Titus Jones
With the addition of a little cocktail bar, Marrickville now has all the nice things.
Delicious things in Sydney tend to clump together. In one city block from Foster Street to Wentworth Avenue in Surry Hills you’ve got a rollcall of ace eats and drinks: Wild Rover, Spice I Am, Nomad, Bar H and Tio’s. The same phenomenon can be observed in a little pocket of Marrickville down by the station. Cornersmith is flying the flag for the joys of pickling; you can buy some of the best banh mi in the city; and there’s a line-up of Vietnamese restaurants that always hit the spot.
And now Titus Jones has brought cocktails and cheeseboards to this flavourpacked corner of Sydney. It’s right across the road from Cornersmith, and there’s a serious emphasis on the ‘small’ in small bar. Stools line the narrow gullet of the bar, and we’re pretty sure you’d need to live next door for any chance of scoring those street-side glory seats. No matter; you can recline at home. But here there are cocktails, friendly vibes and a pretty top-notch hip-hop soundtrack that reminds us of our misspent youth.
We’re asking you to take a leap with us here, because although the Zen Blend cocktail reads like a mad health tonic, the taste is refreshing and herbal. Vodka and coconut water provide a neutral base onto which they build a restrained Japanese refresher flavoured with plum wine and fragrant purple perilla leaves (Japanese shiso).
The Negroni will not let you down, and a spiced rum Daiquiri is a very gentle twist on another classic, but the Aloe Boys is the cocktail that shines brightest. West Winds gin, aloe vera juice, cucumber and lime is as close to clean eating as anything with alcohol gets, and unlike a detox, it’s both tasty and fun.
This is not the place for overly ambitious snacking. They do cheeseboards. There are two types. On our visit one has a blue and one has a brie, and both come with all the little accoutrements that make it feel like a picnic. And you know what, we’re totally on board with the salty, savoury Vegemite crackers they provide.
Titus Jones 337 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville 2204. 02 8068 4955. Mon-Fri 4pm-late; Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon10pm.
There are cocktails, friendly vibes and a hip-hop soundtrack that reminds us of our misspent youth