Touchdown is the downstairs bar in the Rydges Hotel at Sydney Airport. I'm not sure what is more confusing: the fact that it is named after an American football term; or the fact that they couldn't make a basic cocktail correctly. (More on that later).
The vibe here was laid back sports bar with a focus on beers, wine and simple drinks. Sadly, the beer list was short and standard (Australian macrobrews like VB, Carlton, etc.)
The short food list was actually better than I expected, with a selection of apps (wings, meatballs), entrees (burgers, steak, salmon) and desserts. It was certainly enough to suit me, so I ate here for dinner and watched some local sports (continuing my increasing fascination with cricket).
My burger and fries were pretty good, and just what I wanted. But after a few mediocre beers I decided to test the bar by ordering something basic.
Specifically, I asked for an Old Fashioned (It's a never-ending quest). The young bartender got busy, muddling some fruit, adding sugar and bitters, before finally adding the liquor (which I couldn't see). The result tasted familiar, but strange...REALLY strange. I sipped slowly, but it never got any better. After about 15 minutes, the bartender proudly showed me the single malt scotch he made it with... [Insert Forehead Slap here]. No wonder it tasted strange - This drink is made with Rye or Bourbon only; and what a waste of a single malt!
Dear management- you might want to think about training your bartenders to do something more than pour wine and beer. read more