Pocket Bar, one of Sydney’s original small bars, has rebranded as Mister Pocket with a brand new design, cocktail list and meat-free bar food menu.
The popular Darlinghurst haunt is one of the original Sydney small bars which spawned after changes to the small bar liquor licence were introduced. Gone are the graffiti murals and ornate lounges which gave the bar its distinctive style. The new look is fresh, contemporary and breathes new life into a venue about to enter its tenth anniversary.
It’s not only aesthetics that define Mister Pocket. In line with the current trend of conscious consumption, a meat-free bar food menu has been introduced along with a new beverage program offering healthier options. In line with the no and low alcohol trend, one quarter of the drinks on the list is available as non-alcoholic cocktails.
Mister Pocket’s new cocktail list follows the various processes of alcohol production and is divided into four sections: Harvest, Fermented, Distilled and Aged. Each cocktail is given an illustration and a flavour rating on a scale from light to rich.
‘Harvest’ cocktails have a focus on fresh, raw ingredients such as Amarillo which combines tequila, mezcal, yellow capsicum, lime juice and chipotle in an earthy, vegetal and smoky sour cocktail with a touch of heat.
The ‘Fermented’ section includes gut-health-friendly cocktails made with house-made kombucha. Passioncillin is a take on Sam Ross‘ Penicillin cocktail with Scotch whisky, passionfruit, citrus and smoked kombucha in a fruity and smokey drink with a hint of tannins. Air France combines Cognac with Pommeau and pomegranate finished with three dashes of Pastis in a fresh, dry and acidic drink.
The ‘Distilled’ list hones in on concentrated flavours not often found in cocktails, such as the briny and umami notes in Atlantis, an ocean style take on the dirty Martini with gin, fino sherry infused with capers and anchovy bitters. The whole caperberry garnish is there to enhance the experience. You take a bite then sip the cocktail and wait for the flavour explosion.
Also from the ‘Distilled’ list is Cornflake & Oil, a clever take on the Corn & Oil cocktail. Dark rum is fat washed with buttermilk and cornflakes which yields a clear spirit which is then mixed with falernum, orange and whey, served over a large block of ice with cornflakes on top. The cocktail leads with a silky smooth mouthfeel and lingers with the spices from the falernum.
As the name implies, the ‘Aged’ list focuses on maturation with the likes of Carrot Top Treacle, an earthy and nutty after dinner cocktail with carrot leaf bourbon, pecan and carrot juice. The Concrete Negroni takes the classic equal parts cocktail, ages it for 48 hours with food grade concrete stones, filters it through the same and stirs it down with Voss mineral water. It still has all the elements of the bitter and sweet Negroni with a pronounced minerality on the palate.
Click through the following pages to view a selection of Mister Pocket cocktails.
