGESLunaswivelchairand
Jonathansidetable,bothfromCocoRepublic;Mixology
Circonrumcoupe(backleft)fromWaterford;Cabbage
plate from Pigott’s Store. All other props stylist’s own. PHOTOGRAPHY SAMARA CLIFFORD(McCONNELL).90 GOURMET TRAVELLER