By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
Shaken, stirred and seriously stylish - Chiswick’s Martini Thursdays are here to make your end-of-week wind-down a whole lot more delicious. From August 7 to September 25, every Thursday night from 5.30 pm, Matt Moran’s beloved Woollahra restaurant is swapping garden greens for gin dreams in a new bar-side ritual.
In partnership with the award-winning Never Never Distilling Co, this Martini-fuelled soirée is a toast to the timeless, in a setting worthy of Bond himself - elegant, elusive and just dangerous enough to make you order a second.
Whether you're a die-hard purist or the kind of cocktail connoisseur who likes things a little more creative, there’s something to tickle every olive - and every fancy.
The menu is a Martini lover’s daydream. Choose between $10 minis (because one’s never enough) or full-size serves for $20. There’s the TJ - a crisp classic with lemon oil and briny olives - perfect for those who like their Thursdays with a twist.
Otherwise, go for the Gibson, a heady mix of sake, saltbush and pickled onion, or sip your way seaside with the Pacific Martini, made with oyster shell gin and kombu vinegar.
This isn't just about what’s in your coupé. Chiswick’s signature warmth extends to the bar snacks - which are anything but your average bowl of nuts. Think wood-roasted Sydney rock oysters draped in curry butter and sorrel, tempura snapper topped with Siberian caviar and a labneh tartare so smooth it could be mistaken for a 007 agent.
Craving something heartier? Don’t sleep on the pumpkin panisse - spiked with beef tartare, Comté and truffle, or the grilled porchetta roll with stracciatella and salmoriglio served on a pillowy bun.
With one more workday to go, Thursday evenings don’t always have the best reputation. However, there’s certainly a quiet luxury to settling in at Chiswick’s bar as the evening sets in - a Martini in hand- to take the edge off an impending Friday.
So, book a seat, bring a friend and let the fun be-gin! Licence to chill officially granted!
