The Bottom End |
The Bottom End
579 Little Collins Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Ph: (03) 9629-3001
Website
When I joined Instagram back in April, I was told by She Who Takes The Majority of Photos around here, in no uncertain terms, that I was not allowed to start filling my posts with Instagrammed pics. That I shouldn't lazily let the filters do the work for me, whilst ignoring things like Composition, Lighting and that elusive "Rule of Thirds". (Full honesty: I still don't quite get how that rule works, all I know with any certainty is that it's terribly important to understand it before you even think about picking up a camera :P).
Kitchen at The Bottom End |
However... we caught up with some friends for burgers and drinks at The Bottom End last Friday after work, and I enjoyed it so much that I just had to whip out my iPhone and take some pics so that I could share it with you, grainy Instagrammed pics be damned! So forgive my dependence on Instagram for this blog post - it was super-dark in there and I had to filter the bejeesus out of most of these pics just to make the items visible. Even if I'd had my SLR and low-light lens with me, there was no way I was going to whip it out to take composed shots, interrupting us while we were drinking, chatting and (maybe) throwing popcorn at each other. (Or more accurately, there was no way I was going to make Sandra whip out the SLR and take composed shots...)
Sometimes having a good time is more important than getting the perfect shot! I trust that these pics will effectively convey the deliciousness and fun we had!
Our booth |
Throughout the week, we were in an email conversation trying to figure out where to go on Friday night when one of our friends said:
There's this place called The Bottom End... that serves BURGERS! which is meant to be awesome. It's underground and shiz.I'd never heard of the bar before, but any description containing the word "BURGERS!" all in caps and with an exclamation mark is good enough for me. Yup, decision made! The Bottom End serves $10 burgers, as well as American diner food (think: buffalo wings, jalapeno poppers etc.), and cocktails. It's low-key and relaxed, with booths and friendly staff. They also have free popcorn. FREE! Total win! (Apparently there's meant to be free Wi-Fi but I didn't manage to find the connection). Upstairs they host dance nights Poof Doof and Survivor, and seem to have different food and drink specials on all the time. Phew!
Let's have a look at some of the drinks we enjoyed.
Caipirinha - cachaça, lime, sugar - $12 |
Bloody Mary - vodka, tomato etc. - $14 ($5 during happy hours, between 12-5 every day) |
Espresso Martini - vodka, coffee & kahlua - $19 |
Texas Panhandler - spiced rum, Dr Pepper, morello cherries, lemon - $12 |
Fucking Marvellous - raspberry vodka, crème de mure, berry puree, lemon juice, egg white - $18 |
The F***ing Marvellous tasted a lot more delicate than the name would have you believe - with its raspberry vodka, creme de mure and berry puree, it was a sweet, intensely berried drink.
Ok, so here's what I know you're all interested in: the food! We ordered a bunch of things to share, and they all came out very quickly. (Heads up: a girl I know told me she once waited up an hour for food to come out, so perhaps it varies depending on how busy they are.) Needless to say, the food is all perfect drinking food.
Hot 'n' cheesy jalapeno poppers - $10 |
Cheesy popper innards |
I thought the burgers were great! I loved the fluffy buns and all the juicy, tasty fillings. They were a little smaller than expected, but on the plus side, I didn't feel gross after eating them, like I do when I eat a Grill'd or an Andrew's burger.
Classic Cheesy Bacon - grilled wagyu beef pattie, gruyere, monterey jack, bacon, pickle, tomato, lettuce and fry sauce - $10 |
Mexico City Cheese - cheese, jalapeno and corn-stuffed grilled chicken pattie, coriander salsa, lettuce & chipotle mayo - $10 |
House-spiced fries with fry sauce - $8 |
A nice hot bowl of meatballs - walnut & gorgonzola sauce - $10 |
Mormon Buffalo Wings - blue cheese sauce & celery - 3 for $9 |
So that was The Bottom End! A really fun place to have drinks and snacks - the burgers were especially impressive. I think The Kodiac Club on Brunswick street, which has a similar American diner-style offering, serves food of a much higher quality, whereas The Bottom End's food is a bit more rough and ready. (The Kodiac Club's buffalo wings and house-made tortilla chips - OMG). However, the food at The Bottom End does the trick, the drinks are great and the atmosphere is chillaxed and fun. Win win win!
2 comments
Ooh, love the look of the cocktails here! Snackies look awesome too, will have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteAnd martinis are totally delicious! But I'm a gin girl. ;)
Heh heh, you rebel you! Go on and break the rules. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I got all excited when I saw the words "jalapeno poppers" but those are not jalapeno poppers. :( Ah well the rest looks good!