Volume 5

Here is the next installment of the Garnish, a not so often look at what is happening in and around the Melbourne bar scene.
We’ve got Australian Bar Award finalists, a little local bar news, a couple of great winter cocktails and a rumour or two.

Local Bar News

– A new Restaurant/Bar will be opening up in QV soon called Duck Duck Goose, it has attained near-mythical status for its on-again, off-again status. It is a 300 seat hybrid venue housing a yum cha bar, a Cantonese/French restaurant and a cocktail bar.

– Seamstress/Sweatshop is now under new management; with Tony Starr’s Kitten Club and The Apartment owner Tally Konstas taking over from co-founder Jason Chan.

- A new cocktail bar called Mockingbird has opened up on Fitzroy St in St Kilda, which ‘has been designed to delight and inspire the jaded bar going public’.

Rumours

- It has come along the grapevine that multiple venue owner Vernon Chalker has recently purchased rights to do food and beverage at the site of the Kelvin Club.
- A new bar called Bar Ampere is to open next to the Gin Palace (possibly run by Vernon Chalker as well).

Winter Cocktails

Broadsheet Melbourne has posted a great article on some winter cocktails to warm your soul. Included in the list are a tequila based cocktail, a variation on an egg nog recipe and our favourite; the blazer.

Australian Bar Awards Finalists

The 10th Anniversary Australian Bar Awards is being held at the Sydney Bar Show on the 21-22 of September this year and Melbourne’s got some great talent in there. Here are the bars; in no particular order; where Melburnians are finalists:

Operator of the Year (Multiple Venue) Finalists
Tally Konstas, Melbourne
Vernon Chalker, Melbourne

Operator of the Year (Single Venue) Finalists
Elizabeth Green, Lisa Kelly, and Sebastian Reaburn, 1806
Natasha Conte, Black Pearl

Black Pearl
Bar Team of the Year Finalist
Cocktail Bar of the Year Finalist
Cocktail List of the Year Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Chris Hysted, Cristiano Beretta, Evan Stanley, Nathan Beasley

The Galley Room
New Bar of the Year Finalist
Cocktail List of the Year Finalist
Best New Venue Design Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Jason Williams, Ryan Scoble, Sean Baxter

Der Raum
Bar Team of the Year Finalist
Cocktail Bar of the Year Finalist
Best Marketed Venue Finalist
Cocktail List of the Year Finalist
Best Drinks Selection Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Josh Begbie, Luke Whearty

1806
Bar Team of the Year Finalist
Cocktail Bar of the Year Finalist
Best Marketed Venue Finalist
Cocktail List of the Year Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Merlin Jerebine, Serena O’Callaghan

Sou Soul
New Bar of the Year Finalist
Cocktail List of the Year Finalist
Best Bar Food Selection Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Lachan Kemsley, Priscilla Leong

Seamstress/Sweatshop
Bar Team of the Year Finalist
Cocktail Bar of the Year Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Jamie Chesher, Paul Hammond

Golden Monkey
Bar of the Year Finalist
Rookie of the Year Finalist: Kash Wall
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Daniel Nugent, Joey Tai, Kash Wall

Match Bar & Grill
Bar of the Year Finalist
Bar Manager of the Year Finalist: Russ McFadden
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Gerard McAlpine, Russ McFadden

Blue Diamond
Best Music Offering Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Aiden De La Hussy, Michael Edmonds, Steve Kimonides, Charlie Love

Madame Brussels
Bar of the Year Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Tom Scott

Eve
Best Music Offering Finalist
Nightclub of the Year Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Will Cabantog, Zara Monkcom

Gingerboy
Best Bar Food Selection Finalist
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Zachary De Git

Sorry Grandma!
Nightclub of the Year Finalist
Best Music Offering Finalist

Cookie
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Andy Griffiths

Tony Starr’s Kitten Club
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Andy Young, Mark Farage

Gin Palace
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Barry Byrne, Zeb Plater

Charlie’s Bar
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Ben Flatman

BarNone
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Brendan O’Leary, Kellie Calwell

Hoo Haa
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Daniel Walker

Waterside Hotel
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Deanne Cooper

Carlton Yacht Club
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Guy Barker

Maha
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Jaclyn Sloane

The Order Of Melbourne
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Kate Hoskin, Sean Hastings

Left Bank
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Kris McKenna

The Red Hummingbird
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Mark Barnett

High Society
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Mark Walker

Lily Black’s
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Nicole Reid

Hotel Lincoln
Bartender of the Year Finalist: Steve Dickson

Nihonshu
Small Bar of the Year Finalist

Collins Quarter
Hotel of the Year Finalist

Melbourne Supper Club
Wine Bar of the Year Finalist

Baranows Lounge
Best Drinks Selection Finalist

New Guernica
Best New Venue Design Finalist