Hollywood has always struggled making sequels as good as the original,so it's apt the follow-up to the award-winning Sydney bar named after Sammy Davis jnr is taking a different approach.
Sammy Junior,the younger sibling to the World's 11th Best Bar winner,Maybe Sammy,opens on Tuesday,March 23,opposite the CBD Hotel,uptown from the downtown original.
Sammy Junior isn't trying to outshine its big brother,nor is it living in its shadow. It's a pruned down,diminutive version."It's mini martinis,200ml beers and half bottles of wine,"co-owner Vince Lombardo says."We even do half bottles of champagne."
There's a slimline beverage menu of just six cocktails at Sammy Junior,and they are all served as 100ml minis,with four of them on tap (Coffee Negroni,Martini Australiano,Cascara Fizz and TI Punch Spritz).
"We've really put a lot of work into tinkering,so the consistency with the cocktails is really good,"says Lombardo,who also promises after-work live music on Fridays at the George Livissianis-designed venue.
Its reputation might be focused on cocktails,but Lombardo is keen to push daytime city credentials given the location in the heart of the city. So there's a food menu,espresso bar and co-owner Martin Hudak (a former World Coffee in Good Spirits Champion) roasts all the coffee for Sammy Junior.
Open Mon-Wed 7am-6pm;Thu-Fri 7am-10pm.
66 King Street,Sydney,maybesammyjunior.com