“The Look: Contemporary simplicity. Cube Ottomans, cylindrical side tables and a long banquette out front, while large blackboards serve as handy memory aids if you’re inclined to forget the food and drink specials.

The outside story : Open air or smoking space(depending on how you look at it) is available in the covered courtyard at the rear of the bar. : Although there’s a lot of choice in the drinks’ department, Mumbler keeps it manageable. There’s a concise but considered wine list and a decent selection of Aussie boutique brews by the bottle and on tap, including Matilda Bay and Mountain Goat. The cocktail list leans towards the classics.

To eat: More adventurous than your average bar menu, dishes include lemon pepper calamari with watermelon and cucumber salsa; wasabi-pea coated chicken strips; and tandoori lamb meatballs.

Best for: Casual drinks that cover all bases.

By the DeckOfSecrets team.

“Shop down on Swan St, Richmond, and keen to seek refuge? Find Mumbler, a smart, new, stylish hole-in-the-wall nestled on the retail strip. It’s a modern bar with a fine-food fetish and a raft of boutique beers and wines to complement. So sink into a choc-mint faux-leather sofa while you swig on a Moo Brew and mull over the menu. Laksa scallops, Moroccan lamb meatballs and pilsner-battered barramundi strips are all equally tempting. But it’s the lemon pepper calamari, crispy thin pizza and seafood platters that rank high with the locals. Mumbler’s gourmet grazing goes pretty much till closing. It’s good value too.”

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Michelle Potts, The AGE Epicure