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thechicken
somewhere, Australia

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Reservation Not Required	Bad for after-work drinks	Good for a romantic drink
Great with a large group	Good place to meet people	Bad for watching sport

Kaliber has the best of both worlds - super cocktails and a bit of fun!



I went here for their New Years Ever party, where our $25 ticket got us food and two absinthe cocktails. I can't remember the name of it, but I had amazing one with absinthe, cucumber and wasabi vodka.



The bar staff are fantastic. They're quick, friendly and definitely know what they're doing. And the liquor range is amazing - any bar with infused vodkas impresses me! The cocktails are a tad pricey, but I think this is because their particular recipes use a fair amount of liquor...excellent...



Another awesome part of Kaliber is the entertainment. I went there again on my birthday and there was a retro night on (quite fitting really). The place was packed and everyone was having a great time dancing to terrible 90s pop.



If you're into adventurous cocktails and dancing, I strongly suggest coming here.

Loved the: Bar Service, Cocktails, Music
Nice: Atmosphere
So-So: Beers, Value


Overall: Loved It!

Bad Wheelchair access

The Arena is a great live music venue. The sound system really enhances the music, a lot of effort goes into the lighting and the upstairs balcony area is fantastic for height-challenged people such as myself.



Having said that, I need to mention the terrible hospitality aspect of place. The bar is absolutely shocking. I'm a bartender and tend to be pretty judgemental of other bars. Call me anal, but I was quickly annoyed by The Arena's bar.



I asked for a vodka, lemon, lime and bitters and was informed that I would have to have vodka and lemonade with lime cordial instead. This has to be the only bar in existence that doesn't "do" lemon lime and bitters.



The bar staff looked like they were picked for their looks over anything else. Slowest bartenders ever. And slow bartenders are bad in a bar where there is a sold-out concert!



Not only were the drinks expensive, but the prices kept going up for the rest of the night. Nine dollars for a lukewarm can of beer - are you serious?



There seemed to be no glassies or cleaning staff and I was up to my ankles in plastic cups and beer cans. As a result of this, the floor got sticky fast. Gross.



Sure, The Arena is a live music venue more than it is a pub, but so is The Zoo and The Tivoli and their bars are MUCH better.



Don't get me wrong, I ended up having a great night and enjoyed seeing the bands (i went to see Gyroscope), but the Arena really needs to pick up their game in other areas to truly make it a great music venue.

Hated: Service


Overall: So-So

Reservation Not Required	Good Wheelchair access	Bad with babies
Bad with kids	Perfect for a Romantic Evening	Great with a large group

Bow Thai is a shining example of what a Thai restaurant should be. The clean, intimate interior was most inviting, along with the smiley waitress in a traditional Thai dress. The enticing smell of coconut and spices wafted through the kitchen, making me eager to begin my meal.



The service was prompt and the waitress was happy to explain some customs with eating Thai food (eg. don't eat the banana leaves!). I noticed the table next to us had a rather picky couple who were nagging the poor waitress over how spicy their dishes were going to be, but she stayed quite calm and patient. Surely, a role model for hot-tempered hospitality staff everywhere!



Our entree was small pieces of garlic chicken wrapped in banana leaves. The leaves were coated with a warm, tasty oil that left me licking my fingers and even more eagerly awaiting my meal.



I had basil beef with coconut rice while my boyfriend had a pork dish. I'm still dreaming about that coconut rice; it had a sweet, buttery flavour, and positively melted in my mouth.



The bill came to less that $60, which - in regards to the amount and quality of food we had - was an absolute bargain. I can't wait to go there again! Definitely check it out for yourselves.





Loved the: Food, Value
Nice: Atmosphere, Service
So-So: Wine List


Overall: Loved It!