Bar Fly: Papa Gede’s Bar

PAPA GEDE’S BAR
Laneway, Rear 346 Kent Street, Sydney (02) 9299 5671 papagedes.com
On my home desk, the tarot cards are spread for guidance. The mystic Papa Gede takes the tarot a step further. From the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot, THE BARON leads the family of Gedes spirits: the card represents an unexpected turn of events, the drink to go with it – The Gambling Priest ($16); while brandy, Cointreau and FIRE are the alchemy of the signature The Zombie ($19). Papa Gede, by the way, is a psychopomp, a soulful spirit guide who protects the living and brings lust and laughter to all. His drink is a Cognac Sour. It’s on the cards that you might have a short wait to get in, yet persevere. With a 60-person capacity, this is a shining incarnation of a real Sydney small bar (low budget setup with the cash of three working owners), and it deserves our patronage.