Chilling Out at Saldechin

Bonsoir! Sorry about not posting yesterday, but this is the follow up post.

Vendredi (Friday)... one of my favourite days (if I don't have to get to work on Saturday that is!). It is the day that for the majority, signifies the end of a hard working week and in some instances, when celebration for the weekend begins. With the Friday just passed, I was invited to a combined birthday (SL and TS, once again Happy Birthday...and yes the wrinkles are starting to show!) held at Saldechin. The location is perfect, especially for after work drinks (not that I had work that day, but you get the point). This is the place where you can wear a suit and NOT be pretentious, unlike some other places around the CBD.

For those of you who don't know, Saldechin is located on King William St, right in the heart of Adelaide's CBD. It is restaurant / tearoom / martini bar with some pretty chic decor. They are open 7 days, but what I believe is the main attraction is the Happy Hour $10 cocktails on Friday evenings (from 5pm to 8pm, which was conveniently when the birthday was held), and ALL DAY Saturdays and Sundays. They do have quite an extensive collection of cocktails (some quite unique and definitely tasty creations as well). I've snapped a few photos of what I ordered (unfortunately I did forget a couple of drinks), including a tapas selection.

Kublai Khan - vodka, melon liqueur and pineapple juice

This was a rather enjoyable drink (yes CY, I do make this quite often myself!), and they definitely did nail  this drink with the proportions of each component.

Hong Kong Martini - lychee black tea infused vodka, triple sec and lemon sours

Oh MY.... this was TASTY! I was tempted to gulp down this drink - the actual taste of alcohol was minimal, but it was definitely there (quite a number of people felt it!). The lightness of the infused vodka and the tanginess of the lemon sours made this a perfect summer martini cocktail creation.

Extra Dry Dirty Martini - gin & a splash of dry vermouth served chilled straight up with an olive garnish + splash of olive brine

This is a "real" drink if you ask me....loved it. They definitely made a very decent traditional martini (plus the additions which I requested for). The best way to judge how good a bar is in making cocktails is to order the basics and see how well the make it (and of course how well they deal with the tweaks you chuck in).

Socialite - bourbon whiskey, lime juice, grenadine, orange juice

Although the base alcohol for "Socialite" is bourbon whiskey, the juices of the citrus fruits made it very light and the sweetness from the grenadine syrup made it just right. Also another enjoyable cocktail.

Tapas tasting plate (from top): Saldechin Crab Cakes, Cajun Spiced Sweet Potato Fritters, Prawn Trumpets, Buffalo Chicken Wings

The idea of tapas platter to have with cocktails is amazing (the price isn't too steep either, which made it an excellent choice for something to nibble on as you are drinking). The crab cakes were alright, but the buffalo chicken wings were awesome. Similarly, the prawn trumpets were pretty good (it was surprising that the filling was garlic prawns, not just ordinary prawns) and the sweet potato fritters, although weren't crispy, tasted really good with the lemon aioli.

The mixologists were friendly, although it was hectic at some point (which was to be expected as it was Happy Hour on a Friday evening). The service towards the later part of the evening was quite good (apart from one of the staff who was a bit snappy, which dampened the mood slightly), but regardless of that, it was an enjoyable evening. The live jazz band also helped with the atmosphere of the whole place. I haven't tried the restaurant section of Saldechin, but from the perspective of the martini bar, I highly recommend that you drop by and have a martini (or a few!). 

Always remember, la bonne nourriture means excellent company (for the majority of times) ;)