Concrete Playground

Stepping into the Absinthesalon (read 'Absinthe Salon') is like stepping into another world. This is not only because of the absinthe itself, as I hear that this bohemian drink-of-choice doesn't quite possess the hallucinogenic qualities that it once did. Tucked away in an unassuming corner building in Surry Hills, the interior is dressed to a T as an authentic 'Parisien' cafe. The waiters sport white shirts and vests, while the hostess is dressed in a velvet bodice with kohled eyes. In the middle of each table sits a fountain, surrounded by the various accouterments of the spirit - silver spoons and cubes of fine French sugar. Absinthe, clearly, is more than just an aperitif, and this salon is its Utopian home.

Our barman, sporting a Dali-inspired moustache, takes us through our paces. There's a three drink limit for obvious reasons (the higher alcohol contents hit above the 70% mark), and we're advised to begin our sipping light and step up as we continue. There are twenty four options on offer, varying in taste, colour and strength. After a few guiding questions from our barman I decide to begin with Francois Guy, which I'm told is 'all the rage in Paris at the moment'.

The shot is poured, sugar cubes balanced delicately on spoons, and the fountain drips iced water gently into our glasses. The liquid clouds and, once it seems ready, I take a tentative sip. Francois Guy turns out to be a light, straw-coloured offering with a focused anis (licorice) taste. The range of flavours we all sample are surprisingly diverse, and many are more herbal than my starter. From hereon in, I place all trust in our barman. All glasses are priced between $13 and $22, with prices seemingly determined by strength, so the guidance is based almost exclusively on taste and not price.

The key with the salon is to plan your visit: drinking absinthe takes time, and should be enjoyed at a relaxed pace. Booking is essential, and generally needs to be done about a week in advance. For more experienced drinkers, Absinthesalon imports absinthe and the necessary extras, so you can take the utopia home.