Adam Dow

ADAMDow aka Dow

Head of Bars @ Ivy Precinct

ABOUT DOW

Like most, I began working in hospitality in pubs for a little money to get me through university. I made my first cocktails at Northies in Cronulla and was hooked! I moved to London in 2012 and the rest is history. I spent five years working at Dead Ringer, won Bacardi Legacy and recently moved to Merivale, where I am lucky to have an incredible role. I think what has kept me in the industry is the energy I feel in venues when I come into work each day. At the end of the day, we are paid to ensure our guests have a great time and to be able to be involved in delivering that experience is incredibly rewarding.

My role comprises all of the bars within the Ivy Precinct - and each venue is known for different things! Jimmy’s Falafel is probably my favourite bar to sit at - it has incredible Middle-Eastern influenced food and fun, playful drinks and great beers on tap. Bar Topa is well known for great tapas and delicious mini Negronis and Martinis. Pool Club is incomparable though when the sun is out - what a venue to sit at and sink a few spritzes!

With such a variety of venues from nightclubs, to hatted restaurants, cocktail bars, and casual dining, the crowd is a real mix between corporates letting their hair down after work, business lunches, special occasion dinners and those just after a few casual drinks. Like every venue, the Precinct is busiest on weekends but most venues reserve space for walk-ins, and with so many great venues, you can always nab a seat somewhere.

I often hear people say that you can always tell when you walk into a Merivale venue. A lot of that has to do with the consistent product and detail that goes into the venues, but what’s really common across all of them is the atmosphere - it’s always festive! Everyone is in our venues to celebrate, see their friends and have a good time. That’s the experience of a Merivale venue.

DOW’S HOME COCKTAIL TIPS

Put your glassware in the freezer! It costs nothing, looks really slick and makes almost all cocktails taste better. The guys from Bare Bones now sell their ice in Dan Murphy’s at Alexandria, nice blocks of clear ice go a long way too!

DOW’S DREAM BAR:

Attaboy, 134 Eldridge St, New York

LAST NIGHT OF DOW’S LIFE BAR:

La Bodeguita del Medio, Empedrado, Havana, Cuba

LAST NIGHT OF DOW’S LIFE DRINK:

I’d put Tim Philips-Johansson, Adi Ruiz and Evan Stroeve behind the bar and request a very large Jack Daniels and Coke. Rob Sloan would be on the floor with Dave Hobbs typing furiously on his laptop in the corner

DOW’S NIGHT OFF BAR:

Shady Pines Saloon, 4/256 Crown St, Darlinghurst, Sydney

DOW’S TOP 4 COCKTAILS

1. Obligatory

INGREDIENTS:

• 30ml Anejo Tequila • 25ml Punt E Mes • 20ml cold drip coffee • 5ml maple syrup METHOD: Stirred. Serve over large block ice. GARNISH: Orange twist ICE: Cubed for stirring and large block ice to serve GLASS: Rocks glass

2. Rosé Spritz

INGREDIENTS:

• 50ml Hotel Starlino Rosé

Vermouth • 100ml tonic water METHOD: Build in glass and add ice. GARNISH: Grapefruit Wedge ICE: Cubed ice GLASS: Wine Glass

3. Limoncello Sgroppino

INGREDIENTS:

• 20ml vodka • 20ml Limoncello • 15ml mandarin Juice • 10ml lemon juice • 15ml sugar syrup • 60ml Prosecco METHOD: Blender ingredients with a good handful of ice cubes until a frozen slushie consistency. GARNISH: Finely grated lemon zest ICE: Cubed for blending GLASS: Coupette

4. Cafe Menta

INGREDIENTS:

• 35ml Fernet Branca Menta • 35ml cold brew coffee • 5ml sugar Syrup METHOD: Shake vigorously with ice then strain. GARNISH: Chocolate powder ICE: Cubed for shaking GLASS: Mini-coupette

THE IVY PRECINCT

Few places command an aura of sophistication like the Ivy. A demonstration of casual elegance and meticulous attention to detail, it is as versatile as it is luxurious. Ivy’s Head of Bars Adam Dow is one of the men behind the precinct’s success, tailoring cocktails and drinks to each venues’ theme.

The Felix restaurant and Little Felix Bar follow a 1920’s French style, and as a result boast a large selection of French-themed cocktails and wine to compliment the traditional food. Bar Topa embodies the essence of Spanish Tapas culture, designed as a quick and casual eatery where one can share good food with friends. Traditional food is paired with Spanish wine, and the cocktails highlight Spanish liquors and flavours. Similar in style, Bar Totti’s looks to offer an authentic slice of Italian culture through both food and drink.

Other restuarants include the Europeanthemed Ash St. Cellars, Italian fine-dining Uccello, English style pub food at The Royal George and classic French pastries at Lorraine’s Patisserie. If quality drinks are what excites you, the Ivy’s rooftop Pool Club can’t be beat. Whether you’d prefer to spend a lazy afternoon by the poolside or to attend one of their regular club-nights, this venue will deliver you world-class cocktails and an awesome atmosphere.

The Ivy precinct is a smart-casual affair and is located at 330 George St, Sydney. Each venue has different operating hours, visit merivale.com/ venues/ivy/ for full hours.

For more information, contact call (02) 9114 7306

PADDINGTON END

BY: ADAM DOW | THE IVY PRECINT SPONSOR: HOTEL STARLINO

This cocktail shares its name with the northern end of the Sydney Cricket Ground, where the Members Pavilion lies. It is a drink well suited to Australia’s summers: a light, refreshing, lower ABV cocktail to drink four of while watching Australia flog England in the Ashes. You beauty!

INGREDIENTS:

• 45ml Hotel Starlino Rosso Vermouth • 15ml Japanese gin • 15ml verjuice • 15ml Watermelon & Cucumber Skin Syrup* • 30ml tonic • 60ml Prosecco

METHOD: Builld in glass over ice

GARNISH: Pickled cucumber skin

ICE: Cubed

GLASS: Wine Glass or Stemless Wine Glass

*WATERMELON & CUCUMBER SKIN SYRUP Method: Blend watermelon until 200ml of juice is achieved. Infuse with peeled cucumber skins for 24 hours. Strain before adding 100g of sugar. Return cucumber skins and stir until dissolved.

Garnish Method: Add equal

parts white sugar, apple cider vinegar and water and cook until dissolved. Store leftover cucumber skins in pickling solution.