LOOK INTO MYeyes,
Employees Only, and I’ll
tell you the future. Ah, the
lureofthemysticalworld
of tarot card readers.
Asyouarriveattheneon‘Psychic’sign
and descend past the astrology murals
into the Sydney outpost of New York’s
famousEmployeesOnlybar,anookat
thebaseofthestairshousesatarotcard
readerwithtalesofwhat’stocome.
Ofcourse,youcouldsimplyswooninto
whatmaywellbeanewfutureforSydney
(ifonlythelockoutlawswerescrapped).
Known for killer cocktails, hand-turned-
at-the-tablesteak tartare and quirky
entertainment, Employees Only is louder
thana Metallica concert.
AndjustliketheWestVillageoriginal,
and the Miami, Hong Kong and Singapore
iterations, the room is unique to the city.
DesignedbyTimLeveson,there’sa
Prohibition-era wash over the space with
acurvaceousbar,skylighting,andolive,
teal and deep-blue bucket chairs and
booths.It’srefined,andsetsastandard
for smart drinking (and dining) until 3am.
Where the original is more bar with
cracking bar food, Sydney is hedging its
bets each way with the vibe of a swinging
saloon but a food menu with more items
than a yum cha trolley.
In the kitchen, former Nour chef
AurélienGiraultdeliversacasual,almost
pub-ish take on French bistro fare, which
is nice enough for the price, but doesn’t
quiteliveuptothedécor,drinks(order
theManhattan)oratmosphere’sbrief.
Bonemarrow andbordelaise‘poppers’
en croutelook much the same as the kind
ofvol-au-ventsI’davoidasakidatmy
parents’ Saturday-night soirées. But at
leasthereitisamouthfulofmeatand
butterygravy,evenifthepastryisabittoo
thick.Thenonegiant,silkyspannercrab
ravioliwadesinasubtlefennelbroththat’s
saved by the big, bolshy quinelle ofcafé
de Parison top. The must-order EO
signature chunky-cut steak tartare comes
crownedwithaneggyolkandistossed
with truffled capers, shallot and splashes
of Worcestershire and Tabasco at the
table. It’s one of the most enjoyable riffs
on the classic I’ve had. But a nice medley
oflentils,olives,tomatoandsalsaverde
isn’tenoughtosaveovercookedJohn
Dory, and although a porkcotoletta
(crumbed pork chop) is cooked beautifully
andseasonedwell,theaccompanying
Tuscan slaw is pedestrian at best.
There’smuchtoloveaboutEmployees
Only. Currently, though, they’re trying to
straddle both worlds – restaurant and bar- when they should stick to their strengths:
tokeepthedrinksshakenandstirredwith
seriousstyle.EmployeesOnly,Icansee
your future. Bar over restaurant, with a
smaller, more considered food menu that
supports the rollicking good times –
something Sydney can do with more of.
CLOCKWISE:speakeasy
glamour in the bar and
dining spaces; cocktail
excellence, including a
must-order Manhattan.PHOTOGRAPHYNIKKI TOREVIEW.
@huckstergram @anthuckstepFor more of our critic’s dining picks.REVIEWED ONLINE THIS MONTH
Ron’sUpstairs, Redfern, Sydney, NSW
Tipico, Windsor, Melbourne, VIC
BellaBrutta, Newtown, Sydney, NSW
Gaja, Melbourne CBD, VICEMPLOYEES ONLY
CUISINEContemporary
CHEFAurélien Girault
VISIT9A Barrack Street, Sydney
OPENING HOURS
Monday to Saturday 5pm-3am
Sundays 6pm-midnight
BOOKINGS
employeesonlysyd.com
PRICE$$$
BYONo
OTHER FEATURESTarot card reading
CHILD FRIENDLY No32 delicious.com.au