Not so Parched March

There are only 10 days left for Parched March – the ambassadors and participating teams have hit up a bunch of Sydney bars (20 yet? Or more?) to drink and raise money for the nominated charities.

I haven't been to nearly 20 bars in the last 20 days, but here are some of the charity-contributing drinks (and some not) and venues I have visited so far.

Gardel's Bar upstairs at Porteño, Cleveland Street, Surry Hills

It's notoriously difficult to get a table at this Surry Hills hotspot, and with good reason (post to come). But if you need to wait for your table at Porteño, at least wait in comfort and style with a drink in hand at Gardel's Bar.

Above the restaurant and where you'll be looking down enviously onto the 'courtyard' of diners, give them something to be jealous about with an extensive cocktail menu, exotic liquors and syrups, and a stylised intimate space that's very Latino.

Santa Rosa - the Parched March special at Gardel's Bar at Porteño

For Parched March, the Gardel's Bar boys do a gorgeous aperol, blood orange, caramel syrup and lemon juice concoction, served on hand-crafted ice blocks, finished with a dash of grapefruit bitters and orange peel.

With the caramel, it's a divinely sweet drink lightly balanced with sour and bitterness - and utterly drinkable. There also seemed to be a touch of vanilla, with lots of black vanilla bean specks covering the bottom of the large stemless glass.

Argentine Aviation at Gardel's Bar at Porteño

This other cocktail from normal list had a proper Argentine name, which I've forgotten, but was essentially a take on the classic Aviation with gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice and a punchy syrup of star anise, which was just a tad overpowering for me.

Special punch of the day - the Parched March special
at Grandma's Bar, Clarence Street, Sydney

One of the newbie small bars also taking part in Parched March is underground Grandma's Bar, which has just the right amount of kitsch, is very hidden and self-described as "retrosexual".

It's decked out with furnishings you'd see at an old aunt's or indeed nanna's home (though not quite as overboard as my old piano teacher's) - and as such, I felt like I was in a familiar place.

A daily punch of the day sits in a punch bowl at the bar, waiting to be ladled into enamelled tin mugs. This particular night it was a two-rum, mango, passionfruit and (apple?) juice punch. Served over lots of ice, I found it a bit tame but certainly refreshing.

Basil Grande at Grandma's Bar

A fruity, sweet cocktail was the basil-garnished Basil Grande. Heavy hitting with vodka, Grand Marnier and Chambord, it was softened with strawberries and cranberry juice for yet another very drinkable glass.

Royal Hawaiian at Grandma's Bar

Still in my gin phase, my next beverage was probably inspired by the wallpaper. The Royal Hawaiian was tropical in looks and taste, featuring gin with lemon and pineapple juice (just enough of each) and a light touch of almond-y orgeat. Somehow it kept nicely cold as I sipped - that, or I drank it faster than I thought.

And as a sidenote, great sustainable thinking with the washbasins in the toilets. I know you'll stop.

Raspberry Moscow Mule at Grandma's Bar

Everyone loves a mule, and this vodka cocktail featured Grandma's own ginger beer dispensed from a soda siphon. Raspberry, lime and mint finish off the tall drink which is ideal on any balmy night or day. (And the butterfly is actually part of the wallpaper, not the drink).

Chicken jaffle at Grandma's Bar

And as part of Parched March's odyssey for responsible drinking, we ordered Grandma's comfort food in the form of jaffles.

I've loved jaffles from a young age (ham and cheese; ham, cheese and tomato; tinned spaghetti and cheese; creamed corn and cheese; or even just cheese and cracked black pepper) - thanks to Grandma's for bringing them back.

We went the chicken version, omitting the onion, so left with a toasty, pre-cut chicken and cheese sandwich with Japanese mayonnaise on the side in a charming glass/crystal dish. Just the snack for cocktails, believe it or not, while other options are biltong or spiced cashew nuts.

Bloody Mary from the Cocktail and Spirits Club, underground
at the Vault, Pitt Street, Sydney

I've only recently tried my first Bloody Mary - and really liked it. It reminds me so much of tomato passata and hence pasta that I actually even feel full drinking the tomato juice cocktail.

Vodka is spiced up with pepper, Worcestershire sauce and just a dash of Tabasco for me, and the celery with the juice puts this cocktail into the healthy part of the food pyramid.

Martini from the Cocktail and Spirits Club

Another only recent cocktail for me is the classic martini; and apparently I like it dry with a twist. No fruity, sugary distractions - just gin, very little vermouth and served icy cold with a lemon twist. It's a very sexy drink and strong too - and doesn't that just go hand in hand.

Mojito from the Cocktail and Spirits Club

The mojito, I think, is a distant cousin of my long-lost pal, the vodka, lime and soda. With white rum, sugar and lots of crushed ice, it's a little more fun - which is what drinking is about these days (as opposed to trying to get sloshed on vodkas - aah, age).

Don't forget, Parched March participating venues are all putting on cocktails and drinks till the end of the month to raise money for the nominated charities, with venues including The Island Bar, Stitch, Sake Restaurant and Bar, Small Bar and The Winery.

The Argyle courtyard for CarnivArgyle, The Rocks, Sydney

And on another drinking note, The Argyle’s huge CarnivArgyle party last week was a Latin fiesta with Brazilian dancers, mojitos and feather boas galore (thanks to The Cru Media for the VIP party invite).

What a way to celebrate a month of Latin-inspired activities for the rest of March, including free samba classes every Thursday night (details here).

The Belvedere Bar upstairs at The Argyle

A cinnamon rim!

Tequila cocktail

Mojito

I've always loved the light fittings at The Argyle

Brazilian dancers for CarnivArgyle

More dancers
(Photo courtesy of The Cru Media)

The beautiful courtyard

Stitch in time

It’s not a moment too late that the latest small bar has opened in the Sydney CBD. From the guys behind Darlinghurst’s Pocket Bar comes this stunningly suave underground bar simply called Stitch.

Sitting at the bar at Stich, York Street, Sydney

I doubt you’d miss it if you were walking up York Street towards Wynyard Station, as a quick look down through the corporate-looking glass door reveals a glimpse of the warm, inviting, spirits-lined shelf of the bar.

And just to make it that much more alluring, the kitchen serves burgers and hot dogs.

Looking down at Stich from York Street

Opened just last week, Stitch is already a standout among the CBD’s small bars. While petite, it has not cut any corners in decking out the interiors; from the impressive collection of antiquated Singer sewing machines under the bar, to the sewing tables altered to sitting and drinking tables, to the variety of French champagne stored beneath the stairs.

Beetlejuice cocktail

Cocktails fill two double pages of the menu, with the remainder wines and bubbles. We start on a couple of pretty drinks – the dramatic Beetlejuice is served tall with Bombay Sapphire gin, sweet vermouth and the nutrient-filled combination of beetroot and ginger juice, topped up with ginger beer for a surprisingly tasty yet healthy drink.

It’s quite like something from a juice bar with the added sweetness of ginger beer and a little bit of naughtiness with the gin.

Skinny Love cocktail

My Skinny Love drink is served in a coupe glass with a couple of floating “frozen” mint leaves, heavy with more gin, dry vermouth and a lemon verbena liqueur. The overall drink is strong with a pleasantly subtle, sweet lemon tinge.

Curly fries

Not knowing, nor informed, that the meals are served with fries, we ordered a serve of the curly fries and were rather bemused at the serving that arrived. For $8, I hadn’t expected a small metal bowl full of the thinnest fries ever known to me, and not so much curly either.

More like potato shavings than fries, I wasn’t a fan of whatever kitchen gadget turned what should have been crunchy-outside and fluffy-inside potato into the occasional curl and broken bits of potato; much like those packet Smith’s French Fries.

But then again, others seemed to enjoy the super thin fries, which were served with a tangy salt seasoning as well as tomato sauce and honey mustard.

BLT burger (fuzzy, I know...)

The burger selection was quite the interesting one, without a chicken option but with beef, lamb and turkey, amongst others. The BLT burger was a beef pattie with bacon, lettuce and tomato – the pattie quite beefy and tasty if not a tad dry.

The French Poodle hot dog

The French Poodle, as part of the gourmet hot dog selection, featured a chunky pork Toulouse sausage with slices of melting brie, stewed apples, butter lettuce and mustard on a nicely crisp bread roll that was probably just a little too long for the excellent sausage.

Stitch is a place one could easily sit for long drinking sessions - whether seated at the prime bar seats, or with a group at the booths, or indeed at one of the converted sewing machine tables (watch your knees), ideally sampling your way through the cocktail menu. Stitch offers an upscale small bar experience that looks to be the beginning of the next wave, I think, in no time.

Edit: Stitch is now one of the participating venues of Parched March, with their special drink being none other than the Skinny Love cocktail. See other venues and their Parched March drink here.

Feeling a bit Parched this March?

We’ve all heard of Dry July (going without alcohol in the month of my birthday? I don’t think so), but have you heard of Parched March?

Parched March launch party at The Argyle, The Rocks, Sydney

Another event named after a rhyming month, but the goal here is – rather than abstinence – to hit 30 bars in 30 days, promoting the fun and responsible enjoyment of bars and drinks.

That’d be my kind of challenge if I had the time, money and ability to rock up to work with a hangover every day for a month.

Parched March ambassadors Simon McGoram and Amy Cooper at The Argyle
(photo courtesy of The Cru Media)

But it is exactly what Amy Cooper and Simon McGoram are doing for the month of March, all in the name of charity. Their goal is to hit up a bar a day, somewhere in the glorious city of bars that is Sydney in a celebration of the city’s thriving and dynamic bar culture. And they're encouraging people and groups to join them.

Says Cooper: “While we commend the charitable motivation of fasting campaigns (Dry July etc), we’d like to see promotion of a healthy attitude to alcohol, rather than complete bans and scare stories, which can serve to encourage binge drinking.

“We aim to show by example that for the average person, drinking moderately is part of a rich and varied social life, not a destructive pursuit.”

Chef Miguel Maestre at the Parched March launch

Launched at a suitably boozy do at The Argyle, catered with a range of gorgeous tapas canapes from Argyle Bazar, Parched March conveniently offers you options for your support - nice.

Albondigas - meat balls canape by Argyle Bazar

Valencian bread salad canape by Argyle Bazar

Ceviche canape by Argyle Bazar

You can raise money for charities by visiting participating venues (Eau de Vie, The Argyle, Grasshopper and Bavarian Bier Cafe to name some) and choosing their Parched March specials.

Or you can sponsor the teams taking part in the drinking odyssey, or indeed start your own team and get sponsored for inflicting your liver.

Patron tequila Manzanero by The Argyle

Considering you’ll possibly be out and about for a drink sometime during March anyway (surely yes?), why not make it charitable and down one or two for Parched March. Cheers to that!