Cocktails and Jam Jars – the perfect concoction.
Gone are the days where I would sometimes sit in a rowdy loud bar and grab a drink whilst shouting to my friend next to me to hold a decent conversation. These were my younger days at uni when we’d go to a bar in search of cheap drinks and loud music with the sole purpose being to get drunk as quickly and as cheaply as possible.
These days I prefer a classier bar with timeless appeal and quirkiness – somewhere a little different and not as crowded where you can enjoy a decent drink without raising your voice. And if they sell cocktails then even better.
I was in Crows Nest on a Friday night enjoying an Indian with my boyfriend and decided it would round off the night nicely if we went for a drink afterwards.
We had passed a lively, crowded bar earlier that night and I definitely did not fancy that (I think I might be showing my age!). Instead we went to The Foxtrot, a hidden bar on Falcon Street which you could so easily walk past, unless you knew what you were looking for, and we were searching for a white door, which was slightly ajar.
Upon entering The Foxtrot, we were greeted with a soft chatter and a darkened room with comfy couches and the warmth of the crackling fireplace. I immediately felt welcome and at home here. Ahead of us were some steps which led to the bar with stools and something I did not expect to see - a moose head staring directly at the bar – he was obviously thirsty from looking at all those spirits all day and night.
We leant up against the bar and were greeted by the friendly bar men where we started perusing the drinks menu. There was a vast choice of tempting and delicious sounding cocktails available and as I’m totally hopeless when it comes to decision making, I let the barman help me out and he recommended a refreshing pomegranate drink which I had been eyeing up. Luckily it was quiet at the bar so we had time to look through the menu and make our choices carefully without feeling rushed or shoved out the way.
The cocktails we both had were served in tall jam jars adding to the quirkiness of The Foxtrot bar, although cocktails and juices in jam jars are being served everywhere now; I’m just waiting for the next creation in glassware to take off for everyone to follow the craze.
The cocktails were priced at city prices at approximately $17 each, but I did notice a page of cocktails at $10 each which is an option for those on a tight budget and looking for a bargain, which tonight I did not have to do.
After some shaking and cocktail flaring, our cocktails were soon made which we quickly welcomed and my cocktail was beautifully refreshing, even if there was a bit too much ice for my liking. The Foxtrot has an upstairs area which we decided to have a sneaky peek at, but as it wasn’t as warm we decided to head back downstairs, past the bar with the moose head (and the fox head which I noticed was above the bar and staring back at the moose) and head to the back room where there were a few people sat at a large table whilst we took a seat on high stools alongside the brick wall.
The Foxtrot is a very atmospheric bar and I really enjoyed it here, particularly as it was fairly quiet during our visit, but it did get busier by the time we left. I love the idea that this bar is hidden behind closed doors as it adds to the charm and translates to the experience making me feel like a VIP as I am in the know. You also get a local feel about the place and I for one will definitely be back again soon, but shhhh…keep it a secret!