Solotel has refreshed and transformed the upper Marly with the weird and wondrous world of Cuckoo.
Venturing up the stairs and down the rabbit hole patrons are greeted with what is promised to be a “new kind of venue experience” that could be described as kitsch with a Germanic nod.
Opa’s lounge room bar embraces the full crazy, described as “alpine with a healthy hint of trashiness” that includes cuckoo clocks chiming all night alongside live DJs.
The bar’s generally cuckoo moments continue with an Instagram-friendly climbing wall, and the Knights of Cuckoo.
The menu comes courtesy of Opa’s recipe book, championed by inspirational pretzels with lashes of choice of dipping sauce at the ‘Condiment Kingdom’, as well as old-school schnitzels and Kransky.
Drinks carry on the cookiness, seen in the signature ‘Deer Blood’ cocktail – bar manager Drue Stevens’ take on the traditional Negroni – and a collection of Schnapps infused on site by the bar team, with nostalgic and unusual flavours such as Almond Honey, using honey harvested from the beehives on the roof of the Marlborough Hotel.
Beers follow suit, to be brewed locally in Germanic sympathy by Wayward Brewing Co, bringing a Raspberry Berliner Weisse, and Batch’s limited edition Oktoberwest.
All beers are served in intricate steins or Cuckoo’s signature glass, ‘Das Boot’.
Cuckoo is a collaboration with Jaime Wirth’s International Worldwide, creators of The George, The Duke and The Old Fitz, along with Monster Children, and replaces the former Miss Peaches space opened by previous owners Riversdale.
It officially opened to the public Friday (18 October), hosting festivities of foosball, ping pong, air hockey, and trades until midnight Wednesday to Sunday, opening at 2pm Sunday and 5pm all other days.
“Cuckoo’s launch saw people come back to Marly’s upstairs bar in droves – and they were pleasantly surprised with the all-new offer provided to them,” replied the Marly’s marketing manager, Nick Cerone.
“It was great to see the people return to our upstairs bar in its new and reinvigorated state. We’re very much looking forward to kicking trade off again this week.”
