New Melbourne hot spots
This month three city establishments - Madame Brussells, MoVida Next Door and the Red Hummingbird - add new adjacent venues to their alcoholic arsenal.
MoVida Next Door, 164 Flinders Street, Melbourne PH: 9663 3038
For regular patrons of (the original) MoVida restaurant/bar, successfully claiming a tapas table or a bar stool always brings with it a sense of achievement. This laneway hot spot is always packed, with newly arrived patrons buzzing around its tiny entrance area, primed and ready to swoop on any recently vacated seat with the fervour of pre-schoolers playing a game of musical chairs.
This winter, MoVida has welcomed a new neighbour - MoVida Next Door. This adjacent venue, which is already attracting scores of devotees, looks set to replicate the success of the original.
Frank Camorra’s delicious tapas menu, including divine sardines and house-made chorizo, is augmented with a large number of daily specials. The drinks list is extensive, containing everything from a super dry aperitif through to the Cardenal Cisneros sherry (described by leading bar website Deck of Secrets as ‘the liquid equivalent of a Christmas pudding’).
Image courtesy of Deck of Secrets.com
The Parlour at Madame Brussels, Level 3, 59-63, Bourke Street, Melbourne PH: (03) 9662 2775
When Madame Brussels first opened in 2006 it caused quite a stir. With itsEnglish garden party décor, quaint outdoor furniture (nestled snugly indoors), green astro-turf, jugs of Pimms and staff decked out in cricket whites, this bar is definitely one of a kind.
Now Madame Brussels has added a new, more intimate room, The Parlour, which is another great venue for a ‘distinguished’ night on the town. Hidden away down a corridor behind the main bar, entrance to The Parlour is through a green picket fence (yes really). Exuding an elegant, comfortable charm, the bar resembles an old-world gentlemen’s club with refined antique style furnishings and a personal drinks waiter who works their magic using genuine art deco cocktail tools.
For more information about The Parlour, have a read of the highly entertaining, rich-with-double-entrendres description on Madame Brussels’ website www.madamebrussels.com
Silk Pagoda Rooftop, The Red Hummingbird, 1/246 Russell Street, Melbourne Ph: (03) 9654 2266
The Red Hummingbird has relaunched its already existing rooftop bar adding a new Eastern-inspired ‘silk pagoda’ shelter, featuring silk lanterns and a glowing red cover, designed to keep patrons snug and warm during Melbourne’s winter chill.
The Red Hummingbird rooftop bar is a Bali-style oasis complete with hanging wicker chairs, palms, timber decking, candles and heated, undercover areas. As well as a solid beer, wine and cocktails list, the Red Hummingbird has a delicious menu of ‘bird feed’ (bar snacks).