The sartorial choices heading up to Madame Brussels were pretty eclectic, from business suits to jeans-clad students to two guys in long Matrix-style gangster coats and pork pie hats. Ha! No one else thought to turn up to Bingo Night in full retro-housewife mode: a 50s-style full-skirted dress, a little collared jacket with bracelet sleeves and ferrying a container of home-made chicken and vegetable quiche on her bike.

Fortunately the game was not hosted in the rooftop bar but the sheltered candy pink and faux lawn surroundings of ‘Up the rear of Madame Brussels’. Our host for the evening was Ms Erin Tasmania, a quip-ready and slightly foul-mouthed bingo caller who spoke Dutch and Far North Queenslandish with a microphone voice. Over three rounds, the stupendous prizes on offer included a picture of Elvis, blue plastic skull mobile phone holder and a sexy gnome.

Well, the stars aligned for Jen and I tonight. Jen called BINGO not once, but twice and managed to swap her wins to claim the one prize she really wanted – the flashing light Jesus clock. I somehow scored a glass of champagne and a tequila shot (argh!), while Jen kindly donated her Rubert the Bear umbrella prize to me.

Thrilled with her luck, Jen now has in mind a weekly Bingo outing. Frankly, I’m not so sure – that tequila made my eyeballs hurt.

Update 17 October 2009: Madame Brussels are hosting Garden Parties every Saturday this Spring. Book ahead for the Spring Garden Package and you will receive rounds of sandwiches, cupcakes, scones and sausage rolls. Try their  new spring punches!

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