The team behind Sydney bar Bulletin Place (Tim Philips, Adi Ruiz, Rob Sloan, and David Hobbs) have got a new bar opening in April, and it’s called Dead Ringer.
The 99 capacity bar will open its doors on the former site of Emmilou’s in Surry Hills’ Bourke Street.
The full table service bar will, like Bulletin Place, eschew any “theme” for the bar and focusing on drinks, food, and service.
And as befits a bar by the team that scored Cocktail Bar of the Year at the Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards for the last two years running, there will be a rotating menu of seven cocktails, all created with a more substantial food offering in mind. The food will be focused on seasonal dishes, with an emphasis on sharing — and they’ve brought Tristan Rosier (ex-Farmhouse, ex-Est) on as head chef.
“We want it to be a neighbourhood hangout that has longevity,” said Philips.
They’ll also offer a broader selection of wine with a focus on fortifieds, vermouths and dessert wine (you can read Philips enthusiasm for sherry in this piece here.)
Sloan will be moving over to Dead Ringer full time, while Ruiz and Philips will split their time between the two bars (and you can still expect to see them behind the stick). They’ve also hired Tom Price (The Roosevelt) to come on board at Bulletin Place.
And what’s with the name? It’s not Bulletin Place mark two, as what they’re doing will be quite different from their first bar, said Philips. But as far as the name goes? It kinda just sounds good.
“There’s an eytymology,” said Philips, “[but] it doesn’t mean too much to me, and it shouldn’t to anyone else. It’s a good name that rolls off the tongue really.
“Naming a venue is one of the hardest parts,” he said. “Case in point: Bulletin Place. We couldn’t agree on a name so we named it after the street.”