10 years is a milestone for any bar, but perhaps even more so for a bar in a small city market like Hobart. But that’s one milestone that Rude Boy notches up this year, and one that co-owner Rohan Massie attributes to the way they have evolved the bar over time.
“It’s evolved through a number of different iterations,” Massie says. “It started as that really sort of Caribbean vibe. What we’re trying to bring back now is this essence of neighbourhood escapism.
“At the end of the day the guest has to be right at some point along the line, so you’ve gotta follow what they want. You’ve got to listen to the signs and evolve. If you’re always sticking to your guns in what your concept is and not allowing growth and evolution in there, that’s sort of where you can get bogged down and people get bored and move on.”
Some of the products in the Punch & Ladle portfolio. Photo: Supplied
Personally, I think their fried chicken is a good enough reason for the bar to continue on for another 20 years.
Massie has a few strings to his bow. Not only will you often find him at the pointy end of big national cocktail competitions, he also — along with Rude Boy co-owners Khayla Massie, and bartender Campbell Nicol — have Punch & Ladle, a small aperitif producer with some very delicious things in bottle (their medium sweet vermouth and strawberry vermouth are worth a look).
The trio also have a hospitality training company called Hospitality Distilled, through which they offer WSET accredited training.
So, in this episode of Drinks At Work, I talk to Massie about what it takes to make it to 10 years as a bar owner, how Punch & Ladle came about and how they are thinking about growing the brand, and the usefulness of WSET-style training for bartenders (and whether or not it’s something they actually need to do).
Take a listen to the episode below, or search for Drinks At Work in your podcast player of choice.
Drinks At Work — Hobart with Rohan Massie, Rude Boy
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Recommends: Rohan Massie’s Hobart
If you’re not from Hobart
“For me it’s about going on a bit of a trail,” Massie says. “You can start in North Hobart, have a drink at Smith Street or at Teddy’s, and then travel down to Bar Wa for some snacks. Head down through Rude Boy, and then La Sardina Loca. You’re looking at a 10 minute walk, which says a lot about the size of Hobart, but you can do that in a night pretty comfortably. Doing that sums up the Hobart experience.”
“They’re doing cocktails and things on sticks, basically. Delicious, beautiful, food, all done on a hibachi,” says Massie. “There’s a pretty funny video at the moment of them making an MSG Martini, which I’m sorry, but if you don’t love MSG, you just don’t know you love MSG.”
“Rude Boy,” Massie says. “That’s why I got out so late last night.”
What are you having? “You’re having a beer while you wait for your Daiquiri,” he says. “A little bit of popcorn chicken, a beer and a Daiquiri is definitely the way to go.”
“I don’t go out often, but the last time I did I went to Don Frico, down on Montpelier Retreat — their pizzas at the moment are incredible. A nice Martini and a pizza, you’re winning.”
It’s also where the trade ends up: “At the moment it’s between us [and] Don Frico a bit,” he says, as they are open later. “A lot of Hobart tends to shut reasonably early.”
“In Hobart, I would say Teddy’s. So this is Jeff Thaow’s bar that I was talking about. A little bit more wine-oriented,” says Massie.
“[Jeff] opened it up on a shoestring budget, because when you’re a bartender or a somm and you’re not looking for investors, you save your money, right? He’s got a little mezzanine space above a mate’s brewery. And so he’s redone that and reimagined the whole space. It’s really tucked away. Not a heap of people know about it. They’re doing really great things, but they’re really small, really friendly. Great service.”
Punch & Ladle is available through Brands on Parade in Tasmania and Pinto Spirits in Melbourne. Other distributors: Rohan would like to hear from you — rohan@punchandladle.com.au.
Sam Bygrave is the editor and founder of Boothby Media, where he writes, shoots, and talks about bars, bartenders and drinks online and in Boothby’s quarterly print magazine.
