Liquid nitrogen is a key bar tool at The Roosevelt – which might give an idea of what this bar is like. The tank of nitro is kept with decanters on a drink trolley that’s pushed toward you for certain cocktails such as The Martini of Tomorrow or the Nitro Colada. The reason for the liquid nitro and the trolley is to make sure the drink is as cold as possible when it hits your table – but theatrics are also at play. This, after all, is a bar that has glassware located on shelves all around the main dining room so the bartender can just reach behind you for the appropriate vessel.

The Roosevelt is the latest venture from Behind Bars, the guys behind Eau de Vie, and to some degree it feels like they’re taking everything a step further. Even if your drink doesn’t involve liquid nitrogen, there’s bound to be something different about it. For example, I order The Graduate, a drink served in an absinthe flamed balloon that has cognac, lapsoon-infused vermouth and what they call herbaceous liqueurs in it. Aside from the complex flavours – I mean, it’s not every bar that would actually infuse vermouth with tea – the drink is then delivered to my table in a contraption that suspends my glass over a tea candle to keep it at the right temperature.

The Graduate is inspired by the Harvard, a classic cocktail that combines brandy with sweet vermouth, and … it’s frickin perfect. I wish I could pick out a flaw, just so I don’t look like a gushing simpleton, but this is a beautifully well thought out drink. The hints of absinthe and tea blend subtly with the cognac and vermouth, with a thin lemon strip adding a citrus dimension. It’s a warm, soothing, decadent drink, the type that makes you feel like either puffing out your chest or puffing on a cigar.

Ok, I don’t know what that last line meant either. I guess I’m trying to be clever with this review.

Anyway, back to basics: although The Roosevelt will have a back room, as well as possibly an upstairs bar, at the moment there’s just the front room, which looks a bit like a retro (think Mad Men) cocktail lounge with lamp-lit tables, a lot of cocktail shakers on display, and jazz playing quietly in the background. They also have a kitchen out the back that turns out food with a twist, such as vegetarian sushi, cocktail “nuts” that are made with vegetables, a tartare that the menu says is “the evolution of an American BBQ turned raw”, as well as warm berries served with nitrogen mousse. Yes, everything other than the last option scares me too. The nibbles range from $8 for the sushi to $16 for the tartare, plus there are also five-course degustation dinners for $150 (the head chef is David Leitzen. who has apparently worked at Michelin-­starred restaurants in Germany, Japan and Italy).

The cocktails, meanwhile, range from $18 to $26 – which isn’t too bad, considering the floor-show.

The Roosevelt, 32 Orwell Street, Potts Point. Open everyday until midnight, see The Roosevelt website

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Roosevelt?

View Larger Map

Related posts:

1. Favela – Potts Point / Kings Cross
2. Bayswater Brasserie bar – Kings Cross / Potts Point
3. Lotus – Potts Point

As the barman vigorously muddles jalapeno chillies in a glass I see a look of anxiety on my gay wingman’s face. It serves him right – I asked him twice if he was sure he wanted me to order the jalapeno margaritas and, as usual, he nodded his head without having heard me at all.

Then again, as I stand at the bar counter of Tio’s Cerveceria, a Mexican-themed small bar that looks like it ought to be in a small Mexican border town rather than Surry Hills, I probably look anxious myself. After all, a crazed-looking woman has sidled up to me at the bar and started talking about god knows what – and while the old me would have leapt on her without a second thought, my new year’s resolution is to stay far away from women (especially the crazy kind) and be faithful to my cat. After all, you can only have one true love in life, and mine is feline, vicious and faithful.

As soon as the jalapeno margaritas arrive we pay and bolt from the bar to the back wall, where candles are burning in a tiled arch in the adobe-coloured wall with melting wax dripping onto it. The décor here has a retro-meets-South-American–antique feel, if that makes any sense at all, and I particularly like the dark green shutters on one wall.

Although you can wedge yourself in at the bar counter, which is packed on the weeknight I’m here, most of the seating is at the tables and benches. However, this is a bar and not a restaurant and as far as I can tell the only food here comes in the form of complimentary chili popcorn that’s served in a bag.

The jalapeno margarita is well-made, tart and stings like a scorpion – there’s so much jalapeno in it that while the top half has the yellow colour of a normal margarita, the bottom of the glass is a sinister chilli green. I like it, but the GW can only drink half before he feels queasy to the point where I have to drink his margarita as well as mine (not that I’m complaining). They also have a dizzying array of tequila behind the bar plus they serve Rio Bravas beer.

Crazed women aside, I like this place – it’s a bit like a South American version of Shady Pines Saloon and has a vibrant feel about it. Just go easy on the jalapenos.

Tio’s Cerveceria, 4 Foster Street, Surry Hills (a few down from the Hotel Hollywood). Open Monday to Saturday from 4pm-midnight, and Sunday from 12pm-10pm. See the Tio’s Cerveceria website

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Tio’s Cerveceria?

View Larger Map

Related posts:

1. Fico wine bar – Surry Hills
2. Norfolk Hotel – Surry Hills
3. 121BC – Surry Hills

I didn’t write down any notes on Darlie Laundromatic. Not on the decor, not on the music, not on the food. I realise this is a mystifyingly bad intro for a review but, out of the hundreds of reviews I’ve written, this is a first. You see, I always jot down notes in every bar I go to. It’s kind of a semi-autistic, pedantic thing I do. I’d probably do it even if I didn’t have Bar Zine. In fact, I think I only run this site to give my eccentricities some credibility.

But I don’t have notes on Darlie, a former laundromat which still looks like a laundromat, even though I’ve been here twice – and I think that says a lot about this bar. After all, it’s so laidback and casual, from the faux laundry hanging up on lines to the taps on the wall that double as clothes hangers, that even I felt self conscious making notes. Instead, I just sidled up to the bar and ordered alcoholic cordial.

Actually, I only ordered cordial on my first visit but stuck to beer on my second. The cordial (mixed with vodka) is good for those with a sweet tooth and who don’t like the taste of alcohol but it’s not for me. I’ve tried a few of their flavours, including the raspberry and ginger cordial as well as the spiced orange, but to be honest they all pretty much tasted the same to me.

What makes this bar interesting isn’t so much the cordial, though, but the friendly and social vibe – this isn’t a place for loners. The space almost demands you talk to someone, from the communal table up front to the fact there’s no place to hide, and when I come with a friend on my second visit we end up staying for several drinks while talking to complete strangers. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking of my cat the whole time, but my friend said it was an enriching experience that’s unusual for Sydney. In fact, while many people compare Sydney’s laneway bars with Melbourne’s it’s actually Darlie that reminds me most of a Melbourne bar due to its laidback atmosphere.

But that’s enough from me. If you’ve been to Darlie (regardless of whether you took notes or not) then leave a comment below:

Darlie Laundromatic, 304 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst. Phone 8095 0129 or see the Darlie Laundromatic website Open 4pm – 11pm Tuesday to Thursday, Friday through Sunday brunch – 11pm.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Darlie Laundromatic?

View Larger Map

No related posts.

Even by small bar standards The Owl House is tiny. Located on Crown Street just a few minutes from Stanley Street, The Owl House is a dark narrow space with a long wooden counter, bar stools and … well, that’s about it for seating, except for an upstairs restaurant area. And since I, my Fijian bodyguard and any self-respecting man would always prefer a bar stool over a table, we’re pretty happy about this.

Not that I should discriminate – after all, as we sit down we realise that most of the customers sitting at the counter are attractive women. However, since my bodyguard has now found his true love and I, of course, have my beloved cat, we focus on the drinks instead.

My bodyguard orders the Passage to India, made with rum, Poire Williams (a pear brandy), pineapple juice, pear puree, cinnamon, chilli and salt dust ($17). I think this sounds like a girly drink (although I’m too scared to tell the Fijian this) but it turns out to be good. Really good. Served in a martini glass, it’s a drink with texture where the subtle pear flavours hold everything together while the spices add interest.

I order the Blood and Sand ($19), which happens to be one of my favourite classic cocktails. Made with freshly squeezed orange juice (I can see the juicer behind the bar, which is always a good sign), Peter Heering cherry brandy, sweet vermouth and whisky, this is a good rendition – strong, not too sweet, with the OJ giving it freshness.

Atmosphere wise, The Owl House feels like a 1970s Manhattan bar (or at least how I imagine a 1970s Manhattan bar would feel): funk music is playing, there’s a kerosene lamp at one end, the bar counter is made from solid wooden beams that sit under a glass top, and the place has a flickering red glow thanks to the neon sign on the stairs and the candles set in holes in the exposed brick wall.

The food here is largely of the tapas variety – think dumplings, sashimi, and chorizo and manchego croquettes – plus there’s the aforementioned upstairs area for those who like sitting at tables. The Fijian and I, however, are happy where we are – after all, as bar flies we appreciate the simple joy of sitting at a bar counter, a place where the bottles are only metres away, the bar staff can hear your cries for liquor and where the hardest decision you face is what to order next. I think I’ll opt for The Passage to India.

The Owl House, 97 Crown Street, Darlinghurst. Open Tuesday to Saturday until midnight. See The Owl House website

View Larger Map

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Owl House?

Related posts:

1. The Corner House – Bondi
2. Hunky Dory Social Club – Darlinghurst
3. 13B – Darlinghurst

There’s nothing new about looking old in the world of small bars – after all, most feature more second-hand furniture than a uni student’s apartment. Yet what makes Hinky Dinks stand out is that it does feel new – in a 1950s way.

What I mean is that its retro décor has been built from scratch, making it feel like a brand spanking new 1950s apartment. The pastel surfaces gleam, the red and white bar stools are vibrant, the pineapple-shaped lamps shimmer and the low leather settee is … ok, I ran out of adjectives. If only there was a vintage record player then the look would be perfect (although they do have a vintage refrigerator humming along at one end).

What also makes Hinky Dinks stand out is its Madagascar Manhattan ($16) – so much so that, after trying it on a Sunday night, I come back the following Wednesday just to have it again.

Made with vanilla and citrus peel-infused bourbon, sweet vermouth, agave syrup and chocolate bitters, the Madagascar Manhattan is served in a crystal glass (on the Sunday it was garnished with an orange twist and on Wednesday with a maraschino cherry). The result both times was a delicate drink that belied its strength, with the vanilla, citrus and chocolate hints adding a fragrant softness. It’s by far the best cocktail I’ve had in weeks – although, for the record, I prefer the orange twist.

The menu is geared toward alcohol-soaking snacks such as the pan-fried olive and parmesan sandwich ($9) and fried squid ($16), as well as oysters with blood orange and coriander gastrique.

For me the sandwich is the winner (I am a sucker for gooey cheese) and the squid’s good too. I tried this on my second visit when I came with a chef friend, and although he pointed out that the batter could be a little crisper, he was still happy – the batter’s light, the squid tender and …

Ah crap, I’ve used so many adjectives I’ve bored myself.

The rest of this review will be in bullet points:

• The jazz music on Sunday is quiet enough for conversation and on Wednesday there was no music, which actually worked fine as the place was so busy it was still humming
• The bar’s named after a corrupt Chicago politician who gave out drinks for votes
• If you’ve had a bad day then try the Zombie, which is so potent they make a point of only serving two per customer. Made with silver, aged and op rum, cinnamon syrup, passionfruit, grapefruit, flamed absinthe and mint, this Tiki drink doesn’t taste anywhere near as alcoholic as it is.
• Talking of cocktails named after the dead, the Corpse Reviver No. Blue is another deceptively smooth and yet strong drink. Made with South Gin, Lillet Blanc, triple sec, absinthe and fresh lemon, it uses blue curacao to give it an electric blue colour that, combined with a rich egg foam on top, makes it look like something from a cartoon. It’s a good party drink – but in my humble opinion, the less ostentatious Madagascar Manhattan is a much better cocktail.

Hinky Dinks, 185 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm until late. See the Hinky Dinks website

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Hinky Dinks?

View Larger Map

Related posts:

1. Darlie Laundromatic – Darlinghurst
2. Ching-a-lings – Darlinghurst
3. Love Tilly Devine – Darlinghurst / East Sydney

I was 21, stupid, drunk and half deaf when I first went to the Kings Cross Hotel’s rooftop – which became the scene of one of my biggest regrets.

You see, I was at a dance party with friends when the girl of my dreams approached. I’d been longing for her for months, obsessed over her ski jump nose. I’d also never had the guts to ask her out.

“Kiss me,” she said, looking me right in the eyes.

I peered at her carefully, certain there must be some mistake. After all, my hearing was shot and it seemed so incomprehensible to me.

”Excuse me?” I asked like a schmuck.

“Kiss me,” she repeated. This time I studied the movement of her lips, I was almost certain I understood her meaning … but it was so loud, and I couldn’t shake my neurotic doubt.

Plus I might have been on more than just alcohol.

“Excuse me?” I asked again.

The girl of my dreams looked at me curiously, realising there was something seriously wrong with me.

“Never mind,” she said, walking swiftly away.

I heard that clearly enough.

Fast forward 15 years and I’m finally back, this time with my Fijian bodyguard. My hearing’s now worse and I’m still a schmuck, but the place has changed dramatically.

Each floor now has a cultivated dive bar feel, which sounds more cynical than I mean it to be since I actually like it here. It doesn’t feel pretentious, it doesn’t feel shabby, and for a former backpacker hangout this is actually a fun place to be. However, the highlight is the rooftop bar largely because of the quality of the cocktails (in fact, I’m only here because a bartender I know recommended I check it out).

I order the negroni with cherry bitters while the Fijian goes for the Sammy lee mojito (10 cane rum, apple schnapps, mint, lime, cherry bitters, sparkling wine). I expected the mojito to be a gamble at best, but it works – it’s fresh and not as sweet as I’d feared. Meanwhile, my mojito is perfect – strong, balanced and nuanced.

The décor aims to be funky/rustic, with an old wooden bench with a vice, bird cages hanging from the ceiling, wooden boxes behind the bar holding drinks and, of course, there’s the balcony that overlooks the Cross. Furthermore, a DJ’s playing surprisingly good dance music (considering I’m not a dance music fan).

Overall there’s a friendly vibe and a relatively low-meat-head quotient amongst the men and a high attractiveness quotient amongst the women. None, however, sport a cute ski jump nose, nor do any ask to kiss me. I complain about this to the Fijian, who suggests another negroni might soothe my schmuck soul.

I suspect he might be right.

Kings Cross Hotel, 244-248 William Street, Kings Cross. Open every day until late. See the Kings X Hotel website

View Larger Map
Now it’s your turn – how do you rate the Rooftop Garden Bar at the Kings X Hotel?

Related posts:

1. Melt – Kings Cross
2. Piano Room – Kings Cross
3. Favela – Potts Point / Kings Cross

Review by Jess Black

If Hemingway opened a bar it might look like this.

That said, god knows what Hemingway, whose portrait hangs next to a map of Sydney’s western suburbs, knew about hospitality.

But there’s every chance he’d enjoy Dry Land, which has eschewed stainless steel swathes and considered kitsch for an interior that seems very much to the taste of its creators.

A warmly lit, introspective space, one might sit as easily and comfortably in silence as in conversation, or in the case of one couple, very much conjoined.

An old man and the sea vibe lingers in the deep blue walls that are lit by a series of orb-like naval light fixtures.

The aluminium floor-to-ceiling window frames are clearly a vestige from the former occupants and this reticence to put a definitive Dry Land branding upon every fitting contributes to its casual atmosphere.

The nonchalance carries over, unaffectedly, to the bar staff, one of whom would seem every bit a character of Mark Twain with his sack-like trousers and checkered tea towel were he not so attentive to our drink levels.

Our crowd could be split into three groups – lovers, who co-opt the two booths; tables of friends; and Dan, who would sell his cat for the Dry Land Sazerac.

I order the Side Car (cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice), which is classically (and well) made and served with a sugar rim. Meanwhile, Dan claims his Sazerac (rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, sugar and absinthe) is one of the best he’s ever had [note from Dan: turns out they made it with Jim Beam rye, which surprised me since the Sazerac was so smooth - I would have sworn they'd have used a higher shelf rye]. Cocktails are all $16 which would be a fair ask for a far less expertly executed tipple than ours.

Nibbles are stored in large jars on the counter, as if ready for a long sea voyage, and so we get a serve of the scratchings ($5.50) and mixed olives ($4.50) both of which are so salty (in a good way!) they could easily induce another round of cocktails. As if we need the excuse.

The music is a touch too voluble which might be why Dan and I lapse into mutual observation, and I find myself in a voyeuristic, triangulated relationship with the booth couple, while Dan spies a lower back worthy of Man Ray.

In fact, Dan has the look of a man who’s just got the catch of a lifetime (the analogy ends here I promise!) and says he wants to move to Redfern so he can drink here more often. Then again, Dry Land is definitely a second home you wouldn’t be ashamed to call your own.

Dry Land. 92 Redfern St, Redfern. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 5pm-12am.

View Larger Map
Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Dry Land?

Related posts:

1. The Dock – Redfern

Oh, how I adore Spain! I lust after it, hunger for it, I dream of those deliriously drunken months I once spent drifting from town to town and bar to bar. So when I say The Carrington brings back Spanish memories, I mean it as a compliment.

The Carrington used to be an inconspicuous Surry Hills pub but it’s been redone into a Spanish-style bar by the guys behind The Norfolk and The Flinders – and they’ve done an eerily good job replicating the feel of a down-to-earth Spanish drinking hole. The Moorish tiles and little tapas counter (complete with stools and glass counter) indicate someone’s been doing their homework, and the soul music, black arches and oddball paintings (most of which are still lifes, although one is downright pornographic) add to the type of eclectic atmosphere that reminds me of Almodovar movies and Penelope Cruz. Then again, I’ve been single for so long that everything reminds me of Penelope Cruz.

What’s surprising is they’ve managed to recreate this vibe while retaining some of the Carrington’s original features, such as the old green pub tiles that occasionally show up inside.

I’m here on a Saturday afternoon with the Amazonian Croatian and even though they have a cocktail list I feel like drinking some vino – and so we grab a glass of the Torres Grenache as well as the Earthworks Shiraz ($9 each). The Earthworks is good, the Torres all right – but quite frankly (and unusually for me) I’d prefer to talk about the food.

The fabada is worthy of an old Spanish tavern – it’s a traditional white bean stew made with pork belly, ham hock and chorizo with breadcrumbs toasted on top ($19). Meanwhile, the grilled paella onigiri ($9) is a clever cross between a pinxtos (a type of tapas that often has a toothpick running through it) and a Japanese rice ball/triangle. This has a triangular base of paella with crispy calamari and aioli speared on top – and while it might sound good, it tastes much better.

We then try a jug of their red sangria ($20), which is made to a house recipe – although we later find out it has red wine, Southern Comfort, ginger beer and nutmeg gratings in it. I’ve always thought Southern Comfort is the devil’s drink, and I still wouldn’t touch it straight, but this sangria is awesome – the nutmeg not only complements the ginger beer but also adds a great aroma.

Lastly, the churros is worth a mention – it’s fresh, beautifully soft in the middle and served with decadently thick melted chocolate.

I’m definitely coming back here soon, so I’ll update the review shortly – I plan on trying some cocktails and more food and maybe even the restaurant area down the back that has some great red leatherette lounges. Hell, if this were my local my cat would barely ever see me.

The Carrington, 538 Bourke Street, Surry Hills. See The Carrington website

View Larger Map

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Carrington?

Related posts:

1. Bodega – Surry Hills
2. Cru54 – Surry Hills
3. Porteno / Gardel’s Bar – Surry Hills

If you somehow mashed The Ivy and the Metro Theatre together then you might end up with something like Upstairs Beresford, Justin Hemme’s new music venue above the Beresford bar (you can find out about upcoming performances at the Upstairs Beresford website). On one hand it’s a surprisingly large space with a big stage and moshpit/dance floor but, instead of having tiers of fold-up seats, there’s tables and chairs that give it an almost retro supper-club feel. It’s an attractive venue and the acoustics are good – but a music venue’s chemistry is so delicate (some of my most memorable live music moments have come from dingy, nasty dives) that I’d want to come back a few more times before I give a firm verdict.

As such, I’d rather focus on the food and cocktails in the downstairs bar – especially since the pork belly I order here is the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve probably said that about pork belly before, but I do love my non-kosher delights).

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The main attraction – aside from the pork belly – is the 1920s-style circular wooden bar counter made from Tasmanian oak. I have a fetish for curvaceous bar counters and this is a beauty, complete with leather stools you can perch on (see the photo below). The crowd here is a little too glam for my tastes – I always feel more comfortable in The Flinders just a few minutes away – but the bar’s art deco curves and tiled walls go a long way to making up for it. The fact that a Bangles song is playing while I’m here (and that I’m daggy enough to still be obsessed with Susanna Hoffs) also helps.

I’m not as impressed with the cocktails, however, although the Amazonian Croatian who comes with me is. She orders the Summertime, a cocktail that isn’t on the list but is almost identical to one, called Dunkin for Apples, that is. It’s made with gin, cloudy apple juice, St Germain liqueur and cucumber (and if it had lime then it would be a Dunkin for Apples) and is served in a tall glass. This green concoction pleases the Amazonian, who I suspect has fallen for the bartender (they seem to have bonded while I was wrestling with the bar’s ATM), but to me this botanical cocktail tastes like a garden rather than a real drink.

I sneer in disgust at the both of them as I order a negroni, only to have the bartender ask me what’s in it. This is not a good sign – it’s a stock standard classic made with gin, sweet vermouth and Campari – but the Amazonian makes an excuse about how the bartender is so knowledgeable about classic drinks that he must simply have been checking to make sure I didn’t want a variation.

I sneer again.

Having said that, the negroni he makes is good – although I’d argue it doesn’t have as much of a citrus aroma as I’d have liked (did he rub the glass with the peel? Did he squeeze the peel’s oil into the drink? I should have been watching him like a hawk, but I was too busy sneering).

And on that note we retire to the back room where we have some wine (the Mount Langi Billi Billi shiraz, which is good), a prosciutto pizza (which is great) and the aforementioned pork belly, which is good enough to make up for a dozen garden-tasting cocktails. The skin is crisp, the flesh succulent and the fat nicely rendered.

And on the note of rendering fat, I think I’ll stop my review here. If you have any thoughts on fat, rendered or otherwise, or on the Beresford for that matter, then feel free to leave a comment below.
The Beresford, 354 Bourke St, Surry Hills (across from the St. Margaret’s complex). Phone 02 9357 1111, or see the Beresford bar website. Open everyday from midday to 1am.

View Larger Map

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Beresford?

Related posts:

1. Fico wine bar – Surry Hills
2. Foveaux Restaurant + Bar – Surry Hills
3. 121BC – Surry Hills

Even though Heavy Feather, Oxford Street’s latest small bar, is just a few doors away from Ching-a-lings and occupies a similar space in terms of layout, they’re worlds apart in terms of décor and feel.

Whereas Ching-a-lings feels like a seedy above-ground dungeon – and I actually mean that in a flattering way (then again, The Addams Family was my favourite childhood show) – Heavy Feather is … actually, I don’t know how to describe it in just a few words.

To start with, there’s a giant painting of a predatory canary dominating one wall. It might not sound like a great idea but oddly enough, it looks good. The pressed metal bar counter has a fish scale design, there are ferns, the occasional art deco lamp, and leather sofas and chairs – this is a place to sit and chat with friends rather than mingle. There’s also a surprisingly large outdoor area.

For the most part I like it, right down to the somewhat unusual prog rock music playing on the sound system (they’ll apparently have live music playing here in the future) and the service is welcoming.

I do, however, think their cocktails need fine tuning. I order the Bitter Sweet ($15), a pink drink served in a tall glass and which Heavy Feather refers to as a revamped Tom Collins. It’s made with gin, Campari, raspberries and soda water but unfortunately the soda water dominates the flavour – if it was served short with less soda I’m sure it would be much better.

I’m with the Amazonian Croatian, who’s melancholic enough to order the Sweet Sorrow, made with whisky, honey, pineapple, lemon juice and is served with cracked pepper sprinkled on top of egg white foam. However, the lemon’s sourness dominates the drink – just a bit less lemon (and perhaps a bit more whisky) and this could have been grand. However, the Croatian loves the cracked pepper on the foam and, in the bar’s defence, there is a couple sitting near us who openly proclaim how much they like their cocktails when the Croatian asks their opinion (why the Croatian talks to strangers is a mystery to me, but that’s just her way). If I were to come back here, though – and I would like to – I’d probably try the sangria carafes instead.

Next time I’m here I’ll also try the food, such as the smoked chilli bowl, grilled pork belly and buffalo chicken wings – all of which are reasonably priced (ie $10 for the chilli bowl).

In short, Heavy Feather is a welcome addition to Oxford Street. It’s dark, candle-lit, intimate and friendly – provided you don’t have a fear of angry birds.

Heavy Feather, Level 1, 137 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. Open every day.

View Larger Map
Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Heavy Feather?

Related posts:

1. Ching-a-lings – Darlinghurst
2. Name This Bar – Darlinghurst
3. Hunky Dory Social Club – Darlinghurst