Scarlet Decoy goes undercover and lands in one of her tightest spots yet.
“It’s called the Pink Moon Saloon” my snitch had said. Sounds made up, I thought. Was this some kinda swindle?
Still, I accepted the assignment, and agreed to visit while on a recent trip to Adelaide.
One of the hard parts about being a cocktail bar super sleuth is the need to always be on the lookout for danger. Maintaining constant vigilance is exhausting, especially once you’ve got a couple of martinis under your belt.
Indeed, as I scoped out the street on my way to the Pink Moon Saloon, why, whaddya know…? There was a whole setup out front, some kind of film-flam wine tasting palaver. There were wise guys galore, handing out little cups of wine. For free!
I’m not gonna lie: it was tempting. But I had things to do, people to see.
I can’t afford distractions.
Now, I ain’t dumb. But the Pink Moon Saloon is easy to miss, if you’re not paying attention. Lucky for me, I have a very finely tuned drinking establishment radar, so I found it there on Leigh Street, neatly housed in an old lane.
There is a indeed a pink moon on the door.
Otherwise, it looks kinda like a Swedish sauna from the outside. I was immediately on my guard. What if this was a sham?
Was I about to walk into a Scandi-Noir mystery? Or maybe a steamy room full of glistening Nordic gods wearing nothing more but a towel and a smile?
Well, there were no Nordic Gods, but there were plenty of smiles. The only towels I spotted were draped on the shoulders of the (fully clothed) bar tenders, who were busily mixing cocktails with aplomb. And once I got inside, it was obviously not a Swedish sauna at all. It’s much more like a ski lodge, or a log cabin.
I’m not sure what finally clued me in. Maybe it was the logs. Anyways, I stopped looking for Chris Hemsworth and kept an eye out for Paul Bunyan instead.
As narrow as the Saloon is, it goes deep and there’s ample space for you and all your chums to enjoy a swell time. There are two bars, divided by a central courtyard that allows patrons to enjoy fresh air and the feeling of being outdoors.
I’d arranged to meet one of my gal pals, Pixie Chandon, a blonde bombshell if ever there was one, and I knew we were in for a good night. She and I settled ourselves in the garden courtyard and decided to order a late afternoon aperitif. Our very efficient waitress informed us that they were debuting their new menu, and we took our time reviewing the cocktails on offer.
I decided on a Gin Julep, whilst Pix went for a Mandarin 75.
Our drinks were served with neat efficiency. My Gin Julep was served over crushed ice, with a decent wedge of fresh lemon. A tart, refreshing blend of gin, grapefruit and Tonic Wine, it was the perfect way to start this cocktail assignment. The Tonic Wine added herbaceous length, and it was a heady experience.
Pix’s Mandarin 75 was a delicious blend of gin, mandarin and sparkling wine, and was clearly named because it would be very easy to drink 75 of them.
Another of my pals, Vixen Mixer, joined us as soon as she could get away from her day job without blowing her cover, and we decided to trade notes on recent cocktail and other beverage experiences. I knew I was in trouble when a bottle of Krug was ordered on account of how it was apparently International Champagne Day.
See what I mean? Distractions.
Knowing we had to stay alert, we snacked on some of the Pink Moon Saloon’s seriously delicious eats: a porky twist on san choy bao, baba ghanoush, labne, and olives, and a very tasty prawn and lobster roll.
The ambience shifted from a small number of besuited after workers to guys and dolls in their finery, heading out on the town. A DJ played some excellent tunes and the overall mood was light, fun and relaxed.
The service is fast, friendly and the staff know their menu inside out. The name might’ve sounded made up, but this wasn’t no shakedown. Pink Moon Saloon is in the completely legitimate business of fun.
Get the Low Down
- The Pink Moon Saloon,21 Leigh St, Adelaide
- Open Monday to Thursday and Saturdays, 4pm til Late
- Fridays 12pm til late
- Sundays on long weekends 4pm til late
- Find them on facebook
- Tune in via Instagram
- Their website
About Our Contributor: Scarlet Decoy
Currently in a cocktail protection program, she’s a white collar professional by day, intrepid cocktail Super Sleuth by night, she snoops out the best little drinking spots in town – wherever she may be.
She buys her own drinks, all views are her own and she don’t get paid nuthin’ by no one. We’re lucky to have her.
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