Ash St Cellar

When chef Lauren Murdoch wandered across the alley at Ivy to kick-off the hip New York-style bistro Felix, there were a few holding their breath to see if Ash Street Cellars could keep up the award-winning work. Cue Alfie Spina’s steady hand in the kitchen, and couple it with Merivale group sommelier Franck Moreau’s keen eye for an evolving wine list, and the wine bar action at Ash Street is as vibrant as ever. The fun wine flights that have you tasting three different wines for a fixed price ($18) are a neat touch, but the complimentary tapas with a glass of sherry (dig that La Goya Manzanilla at $12!) really wins us over. How about a Greek sauvignon blanc? A Portuguese pinot gris? Why stop there, as the Chilean blaufrankish services a bowl of warm black Ligurian olives ($6) as comfortably as a big mixed plate of flavoursome charcuterie ($23). The setting straddles the indoor and outdoors with a casual Parisian feel and is tucked away from the hard bodies and fancy haircuts of the main bars in the Ivy complex. Ash Street Cellar retains its mojo, revelling in its sophisticated yet relaxed atmosphere.