Emmilou Lounge & Tapas Bar
Editorial
Oh Emmilou, I do love you. Nestled into Bourke Street like pimento in an olive, this two-year-old diner shows no sign of its troubled age. The premise is nothing new: Tapas, wine, comfortable seating. But that wonderfully European attitude towards things like butter, cheese and midnight dinners is such a rarity in our beloved but increasingly conservative Sydney - and Emmilou does it in two.
Aside from the superb selection of tapas on offer, you could easily justify a visit just to sample the beverages. The cocktail list is lovingly divided into three main categories of booze: Crowd Pleasers, The Adventurous, and the Bon Vivants/Booze Hounds and Bar Keeps. They're all essentially variations on the standards, but if you want to have your socks knocked off, you must try the 7th and Sazerac (if only for the name) - Havana 7, chocolate bitters, vanilla sugar and a Fernet branca rinse (an aromatic digestive liqueur). If this sounds too much, the Bah-tee-Dah (from the Crowd Pleasers list) is a deliciously inoffensive mix of Sagatiba Pura cachaca, citrus, passionfruit and apple.
The variety of Sangria and punch is also impressive: White wine and spiced mixes are available by the jug, or try the Scorpion Punch with Appleton XV, gin, brandy and white wine if you want to embarrass your fellow drinkers. Alternatively, just order a bottle of Spanish tempranillo from the international wine list if you want to keep things real.
Emmilou is a beautiful place for a quiet (or extremely drunken) night out. The food, wine and service all tick the right boxes, and the bill won't leave you reaching for the defibrillator.
Jessica Miller, November 2009
User Feedback
Chris Cranswick-Smith
March 17, 2010
Hi Jessica Thank you so much for this lovely review, I just came across it (apparently about 5 months after you wrote it). I'm flattered and extremely happy that you enjoy what we do so much. Please do contact me directly and I will look forward to chatting with you further, over one of our fine tipples perhaps? Kind Regards, Chris Cranswick-Smith Chef | Owner
fran
October 11, 2010
It's a pity we didn't have such a great experience. Emmilou promoted an Oct special on their website, a tasting $80pp w wines. When we ordered they knew nothing about it & when shown the website w promo on iPhone, we were told it was a 'typo' & they wouldn’t honor it - Price: $80pp no wine & $135 w wines & in short take it or leave it.. When we asked to speak to the owner directly, but he refused to come out (even though the restaurant was basically empty), & again we were told end of discussion. We offered to meet in the middle & pay $100pp but they also refused this. To add further insult, they are promoting on Eatability another special for $99pp w wines. As a fellow business owner, I was appalled by the lack regard that the business owner had for his customers & the unwillingness to take ownership of the mistake or to simply offer a little sweetener to the customers he had falsely advertised to! Needless to say, we walked out & had an amazing dinner @BirdCowFish instead!
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