The city may still be quiet but if you walk down the stairs, behind the doorway near the corner of Elizabeth and Park streets, some of Sydney’s best cocktails await you.
Ramblin Rascals is an institution for those who want a good drink and the offerings just got that much more interesting, as the bar has brought in their new menu that is bursting with flavours that set to reflect the summer ahead.
Known for their love of Cognac, colourful cocktails and a really good time, the enfants terribles behind the bar are lead by the king of mischief himself, Charlie Lehmann. But don’t let his cheeky grin fool you, Lehmann takes his drinks seriously, especially when it comes to creating new cocktails.
“A new menu gives us the chance to not only experiment with flavours but also seasonal produce,” Lehmann said. “Summer drinks are particularly good, they are light, refreshing and they’re just so easy to drink.”
In normal times, Ramblin Rascals would change their menu every quarter but as we are far from normal times, the staff are now looking to change it up every six months. “The weekends are starting to pick up again but it might be a little while before we go back to our usual menu schedule. And yeah, it’s a little more difficult than normal but it’s just great to have the bar open.”
The social distancing and restricted numbers have put the bar in the peculiar situation of having to turn people away, so as to adhere to the COVID guidelines. As Sydney’s new case numbers stabilise further, Lehmann, like everyone else in the city is hoping that restrictions will ease up further in the coming weeks.
“In the meantime, I think it’s great that everyone has been experimenting with drinks at home, it gives people a much better understanding of what we do but then also an appreciation for the effort we put into crafting drinks every night,” Lehmann continued.
With years of experience behind them, it doesn’t take Lehmann or his staff long to construct and refine new menu items but he strongly believes that when you are starting out making drinks, patience and perseverance are important.
“If people are looking to create cocktails themselves at home, the one piece of advice I would give is to constantly test and refine what you’ve created,” Lehmann said. “you’ve got to try the drink at a variety of times.
“Try it at night, try it in the morning. Try it when you having been drinking and then try it when you’re sober. It’s only when you’ve tried it and tweaked it, that you’ll know if you have a drink that stands up.”
For more information on Ramblin Rascals, go to ramblinrascal.com
If you aren’t in Sydney, we’ve included a couple of drinks from the menu for you to try at home
The Dylan
- 40mls Gin
- 20mls Blueberry Vanilla Syrup
- 30mls Lemon Juice
- Egg White
Dry/wet shake. Fine strain into a wine glass
The Cockblockle
- 45mls Cognac
- 15mls Montenegro
- 60mls Apricot Syrup
- 30mls Lemon Juice
- Whole egg
Reverse shake and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with Apricot
Francis
- 40mls Vodka
- 30mls Grapefruit & Pepper Shrub
- 5mls Lemon Juice
- top with Soda water
Build drink in the glass. Stir before serving
