Fittingly for any self-respecting hip Sydney drinking hole, you must hunt a little to find your way in to Ramblin' Rascal Tavern. Whilst not as heavy on the Prohibition era incognito as The Soda Factory (hidden behind a Coke fridge) or Shady Pines (a nondescript white door down a side alley), follow the three white skulls near the corner of Elizabeth and Park Streets to find your way downstairs into the Rascals' tavern. Understandable really, as it was opened by a group of bar managers who had previously held fort in several other staples of Sydney drinking including Shady Pines, Frankie's Pizza and The Baxter Inn. Wanting to make their own stamp, the owner of those establishments helped them step out from under their wing and get setup in their own place. Indeed, those three skulls that signpost your way in, are in fact the three owners drawn by local tattoo artist Sanchez, as a tribute to their shared adventure.
Taking over the space vacated by the old comedy club The Laugh Garage, without a distinctive theme in mind, the decor is a heady mix. Broadly speaking, a humble aging pub look abounds, with glossy dark wood fittings, leather bound panels adorning the bar, and flower drop lights. But this is cheekily offset by some dive bar staples: a warehouse industrial ceiling, fairy lights scattered around, hats & shoes and other kitch hanging over the bar. Even 50s pin ups adorn the fridges: from Marilyn Monroe holding the lighter beers slowly to kinkier Betty Page for the deeper ones. Finally to bring it back home from what might be more American flourishes, assorted vintage Australian photography and Aussie booze iconography brighten the walls. Although prior to the Laugh Garage the space was an old pub (the Kings Head Tavern - hence calling Ramblin' Rascals a tavern too) this wasn't legacy decor - the space was empty when Charlie Lehman & Co. got their hands on it; they carefully assembled this hotch potch interior that now all hangs together rather well.
Wanting to make their distinctive mark, Ramblin' Rascal Tavern specialises in Cognac - seeing a gap left between the current revival movements of gin and whisky which now seem to be all the rage. As with those movements, the aim was to throw out the old image of the spirit and make it fresh and accessible. To that end they have a creative Cognac-based cocktail list that changes every three months, and always contains variety of approaches to allow the Cognac fit every palate.
If you don't like the sharpness of Cognac and need a sweet fix, you can grab an Ice Cream Sandwich - Cognac, raspberry syrup and cream served in a milkshake glass with an ice cream sandwich on the side. On the had you can tuck into something spicer with the Foghorn Leghorn - fried chicken infused Cognac (yes you read that correctly), spiced rye, pink peppercorn syrup and pimento bitters.
The signature Ramblin' Rascal cocktail however is ever present, and directly on tap: the Martell Sazerac. Served in a icey glass, it is simple and satisfying: Martell Cognac, Peychauds bitters and a touch of sugar. It was potent - one of those drinks that you can feel the fun immediately crawling up your jaw - but smooth like a well aged earthy whisky and rounded out wonderfully by an aniseed scent.
They have even experimented with a couple of Courvoisier Barrel aged Harvard options: utilising either an ex-sherry or port barrel to enrich the flavour over a few months, Courvoisier Cognac, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters are aged in and poured straight from the barrel, accented with spoon of maraschino cherry syrup added to round out the dryness. Both options had a playful sweetness to it that made the Cognac very accessible - much like a yummy dessert wine or tawny.
If Cognac really isn't your thing they still carry most classic booze to suit most tastes. Beers are mostly crafts but they have a cheeky 'Shit Tinnie' crate if you want to roll the dice and get a random straight up tinnie. Just be careful how far you stray from good taste though: they have a 'Top Shelf' booze counter to service poor booze requests - but with a bad taste tax applied: $30 for a cheeky Midori and its $1000 if you dare to order a Passion Pop, so think twice before the alco-pop craving grips you. You have been warned.
If all that wasn't enough, due to a partnership with Mary's Burgers, once you have lovingly mashed your brain with Cognac delights, you can stave off the hangover with Mary's Burgers hand delivered from their city branch. Hot damn! They really have thought of everything.
