An exciting new addition to the Southgate precinct, the
Waterslide Bar is located in the precinct’s opening onto the spiral staircase
overlooking the Princes Bridge and city skyline.
Waterslide’s Venue Manager Tim Wastell has an impressive resume. Australian Bar Manager of the Year 2009, Wastell has plied his
craft at some of Melbourne’s best loved bars such as The Blue Diamond on Queen
St and The Saint St Kilda. He comes to Waterslide after a year pursuing excellence
at Rockpool Bar and Grill in Perth.
Less than a week old and the bar is already making splashes with its tribute to the colourful area once known as “near Princes Bridge”. Favoured as a circus location and outdoor playground since
the 1870s, Princes Bridge was Melbourne’s entertainment hub until well into the
20th century. Just metres from Southgate’s spiral staircase, adventure seekers
used to hop into a water chute taller than the skyscrapers of the time. They
would then be propelled down a wooden waterslide, fully dressed to the nines!
Various elements from the history of the cocktail were an inspiration
in the concept with added contemporary quirky characteristics like, swing seats,
lounge nooks, dramatic bottle display, rocking chairs and rotating stools as
subtle touch points for customers to draw to.
Tones of gold, dark timbers and deep reddish-purple hues set
the scene for the interior, through the use of curtain waves, eccentric
banquette seating and reflective metallic mirror finishes.
Wastell has joined forces with Black Pearl’s Fred Siggins to design a fun and accessible cocktail menu and drinks list that incorporates modern techniques, seasonal ingredients and unique flavour combinations, as well as the highest quality spirits and some cracking grower produced wines.
We commenced our evening with a couple of outstanding
cocktails.
Grace Kelly
Our first cocktail of the evening was the Grace Kelly cocktail
which was made from Hendrick’s Gin, fresh pressed pear juice, Earl Grey, honey,
cinnamon syrup, dehydrated apple garnish. A delicious fruity cocktail with
plenty of character, it was an enlivening start.
Sage Advice
Our favourite cocktail of the night, the Sage Advice was
magnificent. Not one for the faint hearted, the cocktail was a heady
combination of Talisker 10yo Scotch Whiskey, Johnny Walker Black Label,
Benedictine, apricot & sage syrup and orange bitters.
While Waterslide Bar is dedicated first and foremost to the
art of drinking, the bar also offers a laid back environment for catching up
with friends and family with Mediterranean inspired food designed to share which
goes down a treat with their drink offerings.
Hand harvested Cuca sardines in olive oil and crusted
ciabatta bread
Don’t let the “being served from a can” aspect fool you. The
sardines were a delight, boasting a wonderful depth of flavour.
Market choice fish carpaccio, Juliann fennel, dill, lemon
and olive oil
The fish carpaccio was beautifully presented and tasted even
better than it looked. It was a wonderful mélange of different textures,
natural sweetness and acidity. The fresh cured slices were embellished with
pockets of fennel and dill. The lemon and olive oil dressing added the final
touch to an enlivening combination of ingredients.
Mediterranean style pickled and marinated octopus with
grated goat feta
The octopus pieces were tender and matched well with the
medley of herbs and luxurious feta.
Cuban sandwich Roasted pork, premium shaved ham, melted
gruyere cheese, Dijon mustard and pickled cucumber
An extravagant toasted ham and cheese sandwich containing
luscious roast pork, gruyere cheese, pickle, mustard and slices of ham which
added a nice touch of saltiness to the creamy cheese fusion. The sandwich was the
perfect supper treat.
Suntory Yamazaki 18 y.o. Osaka
Our evening at Waterslide concluded on a great high.
Overwhelmed by the brilliant choices available, we asked for a Japanese Whiskey
recommendation and were presented with the outstanding 18 y.o Suntory Yamazaki.
It was a delicate yet profound expression of a Japanese single malt. Smooth, well-balanced
with great complexity and a lovely balance of fruit, silky malt and a touch of
smoke. Just one of the many examples of the high end offerings available at the Waterslide.
The Waterslide Bar is the answer to your dreams. Finally, a
bar that takes its drink choices very seriously, but not itself. With offerings
for all enthusiasts (whether you are a craft beer aficionado, cocktail geek,
spirit epicurean or wine appreciator there are a range of choices to suit your
needs), the bar caters for everyone from those that are out for a fun night with mates to those looking to be inspired.
Location: Shop MR3, Mid Level East, Southgate Avenue, Southbank
Link: http://www.waterslidebar.com.au/
Cuisine: Bar, Mediterranean, Cocktails, Wine, Spirits
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Waterslide Bar.
