Bellagio Italian Food - Potts Point

Eau De Vie is one of the top bars in Sydney! The drinks are both creative and unique, and it's a joy to watch the bartenders craft them right in front of you. A night at Eau De Vie is always a wonderful experience!

I really enjoyed this restaurant. I discovered it by accident while going to the restroom at the restaurant next door. It's not somewhere I would frequent often, but it's definitely worth a visit. The drinks are priced well considering the quality and presentation. I do have some concerns about fire safety due to the oil burning candles and blowing torches for drinks, especially the candles. However, the atmosphere is great. I would rate it 4 stars, but they lose a point for charging extra for credit cards, including debit cards, which I find disrespectful. The staff are friendly and seem to enjoy their work.

I recently went to a whiskey tasting event and it was absolutely fantastic. The event took place in a private area and I had the opportunity to learn a lot about the history and different manufacturing processes of whiskey. The tasting was the highlight of the event for me. I was amazed to discover how just 3 drops of water can completely change the taste of a whiskey. Some whiskies benefited from the addition of water, while others did not. It was a really interesting experience overall.

With the cool weather starting now, my palate has moved from gin to whisky. To get ready for the winter season, I visited a couple of whisky bars to keep you informed about where to drink this warming amber spirit. First, I got reacquainted with an oldie but a goodie – Eau de Vie in Darlinghurst. I was reminded of Sven Almenning’s moody speakeasy tucked in the rear of the Kirketon Hotel because he recently embarked upon a three million dollar equity crowdfunding drive for an upcoming bar venture. As all that Almenning touches usually turns to gold, it seemed like a great opportunity for customers to get in on the ground floor on a Nick Nora’s Melbourne after the successful launch of Nick Nora’s Sydney in Parramatta. Almenning’s strength is in his training and his people recall former star bartenders, Luke Redlington and Max Greco. Today, just showing a modicum of interest had one of the bartenders embark with me upon a lively discussion about the perks their cluster of future bar owners will receive in The Speakeasy Group venues. Having the forethought to make a table reservation means despite landing in a loud and busy bar, we’re whisked straight to a lounge for our whisky adventure. From the menu of four flights, we opt for Scotch 101 $50/each). Presented on a wooden board with an accompanying cheese and cracker bite from the Eau de Vie deli, our whisky flight kicks off with the Aultmore 12 Year Old. It’s a fairly simple dram that’s light and fruity, from a Speyside distillery that’s been bottling whisky since 1897. It’s matched to Primo Amore – a red wine infused Italian cheese. Matured for 16 years in bourbon barrels, the Ancnoc 16 Year Old has a bit more going on with vanilla and cereal notes, plus a good bit of wood. It’s teamed with an Italian soft cheese – Taleggio – that smells funky but eats creamy, bringing up some fruit in the whisky. Chalky Manchego, a Spanish sheep milk cheese, is teamed with the 12 Year Old Old Pulteney. It’s a good balance to the whisky’s sweetness and faint salty lick. The best whisky on the board to my palate is the Talisker 10 Year Old, which is the only smoky whisky. It's got a hint of pear like sweetness, and some earthy swampy qualities, plus peppery heat on the finish. Eating a strong cheese like Gorgonzola with it, lowers the smoky dryness, and brings up the whisky's sweetness for me. While we've had our noses buried deep in the glass, the bar has emptied out and become the relaxed speakeasy I first visited nearly a decade ago. It's been fun getting reacquainted with it over four wee drams.

Whiskey bar at its finest. A little small for big groups, so either come early or be prepared to wait. We only had time for 2 drinks since they close at 1am (Sat night) and had the old fashion whiskey which was served with a delicious peanut butter brittle. Will definitely come back!