a bar and kitchen in fitzroy, melbourne

Get Sexy at Southpaw!

2012-02-13T16:34:00.000+11:00

Sexy Southpaw invites all you lovers by for some sweet romancing' this valentines day. We are open all day from 8am and through to 1am with our valentine's day special running all day & night! $36 gets you and your sweetie a jug of Lover's sangria designed by our darling Darren with Red wine, Chamboard, St Germain Elderflower Liqueur, orange, fresh blueberries & strawberries along with some lovin' from Manu in the kitchen, with a Chocolate Marquise to share. It's layered on chocolate cake, with salted caramel & raspberry sorbet.

Book if you like, or just drop in. Go on, get sexy!

BIG NEWS!

2012-01-30T19:44:00.000+11:00

We've got some big news we are so happy to share with you.

DAYTIME IN FITZROY JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT BRIGHTER!!! We are now open daily from 8AM. That's right, you can now partake in a fabulous ALL DAY BRUNCH, enjoy a BOOZY LUNCH in the courtyard and get on the gigglewater whenever you please! There are specials for lunch all week including salads, pastas and sandwiches along with our super awesome brunch menu that runs until 3pm each day.

Brunch at Southpaw

Salads at Southpaw are bloody good.

Our bartenders have cooked up some brilliant new special drinks exclusively available during the day including a deconstructed Bloody Mary and Darren's Breakfast Martini.

Our new Trading Hours are:

Monday- CLOSED
Tuesday- 8am-1am
Wednesday- 8am-1am
Thursday- 8am-1am
Friday-   8am-1am
Saturday-   8am-1am
Sunday-   8am-11pm

Fitzroy it's going to be our pleasure to wake up next to you very morning. We'll even make you a coffee ♥

Friday Nights at Southpaw for 2012

2012-01-05T18:52:00.000+11:00

Hooray and welcome to 2012! A sure-fire WINNER of a year thanks to it's status as year of the dragon. A time for positive growth and generally a smashing good time for us all... well, it has been so far. In the vein of new years and new, fresh starts n'all, we have gathered together some of our city's finest Djs to bring you brand spankin' new nights at Southpaw.

Let me introduce the first...

Connect The Dots- every friday at Southpaw

The lowdown:

'CONNECT THE DOTS'

Connect The Dots will take you for a spin every Friday night through the best of Black American music of the 60's and 70's. Your selectors for the night will plumb the depths of their collections to bring you the finest obscure cuts on original wax giving you the richness and warmth that only vinyl can deliver. Expect to hear lazy funk jams, smooth fusion jazz, sweet moody soul and all that's good in between.

Southpaw is lucky enough to enjoy the company of Melbourne's true soul, funk and jazz die-hards. Connect The Dots is hosted by MISS GOLDIE, the first lady of soul and host of PBS FM's 'BOSS ACTION'. She has brought together an amazing crew for this night. You are in for a treat.

The line-up:

Our first month of Connect The Dots looks a little like this:

JANUARY 6TH - Miss Goldie
JANUARY 13TH - Vince Peach
JANUARY 20TH - Dave Boots
JANUARY 27TH - Daniel Harvey

Hit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/southpawbar for more info as we head into 2012.

Love Southpaw xx

Southpaw music - this weekend

2011-11-18T16:44:00.001+11:00

Hello again Southpawians,

After a brief interlude in our blog activities we are again in the hotseat with all the latest from our perch in Gertrude Street. We have undergone some big changes at Southpaw in the last month, all very exciting for the new year ahead with some announcements to come soon.

What's up for this weekend? well, tonight takes off with a visit from our resident MISS GOLDIE. Melbourne's first lady of Soul. You may have heard her name as she plays inner-melbourne a lot and is the host of PBS Boss Action. Read our other post on her here.

After another balmy day in darling Melbourne town, Saturday night heralds the return of the Gentlemen of Leisure, MANCHILD & ARKS. The boys return with their unique blend of funk to afro to disco to the moon and back!

Dj Manchild

Our leafy courtyard is open for some warm night shenanigans so get down to Southpaw this weekend. It'll be hot. Just like you :)

On the Pass! Mini Beef Burgers

2011-10-10T21:51:00.001+11:00

Oh yeah, you heard right- Mini Burgers in the house! I have to admit these baby burgers are just unbelievable and a true weakness of almost our whole team. We are all eating them like they are going out of fashion- which they aren't, infact quite the opposite! The chefs are trying their best to keep up with the demand as the mini-burger fever spreads through our clientele and around our venue.

Southpaw's Mini-Burgers

THE DISH: Mini Beef Burgers, melted smoked cheddar, onion gravy, quail egg and white truffle sabayon 13.50 for the pair.

Quail eggs for the mini-burgers

Southpaw has long had a kitchen who love serving up real food. We have had all sorts of offerings from the comfort food family over the years. Long before 'Dude Food' was a fashionable thing in inner-Melbourne we were in the business of Po' Boy sandwiches, Pulled Pork Rolls, Aunty Ro's Sausage Rolls, House Fried Chicken with corn bread, Pigs in blankets, Angels ride bareback- the list goes on- all delicious food without a whiff of pretension. Food that drips off your chin, and gives the finger to your personal trainers carefully constructed low-carb food plan.

It is an undeniable fact that very recently, this style of food has become a major food trend. Melburnians are embracing Dude Food in a big way. Read a recent article in The Age on this trend. The dishes we have always celebrated are now enjoying a moment in the sun- we knew we were on to a good thing! It is very interesting to see this tide turn away from fancy, delicate and complicated food and return to simple, hearty, accessible food. It is an understandable reaction to years of fusion restaurants and molecular-gastronomy- there's only so many smears, fogs and foams you can tolerate before you crave something real to eat. It's all about taking something as simple as a burger or fried chicken and making with really high-quality ingredients. Like Junk Food for foodies.

The down-home Americana influence is hot at the moment- we are seeing all kinds of incarnations- from the up-scale versions at Andrew McConnells recently opened Golden Fields, to St Katherines and The Bottom End in the city. We are quite simply loving this moment in melbourne cuisine.

Southpaw's chefs are doing our mini-burgers with love. The baby buns are fresh daily, the handmade burger patties are a secret recipe of our chefs (they seriously won't tell me), the cheddar is smokey and full-flavoured, onion gravy is an old school home-style, the quail egg is rich, with a gamier, more intense yolk and the white truffle sabayon is creamy and luscious!

So remember, life is short- eat well, eat what you love, eat mini-burgers at Southpaw!

Southpaw Music - this weekend 1/10

2011-09-30T21:01:00.000+10:00

So, Melburnians a big weekend is upon us. If you think I'm talking about those guys chasing after the silly lookin' ball, you'd be mistaken! I am in fact referring to a brilliant weekend of entertainment at Southpaw. We are kicking it off tonight with a visit from Dustin McLean.

The ever-dapper Dustin McLean hits Southpaw

Dustin is a a musician, DJ and producer who's performed regularly over the last decade on some of the biggest festival stages in Australia with groups like The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra, The Bamboos and TZU. He's produced and/or performed on ARIA and AIR nominated albums and received writing credits on the 2009 UK Mercury Award winning album "Speech Therapy". This year saw him collaborating on the debut solo album from Joelistics as well as working on numerous other projects. Fair to say, this guy gets around!

You can check out Dustin's website here.

What he’ll be playing tonight:

A big mix of stuff, Hip hop, soul, jamaican ska, 50's RnB, ...Curtis Mayfield, dilla, justice, burning spear, ratatat, Fats Domino, Syl Johnson, Fly lo, Al Green, toots and the Maytals.... Starting at 9pm. Get down...

Mr Fish playing at Southpaw this weekend.

Tomorrow evening is the domain of one of our resident favourites: Mr. Fish playing from 9pm. The king of Afrobeat, reggae, dancehall, rasta tunes- If you aren't Afrobeat savvy- this boy is one hell of an introduction! 'Take the improvisational character of jazz, combine it with the raunchiness of funk, flavour the mixture with African tradition and add a political message to it. What do you end up with? An Afrobeat track.' According to the BBC, that is. Now you know a musical genre is packing a 'thinking mans' undertone when the BBC are talkin' about it.

At Southpaw, Mr Fish drops it fat, funky and fresh- a favourite dj of the staff and you know they have impeccable taste!

Don't forget we are still smack bang in the middle of The Melbourne Fringe Festival. Our two comedy shows nightly are from 6:30pm, funny and attendance is freeeee- yipeee!

You can take a look at the post to learn more about the Fringe Festival Shows at Southpaw.

Have a rocking weekend, blaze up, get down and get amongst it! Cheers!

Beer of the moment - Stephano's Pilsner

2011-09-30T14:22:00.000+10:00

Southpaw's Beer of the Moment

Ok, beer enthusiasts this ones for you. Our Beer of the Moment is a cracker. An easy drinking, crisp and clean number- one to drink in the spring sunshine. Hailing from Mildura's Theatre brewery, an award winning microbrewery located in the fabulous art deco splendour of the old Astor theatre. It's one seriously impressive looking operation- and if the brewery can look this good, you know the beer is held to equally high standards.

Mildura Theatre Brewery

It's all about the beer

We are celebrating the new season with a featured hand-crafted beer from this impressive operation. This baby is an award winner- taking out a Silver medal at last years Australian International Beer Awards. Utilising German speciality Malt with Australian Pilsner, and generously hopped with Czech Saaz. This is a pale and clean pilsner which demonstrates the finer elements of this European style brew. If you're anything like me, Beer is for enjoying on warm evenings and the crisper and fresher the flavour profile the better. Although, there is definitely something to be said about a good Stout or Porter, but that's best saved for another day.

Looking gorg in the Southpaw courtyard

THE BEER: Mildura Brewery Stephano's pilsner 8.00

Serving now at Southpaw. We reckon it tastes better in the courtyard... ahhhhhh!

Tally-ho! It's tea time again!

2011-09-27T16:12:00.000+10:00

Dear fabulous friends of Southpaw,
It has been officially confirmed and we can happily announce that it's HIGH TEA time again! After the sell-out success of our Forgotten Fruits High Tea last March, we are back and badder than ever with a new event for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival 2012.

The demand for our event last year was nothing short of overwhelming and sold out very quickly. The phone was ringing off the hook all the way up to service of the first session! It was an amazing introduction to the festival for our venue- we went all out with a vintage, kistchy styled high tea with the focus on Forgotten Fruits of bygone eras.

Istra Smallgoods Charcuterie component of High Tea menu

Appetiser Lavosh with Elderberry Creme fraiche

Benny with his jugs of Pimms at the ready!

Freshly picked Lavendar for the Champagne cocktails

Our chefs trekked out to Daylesford and visited some of the locals and farmers who very graciously helped us source some of the rare fruits we used in our high tea selection. We collected Shadberries, Medlars, Rosehips, Silvenberries- just to name a few.

Southpaw's High Tea settings

Scones, finger sandwiches, gooseberry and salted caramel tartlets
and white chocolate and silvenberry mousse.

Gorgeous Pimms cup cocktails in teacups

So, we are set to serve up an amazing high tea event for 2012, THE FITZROYAL TEA. It will be a three day celebration of food, fun, pimms, gin, delectables and lace doilies. Good old fashioned fun in the heart of vibrant Gertrude Street Fitzroy.

The invitation: 'Hot off the heels of last years sell-out success, the Forgotten Fruits High Tea, we are again whipping out the doilies, the teapots and our finest, mis-matched china!

We are presenting a high tea taking historical inspiration from the royal, rich and influential tables of times past and how they have affected what we eat today. From the game-driven spreads of the middle ages to the refinement of the french court, we look at how these culinary trends have filtered down to the great unwashed. Our nod to the origins of our suburb.

Presented in an urban and edgier setting, we celebrate high tea with an alternative take. To be enjoyed with one of our hand-crafted speciality house teas or a pimms or gin cocktail- get on the gigglewater or raise your pinky for a unique, special event.'

The full listing will be available online at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival website which is scheduled to go live on 2nd December 2011.

Bookings will be taken online and directly at our venue, from 1st january 2012.

Southpaw loves Melbourne Fringe Festival

2011-09-27T14:04:00.002+10:00

As those of you lucky enough to reside in fair Melbourne town know, the Melbourne Fringe Festival is underway and springing up all over the city. Southpaw was proud host to a festival long series of comedy shows last year, which were a rolicking good time for us all- so we are doin' it again!

Every night until the 9th October (not mondays as we are closed and not on grand final day), we are being joined by two shows of fine, underground comedy in our loungeroom. All shows are free with the first starting at 6:30pm and the second at 7:30pm. Just the thing, to have a bit of a giggle with your gigglewater!

The hilarious and eccentric Micah returns to Southpaw again with his unique, cerebral brand of comedy. This is a take on Australian history you won't forget. The show is titled- 'Rebels and Radicals' - A short comedic history of rebellion in Australia'

Rebels and radicals- on now at Southpaw

Rebels and Radicals presented by Micah D Higbed is the show to see if you want to laugh hard and walk away feeling like there’s nothing in the world that can stop you from living life, the way you want to. Going through the history of rebellion in Australia in a comedic style, covering topics such as aboriginal rebels, the eureka rebellion and the fight for the 8 hour day, this funny (and free) show will remind you of the power of people.

'Inspired, Thought provoking, laugh out loud' - Australian Comedy Review

This dude is one funny bloke, if you like a free laugh to start your night- head down and check him out. Nightly at 7:30pm (except mondays)

You can read the official press release for 'Rebels and Radical's' on the MFF website.

the slightly disturbing promo image for Gentlemen of Leisure!

New kids on the Southpaw stage, well... floor, are Xander Allan and Brendan Maloney with their aptly named comedy show, 'Gentlemen of Leisure'. These boys are breaking the mould, the only way they know how. In this fast paced, career focused world we live in many feel the pressure to work 80 hour weeks, raise perfect children and buy a house from the good people at Delfin.

Not so for these Gentleman of Leisure. Not content with the trappings of todays bourgeoise, these modern day pioneers have played by their own rules. Bravely trailblazing through life, Brendan Maloney and Xander Allan have amassed a combined fortune of, up to and including;

A $7,239 Centrelink debt, two Whitesnake t-shirts, a race car bed, an extensive wardrobe of bandanas and cowboy boots, arrest warrants on 3 continents and an unexplained rash that just won't go away.

Xander and Brendan kickin' it at the bar at Southpaw

Who are the real winners? You can find out- the show starts at 6:30pm nightly until the end of the festival. Oh and did I mention... it's free?!

Take a look at our current menu to check out the awesome gigglewater and great food you can partake of while watching the Fringe shows.

Get your Fringe Festival action on at Southpaw. We'll see you soon!

Southpaw Music - this weekend 16/9

2011-09-16T14:39:00.000+10:00

The glorious sunshine today has certainly put a spring in everyones step- the right kinda way to start an awesome weekend!

Tonight- we are we hit it with the disco, funk, boogie beats courtesy of 'KLEERCHANNEL' as always presented by the dangerous duo of INKSWEL and BENNY BADGE. These boys are here to sort you out with some rump-quivering goodtimes and get you out of your seat and on the dancefloor!

Melbourne's Inkswel

Saturday night sees an evening of afrobeat treats with our resident MR FISH. Settle in for some african and island rhythms and rasta beats. You can check out his latest soundcloud action at http://soundcloud.com/djmrfish.

Mr. Fish

'Til next time...

Southpaw Music - this weekend 9/9

2011-09-09T16:29:00.000+10:00

So after the week is finally over, it is time for us all to let our hair down and get amongst it for some FUN! Our entertainment line up this week starts tonight with the ever-amazing, local legend MISS GOLDIE. The first lady of soul hits the decks at 9pm tonight for an evening of rhythmic vintage soul just the thing to sooth your soul!

Miss Goldie has been a Southpaw resident since the very beginning. She spins every week on PBS Boss Action, where she plays 2hrs of down and dirty funk along with scorching soul, ranging from deep, sweet, crossover to northern and R&B all on original 45’s from the 60’s and 70’s. If you have never heard her play- tonights the night!

Saturday night we welcome MISS AYNA and friends, for her residency, 'TABLE MANNERS'. A true student of quality hip hop, Ayna serves it up with a heavy beat, deep bass and a whole lotta ghetto fabulous attitude. This is real hip hop, rough, rugged and raw- it's a b-grrl thang!

miss ayna on the decks

Our sunday evening live sessions, The Fireside Busk rolls on with a visit from ANGIE MOON for an intimate evening of acoustic folk. You can listen to example of her fine pipes at her Facebook page.

Another awesome weekend at Southpaw- we'll keep an eye out for you!

Cocktail of the moment - September '11

2011-09-06T23:37:00.000+10:00

Introducing a true gem of a drink. This is one of the classics from the great cocktail era. Our team are pouring the 'Twentieth Century' as our cocktail of the moment for September. Named in 1939 after the Art Deco masterpiece that was the Twentieth Century Limited, a then state-of-the-art train, that operated in full-blown glamour between Chicago and New York. This was the signature drink onboard the most famous locomotive in the world and after sampling this today, it has immediately shot to the top of my favourites list.

Southpaw's gorgeous Twentieth Century cocktail

Rediscovered in later years after a brief chapter of obscurity, this is one of the forgotten classics that has been recently put back on vintage inspired menus. It has been described as tasting like 'Art Deco in a glass'- this gives you an idea as to the class of this cocktail. It is a beautiful balance of opposing flavours- the rich, sweet white creme de cacao is offset with the sour tang of the fresh squeezed lemon juice on a base of good quality Gin. We use Tanqueray. Also utilising the flavour of Lillet, a French vermouth, there is a play between both aperitif and digestive styles.

We begin with a chilled glass

Glamour in a glass

THE DRINK: Twentieth Century 17.00

Gin, fresh lemon juice, lillet vermouth and white chocolate liqueur. Shaken with ice and strained into a chilled martini glass. Garnished with a maraschino cherry. Infinitely drinkable.

Pouring now and during September at Southpaw- see you at the bar!

On the Pass! Charcuterie Plate, a selection of Istra smallgoods

2011-09-06T15:39:00.000+10:00

Time again to pop into the kitchen to see what is On the Pass. Turning an eye towards some of the offerings on our social, to share menu we come across undoubtedly one of our most popular dishes, the Charcuterie Plate. There is something totally enjoyable about dishes such as these, a big slab of wood covered with delectable morsels for everyone at the table to try over a glass of wine and a good chat. This is the type of communal eating that always inspires a good conversation.

Southpaw's Charcuterie Plate

For those who are unfamiliar with Istra Smallgoods, you are about to discover something which may change your life (if you are carnivorous, that is) This small, family run company operates out of Musk, a tiny settlement just outside the incredible gourmet region of Daylesford. There is something truly magical about what they produce. Taking pride in taking the time to follow the correct curing procedures that have been followed for literally hundreds of years. When you taste their produce, the difference is immediate and unforgettable. It has been described as ' the Porsche of prosciutto, the Prada of pancetta' and listed as Experience No.012 in Australian Traveller Magazine's 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences. This is due to the fact that these brothers keep it real every time. They refuse to be pressured into meeting demand until they feel the product is perfect. Their unassuming, small farm setting plays host to this artisan producer whose main ideals are the use of highest quality, locally sourced product.

Bernie and Sebastian Jurcan of Istra Smallgoods

Charcuterie, terrine, croquettes and pork belly on the pass- a beautiful sight!

Long the royalty of dining in the Daylesford region, featured at such iconic establishments as The Lakehouse, and heralded by greats like Alla Wolf-Tasker, it appears that Istra Smallgoods is now exploding in the melbourne scene. If you are out and about at venues that know when to drop a name, you will see mention of Istra on the menu. We are proud to serve their wares as we whole-heartedly love what they do. If you are yet to experience the superior quality of these smallgoods, get down to Southpaw and give it a try- you'll be glad you did.

THE DISH: Charcuterie Plate, a selection of Istra Smallgoods 27.00

- Lomo (a Spanish style loin, cured and air-dried)
- Cappocollo (cured Pork neck, smooth in taste due to it's marbled texture)
- Kulin (a traditional Croatian salami, slow dried)
- Lyonaise ( a French style sausage made from lean pork and filtered with pistachios)

We serve it with pickled vegetable, our homemade apple and pear chutney and chunky, toasted bread.

Til next time...

From the bar - Southpaw Cooler

2011-09-01T20:08:00.000+10:00

Here is one purely for the ladies- a light, tangy, refreshing drink to be sipped as the sun goes down on a gorgeous warm evening. (Of which we will be enjoying many very soon hopefully!) It is an impressive looking little number, a very tasty shade of pink.

The brainchild of our cocktail designer and bar manger, Ben Flatman- he came up with this recipe after taking inspiration from a traditional cooler and putting a Southpaw twist on it!

The Southpaw Cooler

A cooler by definition is a family of cocktails which involve sparkling, white or even sometimes red wine. If you are as old as me you may remember the famous West Coast Cooler... just try and erase that from your minds! This is a cooler for a new age- an interesting balance of sweet vanilla with the tart, tangy pure lemon juice.

The gorgeous colours of spring and summer

THE DRINK: Southpaw Cooler 17.00

A tall, crisp and refreshing mix of Vodka, fresh lemon juice, Licor 43 vanilla liqueuer shaken and topped with chilled rosé wine.

Garnished with sliced strawberry and lemon twist.

Serving now at Southpaw, frock up and get yours!

September Entertainment

2011-09-01T16:49:00.000+10:00

Well, if my convulsive shivering is anything to go by, the winter chill has not yet entirely done for the year even though it is officially the first day of Spring! An exciting time, full of anticipation and promise, thinking of warm nights ahead, the ensuing party season and all the debauchery summer brings. I'm smiling just at the thought...

So, in the vein of a good time, our spring entertainment kicks off with a line-up of our favourite residents.
Check it out.

Southpaw's September Entertainment

Our on-going series of intimate acoustic gigs on Sunday evenings, THE FIRESIDE BUSK will be wrapping up after the 20th of September so this is the last few weeks to enjoy the unique live music on offer. Check out our Facebook page or website for more info.

The Big Chill- the art of ice

2011-08-31T16:44:00.000+10:00

For those of you who frequent inner Melbourne bars, you may have noticed a recent phenomenon in some of our city's finer cocktail establishments. The art form of deluxe ice. A new fascination for bartenders across our city, I have been privy to many a detailed, scarily so, conversation on the finer points of the frozen cube. The days of a bag of servo ice being acceptable seems to have gone forever as our hospitality scene continues to reach ever higher standards.

solid and clear- quality ice. The first step to a quality cocktail.

On my recent travels around town I have been amazed with the attention to this, the mainstay of nearly every cocktail. Take the recently opened, The Everleigh. Our new neighbours in Gertrude Street. This impressive venue has taken their ice strategy back to the recommendations of the original cocktail kings- each type of drink has a style of ice that works best- hand chipped, cubed, cracked, even in a vertical cylinder that stands up in your glass. A recent trip to Der Raum saw ice which was infused with flavoured smoke and ice that contained herbs which slowly released into your drink as it progressed. Really, pretty amazing stuff.

All this ice chatter prompted us to make our bar manager happy and we have this week installed our super deluxe new ice machine by Brema. An italian company that has developed into the globally recognised leaders in the ice making field. As far as quality, consistent ice goes this is a top notch machine. The cubes are crystal clear and perfectly solid which means one thing for our patrons- better tasting cocktails! There is a need for ice to maintain it's shape and for it to melt a little, slowly- as every good bartender knows- there is a desire for very slight dilution. It makes your drink smoother and more balanced. Too much however and it's a disaster. Especially in cocktails, the chill factor of the 'heat' of a spirit is ever important and is the main reason why good ice matters.

Southpaw's beautiful new ice in action!

It is really amazing the difference this new ice makes, the drinks are different- cleaner tasting- they look different- the vibrant colours are clear and gorgeous- and hell, they even sound different- that classic tinkling sound of a really good drink. If you are a bar aficionado, you'll know what I mean! So, come down soon and experience all of our beautifully made cocktails, now even better than before. Do it just to see our bar managers face... he is still grinning from ear to ear!

Til next time...

Channel Ten loves Southpaw

2011-08-25T10:03:00.000+10:00

For those of you who missed it, back in June this year, we played host to a very Melbourne phenomenon. Mike Larkin's roving weather report! The team from Channel Ten had put out a call for Melbourne's favourite fireplaces and we were very pleased when they chose ours as part of the series.

Mike feeling funky by the fire

With what seemed to be the world's longest weather report, Mike had crossed to 'live at Southpaw' segments three times and in three different angles of our lounge room. The focus of course on how cold it was and how great the open fire is!

Mike was a stand-up chap, and made lots of witty references to our venue name, 'Southpaw' the home of the left-hander. Also touching on the current report about left-handers being proven to be smarter. One might think he was perhaps a southpaw himself...

Mike getting right into it

For his wrap up of the expected temperatures, Mike raided our decks of cards in the lounge to show the minimum and maximum for the days ahead. Clever, no?

Getting fresh with Mal- cheeky, cheeky

Even using the 'Joker' card to taunt Mal back in the studio. There's a chance Mike may have had a few cocktails during set-up for this broadcast. he sure seemed to enjoy himself!

Thanks to the Channel Ten crew for dropping in- look forward to seeing you again...

Southpaw Music - this weekend 19/8

2011-08-19T21:51:00.000+10:00

This weekend, as the winter sun sets and temperatures are still dropping to almost freezing- there's one brilliant way to get your blood pumping- hit the dancefloor! This weekend sees an all-class line-up of entertainment at Southpaw. Tonight sees a visit from our resident (literally), DJ KUYA.

DJ KUYA playing at Southpaw last weekend

His career started over twenty years ago and it is one which has seen him win three Victorian DMC state titles between 1998 and 2000 and the Australian ITF DJ title in 1999. Check out his recent interview with Symbiosis. Tonight presenting, FRIDAZE, dropping a set of all that is soulful to knock you out of your working week daze.

Saturday night sees the boys of KLEERCHANNEL return. A monthly residency at Southpaw by INKSWEL and BENNY BADGE. One to get you out of your seat- this pair rock it proper with a crazy blend of 80s soul, modern funk, disco rap, boogie, 2 step, and miami bass. Tease up your hair, rock your pastel, style it up for this mash up of an evening!

Our sunday evening acoustic sessions continue with another instalment of THE FIRESIDE BUSK. Our cosy and intimate fireside live gigs have been brilliant all winter, the calibre of musos has been amazing. This weekend sees the return of a favourite- we are treated to an evening with PEDRO LARUSO and his alt folk sound. Pedro's haunting vocals combined with a range of influences gives him an originality not heard in current singer songwriting trends.

Pedro Laruso performs at The Fireside Busk

See you at Southpaw...

From the bar - Valentino Sour

2011-08-17T16:41:00.000+10:00

Sours have always been a particular favourite family of drinks for me. I remember my first wobbly forays into attempting to be a sophisticated drinker and the discovery of how wonderful something sour could be. There was, and still is, something terribly grown-up and generally awesome about a good sour. I think maybe because it is as far away from a watermelon flavoured Breezer as you can get!

This is a true classic- predating the prohibition era. Jerry Thomas, the original showman bartender, dedicates pages to the Sour family in his revered cocktail tomes.

Southpaw's Valentino Sour

Southpaw's take on the classic whiskey sour, the 'Blood and Sand' - the Valentino Sour. Named for the ageless, lothario Rudolph Valentino who was the star of the 1922 film, 'Blood and Sand'. A gentleman of the most handsome and iconic nature, he was known as the original 'Latin Lover'. Still making the girls weak at the knees with this incarnation of his seductive powers!

garnished with orange rind and maraschino cherry

THE DRINK: Valentino Sour 17.00

Famous Grouse Scotch Whiskey shaken with fresh lemon juice, cherry liqueur and the all important egg white, then finished with orange bitters.

The valentino sour is serving on Southpaw's current cocktail menu.

'Til next time...

Southpaw Music - this weekend

2011-08-13T18:41:00.000+10:00

This weekend Southpaw is feeling the bass and bringing the beats! A back-to-back beat fest with two of our favourite and regular djs- the talented MANCHILD and darling of the decks, MISS AYNA & FRIENDS.

Friday night from 9pm heralds the arrival of a Gentleman of Leisure, DJ MANCHILD. One of the first djs to ever grace the decks at Southpaw. In true OG fashion, his is rolling up with his all OG vinyl playing a night of funk to jazz to afro, to the moon and back!

Dj Manchild

Saturday night, please get off your seats, the first lady of hip hop is here! Yep, banging out the best in old school, golden era hip hop, please give it up for DJ AYNA! If you can remember learning all the words to the Beastie Boys, driving your parents mad with 2LiveCrew and generally being a little punk who thought they were the dopest kid at school because they knew who Eric B and Rakim were... (I'm jussayin') then this ones for you. Ayna serves up her residency, TABLE MANNERS- unapologetic hip hop served up rough, rugged and raw. It's a b-grrrl thang!

Dj Ayna

Sunday evening- settle in for another instalment of our weekly acoustic series, THE FIRESIDE BUSK. This week we are crankin up the fire to welcome back our original fireside buskers that almost blew the roof off our lounge room with their high-energy mash up, THE HEEL-TOE EXPRESS. Its a hootenanny and toe-tappin' good time when this 5-piece alt country gospel group roll into town. You can check em out at their facebook page. Things kick off around 6pm.

The Heel-Toe Express

Look forward to seeing you at Southpaw!

Meet our team - kitchen

2011-08-10T15:45:00.000+10:00

For the foodies among you, it's time to put a face to some of the great food you enjoy at Southpaw. Take a step into the kitchen to make the acquaintance of a key member of our staff, one of the boys from out the back, our celebrated Sous Chef, Jarrod Moore.

Southpaw chef - Jarrod Moore

NAME: Jarrod Moore

AGE: 28 years young

FOOD PHILOSOPHY: I like a simple and playful approach to cooking. It has to be kept interesting and fun- otherwise it's not worth doing!

At the pass-doing what he does best.

YEARS IN THE KITCHEN: 6 years

OUT OF THE KITCHEN: I love to eat out, going to as many restaurants as possible and spending time with my wife. Melbourne is amazing, like that- we are spoilt for choice there are so many great restaurants and a high level of respect for food. My favourites are The Terminus as a local, great for steak. Otherwise, it's probably Cumulus Inc.- because I'd sound like a poser if I said Vue De Monde, it's amazing though! Apart from cooking, I also have a passion for live music. I organise the acoustic sunday nights at Southpaw, booking the bands and artists. Even get up and have a sing myself occasionally!

A BIT OF HISTORY: After spending my formative years working at The Rialto and in Melbourne's bayside region, I moved to Dublin for a year to work for the owners of Gruel and The Mermaid- a one michelin star restaurant. After this I spent some time in intensive cooking training in Oaxha, Mexico. Lots of time spent refining techniques in traditional kitchens.

One of my career highlights was playing an integral role in designing and executing the Southpaw 'Forgotten Fruits High Tea' which we did for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival this year. It was a massive success and booked out to rave reviews. So that was pretty awesome.

FAVOURITE FLAVOURS: My soft spot is dessert, pastry and specifically combining savoury flavours in sweet dishes, like pumpkin and artichokes. I like to play with traditional combinations to create something unique.

You can catch Jarrod most days cooking up a storm and generally being ace at Southpaw.

Til next time...

From the bar- Orchard Crush

2011-08-07T23:12:00.000+10:00

One of the best things about winter has got to be the seasonal produce- some of the most inspiring, hearty and delicious offerings are available and at their best during the colder parts of the year. Apples, quinces, pears- are all in season at the moment and this Southpaw cocktail showcases one of the best of the season- the granny smith apple.

No longer the reserve of school lunches, this robust, tart and juicy fruit hold their colour and flavour longer than some other types of apple. Their beautiful crisp green colour add to the refreshing vibrancy of this drink.

Southpaw's Orchard Crush

THE DRINK: Orchard Crush 17.00

Finely chopped granny smith apple is muddled and pressed through a strainer. It is then shaken with Bison Grass Vodka, squeezes of fresh lime juice and cloudy apple juice. Served in a martini glass with a segmented apple garnish.

A beautifully light and colourful drink- it's flavour is, at first, sweet then has a sharper, bitey finish while being really refreshing. One you are sure to enjoy. Featuring on our current Southpaw Cocktail menu.

See you at Southpaw!

Southpaw Music - this weekend

2011-08-05T16:08:00.000+10:00

It's friday! Shake off your working week by shaking your bee-hind this weekend!

FRIDAY 5TH AUGUST- DAVE BOOTS Presents his residency, ‘CONNECT THE DOTS’- a soulful journey through the best of the era. A word about Dave- Started writing (graff) in the very early 90's and listening to Hip Hop in the late 80's.Have been DJing out at clubs for just over 13yrs (formerly under the name of LKR) though collecting a lot longer. I collect records not MP3's and will never switch to digital. Have produced tracks on Symbiotic System comps (Inertia distro) and various international and local supports as DJ/producer.

Learn more and listen to some of his work at http://www.mixcloud.com/daveboots

Dave on the decks at Southpaw

SATURDAY 6TH JULY- join us to kick back with DJ KUYA- our resident award winning dj always brings the party and serves up fresh beats with a westcoast flavour! A true great of the Melbourne dj scene- hit his website here

SUNDAY 7TH JULY- our hugely successful acoustic series. THE FIRESIDE BUSK kicks on with a visit from LLOYD BOSCH and ELLEN KIBBLE. Another intimate session, live from the lounge. Returning is Lloyd Bosch, a rythemic, storytelling singer songwriter bringing his own style of harmony rich folk.

Lloyd Bosch is performing at The Fireside Busk

Another cracker of a weekend - See you at Southpaw!

On the Pass! Char-grilled Yellow-Fin Tuna, roasted beetroot, parsnip crisps with horseradish creme

2011-08-05T14:29:00.000+10:00

Time to take the focus towards our amazing and talented team in the kitchen and what they are currently putting - On the Pass.

Today, we take a look at one of the popular choices on our current winter menu. The concept is a social one with plates to share, with choices ranging from nibbles to enjoy over a cocktail to more comprehensive dishes. Our chefs have sourced amazing produce from suppliers of incredibly high calibre such as ‘Fatto A Mano’ organic bakery in Fitzroy and ‘Istra Smallgoods’ in Daylesford.

THE DISH: Char-grilled Yellow Fin Tuna, roasted beetroot, parsnip crisps with horseradish creme.

Southpaw's Yellow Fin Tuna

TAKING THE CREDIT: Sous Chef, Jarrod Moore

INSPIRATION: A showcase for some of my favourite flavours, and techniques- there are a few! Like sashimi and emulsion techniques

The beetroot is infused with flavour by poaching in a mix including cumin and thyme, it's then oven roasted. Our high quality, sashimi grade Yellow-Fin Tuna is from Tasmania. Pure water = amazing fish. We sear it very lightly on our char-grill. It's served sliced for a communal, sharing dish. The parsnips are really lovely and sweet, a beautiful combo alongside the creme fraiche infused with horseradish.

BEST EATEN WITH: A knife and fork! Nah, just kidding- I would definitely enjoy this with a white wine. Probably a nice, pungent chardonnay.

Serving now at Southpaw- look forward to seeing you there!

August Entertainment

2011-08-04T20:36:00.001+10:00

We are definitely feeling soulful this month- our August line-up has been booked by our favourite resident and all-round good guy- DJ KUYA, Melbourne's renowned award-winning dj.

Southpaw's August Line-up

The focus is, as always, on amazing, old school original records, with a big serve of soul. That's the way we like it. Music that tells you a story, a real story- with heart, relevance and a bit of sass. The djs on our current roster share this love for good music- things they are proud to play because they have the passion and have taken the time to track down the original recordings, the rare releases and the unknown talent.

Don't get me wrong, this ain't no history lesson- this is soul served up raw, mixed with some heavy, slammin' beats. It's all about a good time. Bass is a really good thing- the vibrations help to stir your drink!

On a acoustic note- our sunday night series - THE FIRESIDE BUSK - continues with an awesome array of acoustic evenings on sundays straight from the lounge, fireside! Featuring notorious musos & merrymakers busking in musical styles spanning SURFIE REGGAE, COUNTRY GOSPEL, CUTESY FOLK POP AND ACCOUSTIC STORYTELLING Join us to enjoy everything awesome about wintery melbourne while we still have the chance- before everyone starts busting out the budgie smugglers and getting really bad fake tans.

You know who you are...