La de Da Bar Brings Inner West Quirk to the North
Sydney tattoo artists aren't just opening bars in Newtown, they're haunting the Vale.
Mona Vale has gained its own slice of inner city artsy-ness with recently-opened venue La de Da. Stop there; the word 'venue' doesn’t quite do this project justice. It's actually an art adventure, interior design extravaganza, live music stage, occasional dance club and off-beat eatery-drinkery wrapped into one.
La de Da’s expansive canvas is thanks to a huge collaboration, involving four prominent arty and musical types: tattooist and interior designer Rick Vaughan (Four Tattoos), fine artist and graphic designer Paul Brabenec, DJ Marcus King and singer-songwriter Aya Larkin, who used to front Skunkhour and also co-ran Bondi’s Canteen Bar and Diner.
The team have taken a beautiful historic building, located at 1725 Pittwater Road, and turned it into a cosy and romantic, yet quirky and electric visual feast. The space's bay windows, booths and corrugated iron roof have been given a modern edge with the addition of lush live greenery, dark wood and floral fabrics. And Vaughan, who's a serious traveller, has sprinkled his crazy international collection of objects, dolls, artworks and decorations all over the place. To add to the enigmatic atmosphere, lighting is kept to a low, falling here and there in shadowy pools.
Amidst this eclectic design, La de Da is passionate about showcasing original art and music. Brabenec has brought his unique touch to the front bar, giving it a bright, abstract feel, heightened by the inclusion of several of James Ettelson’s bold pieces. In one intimate corner, Caleb Reid has left his idiosyncratic signature, while Wade Burkitt’s left-of-field portraits feature in the two main dining rooms.
Live music is happening on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, as well as on Sunday afternoons, in a dedicated chamber-style room. The program spans all genres, from laidback acoustic originals and indie rock to reggae and Latin. Every now and again a local DJ will pop in to convert the primary dining room into a dancefloor, disco ball included. Plus, when there's no live performance scheduled, you'll be able to handpick your own soundtrack via jukebox.
As far as the food goes, one of the most intriguing dishes on the menu is baked jalapenos stuffed with ginger cream cheese. Also tempting is the La de Da WOW burger; twice-cooked pork belly in Chinese spices; pulled pork poutine, with molten cheese curds, shallots and a light beef gravy over steak-cut fries; wood-fired pizzas and seasonal tapas plates. All in all, the emphasis is on fresh, locally-sourced produce, dressed up with international flavours.
Drinks-wise, standouts at the bar look to be the Garden Martini (gin, housemade lavender syrup, yellow chartreuse), frozen slushies, cocktail jugs and a range of craft beers, including Little Creatures, White Rabbit and Newcastle Brown.
Why should the inner west have all the quirky fun?
La de Da, located at 1725 Pittwater Road, Mona Vale, is open for dinner and drinks Tuesday to Friday, between 5.30pm and 12am; Saturday, between 4.30pm and 12am; and Sunday, between midday and 11pm.
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