There's a 24-hour deli called Canter's in LA. Plenty of people come for the pastrami on rye and cheesecake by the pound. But plenty more come for the Kibitz Room - the bar out the back that launched many a career, including that of Gun'n'Roses.

Oh, if those wood veneer walls could talk. They'd probably say something like "hey Axl, stop being such a jerk. And Duff, put down that Jack Daniels before your pancreas explodes. Slash, keep being awesome".

Anyway, hold that image carefully in your mind as you venture out the back to the secret bar of this new Redfern restaurant. Take in the lazily rotating mirror ball bathing everything in a sleazy glow, the green velvet bar stools, the booths, and yes, a lot of veneer. Then come back to these pages in a few weeks to read all about it in Bar Hop.

Stay with us now for the restaurant out the front, brought to you from Arcadia Liquors' bar chiefs Brett Pritchard and David Jank.

The flavour here is Eastern Europe by way of Redfern Street. So that could look like a plate of "beethorse" - lightly pickled and grated beetroot which, says my dining buddy, "tastes how it looks". Read into that what you will. Purple, lightly acidic and shreddy would be our finely tuned analysis.

Almond Bar's Katie "Pockets" Cooper is at the pans here, serving up veal schnitzel on a mountain of braised cabbage and golden roast potato. The meat could use a firmer hand with the salt and a little longer in the fryer, certainly, but there's no faulting those roasties. 

Avoid the slightly heavy arancini and go straight for tendrils of lightly fried squid. Long, thin and highly acidic ribbons of dill pickle are a great foil for all that fried food, while a smashed pea crostino adds a rare fresh and green moment.

The pappardelle is properly excellent - firm ribbons of pasta coated in a gentle, restrained braise of lamb. Fried brussels sprouts are deliciously pan-blackened and salty.

Most things lean towards friendly and enthusiastic rather than polished, but that's the general vibe here - they're pitching towards locals looking to go beyond the guilty gloopy pleasures of Wah Fung barbecue. And in this, they've achieved their brief - they did all the interiors themselves, from the off-white walls and walnut shelves to the brass fittings and vintage chairs and the place is humming with people grabbing a bite and a glass before heading out the back bar for mint juleps.

Most definitely worth a look for fun-loving locals.

THE LOW-DOWN
Pro tip Give the house wines a tilt. Pritchard and Jank bought up a whole lot of a mate's Hunter chardonnay and shiraz and rebottled it with their own Redfern Continental labels. Surprisingly delicious. And cheap.
Try this The fried brussels sprouts are a vegetarian (or schnitzel's) best friend.
Like this? Check out the decidedly un-hip Una's, a schnitzel haus with its low-key upstairs schnapps bar that's been feeding Victoria Street since the '60s. 340 Victoria St, Darlinghurst. (02) 9360 6885