A highly decorated small bar that’s paved the way for countless others, with plenty of life in it yet.
You can learn a lot about a bar when it’s not pumping. Take Mechanics’, for example, on a quiet Thursday night. Tom Petty is playing at pitch-perfect volume, and lighting levels are spot on. Behind the bar, every bottle is polished and forward facing. Fridges are fully stocked, their glass doors squeaky clean. Clearly, resting on laurels isn’t a thing here.
Rejoice in the revival of the long lost vermouth-heavy classic known as the Chrysanthemum, stirred down with absinthe and Bénédictine.
Institutions like this retain stature and relevance by staying true to their vision. Here, it’s a rather straightforward one: stiff drinks with a time-honoured hew on a frills-free rooftop, made by fun-loving folks who know the craft. Simple to pull off in theory, perhaps, but not so much in practice – and consistently over the course of a decade, to boot.
There’s rare confidence in the dozen cocktails on the frequently changing letter-board list that’s more exciting and well rounded than some with twice the options. Trust in the citrusy perfume of Geraldton wax to soften the sting of a Sazerac. Rejoice in the revival of the long lost vermouth-heavy classic known as the Chrysanthemum, stirred down with absinthe and Bénédictine. And take comfort in knowing this is an originator still very much at the height of its powers.
