The Sangria Bar

It’s probably no surprise that I’m a huge fan of sangria. It combines some of the best things there are – wine, fruit and spices. Mmm. I was pretty excited to discover that Olé has a sangria bar attached to it when we were in Brisbane, and (even better), was within walking distance to our hotel. One thing I particularly liked about the Sangria Bar, which is something not common in Canberra, is that it’s an open shop front, with seats spilling out onto the pavement so you can sit and people watch. We ordered a couple of jugs of the ‘tinto’ – red wine with fresh apple, orange, and pineapple juice. The jug was reasonably sized, and the wine was good quality, matching the sweet fruit perfectly. Whilst we were there quite late on a Saturday night, it wasn’t too busy, and the music was pitched at just the right volume so we could still hear one another easily over the long table. Those who didn’t want sangria could easily get beer and in the end it was a really great night out. Definitely recommended as a chilled out venue for a late one.

The Sangria Bar, Shop B13/14 Grey Street, South Bank QLD  http://www.olerestaurant.com.au/sangria-bar-about-us/

Hippo Co

I don’t often go out for drinks, but on this occassion a few of us wanted to keep the party going after attending our friend’s wedding. We were quite dressed up, so decided to head into town and try the cocktails at Hippo. The bartender explained that they’re usually more of a ‘winter bar’, but throughout our time there, plenty of groups arrived and settled in for the evening. The cocktail menu had a number of options that ticked boxes for me – I prefer a gin base, and so went with the ‘Charlie Chaplin’, which, according to the bartender, pre-dates the Cosmopolitan and is a better cocktail. I’d have to agree. He carefully constructed the drink, including squeezing fresh lime into the mix of sloe gin and apricot brandy, having rubbed the skin across the outer rim of the glass, which resembled the 1920s-style champagne glasses.  The cocktail itself was lovely and light, with a complex flavour that ended with an overtone of lime. I happily nursed mine, but felt that it did taste better initially when it was colder than later in the evening. I could have easily sipped several – I will be back soon to do just that!

Hippo Co, 7 Garema Place, Canberra ACT,                            http://hippoco.com.au/

Long Bar

After a very filling high tea, we decided we couldn’t visit Raffles and not go up to the Long Bar, home of the Singapore Sling. A friend who’d studied in Singapore had recommended going if only for the novelty of the peanuts. The peanuts? Yep, it’s all about the peanuts. At every table there’s a big wooden box full of peanuts still in their shells, and the Long Bar allows you to experience the imperiousness of the colonial days, when servants would pick up the shells that the British cast on the floor. That’s right, you can, and indeed are expected to, throw your peanut shells on the floor for someone else to clean up afterwards. It’s actually pretty fun. You are also fanned by the modern equivalent of slaves with palm fronds – mechanised palm fans on the ceiling. The Singapore Sling itself is the other draw card, having been famously invented here. I’d never had one before, so it seemed like a good place to start. In the tropical temperatures, the sweet and fruity drink was refreshing and didn’t taste overly alcoholic, which could be dangerous, but was simply delicious.

Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road Singapore                http://www.raffles.com/singapore/dining/long-bar/

Romeo Lane

I came across Romeo Lane wandering the side streets off Little Bourke Street and am so glad that I did. I fell completely in love with this gem of a bar, from its stained glass lamp to its old-fashioned napkins. I was welcomed on arrival and brought a glass of water in a heavy crystal glass to the seat I’d chosen in the window overlooking the laneway. The cocktail list is simple but sophisticated, and I picked the White Light with champagne, sherry and peach. I was a bit peckish and ordered a serve of the duck and sherry pate as well. My cocktail came out first, served on a delicate silver dish, and brimming with bubbles. The drink was well-balanced, with sweetness from the peach and a rounded richness from the two alcohols. It was a pleasure to savour, and was obviously made by a practiced hand. Their cocktail menu changes monthly, so get in quick to try this one! The pate was equally superb, served with crispy lavosh strands, raisins, tiny citrus wedges and shiso. The log of pate was smooth, rich and beautifully flavoured, and the accompaniments only enhanced the elegant flavors. Romeo Lane is a class act very much worth visiting.

Romeo Lane, 1a Crossley Street, Melbourne VIC                 http://www.romeolane.com.au

Mint

There’s really nothing like sitting in a garden bar on a summer night, especially when you’ve managed to escape work early! We headed over to Mint at about 4:30pm on a weekday for a friend’s farewell, and arrived to an empty bar, giving us a monopoly on service and our pick of the tables. I ordered a Hendrick’s and tonic, which was poured into a long glass with great care and served with a wedge of cucumber. Unfortunately, the tonic tasted a bit watered-down, but the measure of gin was full and the service friendly. After lounging around for a couple of hours, we got peckish, so ordered a plate of hot wings and the pepperoni pizza. They came out promptly, and in serves of 6 (6 wings, 6 slices of pizza). The wings were quite salty but the dipping sauce was delicious and there was quite a bit of meat on each one. The pizza was the highlight though, with a perfectly thin, crispy base and minimal but tasty toppings in true Italian style: rich tomato, completely melted cheese and spicy pepperoni. I’ll be back to try their other pizzas and chill out in the leafy green space.

Mint Garden Bar, Gorman House Arts Centre, Batman Street, Braddon ACT http://www.sagerestaurant.net.au/mint-garden-bar/

Molly

There’s a real sense of adventure arriving at Molly, Canberra’s own speakeasy. I’d agreed to meet my friend there on a Friday after work as we’d both heard good things but never been. When you do a google search, all that comes up are co-ordinates to put into your GPS. It’s like going on a treasure hunt, except you find a big wooden door instead of an ‘x’ to mark the spot. The temperature drops going down the stairs, but you emerge into a gem of a bar. The tables are close and cozy, the bar is the only well-lit section and there’s a charcutrie for high-end snacks in the back corner. The vibe fantastic – the low lighting and small space does make you feel like you’re back in the prohibition era, and the fitout is fashionable without being cold. I ordered a mint julep and a toastie to snack on. The drink was small but packed a punch – garnished with fresh mint and well-crushed ice, the amount of bourbon in there isn’t for the faint-hearted. The toastie was more of a gourmet sandwich made to perfection with jamon and pickles amid the oozy cheese. Highly recommended for a classy night out.

Molly, undisclosed address, Hobart Place, Civic ACT                     http://www.molly.net.au

Mikla

Thank you, thank you, thank you Lonely Planet. This is in contention for the best bar I have ever been to. On a balmy summer evening, emerging onto the 17th storey rooftop and being met with 360 degree views of the city was breathtaking. So too was the line up at the bar – there is no cocktail or spirits menu, the bartender comes over to your seat and just asks what you feel like. I was definitely in the mood for a mojito, but I imagine that if you didn’t know what you wanted, they would happily guide you in the right direction. Having said that, the wine list was actually a book – there was more choice than I’ve ever seen anywhere! My mojito was well-balanced and utterly refreshing. I was given a small dish of warm, spiced almonds to snack on while I waited, although I spent more time taking photos and admiring the skyline of Istanbul. When an accoustic version of Swedish House Mafia’s ‘Don’t You Worry Child’ came on, I turned to my left and saw the man sitting there propose to his girlfriend – I couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to become engaged.

Mikla bar, Cafe Marmara Pera, Meşrutiyet Cd No:1, 34430 Beyoğlu, Turkey http://www.miklarestaurant.com/en/mikla-restaurant/bar