Corridor – Newtown
It’s finally happened: a new bar has opened in Newtown that I can actually recommend. Called Corridor, it’s located just a few doors down from Madame Fling Flong (one of the few other bars in the area that I genuinely like) and with its candles, chesterfield sofas, wooden floorboards and original artworks on the wall, I suspect Corridor will give Madame Fling Flong a run for its money.
It’s a Saturday night and I’m here with the Boxing Belle, a friend whose fists are as deadly as her looks. The bar is right near the street entrance and when we see fresh mint leaves and limes on the counter we decide to order mojitos from a statuesque blonde who turns out to be the owner. The owner makes the mojitos exactly the way I like them: the limes are muddled thoroughly and are served in short glasses, so the rum isn’t diluted by soda water. At $13 each, they’re also good value for money.
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?
(28 votes, average: 4.25 out of 5)
Loading ...
Corridor, 153a King Street, Newtown. Open every day. See the Corridor Facebook page for more information.
Related posts:
This bar is by far the hottest new thing in newtown. Great atmosphere and friendly staff make every outing worth while. With a great mix of new beers and tasty cocktails I just can’t seem to stay away.
Ive been to the corridor a number of times, the chef is great and the food is beautiful. along with great staff and very reasonable drinks. Very good outdoor deck upstairs which makes for the perfect place to meet with friends. check it out
Corridor is awesome, just what newtown needed! the staff are amazing and very attentive and the food is delish, you cant go past the mezze plate.
The interiors are amazing…burlesque themes mixed with local newtown art. Very, very cool. Highly recommend you check it out!
Yep, I agree with what the other posts have said. Very nice looking bar, Cool staff, nice relaxed vibe and the food is excellent. Also the morning the deck is a pretty nice place to be, it’s sunny, comfortable and I could spend a while up there. Mixed drinks are $6.50 as well which is pretty good for that part of town.
They are new, but seriously…. I went to a function there recently and they had double booked us so we got stuck out in the rain – instead of the cosy function room upstairs where we were suppose to be. They just seem too relaxed to care. I understand it is newtown, but hey there is a general benchmark of hospitality in Sydney that should be preserved. Also since when has a handheld meat chop (no napkins) been finger food served at a function!
The whole place had a choppy haze (clearly wafted up from the kitchen) from cooking more than 4 dozen chops at a time.
Needless to say I also needed to wash the smell out of my hair when I got home.
Why would you be complaining when your function got to eat all the chops. I was in the function inside and strangely enough the non caring staff spent thier whole time running around after your function trying to make it work for you. That doesn’t sound like its a venue that isn’t living up to the “high standards” of Sydney’s hospitality industry. I personally haven’t been to a bar where i can receive a smile from behind the bar every time I walk in. Enjoy the smell of meat, your party reaped the rewards of the four dozen chops.
OMG. So excited. We Newtownians desperately need a new watering hole – cannot believe I haven’t spotted this place yet!
Thanks for the heads up. Will go toss a few cocktails down my neck and report back :)
reality chick: please do report back – I always like to hear my readers’ thoughts on bars!
okaaay… tried this on Friday night. It was rammed, seriously so much so that we decamped to the Marlborough (I know, how sad).
I think it’s cute as a button and the staff were really friendly; will definitely go back and try and food and cocktails – but maybe on a school night.
Does anyone remember when Fling Flongs opened? Locals were so starved for a cute bar they practically set up camp on those nanna lounges and didn’t move for months. So I look forward to the novelty factor fading on Corridor a bit so I can go there and enjoy myself without feeling like a sardine :)
[...] a success of the former site of Sabor de Espana, Newtown’s short lived tapas bar. Early indications are that it will be a success. A fair bit of effort has gone into the renovation, although the [...]
[...] like to share. But if you’re looking to get them trashed, maybe head down King Street for mojitos at Corridor. [...]