It might have a French name (which stands for “water of life” as well as describing a style of fruit brandy) but Eau-de-Vie feels more like a 1930s-style American bar, complete with dark wood, great …

It seems like the latest trend in bars is to look like you just don’t care. Some, such as Ching-a-lings, don’t even have a sign, while Melbourne’s Section 8 doesn’t even have a proper roof. …

Perhaps I need a therapist but bondage and torture come to mind as I survey the décor at Ching-a-lings, one of the newest small bars in Sydney. After all, there are small cages filled with …

The first thing that hits you on entering the Absinthe Salon is the heady scent of aniseed. It fills the air and smacks you in the face, taking a few moments to get used to. …

When I was a wee bonny lad my parents were thinking about buying a chocolate shop in the Cross and so every week we’d visit the main drag to visit it, passing the prostitutes, neon …

This clandestine bar is atmospheric and has a good selection of Italian wines. Just don’t ask for any changes to your meal, as Paul Chai discovers when he visits Fico.