drum media perth issue #198 - bar hop

THE DRUM MEDIA 29 JULY 2010 • 33

AUGUSTHOLICS ANONYMOUS

NO ONE ENJOYS A NICELY MIXED COCKTAIL MORE THAN THE STAFFERS AT DRUM MEDIA, BUT HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THOSE DELICIOUS CONCOCTIONS? MATTHEW HOGAN RESEARCHES AS BEST HE CAN.

With the token effort known as Dry July ending this weekend, people all over Perth can go back doing what they do best in Alcohol August. This week, Drum Media has explored

its interest in its legal drug of choice, by tracking down some of the finest cocktails in town. Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those feature stories where the writer doesn’t do their research – I was out on the frontline last weekend. Firstly, I was at a particular establishment on Friday where I sampled the special cocktail of the night, The Tramps Cocktail (one created in honour of Cal Peck & The Tramps who were releasing launching their CD that night), like it was the last chance I ever had of sampling such a product. And it may have been – after all, when will the opportunity to enjoy what was essentially a whiskey sour with a dash of passionfruit ever come about again? The next day at the On The Bright Side festival, there was a significant lack of cocktails available at the bar, but by blending Guinness, Three Oaks Cider, Heineken and Jim Beam & Cola in my stomach, I felt that I had at least given the idea of creating an On The Bright Side Cocktail as good a chance as any. But I digress; let’s look at the history of the mixed drink.

THE DAWN OF THE COCKTAILWhere did the idea of mixing drinks to create one super drink originally come from? Some say it was at 4510 Lindell Boulevard in Saint Louis, Missouri where a woman named Mrs. Julius S. Walsh invited 50 guests to her home in May 1917 to mix drinks and perhaps swap keys. That may have been the first cocktail party, but American magazine The Balance stated in their May 1806 issue that a cocktail is a “stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters”. But that definition could describe anything from a gin and tonic to a bourbon and Coke. A common misconception is to confuse a cocktail with a highball. The following drinks are classed as ‘highballs’ since they have more mixer in them then spirit: Long Island Ice Tea, Mojito and the Moscow Mule. With the Internet known for never giving false information, it would be safe to assume that a cocktail has the alcohol as a main ingredient, instead of the highball’s relatively pointless mixer.

AUSTRALIA’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH ALCOHOLWhile it seems, according to some of our answers from local merchants, that many Aussies nowadays only get as fancy as VB and tomato juice, Australia and alcohol have been together since European “settlement”. Let’s face it, this country started from the ruins of Anglo-Celtic Europe, and back then some people thought gin was a legitimate alternative to water. You know what happened to those people? They couldn’t afford to eat in the old country, so they stole some bread to feed their starving families, got deported and came to Australia on a boat. So it would be safe to assume that Australia’s first cocktails consisted of scurvy and gin. As these criminals started building this country into the beautiful pile of sticks it is today, they were paid with rum, and jail was simply a rest area for those who “couldn’t handle their piss” at the dawning of our country new era of European rule. Now Australia is at a loss when it comes to a national cocktail, so it’s probably easier to grab some Schweppes mixer and try to create one yourself and send the successful result with samples into the Drum office (we understand you can’t literally send a made drink via mail, so bringing it in personally will suffice). If it’s a good one, we’ll start a (Drum) media campaign for you. Just a warning though; we might need a fair few samples.

COCKTAIL ROLE MODELSThere are seemingly only two role models when it comes to cocktails, and luckily there’s one for either sex (apologies hermaphrodites, I’ll research Jamie Lee Curtis’ cocktail of choice at a later date, or you can pick a favourite from the following). For men, James Bond and his trusty martini have been leaving him sloshed enough to not feel pain for years. In Bond’s debut outing in the 1953 book Casino Royale, he asked the bartender for a dry martini in a deep champagne goblet, with specific mixing instructions: “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?” We do, though it must be pointed out that Kina Lillet was used instead of vermouth, which is usually used in a martini.For women, the Cosmopolitan as seen in Sex & The City is the drink of choice for foot-faced Carrie Bradshaw and her compadres. While it’s no doubt offensive that a columnist for a minuscule New York newspaper can earn enough to afford an apartment in Manhattan, expensive clothes and constant fancy drinks, it must be said that Carrie Bradshaw’s love of the citrus vodka, Cointreau, lime juice and cranberry concoction has become so popular that even she turned her back on it in the film adaptation (not that I would know).

OTHER FAMOUS COCKTAILSThe Singapore Sling is a must have for anyone who goes to Singapore. With gin, cherry liquor, Cointreau, Benedictine, Grenadine, pineapple juice, lemon juice and Angostura bitters all involved, the only place in the world where they make it right is the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Well, at least they did. These days it’s pre-mixed rubbish that you’d actually be better off paying too much at the Raffles in Applecross.Another drink well worth trying is the combination of brandy, peppermint schnapps, sloe gin, blackberry liqueur, strawberry juice and cough syrup, combined and set alight. Better known as either a Flaming Homer or a Flaming Moe, depending who you ask, this drink was a hit among celebrities such as Kent Brockman and Krusty The Clown and travelling musicians such as Aerosmith back in 1991.So there you have it, a concise and thorough history of cocktails throughout time. Remember that, as delicious as cocktails are, they shouldn’t be consumed in excess. After all, that’s why the UK had all those problems that resulted in convicts being sent over here in the first place.

SAPPHIRE BARWhat makes your venue unique?

Friendly bar staff, great atmosphere. We’re a great place to party in the heart of Subiaco on weekends until the early hours of the morning. With reasonable priced drinks to boot!

What is your specialty cocktail?

We make ‘em up as we go, but we specialise in Caprioskas and Mojitos with fresh mint and lime. The Absolut Sapphire might just blow your socks off – 45 Absolut vodka, 15ml Chambord (raspberry liqueur) and two squeezes of fresh lime, poured over ice in a highball with Red Bull (pictured).

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar?

Pauly would the Tom Cruise of the bar, he’s muscley – he’s the college jock of the bar and gets all the girls.

Biggest cocktail car crash? How can you possibly make a bad cocktail?

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Any of the flavoured Absolut range – we make a lot of Absolut flavoured drinks and you can mix and match them.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Chartreuse, Bacardi 151 and absinthe with lime and lemonade. Normally it’s a shot but they ordered it in a cocktail glass.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Angelina Jolie. It would be frozen margarita because I make the best margaritas with salt around rim.

What music do you shake to? R&B and house. Anything goes.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Shaken, just to shake it up a bit!

Address: 298 Hay Street, Subiaco

Phone Number: 9382 1099

Web address? www.thesapphirebar.com.au, [email protected]

What days and times are you open? Fri & Sat: 9pm-4.30am

Do you serve food? No

Is there a smoking section? Yes

Is there live music? No

Are there DJs? Yes

DEVILLES PAD

METRO CITY CONCERT CLUB

NICHE BAR

What makes your venue unique? We are the only ‘60s Las Vegas styled Club in WA, probably in Australia.What is your specialty cocktail? Our very own version of the El Diablo (first mentioned in 1947 by Trader Vics): Fresh lime juice, ounce cremé de cassis, Jose Cuervo Silver and chilled ginger beer (to taste).Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? We are no actors! Our barmen are hired because they love spirits and cocktails. Our idols are Charles Schuhmann, Don The Beachcomber, Ted Haigh and many more. Ben and Chris are probably the most experienced bartenders. Ben worked a couple of years in London and he loves classic cocktails like Sazerac, Bobby Burns, etc. Chris ran his own Tiki-Bar in Germany before he came to Perth. His favourite drinks are ‘50s and ‘60s Tiki drinks like the Mai Tai and Zombie.Favourite cocktail experiment? Vintage cocktails, with ingredients which are hard to get.Biggest cocktail car crash? Sauerkraut Martini.Favourite cocktail ingredient? Falernum (rum based fruit and herb syrup, essential for an authentic Mai Tais) – Ben is making the best in the Southern Hemisphere.What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? “Can I have the strongest and cheapest cocktail, please!”If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Ernest Hemingway and convince him that a Mai Tai is good as a Mojito.What music do you shake to? At Devilles Pad we shake to ‘50s to early

‘80s music, R&B, ska, rockabilly, jazz, funk, punk, soul, surf, garage.Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Depends on the Martini. Vodka Martinis always shaken and vodka can’t be cold enough. Gin always stirred, and the rest up to the customer.Address: 3 Aberdeen Street, East PerthPhone Number: 9225 6669Web address? [email protected] www.devillespad.comWhat days and times are you open? Thursday to SaturdayDo you serve food? Yes, awesome American styled food, best pork rolls in town!Is there a smoking section? Yes, in the beer garden.Is there live music? Yes, usually Fridays and Saturdays.Are there DJs? Yes, every night

What makes your venue unique? We have been considered one of the benchmark venues in Australia and one of a few venues that are way ahead of its time.

What is your specialty cocktail? Liquid Panty Remover: A fiery blend of vodka, Bacardi, gin, Cointreau with splashes of exotic juices including cranberry, orange, pineapple charged with lemonade and grenadine. Sells for $20.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? Reuban Tan is definitely the Tom Cruise of the venue with striking similarities to him he is very smooth with the ladies. Reuben has been bar tending for five years and in that time has been at three different venues. Reuban is an intermediate flairer and you can often see him working his magic on Saturday nights in the bar. His favourite cocktail to make is a Midori Splice.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Experimenting with new products that come out and mixing them to make great cocktails. Making my first Mojito was great fun and ended up being as refreshing as they look.

Biggest cocktail car crash? Trying to make my first caprioska was disaster, first of all accidentally putting salt into the drink instead of sugar all those years ago and then secondly when throwing a few bottles around accidentally smashing into the fruit garnish tray and having to re cut all the fruit.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Chambord, just provides that hidden fruity taste without being over powering.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Baileys, lime and coke. Now that was one curdled drink. Still makes me sick thinking about it now.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Jessica Alba. I would make her a French

Martini, it is the classic drink with a twist. Made to the recipe with a secret I can not reveal.

What music do you shake to? Anything that is playing at Metro City gets me in the mood for shaking.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred, it provides the full flavours of a martini without diluting the drink. It leaves a clean crisp look and presentation is the key.

Address: 146 Roe Street, Northbridge


Web address? www.metroconcertclub.com


Is there a smoking section? Yes, we have the rooftop, which has an amazing view of the city!

Is there live music? We host a variety of large international and local acts and live music throughout the year.

Are there DJs? Our club nights consist of Perth’s finest club rocking DJs. We also host a lot of respected special guest DJs.

What makes your venue unique? Inviting sofas, sexy tunes, fashionable patronage, friendly staff and, to top it up, divine and creative cocktails.What is your specialty cocktail? Niche By Night: a ladies’ favourite. Ingredients: Vanilla flavoured vodka, black raspberry liqueur, strawberry puree, cranberry juice dash of Gomme syrup and the secret ingredients: Love!Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? Benjamin Yule. He has been working in and around cocktail bars since 18 starting as a glassie through to manager. He has attended numerous mixology workshops in Sydney and Melbourne, including signature cocktails, classics and popular cocktails. With his skills and his looks – ladies what’s your next drink?Favourite cocktail experiment? Crème-brûlée martini: It is the expression of my French background and the incredible fun of a blow torch. Licor 43, spiced flavoured vodka (ginger and cinnamon), brown sugar syrup and egg yolk shaken to create the custard, served in martini glass. Sprinkle of a mix of brown sugar and orange zest on top then torched to obtain the nice caramel top layer... Voila!Biggest cocktail car crash? Not a taste crash but more of a pride crash. Try shaking four cocktail shakers at once that haven’t been sealed properly and you’ll end up with the drink not in the glasses but on your shirt! Add that this was in front of your misses and you’ll understand that a car crash doesn’t seem painful next to this!Favourite cocktail ingredient? Gomme (other name for sugar syrup) in French gomme means “Eraser” and as an eraser gomme will allow you to make some little mistake disappear.What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? For the sake of the cocktail, please stop asking for a Long Island Iced Tea when you want a cocktail!What music do you shake to? Funky house.Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Try serving me a shaken martini and you’ll have your answer – dirty. Only when I’m at the bottom of the bottle!Address: 6-7/663 Newcastle Street, LeedervillePhone Number: 9227 1007Web address? [email protected]; www.nichebar.com.au; Facebook: Niche Cocktail Bar- For Every Occasion.What days and times are you open? Wed: 7pm-2am; Fri & Sat: 7pm-3amDo you serve food? We offer 25 or 50 piece Niche hot platters and antipasto platters on the menu!Is there a smoking section? Unlicensed smoking area located near entrance.Is there live music? DJs.Are there DJs? Finest DJs from WA and over east as well. We’re hosting Stafford Brothers for Melb Cup.

twitter.com/drummediaperth34 • THE DRUM MEDIA 29 JULY 2010

GEISHA BAR

TIGER LIL’S

THE GREENWOOD HOTEL

CANTON LOUNGE

What makes your venue unique? We’re a late night bar/club that opens until 6am.

What is your specialty cocktail? Wilson: 45ml coconut infused Smirnoff Vodka, 15ml Cointreau, 30ml apricot nectar, 15ml crushed pineapple juice. Shake, strain and add a dash of raspberry for colour for $15.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? I guess I (Craig Shorthill) am the Tom Cruise (early in the film) but more of a John Cusack in High Fidelity.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Dadaist mixing by assigning numbers to all your bottles and randomly mixing. Some taste like an LA freeway and some lead you in new directions you hadn’t thought of going. A great way to enjoy an RDO.

Biggest cocktail car crash? A creamy coconut, fresh banana and rum concoction. It sounded good at the time.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Rum because of its distinctive and versatile flavours.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? A screwdriver; I am Australian.

What music do you shake to? Funky house that makes it impossible not

to dance. Or a bit of the Rat Pack at home when making martinis on a Sunday.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred obviously... I don’t have a license to kill drinks!

Address: 135a James Street, Northbridge


Web address? www.geishabar.com.au

What days and times are you open? Fri & Sat: 11pm-6am; Sun 8pm-midnight


Is there a smoking section? Yes, its called the street! (really – no)

Is there live music? Occasionally.

Are there DJs? Always – funky house on Fri/Sat and retro indie on Sun.

What makes your venue unique? The decor and ambience of the venue is a main part of why Tiger Lil’s is so unique. Also the amazing food, wide selection of quality drinks, vibrant staff and great music gives that special touch to Tiger Lil’s being so unique in Perth.

What is your specialty cocktail? The Drunken Monkey – Ron Zaccapa 23 year old, cocoa gomme, orange bitters and balanced with citrus for $17.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? Rob Hazell is definitely our English version of Tom Cruise. Certainly one of the ladies choices behind the bar. You will find him mixing up amazing concoctions most night of the week at Tiger Lil’s. Originally from England, this great bartender has been leading the cocktail team at Tiger Lil’s for a while now and has given the team a real creative flair and dedication to mixology.

Favourite cocktail experiment? All Blazed Up – a blend of Johnny Walker Gold Label with apricot brandy warmed with a mixture of honey, cinnamon quill, vanilla pod, orange and cloves. Served as a winter favourite.

Biggest cocktail car crash? The Sweet Gosnell – I helped make it with my head chef Mark to give his home town a signature cocktail.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Vanilla. It can be used in many forms and has such an amazing scent that everyone recognises and enjoys.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Shot of vodka, half beer, half tomato juice – The Red Eye.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? At this moment I would make one for

John Worsfold. It would be called Bittersweet Freo and served on a wooden spoon.

What music do you shake to? Anything with a big beat.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred for balance & harmony.

Address: 437 Murray Street, Perth


Web address? www.tigerlils.com.au

What days and times are you open? Tues, Wed & Thurs: midday-midnight; Fri & Sat: midday-2am

Do you serve food? Yes. Full a la carte menu and bar menu also. Serve bar food until 2am on Fri and Sat


Is there live music? Alex Koresis on the bongos every Fri and Sat night

Are there DJs? Yes. Fri: Paul Malone & Joby; Sat: Charlie Bucket & Adam Kelly

What makes your venue unique? The colourful characters within these four walls, both patrons and staff.

What is your specialty cocktail? Barbados Blue with Mount Gay Rum, Suntory Blue Curacao and pineapple juice for $14.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? Warren W Parker (Abbey Beach Resort, Busselton and Greenwood Hotel).

Favourite cocktail experiment? Playing with Tequila or Cointreau, so many options.

Biggest cocktail car crash? My first Pina Colada, off cream and off portions resulted in a disaster, or car crash!

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Cointreau, very versatile, great on its own with ice and lime or a great compliment to other spirits and liqueurs.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? “Caipiroska, but I don’t want the lime or sugar”... So a vodka on ice?

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Salma Hayek… ‘Ruficolada’ ha ha! Just kidding, Caipirinha’s at sunset on the Mexican beach. Dream.

What music do you shake to? Micheal Buble. The girls love him. Great tag team, he warms them up and we finish them off.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred, Delicacy is always the best option.

Address: 349 Warwick Road, Greenwood


Web address? www.greenwoodhotel.com.au

What days and times are you open? Mon-Thu: 11am-11pm; Fri & Sat: 11am-midnight; Sun: 11am-10pm

Do you serve food? Yes, enjoy lunch or dinner in The Greenwood Brasserie or other options available over the bar. Eg Hot chips & Wedges.

Is there a smoking section? Yes, located in the beer garden on the sports bar side of the hotel.

Is there live music? Yes, live cover bands every Friday and Saturday night

Are there DJs? No.

What makes your venue unique? Being a small bar we are nice and intimate we like to think we offer friendly service and comfortable atmosphere where it definitely livens up over the weekend. Although we hold a small bar licence and can accommodate up to 120 guests there is still plenty of room to move around. Our Asian inspired tapas and meals are great quality at affordable prices with our tapas menu from $7-$11 and our meals starting from $9-$21. We change our food menu and cocktail menu with the season. We also offer specials for the month! Our team like to get creative and have fun with cocktails on offer.

What is your specialty cocktail? For winter a great one would be Johnnie On Flames, which a mix of Johnnie Walker Black Label Whiskey, Dom Benedictine and Vanilla Galliano with a flaming zest of orange for $17. We have a promotion coming up with Bombay Sapphire where you can try five great new cocktails.

Favourite cocktail experiment? We have a special offer for our guests who book a function with us where they can get their own special cocktail on the night. It is always great fun to try and get creative with a cocktail when the requirements are a particular colour or needs to suit a theme!

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? A Mojito where they used old mint leaves and not fresh lime!

What music do you shake to? Well, we start the night with some funk soul tunes and as the night wears on, a bit of house.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty We do it James Bond style.

Address: Upstairs, East End Hay Street – 532 Hay Street, Perth


Web address: www.cantonloungebar.com; Facebook: find us under Canton Lounge Bar

What days and times are you open? Mon-Thur: 11am-late; Friday: 11am-midnight; Saturday: 6pm-midnight

Do you serve food? Definitely!

Is there a smoking section? We have a whole smoking balcony at the back – with a great graffiti art wall!

Is there live music? We will be having live music on Thursday nights soon.

Are there DJs? We have DJs playing on Friday and Saturday night.

twitter.com/drummediaperth THE DRUM MEDIA 29 JULY 2010 • 35

CARNEGIE’S

CONTACIO

PURE BAR

ON THE TERRACE

What makes your venue unique? Wednesday nights at Carnegie’s means Cocktail Night! Fire up with one of the most extensive cocktail lists this city has to offer. It has the longest cocktail menu in Perth. Recommended drinks by staff include the L’amour and Long Island Ice Tea. Carnegie’s is also known for cheaper drinks on Wednesdays and specials every night of the week, such as Sex On The Beach on Tuesdays.

What is your specialty cocktail? Long Island Ice Tea: vodka, rum, gin, tequila, Triple Sec, sweet and sour Mix topped with Coke for $11 on Wednesday nights.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? Gavin started in Carnegie’s over eight years ago as a bartender, where now he continues to teach his knowledge to the present bartenders, teaching them how to make and present the most attractive and tasty cocktails you will find in the city.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Has to be the Jager train down the full length of the bar, this included lining the full length of the bar with glasses part filled with Red Bull and balancing shooter glass filled with Jagermeister between each, then knocking them in like a domino effect.

Biggest cocktail car crash? All my Cocktails are good!

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Personally Amaretto is mine due to its very sweet with a strong taste of almonds flavour.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? It was called a Cordell eyes closer it was, “Scotch and milk with a dash.”

What music do you shake to? Mixture of all from rock to the latest pop.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred you get a clearer and fresher drink flavour, shaking is believed to ‘bruise’ the gin, causing it to taste

slightly bitter. Shaken martinis also have a cloudier appearance, caused by small ice fragments created when the cocktail is shaken.Address: 356 Murray Street, PerthPhone Number: 9481 3222Web address? [email protected]; www.carnegies.net; find us on Facebook by searching for ‘Carnegie’s’.What days and times are you open? Mon-Thu: 11am-1am; Fri & Sat: 12pm-3am; Sun: 12pm-12amDo you serve food? We sure do, our restaurant is open every day from open ‘til 10pm; we have an extensive menu serving tasty Pizza, International, and Pub Style foodThroughout the day we also offer amazing grazing platesDaily $10 Lunch SpecialsIs there music? We have a Juke BoxAre there DJs? We have a DJ every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night. Carnegie’s also offers a different cocktail of the week at a special price

What makes your venue unique? I guess it’s the mixture of style we have going, whilst one side we have our “younger” group who prefer to stand, dance and drinks vodka/lime/soda and large beers whilst the slightly “older” group on the other side is content in relaxing lounges whilst enjoying a cocktail.

What is your specialty cocktail? I guess at the moment crowd favourite is the Espresso Martini: XO Café Patron, 42 Below Vodka, fresh espresso and a dash of sugar syrup.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? I reckon Ben would be the Tom Cruise whilst I would have to the wiser Bryan Brown.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Re-creating a cocktail I tried at the Sail & Anchor, the Sneaky Sanchez. A great mixture of subtle spice, sweetness and is finished with a touch of cracked pepper. I haven’t quite got it yet, but I’m close.

Biggest cocktail car crash? One of my first, a Mojito, barman I was working with told me two shots of rum, lime, mint and sugar. I used Bundy to start with, then shook all on ice and strained into a martini glass! Not a fond memory.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Infused Vodka. Such a versatile ingredient and when you have infused your own vodka its gives a little more ownership of the cocktail.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Don’t know if it counts as a cocktail but it was three quarters a pint of VB and topped up with tomato juice and he came back for at least three more!

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? For someone real it would be a Diamond

Martini for Miranda Kerr, Cointreau, Malibu, Peach Schnapps and Pariso.

What music do you shake to? Good ol’ rock’n’roll, but can listen to most styles.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred, it’s the right way.

Address: 10 Scarborough Beach Road, Scarborough


Web address: Type in “Contacio” on Facebook.

What days and times are you open? Thu-Sun 11am-midnight, with a 10pm lockout on Sundays only.

Do you serve food? Kitchen is open from the minute the doors open ‘til the bar stops serving.

Is there a smoking section? We have a balcony area to cater for the smokers among us.

Is there live music? Solo acoustic on Thursday nights from 7pm.

Are there DJs? Fri & Sun nights.

What makes your venue unique? Pure Bar is unlike any other. White walls and a pure visualisation makes it an individual in the Perth small bar scene. Not only are we a bar but we also provide great meals any time of the day and were finalists in the RCIA awards 2010 for small bar restaurant. Our crew are top class and will make your visit to Pure Bar special.

What is your specialty cocktail? Let’s just say cocktails are our specialty. Our new list is coming out very soon with 16 of them Pure Bar originals and can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Stay tuned for the launch date.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? We can break this down into 3 categories. You have your flair bar tenders, which unless you can do it well, don’t do it at all. Your bar pony, who loves to talk the ladies or the men and your mixologist, who can not only make and create one hell of a drink but can pump those cocktails out so fast you don’t have to wait 10 mins just to get your whistle wet. At Pure we don’t have any flair tenders, Andy, who loves a conversation and has had a shake all over the world, is our pony and Sheldon is the mixologist, who creates many of the cocktails on the Pure Bar list and trains the awesome crew.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Experimenting with bananas was great fun. Trying to get something to taste not sickly and too out of control without using a banana liqueur was pretty tough. However a drink was created from an experiment that lasted two weeks and now we have a drink called the Perky Nana.

Biggest cocktail car crash? When I was a lot younger I created a two-part blended ice cocktail which was red and blue, looked great until you mixed it into a purple fruit tingle style of cocktail. It was called a Shark Attack. So wrong in many ways.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? The 42Below vodka range, so easy to work with and the flavours are ones that are unique and very mixable.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Toblerone. If any one has this on their list, update it with something better! It is so outdated and boring. Come in and grab a Nikita, you will fall in love.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? I personally would love to serve Gordon Ramsay. Just so he could swear at us, spit it out and run off to the bathroom. Actually I would prefer the alternative. You will love our cocktails chef Ramsay!

What music do you shake to? We like the funky breaks, it gets the shake going and keeps it coming.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Always stirred and sometimes dirty, depends on the way I feel at the time!

Address: 331 Hay Street, Subiaco


Web address? www.purebar.com.au, search for ‘Pure Bar’ to find us on Facebook.

What days and times are you open? Mon-Sat: 8am-late

Do you serve food? We serve food all day everyday. We were finalists in the RCIA awards 2010!

Is there a smoking section? No.

Is there live music & DJs? Check our website for DJs and bands.

What makes your venue unique? Versatility to enjoy any occasion or function, whether it be dining, wining, cocktails and dancing.What is your specialty cocktail? Vanilla Raspberry Caprioska: Fresh lime, brown sugar, fresh raspberries all muddled. 15ml Chambord liqueur, 30ml Absolut Vodka, 15ml Galliano Vanilla. Shaken with a dash of Chartreuse Liqueur and serve in a hurricane glass.Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? Pierre Leroy... Keen cocktail barman of years from France. Coming from the busy city of Paris.Favourite cocktail experiment? Creating home made flavoured vodka such as mashmallow, caramel, redskin... yum! Fermented fresh vanilla bean, cinnamon rum.Biggest cocktail car crash? Worst? I don’t do that!Favourite cocktail ingredient? Parfait Amour Liqueur for its unique aroma and flavour. Can use little or lots in many of my cocktail creations. Okay, and the accent.What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Fluffy Duck. Sounds and tastes so bad.If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Julia Gillard, whisky sour with lots of lemon.What music do you shake to? On The Terrace Thursday Night DJs. They rock! One great track: The Temper Trap’s Love Lost.Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Dirty, cause that’s how I like it.Address: 37 Bayview Terrace, ClaremontPhone Number: 9284 5400Web address? www.ontheterrace.com.auWhat days and times are you open? Mon-Sat: 8am-late; Thu: 8pm–2am; Sun: 8am-4pmDo you serve food? Yes, great breakfast, lunch and dinner, and tapas available all day.Is there a smoking section? Only outsideIs there live music? Live Jazz every Friday and Saturday; Perth’s best DJs every Thursday ‘til 2am. (Our speciality cocktail night)Are there DJs? Every Thursday ‘til 2am.


UNIVERSAL BAR & CAFÉ

PASSIONTAILS

THE TOUCAN CLUB

THE BOTANICA BAR & BISTRO

What makes your venue unique? We’re a live music venue that has been around for over 17 years. That’s a fairly long time in this industry. We have also recently reopened during the day as a bar/café. So we’re open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What is your specialty cocktail? Naked Barman: Absolut Pears, Passoa Passionfruit Liqueur, fresh orange, fresh pineapple juice, vanilla syrup, egg white and a lathering of passionfruit pulp to garnish.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? Our venue manager Brett is the Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown of our Bar. He has worked at Universal for 11 years, but still has the spark and flair that woos the ladies and wows the blokes every night. Brett managed to win the title of AHA Bar Services Employee Of The Year three years in a row and they inducted him into the Hall Of Fame last year. He also owns a 5 per cent share in a racehorse! No, seriously – a real genuine racehorse.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Scotch add three cubes of ice. Pure genius.

Biggest cocktail car crash? Can’t recall one.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Someone ordered a Pina Colada while singing, “If you like Pina Colodas, and getting caught in the rain”. I have to admit I high-fived the guy. It was pretty rad.

What music do you shake to? Everything. Our music is as diverse as our cocktail list.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Dry gin martini. Stirred.

Address: 221 William Street, Northbridge


Web address? www.universalbar.com.au

What days and times are you open? Seven days a week from 7am for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Do you serve food? Yes. Daily food specials. This month specials 250gm Scotch Fillet with garlic prawns, chips and salad for $25.


Is there live music? Yes. Wednesday through Sunday.

Are there DJs? Yes.

What does your business do?

Passiontails are Perth’s most trusted and number one frozen cocktail and jukebox business. We simply offer Perth’s best prices for hiring frozen cocktails, slushie machines and jukeboxes.

Tell us about your cocktails?

Our frozen cocktails are made with the best ingredients and have been formulated using the finest flavours from around the world and mixed with the best tropical Queensland fruit juice.

What’s your favourite cocktail for the ladies?

Pina Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri and Cosmopolitan Fruit Tingle.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Soft serve ice cream.

What music do you shake to? ‘PartyTouch’ Digital Video Karaoke

Jukebox – never a quiet moment!

What is your best hangover cure? Start the slushy machine up again!

What is your personal favourite cocktail? Everybody, including myself, loves the Caribbean Crush!

How much is your standard slushy machine? Normally $199 but for Drum Readers, $179 with all the mixer trimmings, just call up and quote ‘Drum’.

Phone Number: 9437 4642 or 0411 133 104

Web address? Book online at www.passiontails.com

What makes your venue unique? We are forever evolving and changing the look of the venue and the music. We strive to offer the public as much variety as possible and make each night of the week different to the next.

What is your specialty cocktail? Our most popular is the Go Mango for $10: Mango liquor, Triple Sec, Cherry Advocaat, orange juice, fresh cream and a mango cheek.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? Ryan. He has been experimenting and creating new and exciting cocktails for three years in Scotland and the UK. He has entered various cocktail and flaring competitions and worked all over the world. With a charming sense of humour and a great understanding of flavours, he is sure to wonder you with a unique creation.

Favourite cocktail experiment? An experiment with Green Chartruse mixed with lime, sugar, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice and a few other secret ingredients. It was amazing! Then for presentation, the addition of grenadine down the side changes the colour as you drink it to a lovely purple.

Biggest cocktail car crash? A Little Piece Of Heaven: A nice fruity cocktail with Malibu, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, orange juice, and pineapple juice; however when first given the recipe milk was written down instead of pineapple juice… Let’s just say we are glad we were just experimenting for our new menu.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Lime. You can use it with almost everything, even if it is just a garish. It adds great freshness to any cocktail and is a necessity in our bar.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Jacks, orange juice and lime. It was their own recipe, but not something that I would recommend to others.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Australia’s hottie Miranda Kerr. I’d put in a little passionfruit rum, some cranberry juice and orange juice, and some ginger with a little piece of red chilli to make a sweet and spicy cocktail.

What music do you shake to? Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP – We No Speak Americano.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? For a good gin martini, stirred as it’s a lot smoother and you can enjoy the flavour of the gin more.

Address: Smart Street Mall, Mandurah


Web address? www.toucanclub.com.au or on Facebook by searching ‘Toucan Mandurah’.

What days and times are you open? Thu-Sat: 10pm-6am.



Is there live music? No

Are there DJs? Yes

What makes your venue unique? It has a vibrant and stylish atmosphere, and it’s away from the city.

What is your specialty cocktail? The Botanica: Absolut Kurant, Marie Brizard watermelon liqueur and strawberry liqueur, fresh lime, strawberries, lychee & cranberry juice. Shaken on ice and served in a martini glass for $17.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? Either Paul or Spencer. Both like to practice flairing. Spence has worked at Foxy Brown’s on the Gold Coast.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Apples & Nuts. It has honey vodka, Frangelico, Amaretto, cinnamon and apple juice.

Biggest cocktail car crash? Bronz Cocktail – vermouth, gin and OJ.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Vermouth ‘cause it pimps out drinks.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Hennessy, OJ and bitters.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Snoop Dogg – something with gin in it (Ed’s note: might we suggest juice?).

What music do you shake to? We have DJs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and chilled rock during the day with top 40 hits.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred – keep it classic.

Address: 401 Scarborough Beach Road, Innaloo


Web address? www.thebotanica.com.au

What days and times are you open? Seven days a week from 10am-midnight.

Do you serve food? Yes, we have a courtyard menu and also a full bistro menu available until 9pm.

Is there a smoking section? Yes, in the courtyard.

Is there live music? Live bands on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Are there DJs? Fri, Sat & Sun.

twitter.com/drummediaperth THE DRUM MEDIA 29 JULY 2010 • 37

METROPOLIS FREMANTLE

AMBAR NITECLUB

DEFECTORS

What makes your venue unique? Metropolis Fremantle is unique because fun is the objective. So many venues have forgotten that people want to go out to have fun, forget about being too cool. Having fun is most important as you get older because you don’t remember the “coolest place,” you only remember good times and that’s how we want to be remembered.

What is your specialty cocktail? A Black Spider – Muddled lime and lychees, 50–50 Chambord and premium vodka, with the smallest dash of Red Bull.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? I nominate Oliver for this one, ask him why, ha ha!

Favourite cocktail experiment? So hard to pick – it changes all the time, when someone asks for a surprise, and you just start mixing, crushing, stirring flavours together it comes out as something amazing.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Fresh fruit and ice. Nothing enhances alcoholic flavours like fresh fruit. Not only that, they are a great way to make any cocktail look awesome.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? I would make a poison cocktail for Lady

Gaga because she is annoying!What music do you shake to? All types depends what mood I’m in. All music is good to have a cocktail to.Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Dirty, for the simple fact I like all things dirty!Address: 58 South Terrace FremantlePhone Number: 9336 1880Web address? www.metropolisfremantle.com.au; www.facebook.com/metropolisfremantle; www.twitter.com/metropolisfreoWhat days and times are you open? Fri & Sat nights and special events.Do you serve food? NoIs there a smoking section? YesIs there live music? YesAre there DJs? Yes

What makes your venue unique? 10 quality years old!

What is your specialty cocktail? Absolut Vanilla Apple Mojito: one part Absolut Vanilla Vodka, one part apple sourz, squeeze fresh lime, 3-4 mint leaves, ¼ apple (muddled), dash sugar syrup/teaspoon raw sugar, garnish: mint sprig and apple slice.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? The Tom Cruise of Ambar would have to be a tie. Sam and Spike are constantly throwing glassware at and to each other, spinning bottles and catching fruit in the strangest way possible. They have both worked together in cocktail bars on busy weekends, where the orders are constant and demanding.

Favourite cocktail experiment? Sam’s favourite cocktail experiment would have to be adding different fruits, sugars and herbs into Irish Whiskey drinks to offset the sharpness and smooth the overall taste.

Biggest cocktail car crash? Us? Cocktail car crash? Okay the worst cocktail Sam tested once would have been one called an Elderflame. It required extensive mixing and building for a small resulting drink with an average taste.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Orange. It is a subtle taste that works well with many spirits from a bourbon to vodka and is easily incorporated into cocktails.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Lychee martini. Sam despises Lychees and their taste, putting them into a classic drink and changing its original taste to that is demeaning…

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it

be and what would you put in it? Sam would make a “Stairway To Heaven” and he would make it for Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin lead singer), just to prove that their greatness extends beyond their music!

What music do you shake to? Upfront and underground music! It gives a good fast tempo to move around the bar, and a good pace for mixing and shaking the drinks.

Address: 104 Murray Street, Perth


Web address? www.boomtick.com.au; www.facebook.com/AmbarNiteclub; [email protected]; twitter.com/Boomtick_Events

What days and times are you open? Fri & Sat: 10pm-6am


Is there a smoking section? Outside

Is there live music? The place is always lively

Are there DJs? (Arguably) the best in Perth!

What makes your venue unique? Great drinks selection, eclectic atmosphere, opulent surroundings.

What is your specialty cocktail? Tommy’s Margarita: El Jimador Tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice, Agave nectar, half salt rim for $16.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown (ala the fi lm Cocktail) of your bar? James Connolly (bar manager/head bartender/glassy) recently nominated for Australian Bartender Magazine’s Bartender Of The Year, joint first in the state final of the Woodford Reserve cocktail derby, ex-bar manager of Must Wine Bar and Bouchard Bistro.

Biggest cocktail car crash? Hopefully not too many, mainly weird combos customers ask for and you think “that’s not gonna work.”

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Tequila… it makes you happy!

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? Jug of fruit tingle and 4 glasses.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Margaritas for everyone!

What music do you shake to? Usually whatever the DJs are spinning, my personal choice is House Of Bamboo by Andy Williams.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Gin, stirred, with a lemon twist, its so much easier to control dilution.

Address: 639 Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley (above The Flying Scotsman)


Web address? [email protected], find us on Facebook

What days and times are you open? Wed-Sat: 5pm-late; Sun: 4pm-midnight

Do you serve food? Tapas and gourmet pizza, new menu out soon.

Is there a smoking section? Yes, with views over the city.

Is there live music? In general, no.

Are there DJs? Every night is different, soul, Latin, breaks, house and funk.


MINQWhat makes your venue unique? The decor, the entrance (via lift), the variety of cocktails and the mood makes it a unique venue.

What is your specialty cocktail? Summer punch for $19, consists of two different kinds of dark rum, vanilla syrup and passionfruit pulp, pineapple and orange juice and top up with a drop of cherry juice.

Who’s the Tom Cruise or Bryan Brown of your bar? David is the Tom Cruise of the bar with is knowledge of cocktails and flaring, he has a real passion for bartending.

Favourite cocktail experiment? The summer punch was one of my creations, and I had so much fun trying to get the right flavours together.

Biggest cocktail car crash? Probably my first dry martini, it was for a VIP who only drinks martinis and it was my first week in a bar. I had put too much vermouth in and instead of tipping it out, I left everything in which made it disgusting.

Favourite cocktail ingredient? Chambord (berries liqueur) because it has a great flavour and it is really easy to create sweet cocktails with it.

What’s the worst cocktail request you’ve ever gotten? On a busy night in Paris someone walked up to the bar and ordered 30 Mojitos, it is a bit of a long process to make and when you have to do it 30 times it is a real pain.

If you could make a cocktail for anyone in the world, who would it be and what would you put in it? Al Pacino, I would make him a espresso martini. I would put in a double shot of his favourite coffee just the way he likes it in the TV ad, vanilla vodka and a bit of Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) with some chocolate liqueur.

What music do you shake to? I love a lot of different kind of music but what I love the most would be funk and old school hip hop.

Martini – shaken, stirred or dirty? Stirred to have a really nice and clear colour with orange zest to give a little extra flavour in it.

Address: Burswood Entertainment Complex, Great Eastern Highway, Burswood


Web address? www.minq.com.au

What days and times are you open? Fri & Sat: 7pm-late; Sun: 8pm-1am

Do you serve food? Only for private functions in our karaoke rooms catered by all Burswood restaurants.

Is there a smoking section? No.

Is there live music? No.

Are there DJs? On Sunday (our $10 cocktail night) we have DJ Migi, DJ Skooby , DJ Danny Boi playing some funk and old school R&B.

drum media perth issue #198 - bar hop

Documents