Moody, intimate and tastefully lit, Black Kite Commune is the latest addition to the illustrious Russell Place – joining sister bars Gin Palace (a Melbourne institution), its lively adjunct Bar Ampere, and until earlier this year, Con Christopoulos’s celebrated all-day wine bar Neapoli.
But fret not – Black Kite Commune has stepped into Neapoli’s shoes, ticking all boxes and then some. Spread across two levels, the mood is '70s bar meets French bistro – wooden panelling and low ceilings meet black walls and dark carpeted floors. Take your pick between black leather banquettes upstairs where a gold button garners you immediate service, round high tables surrounded by stools upon entry, or a seat by the golden backlit bar. A birdcage contraption on the far corner of the first floor adds a playful energy, while the purple hues of a lightbox night sky installation overlooking the entire venue creates an ethereal feel.
The drinks menu is expansive. Expect to see bottles of wine delineated by their texture, fragrance and mouthfeel rather than variety (‘bright and perfumed’, ‘juicy and full’, ‘dense and rich’). The wine list blends the classics with the new-fangled – old-world reds sit alongside a meticulously curated Champagne selection off the beaten track and skinsy and lo-fi wines, though the last is only represented by the bottle. Wine by the glass treads the more predictable route of sparkling, whites, rosé and reds.
The spirits are highly localised, though you'll find global varieties of whisky and gin hailing from the US, Scotland, Japan and parts of Europe. Many of them appear in the imaginative cocktail selection. Peruvian Pancho Fierro Pisco is complemented by the bittersweet Arvo Aperitivo, the floral notes of cranberry, and the acidity of verjuice, lime and gooseberries in the simply named crowd favourite Raspberry, which the menu cheekily notes contains no raspberries. It’s sweet without being cloying, light yet capable of enveloping your mouth with its full-bodiedness.
There’s no mocktail menu so to speak, but there’s something even better – bartenders willing to concoct one for you based on whatever flavour profile or sensation you’re seeking.
The food menu is brief yet atypical, interspersing the stock standard offerings of hand-cut chips and olives with more inventive small bites that draw on Australia’s bush foods and native ingredients. The inclusion of components like saltbush fried crocodile and wild samphire aioli are mirrored by cocktails, such as the fizzy Sleeping Drummer that features Kakadu plum and Killara bush liqueur.
Creamy wild boar croquettes to begin are rich and moreish, lifted by the much-needed acidity of the crisp apple threads atop them. The oblongs of crisp polenta are so camouflaged by the deep-fryer they taste akin to potato, an indulgence only amplified by the pulled rabbit ragu blanketing them.
The lamb chops are a touch overcooked, but it’s nothing the accompanying smoky romesco can’t salvage, while the strips of macadamia-crumbed barramundi bring to mind a fancy take on fish fingers. The amply sized fresh king prawns that receive the heat treatment of the barbecue and the textural quadfecta of heirloom carrots, honey-roasted carrot hummus, carrot salsa verde and dehydrated carrot chips are highlights.
Despite being only a hop, skip and jump away from Bourke Street, Black Kite Commune feels like a world away from everything else. It may be too dark for you to read a book (solo patrons, take note), but it’s the perfect place to while the night away.
