If wine bars were once stuffy gatekeepers to the wine world then H&C Urban Winery and its ilk are the antithesis.
With high ceilings and industrial design, softened by a jungle-like tangle of greenery, a clientele as likely to be sinking something brewed by Gage Roads as a glass of vino, there’s a fair comparison to Freo’s breweries in look and feel here. Their own H&C wines, including some collaborations with lo-fi winemakers like Margaret River’s Dormilona, are the backbone of the by-the-glass list. But choice isn’t in short order by the glass or the bottle. To hold the interest, more of those smaller leftfield West Australian makers, traditional names from elsewhere in Australia and the world – a section marked ‘opulent’ leading you to Leeuwin Estate ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay by the bottle. On the food front chef, Gord Kahle sates diners looking for classic tavern fare like fish and chips, a cheeseburger or pork schnitzel. He also hits modern wine bar notes with a punchy rendition of beef tartare (with cured egg and black garlic) and a bone marrow and pickled mushroom toast which would be a safe bet for chef’s favourite.
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