Der Raum

Widely regarded as the best cocktail bar in Melbourne, yes… but then why have I never had a good one there? Friends that I would listen to on such matters, rate this place highly, as such I have been four times… one bad cocktail, ok… two — I can still give it another go… three, something must be amiss… four, seriously?! After four separate visits and $ 200 later I will not go back here… ok I probably will because the décor is ridiculously cool but I will order cokes and not big glasses small… just to spite them…

If you prefer your cocktails to be works of art, this is the place for you. Book a table and sit back and enjoy some of the most delicious and interesting cocktails around.

I love Der Raum. I go there whenever I am in Richmond. It has changed a lot since they implemented the ‘membership’ system — but what are you going to do. they make amazing cocktails, so they get to call the shots.
Right now I would have to say that ‘The drink formerly referred to as the Pina Colada’ is my absolute favourite. It comes in a glass (very tame for DR) with half liquid and half meringue-​fluff. It tastes like a lemon meringue. Amazing.
Each drink it around $ 25.
Probably the only very annoying thing is that you must remember to book before you go — otherwise you risk being turned away at the door. Especially if there are more than two in your group.

I find this place pretentious, overrated, and overpriced (even by Australian standards).
On my first trip here, I ordered a Sazerac, by which I meant the famous New Orleans cocktail — i.e., this thing:
– made with rye whiskey, absinthe (or Herbsaint), and Peychaud’s Bitters. Instead, I got a concoction made with cognac. Huh?
When I politely asked for clarification, the bartender got surly with me, arguing that a Sazerac is not an American cocktail, but a French cocktail, and that it is always made with cognac. I apologised, explaining that where I’m from they’re always made with rye whiskey, and so that’s what I’d expected. Instead of making me a new drink straight away, the bartender continued to argue with me – doing his best to convince me that I was an idiot to think that a Sazerac had anything to do with New Orleans or rye whiskey. I finally talked him into making me the drink I wanted, but he did it in a huff, shaking his head and muttering under his breath the whole time.
Look, I know there may be some version of a Sazerac made with cognac, which some folks prefer. Fair enough. But I’d expect a good bartender, especially in a place like this, to know that there are multiple versions. Particularly in this instance, given that, among other things, there is a brand of rye whiskey called «Sazerac». A good bartender, knowing this, would have asked which version the customer preferred. Indeed, a good bartender would likely have picked up on the obvious (and appalling) American drawl of the customer and made an educated guess as to which version she was after. And, at the end of the day, even if your customer is a stupid American with stupid, stupid tastes in cocktails, doesn’t a good bartender have to suck it up and follow «the customer is always right» principle — especially when the customer is paying $ 20+ for a drink ?
I’ve been back once, and ordered off the menu (the «Cocktail a la Louisiane», Der Raum’s version of the Vieux Carre — my other favourite cocktail, which I’d otherwise live in fear of ordering). My drink was great, but I found the drink my companion ordered («The Bees Knees») a bit gimmicky.
The bottom line is that I still haven’t been able to shake the bad taste the first trip has left in my mouth. Why risk a glass full of malice and pretension when there are other perfectly good places to go for a cocktail?

Yep, as self-​confessed victims of hype we headed to Der Raum. In fact, we headed there twice (just to be sure). Our bank accounts are still pleading for mercy. Gourmet Traveller named the blink-​and-​you-​miss-​it Church Street establishment 2010’s Most Thirst-​Provoking Cocktail List in its Cocktail List of the Year awards, and it also landed honourable mentions in two other categories. Trendy Melbournites go-​to guide Broadsheet raves about it and Matthew Bax’s innovative bar recently garnered praise at the esteemed Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards (click the link to vote in 2011s Most Influential List).
The super-​slick website promises ‘a little shelter from a world of fast, pre-​mixed, artificial tasting drinks’, and bloggers have long been singing the praises of Der Raum’s brand of ‘molecular mixology’ — not a term favoured by the bartenders themselves but it sums up the essence of what they do — bring some of the principles of physics and chemistry into concocting a cocktail. However, applause and awards aside, is it worth the price tag?
From outside the unassuming brown building looks at best closed, at worst derelict. But step inside and you enter an Aladdin’s cave of sprit bottles hanging above a simple bar surrounded by no-​frills seating and minimal décor — less artwork, more chalkboard lists of spirits and special cocktails. Actually, if you are after a bargain, the cocktail of the day (when we visited it was a take on the classic Tom Collins) is sold at a reduced price between 6−8pm. Boyfriend’s long-​suffering wallet breaths a sigh of relief.
We are greeted with a boozy amuse bouche (is there a better kind?) of camomile-​infused vodka on liquid nitrogen served in a brown glass bottle labelled ‘poison’. Think apothecary chic. White ‘smoke’ spills out of the opening and we are advised not to inhale. Quirky, tasty, alcoholic. I like it. Plus it kind of helps take the sting off when you realise not much on the actual cocktail menu is under $ 20.
Menus are informative and if the page where the cocktails are plotted on a sweet/​dry graph doesn’t guide your decision-​making process the helpful chaps in aprons behind the bar will. Looking for sheer Heston Blumenthal wow factor? Go with Pharmacy, inspired by Damian Hurst don’t you know. Syringe of liquor, citrus tablet and mixing flask — all served on a clinical metal tray. You can’t argue with the attention to detail. Similarly, the sweet-​as-​candy Knickerbocker comes in a mini metal milkshake flask. Oh-​so cute. Ask for a rum-​based Jamaican Blackstrap and you’ll be drinking it from a bottle concealed in a small brown paper bag.
Menus are chained to the bar — not that strange a decision. It’s a great way of ensuring gossip doesn’t get in the way of watching the masters at work. But then, here kind of lies my gripe. While the cocktails and extensive array of spirits taste good (yes, you can just order a gin and tonic) is it value for money once the novelty wears off. It is not a question of style over substance — both deserve the critical acclaim the bar continues to receive? Maybe the penniless writer in me just can’t get to grips with the idea of spending $ 100 on four drinks. My advice, enjoy the showmanship, marvel at the flavour and texture combinations (such as the +/​-​Pina Colada, a layered combo of warm white chocolate and coconut foam with ice-​cold pineapple and rum) and then get out while you still have your overdraught intact. This is a great place for when friends from far away come to visit or you want something to talk about on a first date.

Choose your own adventure review! Yay!
Have you been to Der Raum before?
– Choose «Yes»
Super fun, isn’t it? Sure, it may not be high on your list of places to sit for hours on end (the drinks *are* works of art and will therefore send you broke and eventually have you hankering for something a little less complicated), but this is a great spot to drop in to every now and then to have your mouth experience a creative liquid adventure. If you haven’t been in a while — get yourself back ASAP so you can try the latest concoction which features a sesame distillate and comes with a little cucumber baton dipped in sesame and black volcanic salt.
– Choose «No»
No?
Umm. Don’t walk, run. Just make a call first to request a reservation.
Der Raum recently changed its ‘policy’ — members have open access, but everyone else needs to buzz the door and hope there is space at the bar for them. It’s not about exclusivity, but about being able to keep standards high. When you’re charging around $ 23 for a cocktail, this is important. It’s not your average kind of bar — expect your bartender to pull out blow torches, little frying pans, jars for smoking things in and all sorts of crazy implements. Call ahead and not only will you have a better chance of securing a seat, but the bar staff will secretly love you as they can help to make your experience as amazing as it can possibly be.

Amazing concoctions with a price tag to match. Week nights are quieter, weekends you may be turned away if its full and you’re not a «member»

If you can appreciate liquid art in the form of a magical elixir then the creations of Matthew Bax, owner of Der Raum, will have you talking for weeks about the perfection he has created.
Until I came here I had only tried the standard cocktails without knowing that a world existed that I wanted to be a part of. To do this you unfortunately have to become a member which cost $ 250. This news is a little shocking at first but when you understand the purpose of preserving the environment it kind of make sense.
In terms of the cost per drink, I think that they can have their prices set very expensive as for starters it takes about 10 to 15 minutes to make the concoction as well as the preparation and work that would have gone on behind the scenes. You are not just paying for the drink but also the service, real service, almost entertainment. I am very happy to see the amount of love that goes into each glass, medicine bottle or whatever it is that Matthew has found to put your drink into.