Baz Luhrmann has already celebrated at this Boundary Street location, which is well suited for interesting cocktails, an unusual wine list and Mediterranean-inspired snacks.
The lounge began more as a solution to a problem than an idea for a hospitality venue. For six months the bar area in front of The West End Electric on West End Boundary Road had sat empty.
“It was illegal and we thought, ‘This is not a good look in front of our hall,'” says Scott Maidment. Maidment is director of Strut & Fret, which operates The West End Electric. “So we talked to the owner and said, ‘How about we take it?'”
That may come as a surprise to anyone who has already entered the Fall. Because of this it feels like a proper hospitality venue, from concept to execution.
Intermission, sure, because you can hang out during breaks in the show and down a martini or two. But Time, too, because it sits between Boundary Street and The West End Electric, the mediator between the theater and the theater of the city.
“If you’re visiting this city and you’re there for half a day, you want to go and sit on the outside balcony and you’ll see the whole of Brisbane go by,” Maidment says. “Fine ladies in their aerobics outfits to party on their way to the bar. You get everything there.”
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It’s true. The vivid period atmosphere puts you right in the West End stage. Venue designer James Browne (Strut & Fret’s regular designer) has made the most of the setup, with a smart treatment that catches the eye of passers-by.
Inside is a mix of teal, maroon and a stunning gold floor that Browne made from hundreds of thousands of hand-thrown gold. Carved VJ panels line the walls and complement the white wood lining the outdoor drinking areas. Inside, there isn’t a centimeter of wall space that hasn’t been turned into a giant theater poster or painted picture.
It is a theater that shows the character of the theater beyond (accessible by a secret door), without succumbing to them, allowing the voters to engage with them on their terms.
“Our brief to James was that we wanted the whole concept to be, ‘See you on Break. See you on Break. Let’s grab a drink on Break,'” Maidment says. “It’s a break in your day.
“If you want to have a little break, at the end of the day or in the afternoon, then you go about your day … it’s connected to the theater but we wanted it to stand on its own. And almost all of our guests come in from Boundary Street.”
Drinks are led by a generous cocktail menu that favors good signatures. There is Werther or Not (brown butter bourbon, burnt sugar, butterscotch liqueur, cacao bitters, saline and vanilla), Choc Top Martini (vanilla vodka, creme de cacao, Malibu, cold brew coffee and cream), and The Saharan (white rum, Malibu, pineapple juice, lime juice, white elderflower syrup).
The wine list is complex but equally interesting, with many rare varieties and boutique producers present and correct. It’s also easy on the wallet, with most wines outside of champagne available by the glass.
Elsewhere, there are rotating craft beers on tap and a good selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
Accompanying the drinks is a Mediterranean-influenced snack menu designed to keep you going for several more rounds. Expect oysters; tinned fish of the day served with focaccia; bouqerones and lobster toast; Yarra Valley caviar on potato tart; lobster roll; and a selection of fancy toasties.
The break comes at a good time for Brisbane’s independent bar scene – particularly south of the river where Bosc and Can You Keep a Secret have recently closed. In that sense, it’s a welcome addition to Boundary Street and should attract a lot of attention – indeed, renowned Australian director Baz Luhrmann has already starred in it.
“I used to go to the West End when I was at university in the late 90s and up until then people were very worried about gentrification, but I feel the neighborhood has managed that very well,” he says.
“West Village – I feel they’ve done a great job with that area, and it adds more traffic which helps venues like ours. The locals have been very supportive and now we want to get the word out more.”
Open Tue 4pm-10pm, Wed-Thu 4pm-12am, Fri 4pm-1am, Sat 2pm-1am, Sun 2pm-12am
125 Boundary Street, West End
Matt Shea is the Food and Culture Editor at the Brisbane Times. He is a former editor and managing editor at Broadsheet Brisbane, and has written for Escape, Qantas Magazine, Guardian, Jetstar Magazine and SilverKris, among many others.
