Upon sauntering down Oxford St I came across a new door whose stairs led me up to a new small bar similar to Ching-a-lings but with a rock-n-roll vibe and more edge.

Heavy Feather is a new member on the Oxford St strip, which is dominated with disco balls, lasers and topless men. Taking on a very different aesthetic and value system, Heavy Feather is a refreshing getaway amongst the heavy bass and flashing lights in most establishments surrounding it.

 

With leather couches, a metal-pressed bar, hanging ferns and a large wall painting of a predatory canary surrounded by swirling colours, I liked it already. 

It’s comfortable for friends to meet and have a good old chat (if you grab a couch - don’t rely on the bar stools for the same quality of comfort and conversational reposing) not so much a bar to mingle and dance. There's also a surprisingly large outdoor courtyard (always a winning trait for me) which rivals neighbouring Ching-a-lings in the inner-city outdoor drinking stakes.

 

Already in favour of the bar’s name, their cocktail names are equally oxymoronic with titles such as A Fine Mess (tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, honey, passionfruit); Terribly Pleased (light and dark rums, coconut liqueur, lime and orange juices, passionfruit, bitters); and Friendly Fire (a riff on the El Diablo, with the addition of hazelnut liqueur with tequila, creme de cassis, lime juice and ginger ale). In terms of beers there is Dos Blockos, a new Aussie microbrew that comes in its very own paper bag (I think this is a cute idea, but at the same time...is homeless alcoholic now chic?), as well as Coopers, Knappstein, Cascade, Corona and a Batlow cider.

 

If you’re one to enjoy a nice little nibble with your drinks go for the smoked chilli bowl, grilled pork belly or the buffalo chicken wings. They’re all tasty crowd-pleasures and reasonably priced ($10 for the chilli bowl).

 

So walk a couple of doors up from Ching-a-lings and take the stairs to Oxford St’s new member, it’s fun, quirky and another welcomed addition to our ever-growing small bar scene.