Walking down King Street in Newtown, one of Sydney's oldest suburbs, one's senses can become completely overwhelmed. Despite its colourful boutiques and a seemingly endless array of second-hand book stores, it's the tastebuds that really get the work-out with the strip's vast line of culinary delights. I've walked King Street many times and have counted over 140 pubs, restuarants and cafes along it.

These never stay static either. Constantly changing, upgrading, renaming and expanding one can always expect a new gastronomic adventure to greet them when visiting King Street.

Well, I'm determined to end that and achieve the near impossible: to feast from every restaurant/cafe/bar on King Street and live to tell the tale.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Freaky Tiki

@ 174 King Street, Newtown

**Freaky Tiki is now "Sadly Missed". It has finally been replaced, renovated and all that jazz and been turned into Newtown Hotel.

 Formally the Newtown Hotel, this bar has been closed for around three years but opened its doors as Freaky Tiki around a year ago. Now, for all you who may not know, Newtown Hotel used to be the gay bar of King Street (not that all the bars aren't gay friendly, it's just Newtown Hotel was renouned for being a gay bar). Anywho, Freaky Tiki follows suit. The theme is, well, Tikis. It is dressed ultra tackily (in that it's so bad that it's good) with straw huts, fake palm trees and umbrellas and is riddled with graffiti like no other.
The food menu is Asian fusion. There are dumplings and spring rolls and for dessert ... chocolate spring rolls?! It's all a little unnerving and I'm not THAT brave when it comes to food (that and I don't want to spoil my pallette at such a young age) so we opt for the alcohol instead. There are bowls of punch to be downed that can be shared either by two or four. Each night is a novelty night. And tonight is trivia. We've a tranny walking around in all her glory who plays a round of trivia and celebrity heads with the crowd before bowing off the stage to a rousing number in true diva style.




It's a fun night out, I'll admit though it doesn't feel like a bar. It doesn't feel like a restaurant either. I guess you could say it's a "venue" or an "artspace". The crowd doesn't seem to be that local. Most are either out for an interesting night out or are visiting as tourists or backpackers. A local hole? Probably not for me. But it's definitely worth the visit just to see what all the fuss is about.
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1 comment:

  1. DavidNovember 16, 2021 at 10:34 AM

    Lived on King Street for 8 years. Not the same anymore.
    not another street like it anywhere else ever.

    ReplyDelete

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