The Cricketers Arms, or “Crix” to those who know it well, has always had a special atmosphere – the kind that can’t be faked. The drinks, the people and the live music make the place tick. It remains independently owned and, like any good pub, doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Enter Chez Crix, which shows you can have fun and eat well at the same time. The upstairs bistro and wine bar is a maturation and extension of the existing pub, adding French food, natural wines and classic cocktails – with no pretension or big dollars attached.
“Our community, and the legacy of the Cricketers Arms, is certainly at the forefront. We talk a lot about the sense of ownership long-term patrons hold of the venue – it’s the people’s pub,” says general manager Jackson Duxbury. “For years, this place – certainly downstairs – has felt like an extension of people’s living rooms. We hope Chez Crix feels like an extension of their dining room.”
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SIGN UPStepping into a full-time role after some pop-ups with neighbouring cafe-record store Suzie Q over the last year, head chef Antoine Vassallo takes the tight menu to some unexpected places for a pub bistro.
The antipasti section is a new joy for eating any time at Crix. There’s LP’s saucisson with guindilla chillies, house-made chicken liver parfait with cornichons, and sardines with baguette and pickled onions. For something more substantial, try roast chicken brined a day in advance, whole blue mackerel with eggplant and sauce vierge (olive oil, lemon juice, basil, tomato), or a classic steak frites with bordelaise. Don’t skip the oxheart-tomato tarte tartin either – it’s a treat for the eyes as well as the tastebuds.
Chez Crix also runs a pub menu downstairs (which otherwise hasn’t changed), including the bistro menu’s starters, plus burgers and chicken parmie croquettes, a perfect bar snack.
“Ideally, the new menu encapsulates the feeling of a really fun dinner party, with all your friends, and honest, very delicious food. It’s a casual but considered vibe. We want it to feel the same for a table of two to a table of 10,” Duxbury says.
Back upstairs, natural-leaning wines are available by the bottle or glass, averaging about $14 a pour. By-the-glass options rotate frequently. And for bonus points: the pub’s licence means you can get takeaway bottles right up until midnight from Wednesday to Saturday.
“Our goal is for people to be able to drink very well up here, at any budget – whether it’s a very refreshing small beer, an ice-cold Martini or a bottle of burgundy,” Duxbury says.
But Chez Crix is also about discovering new things. Case in point: when was the last time you left a pub with a new way of drinking amaro? Here it’s shaken over ice and served in a coupe, with the fluffy texture of an Espresso Martini. These touches, along with the unstuffy but technically sound food offering show old dogs can learn new tricks.
“There’s so much we love about being independent,” says publican Domenic Juillet, who has run the Crix with partners since 2005. “It means we can be nimble and dynamic in decision making, and we know our customers value our independence.”
“It’s really important for communities to have smaller operations responding to and being a part of the culture, as opposed to forcing it. Plus, there’s not many places you can go where the publican is pouring your beer.”
Chez Crix
Upstairs, 106 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
No phone
Hours (Chez Crix)
Wed to Sun 5.30pm–9.30pm
Hours (The Cricketer’s Arms Hotel)
Tue 5pm–11pm
Wed to Thu 4.30pm–midnight
Fri 3pm–midnight
Sat 2pm–midnight
Sun 2pm–10pm