Call me simple, call me alcoholic, but when I walked past the Flying Fajita Sistas, a Mexican restaurant in Glebe, the other week and saw over 25 tequilas and 17 Mexican-inspired cocktails on the menu I knew I had to go there. The fact they serve food, I reasoned, could only be a bonus.

I turn up the following Thursday evening with the Amazonian Croatian at 6.30pm (she likes to have her margaritas immediately after work) and I order The Sistas, which is really just a standard margarita made with XXX tequila, triple sec and lime juice, while the Croatian goes for the El Diablorita margarita (XXX tequila, Cassis and lime juice).

XXX isn’t exactly a top-shelf tequila but it works well in margaritas as The Sistas proves (incidentally, a bartender I know has a theory that standard tequilas work well in margaritas because of their robust flavour, whereas top shelf tequilas are meant for sipping straight).

The El Diablorita isn’t as good as The Sistas – it’s not bad, but I just don’t think cassis mixes as well with tequila as triple sec or Cointreau does.

For the sake of responsibility the Croatian and I also order some food. I try the chicken fajitas, which are great: smoky, charred and almost perfect and the Croatian gets the tamales. This is a traditional South American meal made from masa (a corn-based dough) that’s cooked within a leaf wrapper and with an extra filling of chicken with mole rojo (a spicy sauce with chilli and a touch of chocolate). The tamales are good for what they are but I keep catching the Croatian eyeing off my fajitas with envy.

I try to appease her by ordering her The Classic, which is what the Flying Fajita Sistas call their top-shelf margarita made with 1800 blanco tequila. At $16.50 it’s four dollars more than The Sistas and, while it’s nice, neither of us can really say it’s better than the cheaper cocktail.

What I do like about the Flying Fajita Sistas is that they serve sangrita with their top-shelf tequilas. Sangrita (not to be confused with sangria) is a traditional Mexican chaser that’s meant to be drunk with tequila. There is no definitive sangrita recipe, at least as far as I can tell, but it’s usually made from orange juice and chilli with maybe some lime juice and some pomegranate-based grenadine (and not the cordial you buy from your local liquor store) – although some also add tomato to the mix. The sangrita at Flying Fajita Sistas seems to have a lot of tomato in it, perhaps too much – but I’m still impressed they have sangrita at all.

We order two tequila shots: the Trago Reposado and the Silver Patron, and I find myself preferring the Trago whereas the Croatian swears by the Patron (incidentally, “reposado” means that a tequila has been aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two months, usually more). Each of our tequilas have different flavours but both are a world away from the cheap tequila shots of my youth (or of last Friday) in terms of smoothness and quality.

The atmosphere in Flying Fajita Sistas matches the restaurant’s name in that it’s more fun than sophisticated. There are retro Mexican posters and drink trays on the walls, which are painted in pastel colours; quiet Mexican music plays in the background and there’s a tall hot sauce rack that’s called the Wall of Pain. Yet for all the kitsch, the food and tequila here are seriously worth checking out – even though I would like to see less tomato (and more chilli) in their sangrita.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Flying Fajita Sistas ?
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Flying Fajita Sistas, 65 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe. Phone 9552 6522 or see the Flying Fajita Sistas website
Open 7 days 6pm until late.

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The first time I come here it’s with a small group of people and three things stood out:

1) The saffron icecream that could have come from an episode of Iron Chef in terms of highlighting its signature ingredient (it was gorgeous)
2) The plates made from a local potter that look like they came from The Flintstones
3) The Ataahua Hybrid cocktail

The Ataahua Hybrid is made from kiwi vodka, lychee liqueur, Cointreau, apple and kiwifruit and is a fruity cocktail where the kiwifruit flavour is dominant. In other words, it tastes more tiki than girlie (at least, that’s what I tell myself to assuage my masculine view of myself) and I find myself liking it.

I come back the following week with the Amazonian Croatian, who immediately orders the Espresso Martini, which is made from vodka, white cacao, Tuaca (a white vanilla liqueur from Italy) and espresso. Yet again, this doesn’t sound appealing to me – I’ve never understood the craze to put caffeine in alcohol – but it floats the Croatian’s boat big time and I have to grudgingly admit it does work well, largely due to the Tuaca and the quality of the coffee (the bartender tells us Rosebud uses its own blend of coffee beans).

We also order the signature cocktail, The Rosebud, made from vodka, pomegranate liqueur, Cointreau, cranberry and rose water, with a rose petal floating on top (when you finish the cocktail, it is nice to see the petal still lying in the glass).

This is less sweet than it sounds and the Croatian loves it, saying that in the realm of girlie drinks this is definitely a winner. I grumble about how cocktails should be manly and taste like liquor but she tells me to be quiet and I know better than to argue.

Then again, the sweet nature of the drinks here could also be due to Rosebud’s Moorish influence – another bar/restaurant with middle eastern flavours, Almond Bar, also has cocktails that are primarily sweet.

Food wise, the Croatian and I both agree that our goats cheese-filled zucchini flowers with tomato and cardamom chutney are beautiful (I strongly recommend this), while the parmesan-crusted quail is great.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Rosebud’s wine list, which has one of my favourite drops, the Cargo Road Zinfandel, on it. Most of the wines are Australian (although there’s a $95 bottle of Domaine Duroche Le Jeunes Rois from Burgundy) and start from $41 a bottle, although some are available by the glass from $8.50 (the cocktails, incidentally, all cost $15 each).

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Rosebud?
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Rosebud, 654 Darling Street, Rozelle (corner of National Street, opposite the church where they have the markets on the weekend). Phone 9555 8999 or see the Rosebud website

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They also have a good wine list, as I find out when I go on on a Thursday night with the Amazonian Croatian. The Croatian orders the Chasing Clouds cab sav from Orange, which has a strong earthy smell and a beautifully rich and smooth flavour, while I try a Kiwi pinot noir called Lobster Reef.

I love Kiwi wines but I still prefer The Chasing Clouds out of the two, as does the Croatian. The Lobster Reef is still a decent pinot noir with a sweet berry aroma but I find myself liking the aroma more than the taste.

I also prefer the Climbing merlot – also from Orange – that I order afterward, thanks to its richness. In fact, I’m beginning to think it might be time for me to head up to Orange to check out their wineries. But I digress – back to Pyrmont.

The food in Gallon ranges from pizzas to small tapas-sized portions they call “Pieces”. The pizzas look good but we opt for the pork and veal meatballs, haloumi, as well as a half ball of bocconcini.

The hero dish is certainly the meatballs, which comes with a nice thick tomato-based sauce and fresh bread. The surprise meal is the haloumi, which comes with watermelon that’s been sprinkled with balsamic. The combination works well, although I could do without the lettuce strips on the plate that don’t do anything for me.

As for the bocconcini with crisp bread – well … it’s good bocconcini and the lemon juice works well with it but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wish I’d ordered a pizza instead.

My only real complaint with this bar, however, is the odd choice of dance music. The Croatian says it belongs in a Baltic discothèque and while my knowledge of Baltic nightlife is thin on the ground, it certainly doesn’t belong here. The crowd, which is mainly a well-to-do after-work type, certainly don’t seem to be bopping along to it. I suspect any other form of music – jazz, indie, soul, Tibetan cow bells – you name it – would work better with the bar’s atmosphere.

However, Gallon’s great décor and architecture (I love the arch in the middle of the room and the high ceilings) and the friendly service make up for this. If you live or work near Pyrmont there’s no excuse not to come here.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Gallon?
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Gallon, 117 Harris Street, Pyrmont. Phone 0402 799 557.

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They’ve got a house cat that sometimes acts like a hussy by jumping onto your lap, a fireplace and pool tables (and why have so many pubs gotten rid of their tables?) – but the real reason we go is because of the outdoor barbecue.

For just $15 (at least on Mondays and Tuesdays) you can get two steaks and barbecue them yourself on the outside grill. Call me cheap but that appeals to me.

The steaks vary in size – the last time I went, a friend of the Amazonian scored a thick juicy scotch while my scotch was a pitiful looking thing (and I really don’t think the Amazonian’s friend needed to gloat about it) – but at $7.50 each (as well as a potato and salad) it’s such good value that it seems petty to complain. Not that that’s ever stopped me before.

They also have sausages, prawn skewers and fish parcels, although neither the Croatian nor I liked the fish when we tried it (we couldn’t decide whether we didn’t like the type of fish itself or the marinade it was in). In other words, we’re sticking with steak from now on.

There’s also a jukebox with a daggy selection of 80s music (which I find inexplicably improves my pool playing abilities) and a nude painting on the wall that … well, I’m not sure how to describe that.

Unlike most of the places Bar Zine reviews, this isn’t exactly a temple of brilliant cocktails, wine or haute cuisine – but sometimes, in the middle of the week, it’s nice to tone things down in a place where no-one’s going to judge you on what you’re wearing (which might explain the proliferation of trackies I usually see there).

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Newington Inn?
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Newington Inn Hotel, 292 – 294 Stanmore Road, Petersham. Phone 9568 3703.

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The friendly service here, however, seems genuine – as soon as I walk in the waitress smiles at me and exchanges small talk as I grab a seat at the front, order a Moscow Mule and wait for some friends (including Dot and her fiancé, The Man from Tamworth) to arrive.

They do so at the same time as my drink, which is good: in addition to being made with the usual vodka and ginger beer it has fresh ginger and muddled lime in it to give enough freshness and kick to make it live up to its name. However, as Dot points out, they really should have called it the Moscow Moose.

The décor here is funky in a Newtown way: there’s red wallpaper and black tiles against one wall and, considering it’s Saturday night, the overall atmosphere is relaxed and easy going, with the other seats filled with locals quietly chatting.

Dot orders a margarita that she’s happy with although, while it’s certainly decent, it doesn’t wow me when I sneak a taste. However, the lychee caipiroska that the Man from Tamworth’s friend orders is great (even though I usually prefer my drinks lychee free). I also try the French martini (vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice) while Dot grabs the Angel Street, made with Havana Club rum, maraschino liqueur, pink grapefruit juice, lime juice, sugar syrup and passionfruit. This time Dot has gotten the winner: the Angel Street is strong, flavourful and fruity without being too sweet whereas my French martini is serviceable but nothing more.

French martinis and margaritas aside, The Moose is a great addition to the area. With Bloodwood also up the road it’s good to see that south Newtown, which for so long has been devoid of any decent cocktail option, is starting to pick up.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Moose?
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The Moose, 530 King Street, Newtown. Phone 9557 0072 or see The Moose website

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Closed for a short while in 2008 (and with a colourful history before that – at one stage it was even run by Dawn Fraser), the Riverview was then renovated and, on the inside, has a slick modern feel. The floorboards are freshly polished, there’s a large wall-sized glass showcase filled with wines, and chalkboards are propped up in various places advertising tapas, pizzas, gastro-pub-style food and various wines.

It’s a Friday night and the ground floor bar is packed with a mixed crowd, from an old timer sipping a beer near the door to groups of young women and suits who have loosened their ties and discarded their jackets. There’s a private function cordoned off in one area under bright red lamps, all the stools outside the curved wooden bar counter are taken and a banquette on another side is filled with footy-playing types in polo shirts drinking schooners near an old photo of steamships.

I’m here with two glamazons who decide to sample a range of tapas, so I of course go along with this (it’s never wise to argue with glamazons). We try the jamon-wrapped peaches (jamon being like a Spanish prosciutto), Salamanca salami (which is delicious and made with smoked paprika), garlic prawns with chorizo as well as a pork belly pizza that’s my favourite meal here thanks to the decadently gooey mozzarella and the sweetness of the pork. If I were to come back, I’d definitely go for the pizza again.

This isn’t a cocktail type place: instead, the large wine selection is the main attraction although they do have some nice beers on tap, including White Rabbit, as well as friendly staff to serve it. In short, this is certainly one of the better pubs in Balmain – and considering how many pubs there are in this suburb, that’s saying something.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate The Riverview?
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Riverview Hotel, 29 Birchgrove Road, Balmain. See the Riverview Hotel website or phone 9810 1151

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Run by three chefs who used to work at the esteemed Claude’s in Paddington, the ethos here is to serve food at a high level yet not be pretentious – for example, you can get chips but they’ll be made from polenta, be decadently rich and creamy in texture and served with gorgonzola sauce.

Normally Bar Zine leaves restaurants alone but Bloodwood not only has a decently-sized cocktail bar near its kitchen but also an atmosphere that feels, at least when you first enter the premises, more like a bar’s (although Bloodwood does increasingly feel more like a restaurant as you enter deeper into it). Up front there are cosy little tables and benches where people sip drinks and eat food, downstairs there’s a function area and out the back you have a more traditional dining area, albeit with a Newtown twist (such as the old doors that are bolted onto the ceiling for decoration).

I’ve now been to Bloodwood twice, once in the function area for a birthday party where we tried most of the cocktails and food, and on a second time with the Gay Wingman.

The menu is eclectic to say the least. In fact, it almost looks like a specials menu rather than the standard one. This isn’t the place to get a prime fillet – rather, the menu has items such as chicken liver parfait, kibbeh (which are a bit like Lebanese meatballs), baked mushrooms, baked kingfish and a grilled cuttlefish salad. The two meals that for me were outstanding were the fried bean curd roll (crab, pork and shitake mushroom rolled in bean curd skin), which was bordering on sublime, as well as the duck sausage, which was also served with crispy-skinned pieces of duck breast that just melted in the mouth.

Then you have the cocktails, which I have mixed feelings about. For the most part they were good – some were very good – but when you have food of such a high standard it’s hard not to apply the same criteria to the drinks.

For example, I like the negroni (Bombay Sapphire gin, Campari and sweet vermouth) and am impressed that it’s on the menu – after all, it’s a great classic that also stimulates the palate. The one Bloodwood made was certainly nice but it didn’t quite have as much of an aromatic citrus punch to it that it ought to (I wonder if the bartender rubbed the rim of the glass with an orange peel before serving, or twisted some of the oil from the peel into the drink?).

The Long Island iced tea is another interesting case. On one hand, I detest Long Island iced teas with a passion. Traditionally they’re an abominable combination of white spirits (usually four or five) that are then mixed with Coke to hide the flavour of such an unholy mix and drunk by meatheads who just want to get smashed as quickly as possible when bourbon and coke alone won’t do.

However, one of my friends insists the Bloodwood version (vodka, gin, rum, tequila and Cointreau topped with organic earl grey tea syrup) is fantastic and when I have a taste I have to admit it is pretty good. I still don’t like the idea of mixing all those spirits together, but they did make this monstrous cocktail work surprisingly well.

The caipirinha didn’t have as much muddled lime as it should (and it’s the muddled lime that makes a caipirinha great, since it compensates for the harsh flavours of the cachaca sugar-cane spirit it’s made from) but it was nevertheless nice, and while I don’t like their mojito (made more in the Cuban style without muddled lime and with soda water) I know someone else who had it before and likes it.

One drink I didn’t have but wish I had is their Bloody Mary, which I’ve only heard rave reports about. Furthermore, cocktails aside, Bloodwood also has a strong beer and wine list (I saw a number of people indulge in that old Newtown favourite, a Coopers long neck, the two times I was here).

Cocktail quibbles aside, I genuinely love Bloodwood for its atmosphere, amazing food and good cocktails. Newtown sorely needed a bar and restaurant like this.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate this bar?
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Bloodwood, 416 King Street, Newtown. Open everyday except Tuesday. See the Bloodwood website or phone 9557 7699 for more details.

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However, you don’t go to The Clare for the service. Instead, the attraction lies it being one of the few Sydney bars that plays cool indie and rock music, has old retro sofas and armchairs, artworks (some of which are actually decent) on the walls, a pinball and Street Fighter machine, a pool table, gig posters lining the bar counter, and an overall vibe that is dim and cool and bohemian in an art student/I-don’t-give-a-crap kind of way that just shies short of pretension. In other words, instead of being shiny and new and sterile, this has a comfortable, lived-in feel about it.

Smokers can retire to the graffiti-strewn back alley (complete with beer kegs that serve as seats), and other features of interest include an old-fashioned (and broken) weighing machine lurking near the antiquated men’s bathroom, a pokie room that’s largely out of sight and out of mind for most punters, as well as some art deco features from the pub’s past (this is especially noticeable with the ceiling: if you look up, you’ll see the oval arc in the middle of the room that indicates the pub used to have one of those great curved middle bars designed for the six o’clock swill).

As for the sustenance on offer: well, I’d suggest sticking to the beers (a decent range is on tap) and spirits, and the food options are limited to pies as well as a vending machine with crisps and chocolate.

The Clare might not win any design or cocktail awards but if you just want a casual place to hang out and don’t care if the sofas lack adequate ergonomic back support, this might be the pub for you.

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The Clare, 20 Broadway, Ultimo (opposite UTS). Phone 9211 2839.

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We head upstairs where there’s an outside deck with a few flowers and wooden paneling – as far as smoking areas go, it’s better than average – but it’s the top level that makes this bar interesting to me. With the aforementioned chesterfields (to me, a couple of chesterfields help make a bar), fireplace and the odd piece of art, this is a great alternative to the usual Newtown haunts.

We find ourselves sitting near a couple who volunteer that the scampi here is excellent, but we opt for the mezze plate, which has artichokes, marinated mushrooms, stuffed tomatoes, chorizo and dips. I’m not a huge fan of antipasto – I order it because I don’t want to get hit by the Boxing Belle, who insists – but the dips are great.

We then order a round of gin martinis, which would be well made if they were served chilled rather than just cold (this might make me sound like a snob, but a martini has to be chilled to taste good).

Martinis aside, however, this is still my favourite new bar in Newtown. The service is fantastic, they have a great range of bottled beers (including Fat Yak and Little Creatures) and the music (which ranges from hip hop to brit pop while I’m there) adds to the atmosphere without being too loud. Talking of music, a band called Experiment Street plays a blend of jazz, funk and groove music live at Corridor on Tuesday evenings from 7 – 10pm that, judging from the music on their website, is pretty good.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate Corridor?
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Corridor, 153a King Street, Newtown. Open every day. See the Corridor Facebook page for more information.

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When we pitch up on a sunny weekday afternoon the place is – if you’ll excuse the pun – buzzing. And that’s what you notice most about the place, as it is now always rammed with animated punters telling stories at the bi-fold windows, spilling out onto the footpath tables or fronting up to the small bar, made of recycled timber, to listen to the relaxing tunes.

Often it can seem like a spontaneous house party, be it the regular Wednesday night DIY vinyl club that makes use of the house decks or a one-off Octoberfest with one-litre steins and oompah music.

While the previous bars worried more about look than feel, Hive has taken a relaxed but contemporary approach to its decor. Furniture is mostly recycled and of the mix-and-match variety allowing you to create your own space depending on the size of your party. It is all set off with casually graffitied walls, local art installations, simple paper lanterns and a bar area where metallic alien figurines jostle for space with bottles of tequila.

The latter is put to excellent use in quite simply one of the best margaritas this side of the city ($12). My companion, on the other hand, heads for the spring martini ($12). It may be a month late (the summer martini is yet to materialise) but its mix of cucumber and mint muddled with gin and a splash of apple juice proves to be a cocktail for all seasons.

For nibbling at the bar I recommend a handful of the fiery chilli nuts, chilli almonds or wasabi peas (all $2), but we are after more substantial fare.

My companion opts for the very popular pizza and drink deal for a reasonable $12 and it doesn’t disappoint. The chorizo pizza has a crisp yet slightly doughy base and is topped with capsicum, Spanish onion and rocket, which my companion teams with a punchy glass of house red.

We add in a mix of share plates: plump triangles of samosa ($7) with just enough bite to hold their own against the chorizo; menu standard salt and pepper squid ($9), which comes out tender and perfectly spiced; and a plate of “good old hot chips”, crisp on the outside and pillow-soft in the centre.

I shift to beer in order to try the E’ville pilsner, a concoction that is specially brewed for the bar by the neighbouring St Peters brewery. It is a little too sweet to stay on all night, but is yet another welcome nod to the local community. There is also Blonde, Scharers Lager and St Arnou Pale Ale on tap (schooners $4.70/pints $6.80) and an eclectic selection of boutique bottled brews. There is also a focus on sustainability at the bar from waste and recycling through to an emphasis on sustainable and organic produce. But the one thing that Hive seems sure to sustain is its popularity among Erskineville’s drinking set.

Now it’s your turn – how do you rate this bar?
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Hive bar, 93 Erskineville Road, Erskineville. Phone 9519 9911 or see the Hive bar website

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