Mystery bar number 40

File under: drink, nightlife, Wellington

At the risk of overdoing the boozy theme this week, it's time for another mystery bar. Last week's didn't take long to identify, which is not surprising since it's just opened in a high-profile location. An anonymous commenter identified it as Boss, which has taken over both Diva and the old La Casa Pasta upstairs. Diva closed quite some time ago (last year, I think). The transformation has taken a long, long time: possibly due to the installation of 7 acoustically-isolated karaoke booths upstairs, and partly because the redesign is the work of, ahem, enthusiastic amateurs.

This week's mystery bar is much more professional, and yet it still has a decor that is eclectic, verging on the eccentric. The studded leather sofas hint at gentlemen's club conservatism; gaudy chandeliers and shimmering curtains steer more towards grandiose Trumpery; surrealist artworks speak of conspicuous connoisseurship; and a monograph on Gaudí has been left casually on a table to signify that the intended clientele seeks the unconventional in art in architecture. On the other hand, the exterior of the building has an austerity that makes the syncretic oddity within all the more surprising.

The location, in a part of town that has been rapidly improving, could be something really special. The narrow windows emphasise privacy rather than openness, but there are plans for this establishment to take more advantage of the view. As a bar it's fairly unambitious at the moment, with a short (though expensive) wine list and little pretense to be a cocktail bar. But if the expansion plans of its high-profile owner go ahead, this could make a very important contribution to the streetscape and fill a gap in the hospitality map.