Fresh flavours from Australia
Osia is a new Australian restaurant in London's Haymarket. And if you're thinking, oh no, not more kangeroo steaks and witchetty grubs (remember Sydney Street?), then you'd be mistaken - cutting-edge Melbourne is more like it. With its Sophie Douglas/Fusion-designed interior (think distressed leather wall panels and lots of curvy walnut veneer) and its modern Aussie menu from Aussie chef and co-owner Scott Webster, Osia is Hip Australia with a capital H.
There are dishes such as Dorrigo herbed spring lamb with wilted pea shoots and kumara mash; skewered ocean prawns with crisp kunafa pastry and wasabi mayonnaise; and Pacific tuna ceviche with chilli avocado pur‚e and red pepper pickle. The wine list is out there, too, with gems from Oz and the rest of the New World. But a bit of a challenge, right?
"Yup, it was a challenge, all right," agrees David Wilson, Osia's wine buyer and assistant general manager. Osia, with its 72-seat restaurant and 60-seat bar, has just over 100 wines on its list, gleaned from more than a dozen suppliers, with 10 wines offered by the glass. "The wines are chosen in keeping with the ethos of the restaurant - clean, fresh flavours," says Wilson. Co-owner Raymond de Fazio and chef Webster played their part, too - they're both into wine, apparently. In fact, Webster has a page of recommendations all to himself, represented on the list as "Scott's Food Wines". "We don't have house wines as such, but these will sell the most," predicts Wilson.
Webster's hit parade includes a 1999 Joseph Phelps Chardonnay (USA, £48) and 1998 Scotchmans Hill Pinot Noir (Australia, £40), but one of the unexpected stars of the show, say Wilson and Webster, is the 2001 Don David Torrontés (Argentina, £20). "This was a real surprise. The grape lends itself well to a whole range of foods," says Wilson, from the mango and red onion relish served with the chicken sweet corn bonbons to the hot rosella flower pudding with wild raspberry sorbet and rhubard compote.
And, talking of puddings, Webster puts a Canadian ice wine up there in his top 10 - from Inniskillin (1998 Vidal Gold, £95). In fact, the ice wine does a star turn in the bar, but more about that in a sec.
Wilson has his favourites, too. He raves about the Markham Estate Petit Syrah (USA, £45) and the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Te Kairanga (£28). "New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - there's another one that goes really well with Scott's food," he says.
Incidentally, Wilson has chosen one glass shape to suit all the wines on the list - Riedel's Pinot Noir glass. "It's a beautiful glass, and there's no wine that you won't get the full nose and palate out of it."
Now, the ice wine. Joe Timur manages the bar - called the Long Bar - along with bartenders Michael Bailey and Maxime Privel, and they have been plundering Wilson's list in search of inspiration for the new range of cocktails they have made specially for Osia. Best (read to-die-for) is the Ice Wine Martini, blending Inniskillin's finest with Ketel One vodka and a couple more ingredients which Wilson won't reveal. "I don't want to give away too much," he says. Remarkably, the ice wine's qualities shine through - Wilson is on to something here. But as it's not the cheapest wine out (£95 for a half-bottle), expect to pay a tenner for the cocktail - a bargain, believe me.
Shorts
Pimm's rival
Plymouth Gin has launched the Classic Fruit Cup. With an alcoholic kick of 30%, the drink is based on 19th-century home-mixed fruit cups, and should be served with ice and lemonade. It was re-created by Plymouth Gin's head distiller Sean Harrison and mixologist Wayne Collins. What's in it? As well as gin, of course, there's Bols Dry Orange Curaçao, Heering Cherry liqueur and aromatic Punt E Mes bitters. What does it taste like? Citrus and lime tang with fresh blossoms on the finish. Move over, Pimm's.
Super-strength vodka
The world's strongest vodka has been launched in the UK. Balkan 176 is a super-strength premium vodka using de luxe grain and a unique distillation process. With an abv of 88% (176 US proof), "It needs to be treated with the utmost care and respect," warns distributor Wine & Spirit International (020 8975 1023). Balkan 176 sells to the on-trade for about £37 for a litre bottle.
Mug up on Oz
Read up on Aussie wines with Australia's Liquid Gold by Nicholas Faith (published by Mitchell Beazley, £20). From when the first vines arrived in 1788 to the present day, Faith gives you the inside story of Australian wine, with the lowdown on regions, grapes, winemaking decisions and dilemmas.
Asselin joins Pharmacy
Bruno Asselin has joined London's Pharmacy restaurant as head sommelier and restaurant manager. Asselin could recently be seen at Pied à Terre on Charlotte Street, where he originally made his name back in 1992; and before that he worked with ex-Pied à Terre chef Richard Neat at his venture in Cannes (since closed). He will now work alongside Pharmacy head chef Hywel Jones.
