E'cco Bar
Madison Blog, June 09, 2010
Running a top-notch bar or restaurant is a tricky business. It’s not just a question of getting people to enjoy a bottle of Penfolds Grange or devour a three-course meal at the establishment; it is also about gaining an edge in one the most competitive industries and, maintaining an allure long after opening. With this is mind, our first stop E’cco Bar – set below the renowned 13-year-old restaurant E’cco Bistro and located on the edge of Brisbane’s CBD – does not disappoint.
As B, Alisa and I stepped inside the basement wine-bar dappled in subdued lighting with crimson feature walls, it feels as though we are in someone’s living room. It is totally stylish. From the large timber beams to the concrete flooring and exposed brickwork, this intimate space is simple yet debonair and exudes old-world charm. The earthy colour palette throughout the venue (which seats up to about 35 guests) is timeless, while the circular feature-mirrors that have been hung on the walls, the u-shaped bar and bench-to-ceiling shelves behind the counter, reveal oodles of expertise in the business and a very cleverly thought-out approach.
We were promptly showed to a dark-wooden table where we sat down to survey the menu. As I casually flipped through the list: cocktails, spirits, beers, white wines, red wines, sparkling wine, and French champagne I was overcome by how extensive it was – it was like a mini novel, a mini novel in a chocolate-brown leather cover, that is. And not being one to arrive at decisions in food and drinks quickly, or easily, I look to the girls. Perplexed I ask, “What are you thinking of having?” B and Alisa have both speedily decided on a glass of Mumm each. Not wanting to um and aah for my usual 15 minutes, I decide to start the night with a white-wine spritzer. After all, we have a whole two nights of wining and dining ahead of us and I want to last the distance.
As we “Cha-ching,” our glasses we can’t resist the sound of the tantalising appetisers. We order some olives and parmesan croquettes with truffle mayo. Obviously, my healthy eating plan went out the window, but who cares, everything was num-num-num. Whilst we indulged in wine, food and conversation I noticed the wine fridges built into the wall, then the notably stocked bar and myriad shapes and sizes in wine glasses and decided the allure of this particular saloon – a serious wine-connoisseur’s scene – is its no-nonsense, almost austere environment that serves local and imported wine (by the glass, or half a glass too, if you please).
And I am sure that with a restaurant upstairs that has been celebrated for 13-years now, that this little bar in the basement will uphold its appeal for a long time to come.
- Alexandra O’Brien
