Mystery bar!
In another of this shamelessly unoriginal series, I've just been stuffing my abdomen with seriously good snacking and some tasty cocktails at this brazenly Europhile little place.
The wine list is designed to tempt you out of your vinous rut, since while each section is "inspired" by a style or varietal, it branches out from there into less obvious wines. For instance, the "Riesling" section also lists Grüner Veltliner and that unusual Moscatel/Gewürtztraminer concoction known as Viña Esmeralda. The cocktail list is extensive and inventive, including such delights as the "Spanish Inquisition": raspberry, cinnamon, amaro and Amontillado (I never expected that).
But it's the food that really stands out. You can have a full meal, but the concept is really a sort of pan-Mediterranean tapas, with moreish and occasionally Moorish morsels that include skordalia with Catalan "chastity bread", truffled Jerusalem artichokes, pistachio couscous and Ouzo-flamed saganaki. Combine that with pleasantly Old World décor, reasonable prices and some serious eye-candy among the waiting staff, and you've got a recipe for more than one happy barfly.
how pretentious wank
I see you're a new reader, or you would have cottoned on sooner that everything on this site is pretentious wank. In fact, we're considering that for our new slogan. Maybe we'll get some javascript and rotate it with "all about Wellington".
How is it "pretentious" and not "fun"?
Pretentious would be assuming that we're not having fun*.
*and possibly at your expense
Pretense would imply that we're pretending to be something we're not; for instanace, pretending that we prefer cocktails and good food to Tui & soggy chips. And funnily enough, we do actually like tasty drinks, great decor and good service.
And we are hip and groovy: thank you for noticing.
"The cocktail list is extensive and inventive"
I have to say I read that as "expensive and intensive" first time around.
Was it very busy?
I cant figure out where it is!
Please tell?
I'd say you'd be wanting to head to Jackson St in Petone to sample this place.It also has a primo sherry selection
Sheeit, what is it with these anonymous commentors with the chips on their shoulder?
Miki: I'm pretty sure it's not in Petone; in fact I think I saw it when I went to the Marion Street post office this morning!
Sheeit, what is it with these anonymous commentors with the chips on their shoulder?
Just jealous that they haven't been there yet.
Maybe the pretentious wankery accusation is not to do with preferring cocktails to Tuis but about smug, hipper-than-thou boasting by a small group congratulating itself on having found the coolest new bar before despoilation by the masses.
coolest new bar before despoilation by the masses
Your phrase, not ours. Your insecurities, not ours. Stop projecting and get over yourself.
But we'd lose our status as the Trendy Urban Class* if we weren't "smug and hipper-than-thou". On the other hand, we're always happy for someone to prove themselves even hipper than us by saying, "Oh that's easy, it's XXXX, I already went there, drank the top shelf dry and shagged the bar staff before it even opened to the public".
...but about smug, hipper-than-thou boasting by a small group congratulating itself on having found the coolest new bar before despoilation by the masses
kinda undermining ourselves by posting about it on the website, aren't we?
Has no-one (apart from those of us who have been there) got it yet? C'mon, it's hardly a big secret or "hipper-than-thou"; it's visible from one of Wellington's main streets, run by one of Wellington's best-known hospo families, and was even mentioned here months ago as something to look out for. These things are normally guessed in five minutes.
Yay! Complete with a Wellingtonista Awards 2007 nominee for hottest hospo.
Anonymous (the anti-hipster one), you should take your special lady/man friend there and have some of the fried cheese and your favourite lager.
Hey y'all, I really like this website. I was merely trying to explain to the puzzled why Anonymous No 1 might have thought Barfly's post "a pretentious wank", i.e. no one likes a cocktease, especially about delicious but inaccessible cocktails. Thanks to last respondent for sharing where. Anonymous 2.
I am so in love with this place already. It seems the perfect venue for something as simple as drinks and nibbles, or a romantic date, or a big ol' group meal.
Plus, OMG, the 'Fly ain't wrong about the eye-candy waitrons. Meow!