New to Sydney is a sustainable, ‘no-waste’ or “regenerative” cocktail bar in the South Everleigh Precinct. This precinct has a bunch or restaurants and work spaces and you possibly wouldn’t know the bar was here unless specially looking for it. Keep in mind there isn’t parking on site, so you do need to park in back streets about a ten minute walk away. Or, there’s parking underground with the entrance on central Avenue that brings you up on to locomotive st. It’s free after 6pm with 2 hours free parking the rest of the time.

Once you walk in, look for the entrance to the bar in the brick building, sign posted by two large letters “re” at the entrance. Re- for “reduce, reuse, recycle”, key meanings in the bar’s revolutionary sustainable concept.

This bar is all about the use of recycled materials and minimal (and ideally no waste) functioning. The tables are made from recycled bottles and tupperware, banquettes with pineapple-leaf fibre, and the light fittings and wine coolers are made from new age mycelium fungus material. Furthermore, the staircase and the bar are made from recycled milk bottles. The space looks awesome, with a pleasing wood/white/grey aesthetic and open bar to see the work in action.

They’ve worked with Mud ceramics to produce the cups and plates used in the bar. These ceramics are made using excess clay.

The bar is focused on cocktails with highballs/spritzers, classics, signature and “re-search” options. The drinks are made using produce that may have gone unsold and subsequently salvaged for the bar like ‘ugly’ fruit, vegetables and herbs. The drinks are clever, creative and refreshing.

We love the “everything milk bar”, which was an awesome cocktail. The main ingredient was bulleit bourbon that had been infused with literally caramelised white chocolate, oak moss, coffee and cake. This cocktail was served in a short glass, with a large ice cube and there was a large treat (similar to a protein ball) sitting on top of the ice cube. This ball was a cake containing the flavours of the cocktail to be eaten as you sip on the cocktail. With each bite the cake would coat your mouth, this followed by a sip of the cocktail which would intensify the flavours. A quality concept and cocktail.

We are intrigued as to what “Re-search” cocktails mean. The staff are great in explaining their concept, aiming for an experience in both their production and taste, using elements found in the galaxy to encourage the senses to think.

We try the Milky Way, Plantation 3 Star, Ethyl Formate, Aldehyde, Cocoa Butter. It did taste like a milky way, which was nice, with a strong rum flavour. This cocktail was served in a small ceramic cup, with a large ice cube. In comparison to the cup, the ice cube was taller than the cup. The ice cube contributed to an interesting drinking experience. The ice cube in constant contact of your top lip as you take a sip of the cocktail, the cold a little uncomfortable to deal with, however this ensured you would slowly sip the cocktail to enjoy the flavours. Bar staff said they’re looking into refining its size.

The bar doesn’t just serve cocktails, there’s also Yullis and Wildflower beer, wine and cocktail cans if you so prefer. They also made me up a refreshing mocktail, a non alcoholic yuzu mojito.

The food doesn’t really provide for dinner, but there’s a few things you could classify as bar snacks. With puffed beef tendons sprinkled with togarashi or their cheesy flatbread ’nduja and a soft egg or a Welsh rarebit, hummus and pickles. Or finish off with a sorbet, made with fermented pineapple skins and plum, and topped with salt and olive oil. We like that the bar offers things away from the norm.

Bar staff were excellent, happy and enjoying their job, whilst taking care in their cocktail creation and the time to explain the concepts to us. Certainly worth giving this place a try. Cool, on so many levels.

Re-
2 Locomotive Street, South Eveleigh.
Hours
Tuesday – Saturday, 4pm – 12am
wearere.com.au