The turn of the century brought with it plenty of maiden voyages in our hyper-modern society. As we forged ahead in the age of experimentation we stepped into the uncharted territory of creating hybrid delicacies. Of course these culinary and beverage experiments came with varying degrees of success (and consumability) but overall it has been a fun time to be alive waiting to see what left-of-centre culinary combo people come up with next.
There has been ice-cream drizzled with olive oil; duck, eggs and waffles; then of course Heston Blumenthal’s ‘Meat Fruit’ consisting of chicken liver encased in mandarin orange jelly. And now folks, we welcome Chicken Salt Martinis to the mix because why the hell not?!
If your eye is slightly twitching over the concept of mixing a beloved fish and chip shop staple with a cocktail reserved for the well-heeled members of society, we invite you to expand your palette for a mere moment. The famed hotspot Smoke Bar at Barangaroo House has launched a new immersive cocktail experience and they’ve gone and added a Chicken Salt Martini to the menu.
Bar manager Jai Lyons has perfected the unusual tipple by mixing Four Pillars’ Olive Leaf Gin with a house-made chicken salt sherry and rice syrup. The concoction is then garnished with a deep-fried potato twill – which, quite frankly, has sold it for us. A cocktail and a crispy chippy? Take our money!
The new cocktail menu is decidedly focused on igniting the nostalgic senses of the ’90s. Like your pizza with a divisive hunk of pineapple on it? Then the Hawaiian cocktail has your name all over it complete with bacon-infused tequila, caramelised pineapple, Cointreau, roasted-tomato syrup and a dash of lime. Just like the good old sleepover days – only this time with a boozy twist.
If you’re wanting to unwind after work, Smoke Bar will give you one of the best vantage points in the city from their rooftop overlooking the water. Grab a couple of Chicken Salt Martinis and get stuck into their delish menu (including our fave, togarashi popcorn) and reminisce about the good old days when you carried a CD-walkman everywhere. Cue, ‘I want it that way’ by the Backstreet Boys.