I went to the cocktail bar upstairs from the eatery on Lv2 on a saturday night recently. Really loved it. A nice change from the usually more crowded and noisy bars in melbourne. Despite the fact that is an open bar (ie. no booths) they achieved a sense of intimacy with two rooms/tents. and small tables within each.

Approximate cost: $20

To get there, you have to go up a flight of narrow stairs. The venue was designed by Votre Monde and has an earthy and rustic vibe to it. Polēpolē translates to “go easy” or “take it easy” in Swahili. On the first level, the place is split - one side is the kitchen & booths for dinner, the other side a bar/lounge area. There is also a second level (not currently open) which will probably become either a function space or additional bar area. Food at Polēpolē is based around sharing plates which are broken into three main sections – Ribs, non Ribs plates, Dessert. Expect plates such as Spiced Chickpeas and Pepitas, House cured Biltong, Lentil and cauliflower fritters with whipped Tahini and Lemon Zest, Sticky Chicken Ribs, Smoked Pork Ribs and Harissa Lamb Ribs, and Banana Date Bread with Salted Caramel, Banana Crumble and Cashew Parfait. Interestingly the drinks at pole pole have an african link. Beverage brands brands such as Tusker (Kenya), Dashen (Ethiopia) and Windhoek (Namibia) as well as German and Dutch style lagers feature on the list.
Overall, i found the venue to be very interesting, relaxing, yet complex and classy. A good place to go to wind down with out being boring.