Gowings Bar - the bar half of the Gowings Bar & Grill - is conveniently located mid city in Sydney, upstairs (or more accurately up the lift) in QT.
Gowings for the youngest of our audience, or the out-of-towners, was a Sydney institution, a respectable discount department store.
These days there's nothing discount about the price point of this prime real estate bar.
Don't quibble. The bucks are well deserved when it comes to the consistently solid beverage offerings, choice well-crafted cocktails of good spirits, creative and refined signatures that slip down very nicely. Especially when the drinks are matched with friendly, efficient, and professional table service.
Examples from the Gowings Signature List on the new cocktail menu include our pick, a supremely smooth Tanqueray Gin Chestnut Sour ($22). Heading into cooler weather the Laphroig & Johnny Walker Smoke Screen ($28) makes for good medicine. Classics choice of shelf - Classic or the higher priced Luxe - brings big grins, as does the history lesson. Please move the mocktails (call them by whatever fancy name you will) to the back of the list. Wine choices drink well. And wines offered by the glass are quite reasonably priced ($16 - $19).
The complaint however is with the food.
WTF? Who put the thick slabs of cold butter on the cold croutons under the tasty but un-branded anchovies? Anchovy toast ($21 for 3).
Never mind, head up the elevator and through the QT hotel lobby to enjoy cool smooth libations. Just eat elsewhere first, or afterwards.