The suave cocktail setting and live music here will have you looking around for a James Bond type to share a martini (or a signature Somatini) with. Shaken, not stirred.
With an interior that mixes 007 chic with 'Get Smart' cheek, this place is as hard to pin down as a real secret agent spy.
At first glance, Bar Soma seems like a hard-edged industrial loft space. However, look a little closer and you'll discover a surprisingly intimate setting, with plush lounges, fine lace detailing and vintage wallpaper.
As a bar, restaurant and lounge under the one roof, this swish place has its own sense of style. Modern local artworks decorate its walls, and the venue plays host to live performances from various jazz, funk and soul bands.
Cocktail lovers should succumb to temptation and sample the signature Somatini, which teams vodka together with watermelon liqueur, muddled watermelon and a sucker punch of chilli. Another adventurous choice is the Kenny Ray concoction, created by bartender Matty Howard. It mixes tequila with sweet vanilla liqueur, lemon juice, cinnamon and egg whites.
The wine list will take you all around Australia, and then away to France and Spain. Meanwhile the bar snack menu offers up everything from freshly shucked Pacific Ocean oysters, to lamb skewers, duck pate, tempura whiting and cheese platters.
Andrea Tomaz
