European at heart, this refined salonette serves up cocktails, Champagne and Felton Road Pinot Noir that will seduce you and probably punch a sizeable hole in your wallet.
Sydney vino buffs usually totter into Bambini Wine Room when they fancy a hit of refined European style, served up alongside glasses of highbrow booze.
A sister venue to the adjoining Bambini Trust Cafe, this place would probably fit right into a posh, cobbled street in Rome or Paris. Inside, the shiny setting is coated in Italian marble floors, French chandeliers, designer Zoffany wallpaper and vast mirrors. Cute Parisian-style cafe tables and leather banquettes add a snug factor, and soft lounge music floods the space.
As you can imagine, Bambini isn't a place for pokies, plasmas or blaring beats. Instead, it considers itself mature, just like its wine list.
Here, clusters of drinkers explore sexy reds and uber whites (many available by the glass), sourced from the vineyards of Australia, New Zealand, Italy and France. Credit card permitting, order up a bottle of 1999 Domain Remy Jobard Monthelie Premiere Cru (currently priced at $130), or perhaps a serious bubbly such as Krug Grande Cuvee ($348).
Aside from the wine and Champagne, Bambini also offers punchy aperitifs such as limoncello and sambuca, and a petite cocktail list with offerings such as the Passion Jewel Box (vodka, Jaggard, passionfruit and ruby grapefruit).
For sustenance while sipping, turn to a plate of olives, meatballs, calamari or oysters.
Andrea Tomaz
