Apr 17, 2017
A cocktail inspired by
Charles Dickens? Or experimental beverages that include Weet
Bix milk or charred Jerusalem artichoke? These are just some
examples of Phil Gandevia's highly inventive work – he's an
award-winning bartender who modestly describes himself as “the bar
guy” at Bentley, but there's no other person I would trust to
include wasabi vinegar and olive brine in a drink and actually make
it delicious.
You might've spotted him behind the bar at Rambutan, Eau de Vie,
The Roosevelt and The Apothecary – where he concocted superfoods
cocktails that even a skeptical Ned Brooks (DRNKS, Moon Park)
approved of.
And for someone who has thoroughly mastered booze, Phil has also
applied his imagination and years of cocktail-savvy intel to a
brilliant non-alcoholic menu at Bentley that is one of the best
drinking experiences in Sydney: expect a smoked apple and verjus
that you'll want to down “shots” of, a frothy wattleseed and West
Indian spice buttermilk that's as good as the desserts it's paired
with and a "wine" that he's cleverly made out of beetroot. We also
cover some of the other Sydney restaurants offering intriguing
booze-free matches, like Momofuku Seiobo and Quay.
Phil also talks about the many places his bartending career has
taken him – from Scotland to Japan and competition battles where
he's witnessed knockout cocktail-making performances (like Tim
Philips creating magic with an egg while dressed in a Day of
the Dead costume). Donald Trump also makes a surprising cameo in
this conversation.
Plus, how to make tomato water, next-level tea, pyrotechnic
cocktails and we highlight Pyrmont's greatest hits (which include
Clementine's cafe and Momofuku Seiobo's front-of-house ace, Kylie
Javier Ashton).