the passage and lil darling

So on the face of it I do look like I've done nothing for a couple of weeks now…buuut have you been keeping an eye on the pages at the top here?!  I have made 5 delicious bar updates since the end of September, so you'd better check out darlo and north.

Also, if you haven’t been to the Fb page yet you'd better check that out too cause there's a lot going on over there.

Newho, went to check out some new kicks this week, The Passage and Lil Darling 
(and Gelato Messina but you'll have to join .Feed it. to get the scoop y'all).

The Passage

Came here mid-week, thought it might have a little bit of a crowd, it did, a very little crowd. Wanted to check out the ciders and sliders special ($5 and $4 respectively - change from ten bucks? heck yeah).

  

The cider is Batlow Premium Cider (100% Australian owned with 3.5 apples in every bottle) ah this bottle has serious substance and it hasn’t been around for that long, about a year. It was just a really nice clean tasting cider without that beery aftertaste, almost like an unsweetened version of Appletiser. Definitely one to try. (Sorry about the dodge photo, you can see the label properly here).

The sliders (mini-burgers fellow Australians) come in two flavours, spicy meatball and Vietnamese pulled pork. We go for the spicy meatball which was nice enough, perhaps it could be pimped out by exchanging the bread for lightly toasted brioche.

Service is friendly enough and to be honest I'm not really sure why this place isn’t busier. Perhaps it's the layout, I cant quite put my finger on it. Perhaps it gets busier on a Friday night.

Next time I'll be checking out the back lounge area and ordering a cocktail, just to take a different perspective, looks like a great hide-out back there.

Lil Darling

Just a stone's throw from The Passage, Lil Darling is one of the most talked about bars this month.

Great outdoor seating on the footpath and bar seating looking outside, perfect for summer. Inside it’s a dark and cool interior with a bit of quirk including textured hummingbird wallpaper which I like a lot. On the downside, loads of fake ivy running the length of the bar, hideous and dated in my opinion. 

  

The crowd is buzzing but a little up-tight, a bit like the waitresses. Bar staff are attentive and mix a pretty mean cocktail, which we like. And for $11 you can re-live your teens and get an "icy cocktail" poured from a slushie machine? Ah, just the negroni thanks.

 great negroni

Their opening special, $4.50 tapas style pizza, come on these really cute wooden boards - I want those boards! We order the mushroom/rocket and the spicy mexican. They arrive in a little over 20 minutes which is reasonable considering the crowd and both versions have crisp bases with fresh and flavoursome toppings.

 mushroom and rocket

spicy mexican - not actually that spicy, but still had loads of flavour

All in all, a cool place to check out, it's a little bit like a miniature version of The Winery. To me it feels like they are trying to be a small bar - but they have the buzz of a bigger bar without the small bar soul. 

I just cant work out what vibe they're going for...gazebo/winery copycat...slushie machine timewarp...quirky small bar...wine/tapas bar... a bit of everything really.

Have you been? What's the go?

 



The Passage Bar & Restaurant

231 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst

9358 6116

thepassage.com.au

 

 

 

 

Li'l Darlin

235 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst

8084 6100

facebook.com/lildarlinsydney