Some restaurants take a while to find their identity, while others know exactly who and what they are from day one. The Sanderson, which opened at the top end of Sydney’s CBD last year, falls into the latter camp of confidence. It’s a restaurant made for celebrations, with a sumptuous heritage dining room paired with theatrical flourishes, a luxurious menu, and comprehensive drinks list. All the essentials to create an unforgettable experience.
It’s unmistakably a Speakeasy Group venue. The hospitality company is responsible for some of Australia’s (and the world’s) best cocktail bars, including Jazz Age-inspired Nick & Nora’s in Melbourne and Sydney; the Norse-themed Mjølner (also in Sydney and Melbourne); and the acclaimed Eau de Vie bar, which reopened in a new subterranean Sydney location that’s just downstairs from The Sanderson.
Each venue is pure escapism and prizes the guest experience above all else. At The Sanderson, that means velvet booths and theatrical tableside service, where steaks are dry-aged, Martinis are ice-cold and long lunches run extra-long.
In that spirit, The Sanderson has just introduced two new additions to its offering, which will allow you to celebrate your upcoming special occasion the way you want to.
BYO cellar Thursdays
The first new offer is BYO Cellar Thursdays: The Sanderson Uncorked. Have you got a bottle of Grange or Grand Cru burning a hole in your cellar that you’re itching to crack out? One that you’ve been saving to enjoy with friends and family? Combine the sentimental value of a wine from your personal collection with a memorable meal at The Sanderson.
Every Thursday, across both lunch and dinner, you and your guests can each bring a bottle each of wine to enjoy at your table – with complimentary corkage. Participating tables just need to order from one of head chef James Green’s exacting set menus, with a line-up that includes signature favourites such as the éclair ‘carbonara’; a showstopping dry-aged coral trout; and a dramatic bombe Alaska, flambéed tableside. BYO Cellar Thursdays are the perfect candidate for a long lunch that bleeds into an early dinner.
“Thursdays are definitely the new Friday,” says Green. “It’s a more popular day for a long lunch than ever before. Three or four hours with some great food and wine, followed by a cocktail – or three – at Eau de Vie to polish off the afternoon and send you quietly into the evening sounds magic to me.”
Cocktail-paired degustation
Speaking of Eau de Vie, Green has collaborated with the bartenders for a new five-course menu of cocktail-paired dishes. The Sanderson x Eau de Vie cocktail degustation launches on Wednesday 10 April at 7.30pm, and will take place on the second Wednesday of every month. Available to only 14 guests, this dinner will take place in The Sanderson’s private dining room, with a range of exclusive off-menu dishes to be revealed on the night, paired with five of Eau de Vie’s most iconic cocktails.
“I’ve done many events over the years pairing wine to food, so I approached this the same way,” says Green. “When you get it right, there’s an additional layer there that you don’t get with wine pairing, which reaps greater rewards.”
Green has also been invigorated by the opportunity to experiment with these new dishes – keep an eye out for the lobster and scallop ravioli, which is inspired by xiao long bao soup dumplings.
“Trying to make existing pieces fit a new jigsaw puzzle wouldn’t do these incredible cocktails justice. “I really want someone to be able to come to an event like this, even if they’re a regular at The Sanderson, and have a completely new experience.”
The Speakeasy Group is a high-end boutique hospitality group renowned for their creative, pioneering and intuitive contribution to the hospitality industry. Since the first venue opened to the public in February 2010, the group has received an astonishing reception from those with a penchant for fine food and beverage experiences.
