Gold Coast dining: first look at new bar serving up a rum cocktail menu and spiked snacks
Yo ho ho — a new Gold Coast bar is here to help you rediscover a love of rum with its range of cocktails made from a popular local distillery.
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A NEW bar in the southern Gold Coast is set to have you singing like a pirate with a refreshment menu championing an often misunderstood spirit.
Baskk Rum Bar is the new offering at popular Coolangatta restaurant Baskk, serving up a selection of cocktails and small plates based on the products of local distillery Husk.
Venue manager Brie Archdeacon says the idea was to divide the existing space for diners and drinkers, giving revellers a place to unwind in private.
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“We wanted to create a secluded space for the late night drinkers,” Brie says.
“It’s kind of like a mini dive bar. We wanted to attract that other side of the market that like little bars with a little darker area with its own designated menu and food to complement.
“A lot of our customers are either diners or drinkers. This way there’s no guessing ‘which one are you?’ We wanted to create them their own bar.”
The partnership with Husk Distillers, a distillery in Tumbulgum, northern New South Wales, began years ago with Baskk Restaurant stocking the company’s world famous Ink Gin.
Brie says she and Husk co-owner Mandy Messenger bonded over both being part of family-run businesses.
“We met each other at DBar one afternoon over a coffee,” Brie says.
“We’ve been one of their top customers on the Gold Coast. We won awards for most sold Ink Gin.
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“Me and her gelled, we’re both family businesses. We understand each other and understand living and working with family.
“They’re stoked we’re playing on the rum idea. Everyone knows Ink Gin, but the gin came later. They were always going to produce rum.”
That’s worth a toast — you no longer have to cross the border to enjoy the distillery’s best products.
“(Husk are) featured in most of our cocktails, and in our tasting paddle,” Brie says.
“You get to try their five-year-old rum and a pure care agricole rum, which is their most popular.
“The whole vibe is Caribbean Australian summer. Our cocktails are going to be using things like finger limes, Kaffir lime, lemon myrtle, passionfruit and our local Social Espresso cold brew.
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“We have a mango and Kaffir lime mojito, or a spiced rum passionfruit sour.
“Using the pure sugar cane in the mojito is a subtle flavour, it’s not like your normal white rums. It’s really subtle and easy to drink. Both of them just taste like summer.”
The food menu is also spiked with alcohol, from pulled brisket bao with a barbecue rum glaze, and spiced rum buffalo wings.
“We do a boozy dessert too — it’s a sailors fruit cake,” Brie says. “We soak the cherries in rum, we candy the fruit and serve it with spiced rum vanilla custard.”
The summer vibes continue with the Morocco-inspired fit out featuring lots of low lounges to stretch out.
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“Steve and Donna, the owners, they just recently got back form the Middle East,” Brie says.
“We love our travelling. We wanted to bring a little bit back form there.”
Bask Rum Bar is open Friday to Sunday from 5pm at 52/58 Marine Pde, Coolangatta
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