Sweet Treats at Hinky Dinks

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Last week I had my first delightful visit to Hinky Dinks, accompanied by the ever elegant Sarah of The Chronicles of an Eccentric.

I often lament the fact that in regards to experiencing the 'vintage culture' so to speak, I tend to feel isolated being in Sydney rather than somewhere like America, especially when it comes to shopping. We just don't seem to have the same sort of culture, or this has been my experience to date. I can't quite explain it! The lovely fact about socialising with the vintage lovers of Old Hat or knowing people like Sarah means that I have other people to experience a different side of Sydney with, and this year especially I have been constantly discovering new exciting pockets of my beautiful city, and enjoying it all the more... My hope is that other bloggers in Sydney especially get the chance to discover something new too!

Sarah and I ventured into Kings Cross one Friday night, and although Hinks Dinks is situated in Darlinghurst it is a mere walk from Kings Cross station. From the moment I read the Sydney Morning Herald review of this bar, I knew it was going to be an absolute favourite of mine. When it comes to Sydney nightlife I am a fan of cocktail culture through and through. My old haunt is usually Kuletos in Newtown, where during happy hour a very delightful time can be had with two-for-one cocktails. For some context, here is my hand frolicking through a table of cocktails:

Hinky Dinks however, aims to recreate that lovely cocktail culture of decades gone by. With a beautiful 50s styled room, it's a lot smaller than your average bar but aims to make you feel very taken care of.

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The staff are so fantastically attentive and knowledgeable about their cocktails, and the history behind them. If you visit Sarah's review, you'll see she's sampled quite a few cocktails, even one that began at the Hotel Georgia in the 1950s. Here she is enjoying the Hotel Georgia:

Source: The Chronicles of an Eccentric

 

I opted for an odd cocktail, the Hinky Fizz. A tasty combo of sorbet and a mash of other delightful spirits, but I was a bit put off by the use of an ice cream cup. Awkward to drink out of, but very yummy!

Source: The Chronicles of an Eccentric

Source: The Chronicles of an Eccentric

 See how smiley I am? That means I'm enjoying my cocktail IMMENSELY. I should've photographed the dress I was wearing... It's not vintage, but that lovely floral half below the waist fans out in a lovely 50s full skirt, and it's nice and lined for dealing with with this winter weather.

I also tried the Gin 'n' Jam, which is uh-huh-huh-maaaazing (Elvis inflection). I did take my own photo of the drink, but the dim lighting and camera phone quality doesn't quite capture the lovely peach colour and thick foamy top to this delicious cocktail.

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Yuuuuuuuuum.
Despite the prices, it's quite safe to say I'm hooked on Hinky Dinks. We went for a walk so Sarah could show me the other vintage-eque bar in the area, Eau De Vie. We didn't stay long, so I can't quite give a full review of the place (although I intend to in future!), but here are some pictures:

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It definitely reminds you of a 1920s speak-easy, not only in decor but in the way you have to get there. It's secretly hidden behind a hotel lobby and this weird walkway you take to get to the room, I wouldn't have discovered it otherwise! I hope to go again soon and sample the drinks there and let all you lovely readers know all about it...

I'm also planning a Europe trip in November after uni's wrapped up, so I'm interested to see what kind of a vintage culture can be found in other countries...  If anyone knows of any other great quirky places like these around Sydney, or even other places around Australia or overseas, please do share in the comments! I'd be fascinated to know what else there is to explore. After all, the fun part is discovering it together in this happy little community :)

Renata
xx