Melbourne might have started the laneway trend, the small-bar revolution and the trendy hotspots, but Sydney is definitely on its way to catching up. Full speed ahead, we're hoppin' to first place.

A bar so neatly tucked away, hidden from passersby's glances, peripheral views and google map searches, Martin O'Sullivan's 12-month old baby has grown rapidly, speedily out-grew the crawling stage and has been hopping ever since. Grasshopper in Temperance Lane needs no publicity, as the crowd standing outside having drinks wordlessly suggests, but it's hard not to write on such a fantastic inner city alcove of alternative fun.

The downstairs bar is dark, full of ambience, music and chatting people sitting on mis-matched furniture, sipping their drinks out of jam jars (cool) which have been shaken and stirred in beakers (awesome). Leaving aesthetics aside, Grasshopper's smooth style, unpretentious greatness and friendly attitude is a wonderfully sweet refreshing breath in the sometimes stifling, monotonous mouth of the CBD.

If you're craving an invigorating palette experience then need not wait until after work, or after dark. Upstairs sits a cosy, dimly-lit restaurant that serves up a surprisingly delicious menu - both for dinner and lunch. Their kitchen dishes up divine food 12pm-12am, so there's no excuse to miss it.

Martin O'Sullivan, Grasshopper bar and French bistro proprietor has a chat to me about Grasshopper's creation and philosophy:
"Aside from Sydney's icons, such as the Harbour Bridge, and the Opera House, there is so much more to this city. Its laneways are being cultivated with small bars, artworks and installations, injecting Sydney with a fresh wave of creativity. I think what's exciting about Grasshopper is that its popularity shows that Sydney likes this scene; this creative, alternative, organic and quality scene, and you don't have to go to Surry Hills to find it. Coming up at Grasshopper are some not-for-profit events, think art installations, art galleries, cinema, anything to do with the arts, we've got it. We'll be the destination bar for the Sydney Film Festival, so after the show people are invited to come back here, the laneway is shut off, and there'll be screen projectors and good cocktails and good food going around, it'll be alot of fun."

They take their food and drink seriously, the Grasshoppers, but not themselves - you won't see any noses in the air here, just smiling faces, from both the wait staff and the patrons. So cheers, with our jam jars, to Sydney's hotspot, you'll be a fool to hop past it.