NOW EXPERIENCING:Smoke and Oak

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 16 Dec 2024

By
Sam McCue


When in doubt, head where the hospo workers go for a warm welcome, chilled vibe and the coolest pairings of drinks and food showcasing the Asian flavours that define Darwin fare.

smoke and oak
Why you goThis may well be the Territory’s most celebrated watering hole. Smoke and Oak just keeps winning industry awards bestowed by the likes of Drinks World and Australian Bartender. The 2021 Hospitality NT Gold Plate Awards further gilded Smoke and Oak’s reputation by awarding gongs for Best Cocktail List and NT Bartender of the Year to bar manager Alex Johnston. And there’s your clue to its success: the former Londoner has found his happy place, and it shows. His manner is so laid-back it’s almost horizontal – and yet he shows a killer instinct for the things that matter: a stellar team, intriguing cocktails, and food and entertainment that feel just right.
Why you stayBeyond the glowing red neon sign by the entrance, another smaller sign towards the back of the bar reads “You have almost reached nirvana”. And although it’s actually giving punters directions to the restaurant next door, the sign nicely captures the Smoke and Oak vibe. You can relax here. You’re a long way from the frantic, noisy pubs of Darwin’s Mitchell Street strip, and the staff just want to please you. Maybe you’ll ask for a recommendation from the drinks list; maybe you’ll request something off-menu; maybe you’ll head for the absinthe lounge. Maybe you’ll order a snack; maybe you’ll have a cocktail for dessert. Yep, pretty close to heaven.
What drink to order
What drink to orderAs its name suggests, Smoke and Oak is all about dark, bold, powerful flavours. Even the old standards get the smoky, oaky treatment. Exhibit A: the Piña Colada, featuring roasted pineapple and coconut sorbet, creamily fermented pineapple, sherry, mezcal and a splash of Champagne. Exhibit B: the Daiquiri, which uses fresh local limes and is topped with black-pepper oil. Another standout is the brilliantly balanced tiki classic Jungle Bird: Campari, pineapple juice, fresh local lime and the house dark rum. Although the drinks lean to the savoury, the staff will happily create a glass of whatever your heart desires, sweet, sour, sharp, strong or otherwise. Just ask.
What to pair it withHit up the staff for a food recommendation – a wise step – and they’ll tell you the Jungle Bird is perfectly complemented by the crisp-fried chicken wings with laksa dipping sauce. Turns out that sauce is a close relation of Chow restaurant’s laksa, crowned 2021 winner of the Golden Bowl in the Darwin International Laksa Festival. Smoke and Oak, Nirvana restaurant next door and Chow share the same ownership, and all showcase the Asian flavours so fitting for Darwin’s location and cultural mix. Rare is the bar menu that features barramundi wings with tamarind sauce or yellow dhal with pappadums. And the loaded fries? They’re topped with cheese, of course, as well as your choice of butter chicken, lamb korma or beef vindaloo.
man with drink
Why we love itYou know you’ve chosen the right bar when it’s so popular with hospitality workers. Absolutely everyone is made to feel welcome, whether they’re a first-date couple, a solo whisky aficionado or a team of waitstaff feeling wrung-out after a frenzied Friday service.
Regular’s tipPick your night. Tuesday night’s jam night, on Saturday nights there’s a jazz band, and one Thursday a month is devoted to open-mike comedy. Keep an eye on Smoke and Oak’s Facebook page to see what’s coming up.
Make it fancyIt doesn’t get much fancier than dancing with the Green Fairy in Smoke and Oak’s absinthe lounge. About six of you can take part in the age-old absinthe ritual, popular in 19th-century France and now practised enthusiastically at Smoke and Oak. Gather on the Chesterfield sofa and lounge chairs around the two absinthe fountains. These dispense ice-cold water over sugar cubes on perforated flat silver spoons balanced on the rims of glasses of absinthe. Drip by drip, the strong green spirit is gradually sweetened and lightened. It’s mesmerising and, provided you don’t overdo it, memorable.