Just Open: Aloha Sailor, Collingwood

Who is Donn Beach? No less than the founding father of Polynesian, tiki-style bars and restaurants. He died in '89, but his spirit will live on when Aloha Sailor, the bar in The Noble Experiment's basement, opens on Friday at 8pm.

It's Kristin and Daniel Lemura's tribute to an era they adore – he designed and built everything from the tables to the 74-strong skull wall and she was crowned Miss Pinup Australia last year.

Behind the bar cocktail master Linus Schaxmann has gone nitro-crazy. There's the treasure chest for example, a five-litre vessel featuring 18 different barrel-aged rums and more, overflowing with liquid nitrogen. It'll set you back $100, or you can book a booth for the same price and get one on the house.

Another option is Schaxmann's interpretation of the tiki classic, "suffering bastard", served in a glass skull and made with barrel-aged gin, brandy, falernum, bitters, citrus, chartreuse and house-made ginger beer.

The South Pacific-inspired menu is served until 2am, courtesy of Cameron Bell, and includes smaller bites such as taro fries and 12-spice pork ribs as well as larger share dishes, including whole duck with crackling, burnt eggplant, cucumber pickles and pancakes for wrapping.

With Elvis's Blue Hawaii playing in the background and a soundtrack to match, Aloha Sailor is the perfect place to pretend winter isn't coming.

Aloha Sailor, 284 Smith Street, Collingwood, 03 9416 0058, alohasailor.com.au. Open Fri-Sat 6pm-2am.