My first trip to Rum Bar last August was the first night out of drinking I'd had in Canberra. Perhaps it was this euphoria and the nice selection of drinks (did not have any food that time) that drove my opinion of this place. In particular the sensational Hot Buttered Rum was a dessert drink of dreams - sweet, warm, soothing, satisfying - and I couldn't help but tell people about it.
When the Facebook page announced a new food menu and a 2-for-1 Tuesday special, there was no better reason to return. I was sad to find the Hot Buttered Rum was only a winter concoction and that they didn't have the equipment to recreate it that evening. Location along the foreshore is as good as it gets in Canberra, and the interior decor is much better than the opposition drinking places in the area.
The drinks on this occasion were much less exciting than previously - it may have been partly due to the high cost of these cocktails (as expected in any higher end bar) but also they seemed relatively weak with the pouring shot glasses not being adequately filled, but I'd recently been to Molly where prices are the same but the drink excitement is better.
- Mini lamb kebab (served with hummus, tabouli, yogurt & harissa)
- Spicy fried school prawns served with aioli
- Flank steak served with potato & horseradish foam, poached egg & potato crisps
- Cheese fondue with grilled seasonal vegetables
- Pork Belly with pumpkin, walnuts & ricotta salata
- Salted cod fish fingers, garlic cream, mint, peas & smoked beetroot
- Octopus with almond gazpacho, olives, compressed cucumber & tomatoes
The food itself was fine without being special. Pork Belly was particularly nice. Overall I think the food prices are quite high given the serving sizes if paying full price. On this evening it did seem to take a very long time to cook (ie. 30mins for the starter and another 30-60 for the remaining), but I assume that was due to one cook and lots of guests taking advantage of the 2-for-1.
I think I'd only come back under two circumstances - Tuesday for 2-for-1 food items with a side drink or in winter if the Hot Buttered Rum makes a return.
