Good Food Month Twilight Trail

We created our own Twilight Trail in order to take advantage of some of the fabulous $15 Cocktail of the Month and Sugar Hits as part of the SMH Good Food Month.

7.00pm - HEMMESPHERE
The Trail commenced at Hemmesphere where the plush comfy lounges, soft lighting and attentive service definitely kicked off our evening to a great start.

Cocktail: Salsa Verde
White Eagle lemon vodka, limoncello, fresh coriander, ginger, pineapple and apple juice.

Canape: Tuna ceviche
Tuna slices marinated with a lemon and lime dressing finished with baby coriander, jalapeno chilli and yellow tear drop tomatoes.

8.30pm - BRIDGE BAR
Next stop, the Bridge Bar. Unfortunately our experience of the rather delicous canape platter was marred by brazen inattentiveness (err.. they gave us four cocktails but only two platters... the other two never appeared) and further damaged by an aggressive barman. Which was a pity as the Bridge Bar offers spectacular views, particularly from its Cadmus restaurant, and we probably would have considered coming back.

Cocktail: Vanilla and date caprioska
Muddled lime and sugar, vanilla vodka and date syrup, shaken and served over ice in an old fashioned glass.

Canape: Assorted platter
Sweet corn cappuccino; watermelon and mint palate cleanser; lamb pattie with hummus; and fresh fig.

10.00pm - SIR STAMFORD
Every night in October from 9-11pm, participating five-star hotels have been offering a dessert plate and a glass of dessert wine for $15. We chose to visit the Sir Stamford and were not disappointed. The downstairs bar resonated with old world opulence and our eyes boggled at the enormous dessert platter which was presented before us. We licked it clean.

Dessert platter: Five-spiced pannacotta, lemongrass and raspberry brulee and chocolate fondant.

Dessert wine: Hardys Padthaway Noble Riesling

11.00pm - OPERA BAR

We concluded our evening at Opera Bar, although even the spectacular view of the harbour by night could not save the overpowering chilli in our cocktail or the cold, refrigerated flavourless rice paper rolls. Nevertheless a good night and one which must be repeated in 2005!

Cocktail: Chilli Martini
Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka, Lychee Liqueur, Massenez lime and ginger liqueur muddled and double strained with fresh lychees, chillies and Thai herbs and spices.

Canape: Duck, green mango and ginger fresh rice paper rolls.