The Carlton reincarnated

Something's popped up where the old Carlton once stood. A new bar worth checking out?

Now you see it ...

Amid potted trees, fake grass and a plethora of pebbles, a mirage has appeared where the mighty Carlton once stood. 

The Carlton Country Club is neither exclusive nor rural. It stands in place of the historic Carlton Hotel building and Burger King, a fitting match for a night of overindulging. The semi-permanent watering hole that has emerged, moth-like, from a trailer cocoon, will keep the site warm until a new building takes shape next year.

It might seem unfair to review a bar straight after work, on a Tuesday night. Yet, when our party of three arrived, we weren't the first, and as the minutes turned to hours, more and more patrons trudged up the green-carpet path, through the glass double doors and into the sleek bar.

With television screens at every angle and all chairs and tables at bar height, this is not a bar double-coded as a restaurant. In fact, it's no secret that the food comes from Spagalimis, which means pizza, garlic bread or fries are the only available food matches for your desired drop, be it a wine, beer or a cocktail.

Our threesome had bubbles on the agenda, and they had to be sweet. We were expertly directed to the limited-edition Lindauer Summer Sparkling Pinot Gris, and even given a taste before committing. At $40 a bottle, it was a considerably more frugal option than the next sweet number, the Moët, and was among the cheapest bottles on offer.

The barman's professionalism extended to table service, with our glasses filled and later topped up. He would have gained an extra point for serving the ladies first, and wouldn't have lost so many had he been warmer in his approach.

The barman also offered advice on the pizza selection (which ranges from $21.50 to $28). The lamb or chicken were the best, he said, and so we enjoyed the latter, with its cranberry, cashews and cream cheese adding extra flavour.

If we'd made a longer evening of it - it was a school night, after all - we would have sampled some live music, which kicks off every night at 8pm, with bigger names featuring at the weekend. As it was, the acoustics were great and the music apt and at the right volume, even as the place continued to fill and the hubbub increased.

"Is it normally this busy," we asked the barman? "No," he replied. "It's normally much busier, which is why we look more miserable than usual." A joke? It's hard to tell, which is why when he directed me outside to the bathrooms there was a distinct feeling of being set up to take an embarrassing fall. Truth be told, they are in an outdoor portacom, and the barman assured me many people replicate my "are-you-kidding?" look when told

The screens that night were showing sport, music videos and a fast-forward recording of the 16-metre trailer unfolding into a bar. The hireable mobile venue, dubbed The Nation, has come from Hamilton, where it began its life as a corporate bar, popping up at events such as the Hamilton V8 Supercars and Mystery Creek field days. For now, it is the Carlton Country Club, an impressive sports-bar-esque venue with considerable swank.

Where: Cnr Papanui Rd and Bealey Ave.

Prices: On the steep side.

Ambience: A man zone.

Service: Professional, yet cold.