Eau de Vie, where art thou?

Before dinner at Tomislav late last year, I decided to take the girls to nearby uber cool bar, Eau de Vie. I'd been to Eau de Vie once in their very early stages of opening and found it without trouble at the very back of the street level in the Kirketon Hotel.

Let's just say it wasn't quite as easy the second time, with the hotel's own bar in operation this weekday early evening.

Melbourne- or even New York-esque hidden entries aside, Eau de Vie was Gourmet Traveller's Bar of the Year most recently and favourite of many a serious booze connoisseur.

The Hendricks Tea Party at Eau de Vie, Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst

Eau de Vie is styled as a modern speakeasy but a serious drinker's place. Not that you can't have fun here - and indeed lots of it. While The Hendricks Tea Party looks like a scene out of the Mad Hatter's soiree, it's not really a drink for little Alice despite the adorable teacup cocktail 'glass'.

I'm rather partial to gin these days as I move away from my vodka-spiked youth, so this Hendricks gin infusion of cucumber and rose petal is right up my alley.

Shaken with another infusion of berry with tea and topped up with fresh orange and mint, I recall that the dominant flavour was that of orange - which was an ideal shield for quite a hefty pour, it seems, of gin.

Ha Ni Gi (Daisy) by the Road Side

My pick of the night is bartender Elle Wormald's signature (it seems each bartender has a signature cocktail listed in the extensive menu).

Tanqueray No. 10 is the gin of choice, shaken with another tea of juniper, camomille and lemongrass. and then poured over lots and lots of crushed ice with white grapefruit juce and lemongrass syrup.

The lemongrass flavour is distinct, while the tea gives the icy, citrussy drink a fair bit of depth. I adore the tin cannister the drink is served in, even if it's so cold my fingers stick to it.

Mesha

And finally, the signature drink of charming bar manager Barry Chalmers - a vodka cocktail at that.

Zubrowka vodka, lime juice and raspberry - so far, so good. Falernum syrup - huh? Apple and crushed pineapple round out the ingredients to complete the sweetie, which wouldn't look at of place coming from a barista or a pastry chef.

But really, Eau de Vie is not just about the drinks - and if you can find it, I think you'll know exactly what I mean.