Kumo Fujiama
152 Lygone St
East Brunswick
Melbourne
kumoizakaya.com.au

This new bar featured in the January issue of Australian Bartender

Andre Bishop (Robot Bar and Golden Monkey) is a self confessed Japanophile - of Japano-geek. He’s a man that’s taken the business of sake and made it his business by bringing its unique flavor and style to the streets of Melbourne.

Most recently he has launched Kumo Izakaya & Sake Bar in East Brunswick. “I have relished the opportunity to combine what I love most about izakayas in Japan with original elements that celebrate local culture and produce,” Bishop said of his latest venue, “Kumo is the complete picture for me.”

With what’s touted as Australia’s biggest sake list, a fine range of beers and wine Bishop has delivered another Japanese styled gem.

This news story featured in the January issue of Australian Bartender magazine.

381 Flinders Lane
Melbourne CBD
three-fold.com.au

Threefold is a newly opened bar that’s combining a few elements in order to bring out its best. Operating as a food shop, café and bar that serves through breakfast to lunch Monday to Friday, it also operates as a bar that serves dinner and snacks on Thursday and Friday evenings.

The Mediterranean styled food is enough to tempt you in while the sun is high, and then come back for the night time offerings which includes sommelier Jane Thornton’s wine list of 15 by the glass options. The head chef, Stephen Black, striving to capture the attention of local by offering an every evolving menu. “The menu will change weekly,” he states, “and be principally driven by seasonal availability and ingredients.”

This new bar featured in the January issue of Australian Bartender

16 Russell Place
Melbourne, CBD
barampere.com

Danger. Madness. Vernon Chalker’s newest Melbourne destination - Bar Ampère - is finally up and running. It’s been a while in the making, but good things come to those that…you know the word. Bar Ampère, which stands above an antiquated electrical substation, serves as a monument to the French physicist Andre-MariAmpère.

Bar 

Ampère is Chalker’s realisation of a futurist dream and in testament to his vision the staff reject all traditional notions of consumption. Splayds (those things that look like a fork, knife and spoon in one) are the tool of choice for diners - a move which Chalker says ‘allows guests one hand free to engage in more animated table talk’.

From 8am until 3am Bar Ampère will offer Melbournites unsurpassed hospitality with precise and concise food and drinks on offer. Pastis, aperitif, wines from a single vigneron and their signature ‘Art is a Weapon’ pale ale on tap will mix well with the chef’s treats.

Be sure to check out the February issue of Australian Bartender where we will feature Bar Ampère in an exclusive Bar Profile.

127 King St
Newtown, Sydney
02 9557 7008
jesterseeds.com

The land of the ragged student is getting another facelift in its ever developing makeover and now Newtown can boast something shiny and new in Jester Seeds.
Owner Ray Vircansa has combined the best of Sydney’s burgeoning small bar scene with an edginess that’s sure to attract the local crowd.

“The venue’s name is inspired by The Seeds - a 1960s rock band - but with a playful twist,” says Vircansa. Julian Serna is behind the cocktail list and has done a good job in creating something that is both accessible and interesting; try the Jack Pudding:  spiced pineapple shaken with Pisco and lime topped with something a little sparkling. Brews are in good supply too and there’s Doss Blockos - a craft-brewed lager from Victoria - or the Indonesian favourite, Bintang for starters.

Some good nibbles like the roasted beer nuts, with rosemary, chilli and caramelised sugar will be hard to turn down and there are heartier snacks as well such as the Korean-style kalbi tacos; marinated beef rump, and spicy red cabbage slaw, and some corn-on-the-cob that is merely a vessel for the lashings of butter, soy and parmesan that it’s covered in.

This new bar featured in the December issue of Australian Bartender.

33 Bayswater Road
Kings Cross, Sydney
concreteblonderestaurant.com.au

Concrete Blonde is a new look restaurant and bar that’s making some big waves in Kings Cross and is boasting a sensational fit-out and food and drinks menu.

Patrick Dang is at the head of the kitchen having spent time at Fratelli Paridiso, Salt, MG Garage and the 2 Michelin starred Amber Restaurant (Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong).

Backing up his prowess in the kitchen is a superb wine list and cocktail menu that’s sure to set your imagination flowing. Mix it up with a Charlie Chaplin; Hayman’s sloe gin, apricot brandy and lime, or a Jacque Rose; Gontier Calvados 2002, Massenez grenadine and lime.

If you’re after a glass of the good stuff then you’ll find two of Bartender’s top tipples right next to each other: Philip Shaw’s ‘The Idiot’ Shiraz from Orange in NSW (at $59), and the Yarra Yering ‘Dry Red no. 2′ from the Yarra Valley in VIC (at $122). Both are crackers and are toned-down enough for food - on a wine note, the ‘Idiot’ is a great bargain to pick up off-premise if you have the chance.

100 George Street
The Rocks, Sydney
bar100.com.au

This new bar featured in the December issue.

Sydney is still growing with the recent opening of Bar100 down The Rocks end of George Street. Set in a heritage styled building that dates back to 1856 owner Charif Kazal said that the new haunt will be showcasing cutting edge food, entertainment and drinks in a world class venue.

The venue will be set to offer something for everyone and the enticing share plates will allow patrons to stay well fed while enjoying a few top notch drinks. There will be share plates, including Moroccan marinated lamb back strap, Fatoush salads with crispy croutons and hand made, crispy wood fired pizzas. The venue’s design will allow you to enjoy a range of drinks throughout a number of separate areas.

The main bars - Bar100 and the Chapel - are on the ground floor with three areas that convert into 2 VIP sections allowing those who wish to hide away can do so with minimal fuss.

This new venue featured in the December issue of Australian Bartender magazine.

110 Spring Street
Bondi Junction, Sydney
kongsjunglelounge.com

A new restaurant lounge bar has opened up in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs - Kong’s Jungle Restaurant. “Kongs Jungle Lounge is a Tiki themed restaurant lounge right in the middle of Bondi Junction (jungle), in the heartland of the Eastern Suburbs,” says Sean Finlay co-owner of Kongs.

Kong’s offers an exotic menu crafted by established chef Adam Dundas Taylor - from such restaurants as Nobu, Jamie Oliver’s 15 and Hugos with a fusion of South East Asian/Polynesian food.

The dining experience will take you back to the era of the 40s and 50s when food from the South Pacific was the all the trend for Hollywood’s blossoming movie industry. The team from Kong’s see their venue as becoming one of Sydney’s most unique restaurant lounge bars and innovative event spaces, so the best bet is to go and check it out yourself.

Rear, 412 Brunswick Street 
Fitzroy, Melbourne
thebrix.com.au

“The Brix is based on the foundation of a contemporary French Bistro,” says co-owner Emma O’Mara, who is running the venue with Keir Vaughn. “We wanted to create a space that was a thoughtful and beautiful experience for people.”

The Brix offers an experience through the flavours and textures of the food they deliver, and the duo aim to showcase the quality and detail of the Brix in everything that they do. “We are about having a whole lot of fun and taking away an experience that you think about for some time after you leave,” explains O’Mara.

The local area has certainly rallied to the cause since opening and O’Mara says that, “[that there's been] amazing support from local community and Melbourne foodies community - [it's been] really busy immediately. Amazing!” The Brix is offering a collaborated French/ Australian wine list that focuses on small producing ventures where possible, and the team also offers a small list of classic cocktails. “We want to keep things simple, concise and affordable,” says O’Mara.

“Our wines have beautiful and interesting stories behind them and we have a number of organic and natural wines on the list.”

This Bar Profile featured in the December issue of Australian Bartender magazine
Written by Edward Washington

Address: 185 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Web: hinkydinks.com.au
Phone: 02 8084 6379

Roller skates and pineapple candle holders.

Got a time machine? Me neither, but don’t let that stop you heading back to the post-war cocktail period by visiting Hinky Dinks, Sydney’s latest take on trendy tippling. Embodying the cocktail culture of the 1950s, when then a well stirred Cobbler was an essential accessory one’s image and a cocktail ‘hour’ wasn’t dependant on keeping an eye on the clock, Hinky Dinks is setting a new trend in ‘old fashioned’.

Opening in September this year with Dan Knight (ex Sean’s Panaroma and Longrain) and Jeremy Shipley (current Bacardi Brand Ambassador and also ex Longrain) as co-owners, Hinky Dinks is singing to its own tune and unique style - indeed the only thing that it lacks are some girls on roller skates. “Hinky Dinks is all about fun,” says Knight. “Fun drinks in a fun space served in unusual and fun ways. That doesn’t mean we don’t take our drinks seriously however and for us it’s all about quality spirits, fresh juices and ingredients with house made liqueurs and syrups.” What the hell’s with the name though?

“Around 1900, a corrupt politian named Michael “Hinky Dink” Kenna opened a bar in Chicago,” Shipley informs me. “He would give away free drinks to the ‘poor and disenfranchised’ and in return they would vote the way he told them.” Kenna, it is said, went on to hold power in his seat until 1946, so the name certainly has some value for a burgeoning business looking to succeed and the boys are also tipping their hat to the first bar Trader Vic owner in San Francisco in the 1930s. “It’s a sly nod to the grand master of tiki as well,” Knight states.

There are certainly no ‘poor’ or ‘disenfranchised’ customers here now however, with a great mix of patrons swelling the venue’s walls with clockwork regularity. “We’re attracting a good local crowd of young professionals - and a lot of girls,” Knight says enthusiastically. “Some nights I look around and we are the only guys in the room!  Happy days…!”

While they’ve certainly landed on their feet when it comes to location, location, location, it wasn’t the area they were necessarily setting their sights on.

“We had a few areas in mind when we started looking for a venue,” Shipley explains. “Our focus was more on the demographic of the people who lived in and use the area [rather] than the actual area itself. Darlinghurst was definitely one of the areas on the list, but to be honest we looked from Bondi to Balmain and everything in between.”

Knight and Shipley spent a long time fantasising about their ‘dream bar’, so when you ask them about the process of actually opening Hinky Dinks it all seems to be quite seamless. “The initial vision of Hinky Dinks was all about fun [and] everything evolved organically from our initial ideas. We all just fed off each other until we arrived at what we have now.” They also highly credit the work by Rachel Luchetti from Luchetti Krele in bringing their venue to reality. “Rachael did the concept design for the venue, and also designed Lo Fi, Bootleg, Sake and The Cut, which is where we met.”

So finally after over two years of planning their bar, and searching for a space to built it, Hinky Dinks was only about three months in the making once the lease was signed. For such a small bar, there has been some remarkable attention paid to the finer details, right down to the emblazoned aprons the team wears, and the kitschy, ironic knick-knacks that stand out in an unobtrusive way. “The major outlay on this project was our joinery,” Knight explains. “We had the kitchen cabinetry, banquette and tables all made custom and the cost of this ended up coming in at nearly triple what we budgeted for so it ended up being significant.”

He’s coy about the price tag, but suffice to say you’ll notice the difference. Like the way that a good suit doesn’t jump out at you, but you know you’ve just seen something special, Hinky Dinks is a seamless little venue that does a lot of things right both aesthetically and personably.  The interior is modelled on a 1950s kitchen and living room with retro-pop interior contrasting bright high-res colour and a classic styled black and white tiled floor. Raw bricks, colourful flying ducks and bright posters all jazz the place up and it’s hart not to reach for one of their equally flamboyant cocktails. “Some of the drinks might look a bit camp,” Knight jests, “but trust me, they are all served with a healthy measure of quality booze.”

“All the drinks are super fresh with a real emphasis on quality,” explains Shipley. “Everything down to the ice and various glassware that we our drinks are served encapsulates those aspects.” Hinky Dinks offers something for everyone; cocktails served in ice-cream cups, infused Manhattans, bourbon frozen sundaes, aged cocktails - and even ‘blue drinks’. Well known Sydney bartender Kass Hill is a regular feature behind the stick, and will happily serve you up one of Hinky’s signature treats. “There are Zombies of course and pitchers of Mai Tais too,” Knight beams.

“Hinky Dinks does things a little differently,” the boys agree. “We give out free popcorn on arrival, treat our guests with care and respect, and are careful not to over crowd the venue.” It all pays off when you’re a small bar, and keeping a bit of a balance means more than just the float. “Most importantly we provide consistent good quality cocktails and snacks in a fun light hearted manner,” states Knight. “People are sophisticated enough to start having fun with cocktails again, and seriously, how many cocktail bars do you know that have to put a pourer on the blue curacao and serve Pina Colada foam shots?”

Very true. After all, if it’s fun that the Hinky Dinks crew want you to have what’s more fun than that? “We want people to have a good time,” finishes Shipley, “and we do what we can to make that happen.”

52 Waterloo St
Surry Hills, Sydney
02 9699 2518
elcapo.com.au

El Capo was started by husband and wife team, Omar & Dianna Andrade who have previously run Transient Diner - an underground dining concept that focused on featuring young, new talent.

The duo came across loads of talented young chefs and decided to put their money were their mouth is by appointing one of them as head chef. Joey Astorga (previously at Bentley Bar and Galileo) heads up the kitchen team and is cooking Latin Street food, Puerto Rican, Colombian and Mexican classics while being sure to steer well away from any sort of menu cliché.

“We simply didn’t want to be another Mexican restaurant with wrestlers and sleepy donkeys!” said Dianna Andrade. There’s Char-grilled Swordfish, Duck Three Way(s) Grits & Pork and fresh made Torillas to munch on, and a smart little Chilean Carmenere for red, or a lean Pinot Gris from Mendoza for white to help wash it all down.

The trendy restaurant also features street art by talented artists Numskull and Roach along with portraits of infamous ‘Narco Cinema’ stars for added effect.