By Mai
Setting: after work (and into the night) drinks for four
Bill: Unable to be determined at this stage
13 Heffernan Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Website
You could almost walk straight past this new bar in Melbourne’s Chinatown precinct and not even know about it. Keep a lookout for the moss green door and come early as this hidden gem is worth looking for. Recently opened in January 2015 to very little fanfare, this bar is already a tight squeeze on a Friday night.
The restored property has been stripped to expose the beautiful original bricks and timber ceiling structures. The name of the bar as well as the gorgeous Edison bulbs running throughout the bar is a nod to the Union Electric Lighting Company which is part of the lane’s heritage. The overall effect is a comfortable and intimate space with a buzzing electric vibe.
Pushing local beers and liquors as well as some cheaper than the norm $13 cocktails, Union Electric drinks menu epitomises serious bartending without the pretension. The bar’s most popular cocktail is a vivid green Kum Den Botanica (a nod to the bar’s neighbour) is a combination of West Winds Gin, elderflower, fresh apple, lime, cucumber and finished with micro herbs.
There’s no kitchen at Union Electric, but food in the form of pan-fried pork dumplings and Peking duck pancakes can be delivered without you leaving your table from New Kum Den kitchen next door. Though my suggestion is eat first before you come as New Kum Den also gets busy and orders may get wayward before arriving at your table.
The experience from the moment you walk through that almost secret door to reveal the open space and the retro feel and to when you slightly stumble your way out is what Friday night drinks should be about. The laughs, the love and the liquor.
Feature image sourced from Facebook.
The Urban Scrapbook 