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| The Bank Hotel, King Street, Newtown, Sydney |
The Bank Hotel is really one of those pubs you have to be told about. As you walk along King Street it is hardly impressive. You can tell that it is a bar, but really it doesn't look much. An old man's bar perhaps. Not one worth wandering into.
How wrong you would be. Walking into the Bank is like walking into the Tardis. You have no idea where they fit everything.
We wander into the main bar visible from the street. The standard pokies adorn the wall on your right. The bar is in the middle. There is a lone pool table at the back. "Free Pool on Sundays", says a fairly pathetic sign. Somewhat sadly, large televisions blare out baseball (baseball!??!!) as part of the international effort to destroy our culture. We walk further in and hear screaming coming from the pool table. "That 50 cents hasn't moved all night!!!", cries some bloke with his hat (baseball cap?) turned around backwards. Ouch.
We hurriedly move on through a back door, not knowing where it leads. We come to a junction, and take a right, down some stairs... and into the wonderland. We are faced with a massive beer garden, teaming with what must be 50 or 60 people. And, in what appears to be the impossible, they are all eating thai food. We look around in amazement, and see a team of hard working asians barking thai to one another. Food is sizzling. It is incredible.
What else could we do but place an order. We found a table, sat down with our premium beers (Boags Premium and Cascade Premium) and marvelled. What other pub in Australia could survive by selling strictly Asian food? It was unheard of! And yet it is happening in Sydney, Australia. This blend of cultures. And what delightful food it is. The Chicken Satay was a treat, and by the looks of my companions, the Chicken Breast with Chilli and the Prawn and Salad were also much appreciated. The place was rocking, the food served quickly and of restaurant quality. Another win for Newtown. A hidden gem.
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Our thirst for Newtown revitalised, we couldn't just sit and drink the night away. Not in the one pub, anyway. After getting the gossip from the locals, we took of after our meal on foot in search of... the Coopers Arms. |
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Take a break from drinking like the author of this article did - Read why and how in his book Between Drinks: Escape the Routine, Take Control and Join the Clear Thinkers
