Henry Deane celebrates 10 years

Rooftop lounge bar Henry Deane is celebrating its 10^th birthday, launching a brand-new food and drinks menu that brings the kitchen and bar together.

Located atop Hotel Palisade and boasting one of the Sydney’s s best harbour views, the bar is embarking on an exciting new era, with the likes of vegemite-infused, prosciutto-topped and fish tank air pump-made cocktails.

New head chef David McConaghie has joined forces with Licensee and Head of Bars Kau Sampaio to create an immersive culinary experience that extends from the plate to the glass.

There are 10 new cocktails which have been designed to complement specific dishes and contain shared ingredients, from mustard and kaffir lime to rhubarb and walnuts.

Sampaio said the symbiosis between the bar and kitchen is something the team has been building for a long time, adding that it’s great to see the concept come to fruition.

“It allows us to take guests on a sensory journey, where their whole palate is activated and they’re able to see, touch, taste and smell everything that’s in front of them. By utilising the same produce, we’re also able to keep our waste as close to zero as we can,” he said

The cocktails have been made using the full kaleidoscope of mixology techniques, from fatwashing to milk punch, infusion, carbonation, clarification and the incorporation of oils, cordials, shrubs and pickles.

First up is the bold, Home Slice which pays homage to the classic Australian breakfast of vegemite on toast. It’s made with sourdough bread-soaked vodka, verjuice, charcoal-activated vanilla syrup and vegemite.

The Dijon Vu is a mezcal-led drink made with apple, grapefruit and mustard shrub, and comes garnished with an edible horseradish-glazed slice of prosciutto.

For a more floral option there is Bloom Service made with white rum, apple, cranberry, cherries and elderflower over crushed ice for a more complex take on a strawberry daiquiri, served with pink pashmak (Persian fairy floss).

The most unique is the Miss Marshie which utilises Champagne from opened bottles – which would historically have been discarded – with vodka, toasted marshmallow syrup, clarified lime and bitters.

Sampaio said it’s then carbonated before being garnished with pineapple foam made from brand new fish tank air pumps.

“Foams have been used as a technique to add texture and flavour to cocktails for years, but historically they’re made with egg whites and culinary gas syphons, which both generates more waste and tends to make them heavier,” he said.

“I wanted to be more creative when developing the menu, so I used the air pumps from a fish tank to create a more delicate and dainty foam that really complements the rest of the drink, but which still looks like a glass of rosé Champagne.”

Head Chef McConaghie created a menu that pairs with the cocktail list and incorporates his French fine dining background and love for Middle Eastern cuisine.

Everything is designed to be shared and enjoyed over cocktails with dishes such as chickpea panisse, smoked carrot and macadamia feta, Jerusalem artichokes with smoked mushroom jus, cultured cream and guanciale, spiced prawn and butter bean dip, grilled chicken with preserved lemon and hot pepper paste and lightly seared swordfish.

McConaghie said customers can expect the unexpected with the seasonally changing menu.

“Each dish contains a complex flavour profile, with each bite offering up something different,” he says.

“We’re also showcasing under-utilised produce, for example like the Jerusalem artichoke, which we’ve roasted and glazed to create a rich, smoky dish that’s both snappy on the outside and soft on the inside.”