If you like to drink, and you like to drink well, you’ll want to get acquainted with Kenobi. Just open on Lonsdale Street and adding to the basement style, this is a cocktail-bar-cum-hiding-place serving up a stiff drink.
The space is larger than your average cocktail bar, but there are booths and corners a plenty, which give it an intimate feel without skimping on size.
Cocktails and Sparkling wine take a front seat in the drinks menu. Martinis, Negronis, and an Old Fashioned take care of the classics while you can be a little different with an Australian Iced Tea, a combination of 666 Australian Vodka, Westwinds Cutless Gin, lemon myrtle tisane, lemon juice, and honey roasted macadamias. Or perhaps as an ode to Snoop Dog as the menu suggests, try the Gin & Juice, Gin mare, apricot nectar, lemon juice, and lemongrass infused agave nectar.
You can get a bottle of Dom Perignon, or Louis Roederer Crystal if your budget allows. A glass of the Il Posto Prosecco will do nicely if not. For the beer drinkers, Coopers Dark Ale, Sapporo, and the Stone & Wood Pacific Ale are some of the many beers available.
The food menu nods to the Asian street food vibe and is designed to share. The vegetarian cigars with fennel seed caramel are a fancy spring roll, in a good way, while the pork hock, crackling, salad, and nouc nam will keep the meat-eater happy. A bowl of mussels with sambal and toasted sesame seeds show it’s not all fried food and Asian salads.
Andy Warhol and his influence are said to have inspired Kenobi’s design. You’ll find works of his spotted around the venue as a testament. We also spotted a business card with a number to call if you’re looking to find The Lord. Deliberate, or rogue marketing? Either way, it added to the artwork.
Kenobi Bar
388 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 3000