The Hamsa Room is much more than just a holding space for those waiting for a table to free up at Naïm. Vince Estacio and B.J. Wall’s new drink and snack spot – which fronts Latrobe Terrace a short olive-pit toss from their popular Paddington cafe – is the kind of bar you can find yourself lingering in for a while. Sit in one of the cushy window alcoves or nab a set at the mosaic-tiled bar and you might get so comfortable that you forget you’ve got a table waiting for you around the corner. The Hamsa Room is meant to be inhabited. Looking to inject a bit of after-dark action to their slice of Paddington, Vince and B.J. envision The Hamsa Room as a multi-purpose locale that is up to the task of catering to the whims of local residents, while also delivering something imbued with Naïm’s homely warmth and creative flair. “I want to offer something cool,” Vince says candidly of The Hamsa Room’s aim. “I wanted a bar where you can sit at the counter, talk with the bartender and see all the cool stuff that we’re doing.” Talking about inspirations, in addition to the classic wine bars of Europe that inform The Hamsa Room’s blue-hued and candle-lit aesthetic, Vince name checks Mason Pacific – a San Francisco bistro he worked at back in 2014 – as the kind of low-intensity venue that his new venture looks to replicate, at least in tone. “It was just so beautiful – easy, effortless and not pretentious,” Vince reflects. “You could go in for a full meal or you could go in for a glass of wine. You could go in and do your work or you could go in for just two oysters.” Vince stresses that this is a venue you don’t need to dress up to visit – a come-as-you-are comfort is as key to The Hamsa Room as the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences that shape its menu.

Though a private bar, which requires guests to have a reservation to sit down, The Hamsa Room is easily accessible. Impromptu visits are still welcome – guests will just have to register before being seated. Once settled in, a flip through the menu will reveal a depth that belies the bar’s bare-bones set-up. Traces of Naïm’s culinary identity (particularly its focus on vegan cuisine and a kosher and halal-friendly meats) have been translated across, with portions ranging from one-bite snacks to share-style plates. Light nibbles range from Riser Bread sourdough with black-tahini butter to spiced candied pepitas, which lead into Tasmanian oysters served natural style or with zhug dressing and charmoula sauce (there’s even bloody Mary oyster shots, if you’re in a spicy mood). From there, menu broadens with a selection of mini composed plates centred around cheese with accoutrements – think whipped fetta with peach, bee pollen and walnut, cumin gouda with spiced honey, pistachio dukkah and Pedro Ximenez prunes, and turmeric cashew cheese with tahini yoghurt and herb salad. The Hamsa Room’s charcuterie section playfully subverts expectations, with shawarma parfait encased in a savoury herb tart and crowned with jewel-like dollops of pomegranate gel, while the harissa prawns lay on a bed of ajo blanco puree next to a heaped pile of sourdough. The food and drink menus collide in the dessert section, with the PB&J Martini (peanut butter whiskey, strawberry liqueur and sweet vermouth) acting as a neat segue into the beverage list. Other signature cocktails include the mezcal margarita (with a salt rim exchanged for a foam-like layer), a saffron peach sour and a negroni riff infused with floral hibiscus. The Hamsa Room’s wine list starts with an array of bubbles (pet nats, prosecco, Spanish cava and champagne are all represented) before moving on to a selection of Australian wines from of-the-moment lo-fi makers like Das Juice, Jilly Wine, Kilkianoon, Minim and Arc. Beer lovers are looked after too – TWØBAYS gluten-free beer and a hazy pale ale from Nomad Brewing Co can be found alongside guest beers like a salt and lime lager from Buenaveza, and Garage Project’s I Heart Blackberry & Nectarine sour.

The Hamsa Room is now open to the public – operating hours, booking info and menu details can be found one click away in the Stumble Guide.