The Record Crate
34 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe (02) 9660 1075 facebook.com/therecordcrateglebe
Booker T and the MGs is flooding the cosy courtyard of The Record Crate, where I’m surrounded by colourful randomness: Astroturf, beer keg tables, Hendrix posters, a hula hoop and a rather baffling chunk of concrete. This might be an echo of the bar’s hybrid nature – the Crate is actually a bar, restaurant, café, record shop and live music venue. The food is simple and generous, and owner Neville waves to me from the kitchen while making my Slow Roasted Pork Belly ($20). The Crate isn’t designed to be a cocktail bar, and my Old Fashioned ($16) isn’t impressive, so I stick to the tasty house brew: Uncle Joe’s Pale Ale ($8), and then enjoy a glass of peppery shiraz from Two Thumbs ($8). It feels like the bar is still working itself out, but the chilled atmosphere and excellent music mean that my one glass of wine has somehow turned into four, and I’m still happily ensconced in the courtyard hours later.
