Cruise and Junk seem appropriate names for bars located at the Overseas Passenger Terminal Sydney. Shipping references suit the venue, newly reopened after being in dry-dock for a year. Cruise as a shipping reference is obvious; Junks refers to the ancient Chinese shipping vessels, found these days sailing the Hong Kong harbour as an attraction. Yet Junk Lounge is more than a name to Bar Manager, Marco Oshiro.
And Oshiro is so much more than a smiling showman; his understanding and use of flavours and textures has taken Cruise Bar Junk Lounge to a new level. Oshiro explains "In keeping with the theme of the Junk Lounge, I tried going Asian-influenced in most of the drinks: Asian herbs and spices, fruits, themes and flavours, all whilst maintaining a seasonal feel and incorporating our own native flavours and showcasing some local spirits and products in the cocktails."
There are certainly some innovative and inspirational combos on this signature list. And the proof of the palate is in the drinking. I started with an arrival shot while waiting for the first cocktail. Call it a warm up drink if you like. Leathering Deep ($18) Tanqueray gin, Camperi, Sweet Vermouth, Chinese Five Spice, pink salt took the edge off the travelling, while I waited for the others to arrive.
There is a selection of driver friendly drinks at Junk Lounge. Call them low alcohol if you must but rest assured they are not low on flavour. This riff on the classic Charlie Chaplin is refreshing and a really enjoyable twist on the new soda trend. Charlie Chan ($18) - Greenhook Ginsmiths ‘Beach Plum’ Gin Liqueur, La Salamandre ‘Eau de Coing’ Quince Liqueur, FAIR Goji Liqueur, white grapefruit - is a very original combination that blends and drinks well. Each of the components are interesting unto themselves, but as a whole they harmonise with the quince sitting forefront in the middle. Highly recommended and worth a visit for this one.
In fact, from the new cocktail inventions that I've tried here, I'd say the new Oshiro list at Junk Lounge is worth a visit for any of his cocktails. My favourite is the full bodied Shiso Flesh ($21) - Tanqueray No.10, Red Shiso, Rhubarb Bitters, Cucumber, Carbonated Water - which is an interesting twist on a G+T with the shiso/bitters and carbonated water combo shifting out the tonic. This drink uses red shiso juice made in-house as its point of difference, deceptive in its colour as it looks sweet but its not and packs a big serving of the gin. Adore the fresh shiso leaf garnish. And that's a garnish as it should be- indicating what's in the drink (or for food on the plate). Nice one Marco!
Oshiro does actually do his own real take on a G+T, using a Japanese gin. Well I never, I am a gin drinker but I hadn't had Cambridge Distillery ‘Japanese Gin’ before, and guess what- it's actually made in England. Here mixed as the namesake Junk & T ($20) with macadamia, dill, lychee, lemon, and P.S. Soda Bush Tonic Water. I love a bit of education.
"There's something in the list for everyone - we've got sweet, sour, tangy, bitter, savoury, umami, strong, low alcoholic cocktails; we have flavour concepts that range from simple to complex but always maintaining balance; we have some quirky concepts, our prep involves enough geeking out for the industry crowd; and finally I'm bringing back ritual pours that engage our guest, the drinker, with our bartenders on a different level." Previously at Black by Ezard, Oshiro reckons this is the most palate friendly list he has written.
While there are lots more ginworthy sips such as Kung Pao Sabre ($18) which Oshiro says is his attempt at cocktail-matching a Kung Pao Chicken (not on the food menu, just his flavour inspiration) there's so much more to the list than gin too. Vodka, rum, whisky... The most simple yet beautiful of the cocktail list is a whisky ritual. Ao Oni the mizuwari ritual- in Japanese – mizu means water and wari meansto mix and one of my friends indulged in this with the Hibiki Lower Harmony. Whisky and water never tasted so good, or expensive. Worth it though. For me, as an observer, it is a little reminiscent of other Japanese ceremonies, like the tea ceremony, and I'm up for it next time.
There's a story behind every cocktail and HK After Dark "was inspired by many a drunken night spent with Asians who love to karaoke and love to mix their Hennessy (or any other Cognac) with green tea. This is THE drink to make sure you have sitting AT the bar; the fragrant oils of the rosemary branch as a swizzle stick provide aromatics just from stirring, before you even take partake. The blended Scotch, fennel seed & star anise gunpowder green tea with carbonated water puts the Sydney Junk mark by Oshiro on this.
We never got around to trying this one but the Junk Lounge cocktail that receives the most social media attention is Aloe Geisha ($18) where aloe vera and sake are mixed to make a reduction that forms the backbone and flavour of the drink.
"Although all the cocktails on the list are signatures, we make it a point to state that as long as we have the ingredients and tools to make it, we'll make any classic or cocktail you want - be it a cosmopolitan or a toblerone, we don't care, all I want is for you to feel good about the drink you've ordered, and to be able to order anything without feeling intimated or 'uncool' - unfortunately, there are bars that do that to their guests and I'll never understand how or why" offers as a last point.
As a bar the most exciting part of the new aesthetic just has to be these cocktails, but the menu makeovers from Chef Richard Slarp are really darn exciting too. Along the northern mezzanine sits a long table for his Asian style street food.
Junk Lounge on the first floor is the middle of three levels of the new and improved Overseas Passenger Terminal, Cruise Bar. The ground floor aesthetic update features a new look with a living wall of moss and a wider menu by Slarp, and the larger rooftop area is available for private events.
Beyond the drinks, beyond the food, beyond the view to the Sydney Opera House, Marco Oshiro is inspiring the Cruise Bar team at Junk Lounge to a new level of service. "I guess my inspiration has never been just cocktail-centric as much as it's always been service-focused; I feel inspired to inspire those who learn from me the value of good service and that the guest is always number one, no matter what - all your knowledge and experience will be worth nothing if you can't make the person on the other side believe in you, so that they can eventually know that you do care about their experience and also them, so that when they call it a night they feel good about themselves and you - and can't wait to come back." Wise words. No wonder we felt so welcome.
