Find work in a bar that aims for excellence, says Naren Young

I encourage constant training and revision of whatever the most popular 50-100 cocktails are in your particular city and at all my bars over the years, this has been the very foundation for all other drinks. Without a grounding in the classics, you can’t, or shouldn’t, be attempting avant garde drinks that are poorly executed.

The Saga Bar team open Baby Dragon in Newtown

The bar has been brought to life by the creator of Sydney’s famous Saga Bar, Julian Frederick and is a place where expertly crafted cocktails are served amongst the scenery of lush waterfalls and mythical island legends.

A suburban Italian joint, brought to you by Jacob Goss, the man behind the Rum Diary bars

English expat, Jacob Goss had definitely made himself at home here in Australia. He knew he wanted to be a bar owner, and waited patiently until the chance to purchase Rum Diary in Melbourne came along. Then, during COVID he opened Rum Diary Newcastle. And now he’s at it again. An opportunity came up to get involved in a suburban restaurant in Moonee Ponds and he jumped at the chance. Hot on the heels of opening, we checked in with Jacob to catch up on the new venue and how it all came to be.