Mystery bar number 27

File under: drink, nightlife, Wellington

Martha was just too darned clever (even if she said so herself): the previous mystery bar was indeed Atlanta on The Terrace. I have a feeling that this week's one might be a bit trickier, though.

Don't expect as many suits here as at Atlanta. While they have a fairly fully-stocked bar, and a basic range of wines, the alcoholic emphasis seems to be on beer. There's quite a lot of beer branding involved, some of which comes across as unintentionally ironic. The bright (if not garish) colour scheme, flower arrangement on the bartop and large number of potplants seem to be brave efforts to feminise and enliven what could seen as a blokey and bare-bones environment, but I'm not sure that they've succeeded. Dozens of jokey beer posters and a vast plasma screen are hard to counter with a few bits of greenery.

It's also trying to provide a wide range of services. One corner was set aside as an internet café, and the counter was doing a roaring trade in takeaway breakfasts when I visited. It's definitely catering to a young market, which makes sense given its location, and the absence of expensive design features is a corollary of that. Despite the gritty environs and inexpensive (to the point of tacky) furnishings, the abundant natural light make it reasonably pleasant for daytime visitors, though from the looks of things, many of the customers would have preferred a little less light.