The latest project by Bar H’s Hamish Ingham and Rebecca Lines, Banksii will open at Barangaroo on 18 October.
The vermouth bar and bistro will be Mediterranean influenced and botanical focused, and will operate for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
The menu has a light, fresh approach and is designed to share, boasting small dishes including grilled prawns with curry leaf butter and pickled turmeric; Banksii chicken pate with muntrie jam and toast; and kangaroo carpaccio with pickled radish and nasturtium. Large dishes include botanical greens and cheese pie; mussels cooked in white vermouth, green olives and nettle butter; and glazed roasted half duck with red vermouth soaked native plums.
“I’ve had a great time incorporating botanicals in new dishes and I’m really happy with the menu we have developed and am excited for people to experience it. We have a lot of ingredients on the menu that people may not have heard of that we want to showcase in an exciting and accessible way,” chef Ingham said.
Vermouth is the cornerstone of the drinks list with over 40 to be served straight, either with tonic or in cocktails. There is a small selection of wine offered on tap, as well as a more extensive list focusing on Australian and Mediterranean drops.
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Sommelier, Rebecca Lines said “While we have a selection of vermouth cocktails on offer, we want to encourage people to try it as it has been traditionally served – over ice or tall with tonic. The drinks list comes with our suggestions of how best to enjoy each so people don’t feel intimidated to try something new.”
The venue, which has been designed by Luchetti Krelle, has a strong focus on outdoor dining, with plenty of outdoor seating spread across the patio and bar area.
Barangaroo has also recently welcomed restaurants including Cirrus, a sustainable seafood diner by the Bentley team, as well as Somer Sivrioglu’s Anason and Lotus Dumplings.
Sydney rock oysters, dry vermouth, Lantana flowers
Dry martini – Ferdinand's soar dry vermouth
Kurobuta Berkshire prosciutto, glazed almonds, grilled peach
Mussels cooked in white vermouth, green-olives, nettle butter
