V Bar Review

Review by Kevin Moody

If you are looking for a cosy small bar in the southern end of the CBD, think about paying a visit to V Bar. As you enter the Street Bar on Liverpool Street the first thing you notice is that this really is a small bar, likely to accommodate around 50 people at most. The modern décor is classy and understated, with sofa benches and a few scattered ottomans for seating and the odd potted plant here and there. Overall the bar has the look and vibe of a chill out bar - the DJ on hand tonight is certainly playing to that.

The crowd is mainly made up of sharply dressed guys and girls in their early to mid-twenties. This particular Saturday night is quite loud and boisterous, perhaps because there are few groups of five or more in such a small bar space.

Before I can even think about my choice of beverage, a friendly bar attendant is ready to take my order. I choose a classic Mojito at a reasonable $15.00 and I am invited to take a seat as the drink will be served to my table. It looks great when it arrives, served in a medium glass with crushed ice rising like a scoop of ice cream and tastefully garnished with a single sprig of mint. It tastes great too: sweet and strong and full of flavour.

There are only four beers on tap and another dozen bottled choices. At first glance V Bar looks to have a modest spirits selection - that is until you browse through the drinks menu to find an extensive selection of whiskies, gins and vodka. The wine list is far more concise and offers the obvious choices at fairly standard CBD prices. At the back there is a small bar food menu described as Asian Inspired Tapas that consists of a handful of familiar dishes that you expect to see on the entrée list of any Asian eatery.

V Bar is known for its extensive cocktail list so I decide to try another. There are ten signature cocktails alongside numerous classics, but I decide to try their ‘cocktail of the moment’. Today it is a quirky Strawberry Jam Caprioska – vodka, lime and strawberry jam muddled then shaken and served in a jam jar for $10.00. It’s a fun drink, but so sickly sweet so you would probably stick to just the one. In fact I instantly regret not having had this first and then following with that lovely Mojito.

After a couple of drinks taken at a leisurely pace I take a further look around the venue, past a gaming room into the larger Signature Lounge. Here I find groups that had been out front now mingling on the dance floor in what is a pretty generic nightclub room with a more upbeat music selection.

There is also a courtyard – known as the Bull Ring thanks to the bronze sculpture in its centre – that I imagine is a busy afternoon spot during the week. On a cold night in July and as a non-smoker, indoors will do me just fine. So it’s back to the Street Bar and its laid back vibe and friendly service. As I look out the window across Liverpool Street I see lines of people waiting to get into very average looking pubs. I think I’ll stay right where I am.



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