Hippo Bar has been a fixture on the Canberra cocktail scene for well over a decade. For those of you unaware of the little bar in the city centre, all you need to do is stand on the Garema Place chessboard and look up to the balcony that juts over Cocorea.
If you were unaware of Hippo, you missed one of the most luxurious and often-decadent bars this city has seen. You’ll have to turn to longer term residents to know more, because in late April this years the doors shut on Hippo bar and the tradies moved in. What we have now is Hippo Co. Before we describe what you will find when you make your way up the stairs from the street below, we’ll have a shot at describing what awaits: how about a ‘cocktail pub’?
Sounds odd, doesn’t it? However owners Sasha Trpkovski, Laurence Kaine and Tom Hertel have never been shy of pushing the boundaries. Sasha was one of the original owners of Hippo Bar, and went on to build Honkytonks with Laurence and Tom a couple of years ago.
Hippo Co is a much more pared down affair than its predecessor. The wooden floor remains, however the soft ottomans are long gone, replaced with bistro chairs and tables that that reflect a prohibition feel. This mood is further enhanced by the collections of black and white photos that cram the walls, interspersed only the occasional light, shelf or, um, animal head. That’s right, taxidermy is a strong design feature for the new bar. Apologies to any vegetarians out there.
The highlight, as promoted heavily though their Facebook Page is the whiskey collection, soaring over the back of the bar. No matter what your preference of this most subtle of drinks – or your budget – all the Speysides, Highlands and Islays you could want can be found here.
If the whiskey sounds too strong, too daunting or simply too expensive, the bartenders are more than happy to make for you a concoction that will suit your palate. So make sure you make your way up the stairs, find yourself a comfortable spot and let Hippo Co take your tastebuds on a trip to yesteryear. It’s the future of Canberra bars.
