12 Durham Street East,
Auckland Central
Auckland,
1010
(09) 309 3830
The ViewAuckland Review
So it’s the weeks leading up to Christmas. You’re over the Viaduct, and you don’t fancy making the trip up to Ponsonby for after work drinks. Wouldn’t life be simpler if you could just pop out quickly to somewhere in the CBD?
The newly opened My Bar could just be what you’re looking for. You’re away from the more pub-like atmosphere of Vulcan Lane, and up in Durham Lane, if you squint your eyes just a little, it’s easy to imagine you’re in Melbourne or somewhere more authentically European. You can even get a bite to eat.
A few outside tables sit next door to Renkon Japanese noodle bar, or you can order in from My Bar’s food menu ranging from nuts ($5.50) to an antipasto plate ($22). We’re just here for afterwork drinks though, and focus on the significant wine and cocktail list. Happily for a beer buff, My Bar seems to have largely escaped the influence of the big breweries, and Kiwi micro-breweries like Blenheim’s Moa and Dux de Lux from Christchurch are well-represented. Kronenbourg and Pure Blonde are on tap, but I go for a hoppy Weka lager from Moa. It takes Carol a bit longer for her decision – the cocktail list is divided into Classic, Contemporary and Sake cocktails – and decides on ‘In a Pear Tree’ ($14) with Fresh Pear muddled with vanilla, sugar, Havana Club rum, Limoncello and apple juice. Just as Auckland’s starting to show its more humid face, the cocktail is zingy, well-balanced and refreshing, and a pretty good entrée into summer. Around us the clientele includes a few German backpackers and some besuited types who maybe began a boozy lunch a little too early a few hours ago. Music is of the non-challenging type from Coldplay to Talking Heads. Beats probably get more energetic at night, but after a busy day Chris Martin and David Byrne are just fine.
With an inner-city location My Bar’s a convenient option. The guy behind the bar has loads of cocktail-making skill, the welcome’s friendly and non-judgemental, and anywhere that serves up Moa and Dux de Lux beer is always fine by me.
My Bar has been reviewed by 7 users