The Barre, as it became, is a love letter to the joy of theatre in all of its forms, with the beauty of the theatre appropriately represented in a glorious aesthetic of reflective surfaces and golden fixtures. The floorboards you stand upon are actually from the Hamer stage, repurposed from recent redevelopment and sliced into parquetry.
A favourite is the chicken waffles – marinated in maple syrup and buttermilk, crumbed, fried, tossed with more syrup and drizzled with Emmentaler cheese, this tender slice of decadence is served on top of a mini-waffle. Crisp on the outside with a thick and soft centre, it juggles both sweet and savoury perfectly.
From the starters menu you can enjoy a duo of succulent pulled pork sliders with a sauerkraut salad and BBQ sauce, or a pair of soft-shelled crabs enveloped in pillowy steamed buns and a zesty semi-dried tomato aioli. The polenta fries – dusted with a crunchy prosciutto crumb and served with a tomato and capsicum relish – are divine, while the roasted pumpkin and chestnut risotto provide a hearty vegetarian option, complete with smooth mascarpone, sage, and Amaretti crumbs.
Your sweet tooth will also be effortlessly sated by the pavlova; a crisp shell encases the gooey bliss of soft meringue, topped with a disk of hazelnut cream, dark chocolate sauce and a bounty of strawberries.
If you’re a lover of cocktails, the house Manhattan reigns supreme – it’s made with rye whiskey, their own raw sugar syrup and blended with house bitters. The Moscow Mule will keep you toasty with its refreshing hit of Vox Vodka, ginger beer and a subtle twist of tangy lime juice.
