Mint Garden Bar.
On Friday night (20 September 2013), it was time for Canberrans to formally embrace the Spring season with the launch of not Floriade, but Mint Garden Bar at Gorman House. The theme for this Spring and Summer is Wonderland and, like Alice herself, we were excited to head down the rabbit hole and see what adventures lay beyond.
Attached to the much-loved Sage Dining Rooms, the bar has developed over the years to be one of the city’s most refined al-fresco venues, with a collection of tables, benches and stools providing a relaxed and flexible range of options for groups of all sizes.
Owners Michael and Peter Harrington have turned their passion for detail to the outdoor space, with a collection of blooming shrubs and trees offering fresh colour and a hint of bouquet to match the stellar wine and cocktail list.
On Friday night, with Gorman House launching their own Spring/Summer program with the Bloom Festival, all seats were filled by 6.00pm, despite the daytime showers that had threatened the evening’s reverie. With a hint of cloud keeping the temperature at a comfortable level for seeing off the working week, the flickering flames of the various heaters added an extra (albeit visual) feeling of warmth.
If the Harringtons were nervous about how their newly-installed pizza oven might have performed (Eat Me!) they need not have feared. Punters were more than happy to see what the Sage kitchen might do with the Friday evening favourite. Certainly there was plenty of opportunity to test the systems as order after order made it’s way to ravenous customers.
With the theme of Wonderland running through the Summer, there will be plenty of opportunities for Canberrans to wander up to Mint Garden bar and enjoy one of the wonderfully indulgent bowls of punch performed (Drink Me!) that have been designed for these summer days.
Be sure to get in to Gorman House and check it out. Certainly, with the warmer weather ahead, it won’t be difficult to find some friends to join for your very own tea party!
