Sydney’s new basement bar Now & Then could be in worse company. Its Clarence Street spot is within bar-hopping distance from the likes of Cantina OK! and Old Mate’s Place, both of which have achieved something approaching cult status in recent years. Those two venues, though, have carved out their own novel market share: Cantina OK! as a standing-room-only micro mezcal bar; Old Mate’s Place boasting a 102-steps-high open-air deck in the midst of the city.
So it’s probably no wonder Now & Then has gone concept-heavy too. Co-owner Natalie Ng, who also owns fellow CBD venue Door Knock, has written a double-sided drinks menu: it has a “Now” list that features in-vogue, modern-era recipes, and a “Then” list which includes a bunch of vintage cocktails lifted from the history books.
A small blip in the formula is that there’s no real telling which side is which. There are toblerone- and fruit cobbler-themed drinks filed under “Then”, while minor edits to old-school cocktails like the Southside and Manhattan are defined as “Now”. It’s a little muddled, and might benefit from a clearer divide.
Confusion aside, there’s no need to panic: the drinks are up to scratch. For those who like their cocktails to taste like chocolate milk, the Tobler’s Toblerone is a foamy dessert-like tipple. With notes of nougat and honey and topped with curls of grated Toblerone, it washes down smoothly with a gentle kick of rum.
Ready to Rumball is another rummy sweetener, a swirl of chocolate, dark fruits and milk-washed rum, parted by an almighty coconut-coated cube of ice. The Down on the Southside tastes like a blast of menthol, and is one for those who like things extra minty.
The Sherry Cobbler Season, though sipped through an inch of shaved ice, somehow carries the starchy fruity flavour of its namesake pudding. The Seasonal Caipiroska, similar in style, is a sharper affair, made with freshly muddled plum that grips to the base of the glass and siphons in slabs through your straw.
Beyond the cocktails, the wine list holds a medley of Australian labels, with the odd French bottle thrown in for good measure. There’s also a decent supply of lagers, pale ales, ciders and seltzers for something a little lighter. The “Then” menu features Coronas, Hahn Super Dry, a Paper Mache sauvignon blanc from Adelaide Hills and a Fighting Gully Road chardonnay from Margaret River, among others, whereas the “Now” menu includes Stone & Woods, a Simon Gilbert pet nat rosé from Mudgee and a Dawning Day pinot gamay from the Southern Highlands (served chilled), making it clearer which side is which.
Now & Then has opted for fancy restaurant starters rather than bar snacks (though, you can get olives and fries). Ng borrows some of the dishes from Door Knock, with both food menus offering lemon and bay leaf mixed olives, a house cured and cultured board, and Ortiz anchovies with ciabatta and pickled cucumber. The pomme dauphine arrives as four bite-sized stacks of trout-topped potato puffs. They are cutely assembled and pack a decent punch.
Now & Then is still in its formative stages. Having only launched in December, there’s a feeling that it’s yet to decide exactly what it wants to be. As you descend from the street into near darkness, the space somehow fails to follow through on its promising first impression. The velvet bar stools, low-lit bottle collection and curtained windows glimpsing the footsteps of passers by has all the ambience of a snug lock-in with low-key elegance. The bar staff are unquestionably friendly and keen for a chat, and the playlist plies the place with the sultry sounds of Prince and Marvin Gaye.
But it falls short on forming a cohesive identity. Its marble splashback bar and neutral trimmings are overthrown by maximalist splurges, with kitsch floral wallpaper and seating and Persian rugs upending its attempts at chic. The segmented floor plan, presumably carved up to provide a range of seating and standing options when full, makes the room feel sparse and awkward when empty.
It might take a bit of time and fine-tuning for Now & Then to make a major splash on the CBD bar scene. Though Ng has proven she can create a successful venue before, and the concept is compelling, so here’s hoping the future looks bright for Now & Then.
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