“Life is unpredictable, you don’t know what is happening tomorrow so you can never imagine what is going to happen in a year, but I know what is going to happen now” – Giannis Vavadakis
Meet Giannis Vavadakis, the jolly head of R&D at Line Bar Athens. 15 years ago, Giannis decided to leave his current job in construction to explore a life in hospitality. He started as a waiter, did that for three years, then shifted to bartending 12 years ago.
Giannis loves being a bartender, it gives him a lot of joy. His job gives him an outlet for his creativity and allows him to meet unique people every day. In general, it’s a funny job for him because it feels like a hobby. Giannis said: “It seems that I will not be stopping anytime soon, I am a person who lives in the moment.”
What makes Line Bar, Line Bar?
Line Bar in Athens is a sustainable bar, not just in the traditional sense but is sustainable also for the people who work there. This means they follow sustainable and circular processes with their ingredients and materials but also sustainable for the the people who work there, meaning they are able to be employed full-time, they feel feel safe working there and are motivated and can focus on what they do at Line Bar.
Line Bar’s main beverage concept is fermentation in which the name comes from that. According to Giannis, “Everything comes in lines, a beginning and an end, but never just one line” hence the tagline that they embody: The Method of Anarchy.
Through fermentation, Line Bar produces their own wines from different agricultural products other than grapes. They have observed that due to the climate change, grapes are much harder to grow and do not offer variety. Hence, they try to produce wines that are much more tolerable towards climate change such as those made from honey, apples, figs, strawberry, beetroots, vanilla plum, and pomegranate.
What drinks from Line Bar did Giannis bring over?
Giannis served four cocktails that night, inspired from cocktails from their current and past menus. Giannis wanted to make the guests at the St. Regis Bar Jakarta to feel that they were visiting Line Bar in Athens. Among the selection for the night, there were two citric cocktails, one fizzy cocktail, and one sweet cocktail with a heavy texture.
Without further ado, let me introduce the four cocktails Giannis served as part of his repertoire for the night: The Pornstar Spritz, The Gimlet, The Southside, and his own concoction – The Melted Ice cream.
Pornstar Spritz
A twist on the classic Pornstar Martini. For those who aren’t familiar, it is a vibrant and exotic cocktail that is known for its fruity and indulgent flavors. Giannis’ twist is built into a Spritz style cocktail by incorporating tonic water. Giannis removed the Passoa liquer and lime juice and replaced it with vanilla, Beurre Noisette (also known as French Brown Butter), and some bitters. The result, which is served in a wine glass on the rocks, has a dry and fizzy body with an aftertaste of tropical fruits akin to tiki style drinks made in tropical countries.
South Side
Traditionally, the classic South Side is a cocktail that is refreshing and invigorating, combining the herbal notes of gin and the bright flavours of citrus and mint. Giannis amplified the flavour and freshness of the cocktail by adding coriander, cucumber, and elderflower. This cocktail in addition to the minty, sharp, and citric feeling also has a savory flavour from the coriander, refreshing notes from both the cucumber and elderflower.
Gimlet
A gimlet is a classic cocktail that is simple yet refreshing, typically made with gin and lime juice. It’s tangy and sweet, making it a popular choice for those who enjoy citrusy drinks. Giannis’ twist however revamps the whole recipe of the Gimlet. Served with Don Julio Blanco as a base as well as light rum, Giannis’ Gimlet has a grassy sweetness coming from the agave and the rum. There is a hint of chamomile as you drink it together with a hint of blue cheese as its after taste. This drink is by far the twist with the most modifications for the night – the flavour, however, is undeniably balanced and familiar for something that is far from the original.
Melted Ice Cream
The only original recipe from Giannis himself. A sweet cocktail with a silky texture, like an actual ice cream! With pandan-infused Johnnie Walker Blue Label as a base (can you imagine how sweet and refreshing it is already?), Giannis added coconut as well as white chocolate and strawberry ice cream. There’s not much to say other than the fact that it tastes and feels like ice cream even when its a cocktail served in a rocks glass. The colour too is brownish like tea, but as soon as it enters your mouth, you’ll end up wanting more.
Overall, Giannis’ shift brought a very homey feeling to the St. Regis Bar, a feeling that he too brings to his guests at Line Bar. Giannis wanted to give his Jakarta guests a sneak peek — in his words, to what one would experience if they ever come to Line Bar in Athens. So, tune in for more intoxicating content, assuming you have not passed out from the excitement, as I will be writing more in the future. Cheers to a healthy liver my dear readers!
