NOW EXPERIENCING:Nieuw Ruin
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Nieuw Ruin

Saturday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
12 Norfolk Street, Fremantle, WA, 6160
Phone
No phone
Website
nruin.com
Instagram
@nieuwruin

Read time 3 Mins

Posted 15 Jun 2022

By
Max Veenhuyzen

This free-spirited Fremantle wine bar and eatery is big on nostalgia, but its offering is very now, built around small plates and thrilling wines with a living-room vibe for all to enjoy.

Nieuw Ruin bar interiors
Why you goNo, you haven’t found a split in the time-space continuum. Nieuw Ruin is a bar awash in nostalgia, from the look of the historic gold rush-era cottage to a menu sporting big ’60s dinner-party energy. But while it draws inspiration from the past, its food and drink offering is very now, built around small plates, thrilling wines and an informal setting – all attributes shared with sister venue Foxtrot Unicorn in the CBD. Now factor in a scenario that can accommodate everything from family lunches to first dates and it’s not hard to understand why Fremantle has whole-heartedly embraced this free-spirited small bar.
Why you stayDon’t mistake free-spirited for flippant. Smiley staff rocking their op-shop best are a picture of easy-going hospitality. They’re welcoming guests with a cheery greeting, skilfully serving them dishes and drinks and basically keeping the mood buoyant at every table, bar stool and bench in the place. Although the décor sports a heavy Antiques Roadshow flavour – framed real estate maps, vintage crockery, old Australiana knick-knacks – management has sweated the important details and invested in high-end glassware in the bar and great ingredients in the kitchen.
Food and drinks at the Nieuw Ruin bar
Cocktail at Nieuw Ruin
What drink to orderFun fact: when the owners took over the building, the plan was to turn it into a gin bar, hence the name. (Gin was once known as mother’s ruin, while the word “nieuw”, meaning “new”, is a nod to the spirit’s Dutch origins.) Although gin features prominently on the cocktail list – it’s the star ingredient in classics such as the invigorating Southside and the hefty Last Word as well as playful remakes like the Finger Lime Crusta – wine is the bar’s primary stock-in-trade, specifically “weird wine”, to quote the website. Although by-the-glass options include surprises such as Greek rosé and lesser-seen Spanish white blends, the list has been put together with thought and an understanding of classic and contemporary trends. Otherwise, well-stocked shelves and fridges offer rich pickings for those buying by the bottle.
What to pair it withFirst things first: bread is a must. The kitchen likes to keep things saucy, whether it’s the brown-butter number tying together slow-cooked dhufish and charred fennel, say, or the thick French-style bouillabaisse seafood soup served with grilled marron. The dishes in each section of the menu are listed by levels of flavour, making it easy to match wine styles to food or vice versa. (The crisper whites are best paired with lighter dishes such as grilled zucchini with goat’s curd, while the cured wagyu with quince mustard can stand up to a red with a little body.) The curried fries and mayo, however, go great with any drink.
Regular's tipAlthough lunch and dinner are primetime, the bar is open all day Friday to Sunday, meaning a late lunch or early dinner is totally doable (and would slot nicely into the plans of anyone catching an early screening at nearby arthouse cinema Luna Palace, for instance). If you’re visiting solo or as part of a couple, consider perching at the bar. The bartenders here have terrific chat and are happy to talk drinks and share advice on sharpening your drink-making at home.
Food and drinks pairing
Chef at the Nieuw Ruin bar
Make it fancyThere’s a certain kid-in-a-candy-store euphoria to being surrounded by towers of bottles as you wine and dine. While the by-the-glass list covers significant ground, most of Nieuw Ruin’s harder-to-find wines are sold only by the bottle – the likes of pinot noir from cult producer Bindi in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges, for instance, or highly Instagrammable skin-contact wines from Italy and France. Along with the rare, there’s also the big, with plenty of magnums – that’s a double-sized bottle of wine – on hand to really kick-start a party.
Who to takeThere are many ways to enjoy Nieuw Ruin, as demonstrated by the broad church that worships here. Mum, Dad and their two sons share what looks like a terrific family lunch, the parents giving their kids one heck of a food education. Hospitality workers drop in during the afternoon for a recharge pre- or post-shift. After dark, groups of friends commandeer tables on the veranda, keeping warm via heaters and shared bottles of perfumed shiraz. A communal living room for all of Freo to enjoy? We think so.
Authour image
Max VeenhuyzenMax Veenhuyzen is a Perth food, drink and travel journalist who contributes to key Australian publications.
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Drinks DirectoryPerthOutdoor areaDate nightTop notch wine listPet friendlyBarGood for groupsKiller cocktailsSpecialty BarFamily affairMeal and a bev
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