Gimlet Bar Manager Cameron Parish’s favourite Martinis
“I do love a Martini; its beauty lies within how simple it is. Bone dry late at night, 50/50 before a meal, olives when it's cold, lemon always… I remember the first outstanding one I had and all of the pop culture references, books and confusing language suddenly made sense. When it comes to a Martini, there is nothing to hide behind - it's all in the execution.
When it comes to my favourite Martinis around the world you have start in London. There are so many great Martinis within that one city, from the high end hotel bars such as The Connaught (currently voted the best Martini in the World right now), The Beaufort bar at the Savoy and Donovan Bar to some of London's best hidden small bars like Satan’s Whiskers, Swift and Homeboy. Out of all of them, these two are my favourite. They completely contrast one another.”
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London
You have to start with Alessandro Palazzi’s famed Dukes Martini. Now, the reason to start here is because you are about to receive 5oz of frozen No3 Gin, with a whisper of house vermouth and absolutely no dilution whatsoever. It’s pure booze, served table-side on the same rosewood trolley that’s been serving the bar for more than a century. ICONIC.
The “one sip Martini’, paired with a giant stuffed olive filled with gorgonzola. Pure Genius. The duo Monica Burg and Alex Katrena are two of the most influential people within the industry, and a bar you need to bring to the top of the list when you visit London.
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New York
The city where it all started…
One of the most elaborately presented Martinis in New York, the Old King Cole is prepared table-side. One bartender makes the drink while a second holds the silver tray with all the trimmings. Made with saffron-tinged Old Raj gin, Mancino Secco vermouth and orange bitters. A selection of garnishes, Castelvetrano olives, a manicured lemon twist and seaweed presented in a small bowl of crushed ice. This is all happening while they shuck the 24 oysters you’ve just ordered.
At Keens, more than 100 Martinis are sold each day, in one of New York’s last remaining 19th-century chophouses where thousands of clay pipes hang from the ceiling. Here, the drink is as classic as they come, whatever you order, your Martini will arrive “big, dry and cold”. What more could you want?
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VENICE
What's a list without the famous Martini from Harry’s Bar in Venice. They have been serving Martinis since 1933 in a frozen shot glass branded with the bar’s logo.
Cavendish House Martini
60ml Tanqueray No Ten
10ml White Vermouth Blend
2 Dash Orange Bitters
Orange Twist
Selection of olives - Sicilian, Ligero, Gordal
White Vermouth Blend
Dolin Dry, Belsazar Riesling Vermouth, Cocchi Americano, Lemon verbena vinegar
This drink draws on a lot of inspiration from one of my favourite cocktails called an Astoria, a 50/50 Martini with orange bitters and orange twist. There are so many ways to make a Martini, but our Cavendish House Martini combines Tanqueray No. 10 and our house vermouth blend. The butteriness of the vermouth helps soften the zesty high proof gin, resulting in a dry Martini that is textural and full bodied. Served with a selection of three types of olive, the intention is to align each sip and olive with the changing temperature of the Martini.
Stir and serve into a chilled Martini glass
Cameron Parish joined Trader House as part of the opening team at Gimlet in October 2019, and as Bar Manager is responsible for developing the acclaimed bar program for the cocktail bar and dining room. He manages the bar team and leads the cutting-edge cocktail offering at the restaurant, constantly cultivating fresh ideas while inspiring curiosity for the team and customers alike.
After spending time in the UK (as a professional football player!) and bar-hopping around the world, Cameron moved home to Sydney in 2015 where he worked as a bartender at Bulletin Place (previously ranked 39th in the world) — a little bar with a strong focus on service and flavour over frills. A relocation to Melbourne in early 2016 saw him join one the city's most-loved cocktails bars, The Everleigh, before joining us at Gimlet.
Cameron has cemented himself as one of the city's best creators and mixers of drinks - his creativity, palate and encyclopaedic knowledge of classic drinks are cornerstones of Gimlet’s charm and personality. Cameron was also recently named as one of Australia’s top 100 bartenders, in Diageo’s World Class.
