Dean & Nancy on 22: The Best Cocktails in Sydney are Served Sky High
SYDNEY: Cocktails will be taken to new heights with the launch of Dean & Nancy on 22 this Friday, May 21 at the brand-new A by Adina Sydney premium apartment hotel on the corner of Hunter and George Streets in the CBD.
Developed by the creative minds behind internationally acclaimed cocktail bar Maybe Sammy and perched under the golden crown of the hotel, Dean & Nancy on 22 balances decadence and drama with precision and playful service.
“At the end of the day, an impressive cocktail list might get people through the door but it’s the experience they have with you which keeps them coming back,” says Dean & Nancy co-founder and Creative Director Andrea Gualdi.
Dean & Nancy on 22 co-founder, Stefano Catino agrees.
“Our guests’ happiness is our top priority. Yes, we have a lot of fun, but we prepare for that. We are very detail oriented; nothing is overlooked. Once guests arrive at Dean & Nancy, we want to float around the room and make sure everyone is happy,” says Catino.
One glance at the Dean & Nancy on 22 cocktail list and you will see, this is a cocktail bar you go to, to have fun. Order the Rolling A Double cocktail ($23) and you will be delivered a pair of dice. Throw a double and score a champagne upgrade. For a sensory revelation, opt for the Coffee Champagne ($24) which comes with a personal pot of house-made vanilla and coffee-infused hand-cream.
“Apply the cream to your hands and every time you sip the cocktail, you’ll be treated to a waft of the scent,” says Gualdi. “After we take the glass away the essence will remain and every time you use the cream, we hope you’ll remember your time at Dean & Nancy and smile.”
For a quick sip and bite, opt for the Minis and Bites menu which marries a morsel with a mini cocktail. Choose from the likes of mini vodka martini with oyster nan jim ($20), mini kir royale with quail saltimbocca ($20) and mini adonis with rhubarb cheesecake ($20). Can’t choose? Select three for $55.
And, for A by Adina Sydney’s guests, your evening does not need to end with Dean & Nancy. Return to your room and make the most of the single serves of Maybe Sammy’s bottled cocktail collection in the mini bar – Eucalyptus Gimlet, Jasmine Negroni and Chamomile Martini.
An experience at Dean & Nancy on 22 is best shared, as is the bar dining menu of snacks and substantials crafted by Executive Chef Jane Strode (Bistrode, MG Garage, Rockpool, Langton’s). Driven by an unwavering passion for developing dishes that are simple yet bold, Chef Strode’s 25 plus years working in some of the best restaurants in the country has taught her to balance restraint with innovation.
Take the Fireball ($19); nduja is whipped into a ball with cream cheese, marjoram, and lemon, swathed in crunchy Kataifi pastry and then baked until almost molten on the inside to create the ultimate bar snack. If you are looking for dishes to soak up the booze, try the moreish smoked eel and cauliflower bhajis served with a house-made zingy pickle ($15) or the prawn and harissa risotto ($33). The creaminess of the Meredith Goats Cheese folded into the risotto is the perfect foil to the sweet and spiciness of the house-made harissa, resulting in a dish that will leave you licking your spoon.
“I’m a big believer in the notion you need to know the rules to break the rules, and that’s something I’ve applied to this menu,” said Strode. “If you want food to be simple yet pack a punch, you need to know what’s important to put on the plate and what you should leave off.”
Catino believes Strode’s approach to cooking and hospitality is the perfect complement to the bar.
“There’s not a pinch of pretension with Jane. She’s bold, she knows what works and what doesn’t and that comes from a place of competence and confidence, not from ego. The energy she brings to Dean & Nancy works really well with the bar team and we’re grateful to have her with us,” said Catino.
The concept of bringing the magic of the 1950s-style ‘hotel’ bar experience from Maybe Sammy into a premium hotel is something Catino and the team have been wanting to do for a while. The challenge lay with architect George Livissianis (Sammy Junior, Chin Chin Sydney, The Apollo, The Dolphin Hotel) to develop a design concept that complemented the luminous 360° cityscape.
The mid-century minimalist-inspired design matches the simple yet bold ethos embraced by Chef Strode and the Maybe Sammy team. Ascend the curved brass staircase from A by Adina’s lobby to the bar, take in the glossy, gold-veined marble tables, baby grand piano and debonair bartenders. The black and gold palette provides glamour without detracting from the arresting skyline, while seating for 120 comprises low black leather banquettes, intimate tables for two and high bar stools.
Dean & Nancy on 22 at A by Adina Sydney will officially launch on May 21. For bar seatings, no bookings will be taken; it is walk-in only. For dinner reservations, bookings for 2 – 7 people can be accommodated across two seatings, 6pm and 8.15pm.
Dean & Nancy on 22, A by Adina Sydney, 2 Hunter Street, Sydney
Website & Bookings: www.deanandnancyon22.com.au
Instagram: @deanandnancyon22
Opening Hours
Wednesday – Saturday: 4.30pm – late
Ends.
EDITOR'S NOTES
For more information
Dean & Nancy on 22
Brooke Burns
Savannah PR
+61 499 228 180 / [email protected]
A by Adina Sydney
Jodi CLark
Director of Communications - TFE Hotels
+61 499 900 658 / [email protected]
MEET A BY ADINA
While every A by Adina location has been thoughtfully chosen to blend seamlessly within its surroundings, there’s always a contemporary Australian twist at the heart of every stay. Here, architectural finishes meet thoughtfully designed interiors. Team members are known as Curators, treating each guest visit as another opportunity to surprise and delight.
A fresh take on evening lobby drinks, The Daily Pause promises 60 minutes of seriously special lounging. There’s even an Amenities on Demand concept, which allows guests to purchase their favourite hotel items ranging from mini bar snacks and Hunter Lab beauty products, through to exclusive Dreamcatcher Beds. And for those guests who want to take their experience to the next level? They’re invited to come on up to Destination A, located on the top floors of the hotels and featuring a range of special inclusions especially designed to amplify any stay.
WHO ARE TFE HOTELS?
TFE Hotels (Toga Far East Hotels) is an international hotel group headquartered in Sydney and operating in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Denmark, and Hungary. It has a portfolio of five established hotel brands - Adina Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Travelodge Hotels, Rendezvous Hotels and TFE Hotels Collection and is pleased to debut A by Adina and introduce Quincy Hotels to Australia in 2021.