Overview
There’s something a-brewing in Sydney’s bar and restaurant scene. Between the rise of the foodie blogger, pop-up stalls featuring the world’s best food and gourmet food trucks, the lines between food of the street and fancy kind are being blurred. You might experience the best meal of your life from a takeaway box or find a world class chef slogging away at a tiny hole-in-the-wall. The revolution is happening, friends. So we’re not at all surprised to announce that the guns from Mojo Record Bar are opening a tiny, chill, no-fuss CBD venue wherein you’ll find some of the city’s biggest names in the industry.
The Easy Eight may only have capacity for 60 patrons, but it's going for big impact. The bar, which has only been open for about two weeks, borrows tried and tested themes from Mojo (think great music and a chill vibe) and combines them with a gastropub ethos — sans the pretension. Styled up like an authentic U.S. diner, it's located in the laneway off Clarence Street, which you've probably frequented a few times on visits to Baxter Inn.
The big names come in with the menu, which has been created by Harry Stockdale-Powell and Jack Bathurst, who between them have worked at some of the biggest venue in town, including Rockpool, Bacasse Marque, Sepia and Toko. According to Harry, the concept for Easy Eight was born from the desire to drink and hang out in a low-key environment, but have access to come damn fine food options at the same time. Isn’t that all anyone wants in life?
But down to the brass tacks. The menu will feature indulgent dishes like lobster mac 'n' cheese, New York-style deli boards and beef-dripping roast potatoes with salted chilli — which is the kind of fare that will make your poor drunk brain explode with pleasure. And rest assured you will be drunk, because here’s a rundown of the drinks list. Alongside the immaculate beer selection, you’ll find a Popcorn Old Fashioned (served with popcorn-infused bourbon and maple syrup), the Apple Pie (apple, vodka and pie crust) and the Fairy Bread Fizz, which is basically a meal in itself with vodka, lemon, egg white, sugar and hundreds and thousands.
Yeah. This is the kind of magic that happens when chefs get together, get creative and democratise good food. A thousand points to Easy Eight.
The Easy Eight, 152-156 Clarence Street, via the laneway at the back of Baxter’s Inn, is open now.