Archive for February, 2012

Love & The Lane

The Occasion:

V-day.

I’m not an overly romantic person, but it would have been silly of me to pass up on an occasion that always promises delicious food and a superb bottle of red.

Setting:

Tucked away in the heart of Sydney, there is a narrow lane, which, ironically hosts a cute little bar titled ‘The Lane’.
To my delight, there hasn’t been many reviews written on this one yet, given it’s clandestine location and the fact it has only been open for a short time.

Always eager to explore new terrain, I ventured down to The Lane on a typically balmy Valentine’s Day evening.

The interior decor was charming mix of contemporary & carnivalesque – high ceilings with chandeliers & drapes, tall mirrors, a nicely stocked bar, and a delightful black-and-white striped couch.
The staff were excellent – they gave us free beers on arrival and good banter throughout the evening.

Sipping:

‘The Holy Trinity’ – a 2009 Grant Burge GSM (46% Grenache, 31% Shiraz and 23% Mourvèdre).

The most notable thing this beautiful blend from the Barossa, is it’s smoothness. It’s an extremely silky mouthful with very subtle finish. It’s softness allows you to really explore the complex blend of flavours – raspberry, cherry and the like. This fruity drop is a lovely bright red – very befitting on this occasion.

This subtly seductive GSM is one of four ‘Wines of Distinction’ by Grant Burge. It has an impressive tally of award under it’s belt – 4 Gold Medals, 13 Silver  and 53 Bronze.

This bottle retails for around $40. It’s not a wine you’d drink casually –  save this one for a swanky soiree .
I forked out $69 for this at The Lane, which isn’t too bad considering the general markup on wines is 200% – 300% at most wine bars. Though it’s my quest to seek out good affordable labels, it’s also my firm belief that if the occasion calls for it – splurge and the enjoy the experience!

Nibbling:

The Lane dished out 3 phenomenal courses, all very reasonably priced.

Entree: Grilled Yamba Prawns

Main: Ocean Trout with black mussel sauce.

Dessert: Chocolate Mouse with raspberries & gelato

The fabulous combination of food, wine & service made me very glad I stumbled across a write-up of this bar in a recent magazine. Though there weren’t that many people when I visited (on a Tuesday night), I imagine this place would come alive with a full crowd. I’d recommend getting there during happy hour & chatting with the very likeable barman over a half-priced beverage :)

In The Doggy-Bag: 

Take a look at the Grant Burge website here. It’s stacked with information and ‘vodcasts’ about the latest releases from the Cellar.
Brownie points for technological enthusiasm.

You can visit The Lane on the corner Curtin Place & Hamilton Street, Sydney, just across from Ryan’s Bar & Australia Square.
It also operates as a cafe during the day, so if you work in Sydney’s CBD it would be well worth swinging by during your lunch break to check it out. If you’re too lazy to do that, take a peek at their website, especially their photo gallery -  it paints a more accurate picture of the interior than I’ve managed to describe here.
Better still – just go there after you finish work on a Friday! It wont disappoint!