Gertrude Street’s newest bar Moondrop opens at the former Everleigh bar site in Fitzroy; chiming an old-world 1920s Shanghai glamour with a Chinese-inspired cocktail list that is sure to impress.
Created by the team behind Carlton North’s cult favourite, Sleepy’s Cafe & Wine Bar – Steve Chan, Jesse Kourmouzis and Jacob Muoio hail a new era in crafted cocktail making at Moondrop. Add a chic list of salivating Chinese bar snacks served in a low-lit bar scene you won’t want to leave.
The Write Drop spoke to Jesse Kourmouzis for our At The Bar series.
MY CITY
Melbourne. Initially I thought my love for Melbourne and the pedestal in which I held it was because I was born and grew up here. Throughout my travels I have realised that may have only been a small factor as to why. I honestly believe that Melbourne has some of the best food, drinks and best service in the entire world. No matter where in town you are, the proximity between so many talented people and encapsulating venues is insane. A short walk down any road and you can pop into at least 3-4 different places that are sure to fit the vibe for any occasion. Delicious things are absolutely everywhere and boy are we spoilt for choice.
FAVOURITE FOOD MEMORY
Bar Liberty’s flatbread will always be the most comforting, simple, but ground breaking enough to amazingly stimulate. There have been many a-time where I’ve just come from dinner, completely stuffed to the brim and still have to pop in for a wine and an obligatory flatbread.
FAVOURITE BAR
Love a mescal-based drink at Above Board. An old favourite is the Rock Solid which has Mescal, Umeshu, Cynar and Averna. Serving only cocktails with nowhere to hide ensures the drinks are the focal point and you can really tell when you drink them.
DRINK THAT DESCRIBES YOU
It has to be a Charlie Chaplin, Sweet, sour and just a little bit fruity. There is no rhyme or reason to my drinking habits and my palate usually leans towards the prettier, sweeter style of drinks, but saying that, Peated Scotch is my other love and I sporadically chop and change throughout the night.
BEST HANGOVER CURE
Pocari Sweat is my usual go to if I forget to hydrate throughout the night. But a fun fact is 10 Hydralyte tablets fit perfectly into a 1.5L bottle of water to create the perfect level of hydration and fizz.
BEST INTERSTATE BAR
Ps40 in Sydney. Between Steve and myself, it has always been a favourite. With some of the tastiest drinks I’ve had in years paired with the number of pop-ups and events they do -their vibe is always immaculate no matter the experience.
OVERSEAS BAR
We just came back from a pop-up in Shanghai at a bar called Bar Blanc. Don’t sleep on this place, naughtily hidden behind a beautiful mosaic glass wall. This venue captures the essence of a hidden gem. Quality drinks, genuine and detailed service with nothing but good people behind it.
FAVOURITE WINE
My pick of the year with Steve has to be a bottle called Tangerine by Xiao Pu wines. Ian the owner is a legend and the passion in which he talks about his wines definitely translates into the liquid itself. The name Tangerine perfectly encapsulates the wine and it is a lovely ode and highlights how tangerines are used in Chinese culture both for cooking and medicine.
NEXT DESTINATION
People are talking great things about Bangkok both for the food and drinking scene, and it is a place that I have only visited once, over a decade ago! Asia as a whole has and is still doing a lot of amazing things within our industry with so many amazing venues flying under the radar.
Tell us about taking over the old Everleigh site to create Moondrop in Fitzroy
It started as a bit of a joke, yet all the stars aligned and the defining decision was more of an ode to how Steve, Jacob, and myself operate within the industry. Our ethos and views within the industry, combined with the shared amount of hustle, dedication and passion was something we all respected about each other. One shared goal – to celebrate people and flavours. Moondrop was always inspired by celebration, and it just so happened that Lunar New Year had just come and gone, and what better way to describe celebration than the tradition of the Lunar New Year? It has been a really fun experience deep diving and learning another culture that is so steeped in tradition, especially one that Steve has such a connection to.
THREE DRINKS AND HOW TO PAIR
M.S.Gibson paired with some of our Chinese caviar – I usually tend to lean towards opposite flavours and how they attract with pairings but the salty, savoury, fresh umami creates a harmonious moment that amplifies the best out of each other.
Honey Bun paired with the Prawn, Ginger & Spring Onion dumplings – The slight heat from Jacobs Hot Honey in the Honey Bun compliments the tickle of the ginger found in the dumplings. This pairing while having similarities brings new life to both dishes creating magic. This cocktail paired with the food while being completely different gives me nostalgic memories of eating honey prawns and drinking lemon tea. Sour, sweet, slightly spicy and refreshing. A more-ish combo to say the least.
Day Dreamer is best paired with the BBQ mushroom bao – a refreshing bubbly drink that resets your palate allowing the sweetness of the rich mushroom to shine. This pairing while completely opposite helps you enjoy the best of both while not weighing you down. Feeling like you have extra room for more bao is why this is my favourite pairing on the list.
TELL US ABOUT THE UPCOMONG MUYU EVENT WITH SIMONE CAPORALE
We have the privilege of hosting Simone Caporale a day after we open on December 5th. This event is highlighting the three Muyu liqueur products created by Simone Caporale, Alex Kratena and Monica Berg. The team at Moondrop has come up with three different cocktails that highlights each of the different liqueurs in a playful and innovative approach that aims to showcase how these pioneers in the industry are still pushing the boundaries and are inspiring a younger generation of bartenders by giving them new, exciting and modern products to work with.
Simone Caporale, who owns the #3 best bar in the world Sips (Barcelona), the #85 best bar Boadas (Barcelona) and the newly opened Montana in Hong Kong, will be conducting a trade masterclass at Grill Americano in Sydney on Wednesday 3rd December, followed by the inaugural bar takeover at The Press Club.
