The 18th Amendment,Geelong.Credit:JACK MURPHY
It's hard to imagine Al Capone in connection with Geelong,but The 18th Amendment is making me think in strange and different ways. It might be the mellow influence of the cocktail I'm sipping,but I imagine the infamous bootlegger would feel right at home in this laneway bar.
Approached up a narrow flight of stairs and decorated with exposed wooden rafters and framed black and white period photos,it has a stylish speakeasy vibe which might appeal to any gangster on the make.
Its cocktails are loosely inspired by the Prohibition era,including the signature Boardwalk Empire. This memorable beverage arrives in a small wooden casket,and when opened there's a momentary sight of the smoke which is a key ingredient,alongside whisky,bitters,almond syrup and apple juice.
This lively bar is a good example of the recent flourishing of dining and drinking venues on Little Malop Street,a narrow laneway in the heart of Geelong's CBD.
"No matter what you want to eat or drink,there's something for everyone here,"says Damien Kos-Beckwith,manager of The 18th Amendment,and he's right – there's an impressive array of options along the strip. Seethe18thamendmentbar.com.au
STAY SOBER WITH RAMEN
My aim is to have a progressive dinner,so it's time for an entree at Sober Ramen. This compact restaurant fusing Japanese and other Asian cuisines is a plainly decorated space with bare concrete walls,slate tiles and timber tabletops.
Despite the simple décor it has a warm and friendly vibe,full of early diners on this Friday evening. I try a few dishes from the starters side of the menu,which includes such delights as steamed greens with sesame miso dressing,spicy calamari,and fried oyster mushrooms. I suspect the spicy calamari would match well with the venue's selection of sake. See facebook.com/soberramen
ARTY LATIN AMERICAN DINING