Leicester House, Chinatown

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, Vietnamese
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Food, Date, Small Groups

I’ve gotten used to this corner of Soho metamorphosing into different hotels each time I visit. Though the last time was a while back when the Talented Mr. Fox resided on the upper floor (Mr. Fox, who is now focusing his energy in the Bethnal Green destination, Peg + Patriot: Click HERE for Review!)

Leicester House has turned the eerie abattoir chic of its previous incarnations to much more welcoming hues that strongly echo the designers’ work at the Firmdale Hotel group with cerulean and flame orange. Screaming European contemporary, the design is not what you’d expect from a restaurant that identifies itself as ‘French-Vietnamese’. In fact, the meal reflects the continental décor more than its South East Asian heritage – but we’ll get to that in a moment. After all, we are a cocktail blog first and foremost:

Seated on a banquette, the Hoodooist could hardly nurse a Sangiovese – handed by the charming and experienced Michael who runs the show with incredible finesse and efficiency – much longer when they word TALISKER screamed out at him from the menu.

Leicester House Chinatown Soho Vietnamese Cocktails

The Smoking Negroni

Beginning with a Smoking Negroni: Talisker 10 yr Whisky mixed in with Campari, sweet vermouth, garnished with an orange twist. The nose is distinctly that of the Skye whisky, thick smoke and brine. The first sip instantly hits you with the same flavours, as well as white pepper peatiness, and pronounced heather as the flavours begin to move to the citrus sweetness of the vermouth and the Campari bitterness. The finish has a lingering malt from the whisky.

The first glass was beautiful – however, a friend on the table with the same cocktail received a drink distinctly imbalanced in comparison to the one above, a lot more heavy on the Campari, and skimping on the vermouth, a more medicinal cocktail was produced.

Done well, the Smoking Negroni is wonderful, though one needs to be very precise.

The Kaffir Gimlet

The Kaffir Gimlet brings together Sipsmith Gin, lime, and Kaffir lime leaves. The nose is beautifully floral, with the playful citrus of the Kaffir leaves. Flavours of strong juniper, marmalade, sweet citrus and even (somehow) rose comes through, with a dry, zesty finish. A drink that manages to be simultaneously rather sweet and dry, and perfect for summer afternoons. Simple and refreshing.

The French ‘Pisco’ Sour is a tragic name for a perfectly good drink. Yes, Armagnac and Pisco are similar in many ways: though the grapes are different, both are distilled from wines to produce intense and ludicrously strong brandies – the name French ‘Pisco’ Sour is a worrying attempt to make it familiar, I suppose.

Armagnac Blanche, lime, sugar and egg white. The wheatiness of the Armagnac still soaks through with its earthy terroir flavours, softened by the lime and sugar – a good aperitif in any case.

The Perfect Calva

Finally, the Perfect Calva mixes Calvados, Sweet and Dry Vermouth, garnished with Grillotines cherries. I think it’s the choice in vermouths here that plays an important part – the finished drink is harsh, confused, and could probably benefit from using Cognac as a base. Though the bar menu at Leicester House focuses on simplicity, this cocktail verges on amateurish.

One realises that being a bar is not what Leicester House was going for, the main focus would be the French-Vietnamese cuisine – which would be interesting considering how impacted Vietnamese food was by the French when colonised. Though the dishes were distinctly Vietnamese, they were also distinctly European in that the Vietnamese flavours of citrus and pungent spice were heavily toned down to the point of becoming an Anglicised palate of ‘Vietnamese’ cuisine (why is there Italian ham here?). Many spices seem to have given way to the use of salt and pepper. A tendency to overcook slightly (particularly scallop) is evident.

That is not to say there were no must-order dishes – a simple and satiating starter of green papaya and daikon salad, along with blackened squid and samphire are excellent options. The cod XO sauce may be cooked to perfection, but lacks punch.

What stood out the most as a hit across the table would easily be the rich dark chocolate pot layered with hazelnut coffee cream. Star.

The Leicester House certainly does not aim at focusing on its bar, although could benefit dramatically with more experienced talent behind it. The tendency to simplicity can be a double edged sword, on one hand easy to knock out and reliable – on the other possibly lacking lustre. But hopefully consistency in the cocktails can improve with practice, since the Smoking Negroni is entirely too good when prepared right.

Also hope to see more of a Vietnamese edge in cocktails, the use of more Eastern flavours and possible the host of Rượu rice liquors that Vietnam has to offer.

Drinks: **-***
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ****

Leicester House

1 Leicester Street,
London WC2H 7BL

http://www.leicesterhouse.com/

The Sun Tavern, Bethnal Green

Jul20

Type of Bar: Pub (?), Whisky, Poitin
Damage: £
Ideal for: Sundays, Lounge, Small Groups, Date

Reopening last year, regulars were glad to see that the Sun Tavern retained its pub atmosphere, blurring the line between pub and cocktail bar. The biggest perk of the venue is its morning opening, serving pastries and coffee, and pub grub throughout the day (alongside its Neal’s Yard sourced charcuterie).

And this is all alongside its selection of craft beers and Irish Poitin (a pretty large collection considering it only being legalised about 3 years ago).
Small, with bare brick, a sizable bar, and a fantastic playlist from Zeppelin, to Ram Jam, to the Talking Heads – the Sun Tavern is your local boozer with quiet confidence in its skill and product. And confident they should be – the cocktails are incredible.

Sun Tavern Bar Bethnal Green London Cocktail

The One For The Road, sausage roll not included ;P

Beginning with a sausage and stilton roll, the Hoodooist orders a One For the Road: Irish Whiskey, Peated Irish Whiskey, English Spiced Vermouth, Amaro Montenegro. Such a beautiful cocktail – the initial hit is of the Amaro’s rosewater, quickly retreating into the whiskey, with a quick buildup of peat, smoking its way in. Once that smoky wave subsides, spices come forth from the Amaro and vermouth (which I’m going to guess is by Sacred Distilleries, with its hints of liquorice and cinnamon). The cocktail, though peaty, is very light, and works well in the daytime.

The Red Lombriz

The Red Lombriz wanders into sweeter territory: Mezcal, Raspberries, Agave Syrup, Lemon, Chocolate Bitters. Pink and dusted with chocolate shavings, it’s certainly a looker – citrus and sweet dominate the drink, with agave syrup’s unique flavour working surprisingly well with raspberries. The chocolate bitters do a great job at rounding out the drink.

The Fleur de Lis

Back to whiskey, the Fleur de Lis brings Irish Double Whiskey, Cognac, Cynar, Lime, and Pecan Syrup together to make a slightly thick, and laid back kicker of drink. I find this one difficult to describe. It somehow manages a distinct citrus to it even while bringing the whiskey’s butterscotch sweetness – suspect the whiskey might be a Glendalough? The cognac grants a depth and warmth to it, probably enhanced by the pecan. The Cynar being a Hoodooist favourite helps provide balance to the sweetness.

The Wake

Finally, The Wake: 3yr Guyanese rum, Suze, Overproof Poitin, Lemon – Of course, the overproof Poitin bit is fascinating, as it can run well into the 90% ABV. The nose is loud, sour, and almost like sand after rain – not soil, not earth, sand. The 3 yr rum, which I’m gonna hazard a guess at El Dorado 3yr, provides a coconut and hay flavour, and dry – harmonises well with the Suze’s bitter gentian. That drop of Poitin is what, I suspect, adds to the dry, grassy, white rum flavours. Long, dry, citrus, bitter – the cherry at the end is a major contrast, and seems to soak up the Poitin like a shot because wow it’s a kick in the teeth.

It was difficult to keep up with the One for the Road (or even the Fleur de Lis), but the short cocktail list manages to be incredibly original, hard-hitting, exquisitely prepared and a bargain. Service is exceptionally swift, whether at bar or table.

The Sun Tavern’s easily the Hoodooist’s favourite new spot in Bethnal Green.

Drinks: ****-*****
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

The Sun Tavern

441 Bethnal Green Road
London E2 0AN

http://www.thesuntavern.co.uk/

Conrad Algarve, Portugal @ Conrad St. James

Jul6

Type of Bar: Hotel
Damage: ££-£££
Ideal for: Lounge, Date, Small Groups

Wilson Pires, award-winning head-bartender of restaurant Gusto at the Conrad Algarve, Portugal, popped by the London St. James Conrad for a masterclass to show what the Algarve has to offer in it’s 18th century palace seaside surrounds.

Inspired by Faro, a pocket of tropic green overlooking the Gulf of Cadiz, Pires insists that all his cocktails come with a story, or make it as much of a multisensory experience as possible – including ostentatious garnishes, presentation, or incenses.

The Senhorita

The first drink from the Conrad Algarve menu, the Senhorita – driven by Pires’ perception of the feminine: lemongrass and grapefruit are mixed in small amounts into the lime juice, then the primary ingredient, the sweet raspberry puree is contrasted against the spicy/sour ginger juice, ending with the Portuguese Medronho fire-water brandy (Aguardente de Medronho) Castelo Silves.

Primarily a sweet drink, the raspberry dominated the palate, followed by the kick of ginger, the sourness of the lime mix lingers in the sidelines. The medrenho, powerful and ruthless when drunk neat, is tempered well into this cocktail, though the Hoodooist wishes it had a bit more of a presence, so as to not soften the cocktail *too* much.

Europe’s Best Kept Secret

Inspired by the Algarve itself, the Europe’s Best Kept Secret mixes Beefeater 24 gin, honey, bee pollen, eucalyptus tisane and grapefruit, accompanied by pine incense. The incense and the eucalyptus tisane provide a cooling balance to the other warm flavours. The warm bitterness of the bee pollen and the herbaceous eucalyptus are pronounced, resting on the most prominent grapefruit flavour. Initially an odd concoction, but a summer beach would bring this cocktail to life.

Saudade

Finally, the Saudade attempts to condense the emotion into a cocktail by mixing Ginjinha (or simply Ginja) sour Morello cherry liqueur, Madeira wine, honey, salt water, and Port bitters. Continuing on Pires’ favoured theme of contrasts and opposites working together, Saudade attempts to bring the deep, bitter-sweet flavours linked to distant memories to life in the sweet-sour Ginja and Madeira, contrasted by the salt water and the similarly ambiguous Port bitters.

The result is the closest to what the Hoodooist might order of the three: a dark, intense, short cocktail that one really must take their time with, as it can be bit of a handful. The cherry hits first, but then seems almost softer in comparison to the stone-fruit and raisin heat of the Madeira. The salt water and Port bitters are not immediately perceptible, but notably affect the overall drink, adding width to the flavour profile.

The cocktails are notably different from what London normally has to offer, and certainly deserve a dry Mediterranean heat and sea salt spray to bring them to life – and very well will, in Wilson Pires’ inspired hands.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

Gusto @ Conrad Algarve

Estrada da Quinta do Lago
8135-106 Almancil

Algarve, Portugal

www.conradalgarve.com

Bussey Rooftop Bar, Peckham Rye

Jun12

Type of Bar: Rooftop
Damage: £ – ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, View, Live Music

Finally, a good summer rooftop bar.

There have been quite a few summer bars around this June, but so far, the Bussey Rooftop Bar is rocketing to the Hoodooist’s top.

Built to chill with live music, only 6 floors up, but with stunning views of the hills to the South and of the City to the North. Serving up film-themed drinks with Pizza Pilgrims baking up a storm, chilled out covers of Eurythmics sail through the air as the similarly relaxed cocktail list helps you relax far, far away from the noise of the city. And quality drinks for 7 quid? Winning.

Walking up 6 flights of stairs is rather worth it.

However, I’d add some, or at least store away emergency, umbrellas/shades somewhere. The British summer can be deceptive, and the last thing you need is a sudden shower while sipping on your Jerk Daiquiri (although, would be hilarious to watch the rooftop-yoga group next door get soaked).

The Jerk Daiquiri

Speaking of the Jerk Daiquiri: Appleton V/X rum, Jerk Syrup, lime juice – simple, elegant, does the job. Appleton V/X is a much lighter rum than its popular Estate 12yr brother, and is a good choice for the cocktail. You’re first hit with the jerk syrup – the allspice, and bite of the Scotch Bonnet, the myriad of warm spices – followed by the fruit entry of the rum. Orange followed by the pepper, finally resting on the lime juice. Relaxed, summery, beachy. Simplicity works.

The Negrita

The Negrita is an attempt at mixing some of the Hoodooist’s favourite cocktails: San Cosme Mezcal, Campari, Cocchi Torino (here substituted with Martini Rosso and extra orange). The substitution of Martini Rosso and orange works well, regardless. The most powerful flavour coming from the Campari, but once that fades, from the Campari and vermouth haze the mezcal emerges. Complex and smokey, with a caramelly finish. A great twist on a classic.

The Thai Punch

Being summer, the Hoodooist decided to go with a long drink. Well, not really. He just read the word ‘chilli’ and was sold. The Thai Punch takes the coconut rum Koko Kanu and infuses it with kaffir lime leaf, chilli, ginger, and lemongrass tail – finally adding pineapple, lime and palm sugar to top off the drink. Cold and spicy, the Thai Punch leaves palate dancing between the spices, most notably the lemongrass tail and ginger, lengthened by the pineapple, ending with the sweetness of the coconut and a chilli strike at the back of the throat. Long it might be, but this drink takes a while to finish.

Memento of a great bar team

Finally, the Memento is…. Anything you’d want it to be. Anything using 50 Pounds Gin, that is. Called Memento since the drink comes with a Polaroid snapshot of the night. In this case, a Polaroid of our fabulous bartenders and a Martinez. So the usual gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino and bitters, a good ole classic.

The team, run by the wonderful Joe of El Nivel (Click HERE for Review!) fame, are incredibly talented, bringing their skills from around the world, and a barrel of laughs. Smooth and swift cocktail preparation.

And don’t forget the food! Enjoy the setting sun with Pizza Pilgrims cooking up personal Margherita, Nduja, or Portobello mushroom pizzas – or roll it up into a calzone. It’s a personal pizza, you can do it, we believe in you.

The pretention that tends to fester around rooftop bars (or the clientele they attract) is absent at the Bussey Rooftop, instead presenting us with a spacious, chilled out venue to lie back and relax in, with a Negrita in hand to enjoy what the much ignored side of South East London has to offer.

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: *** – **** (you really, really don’t want it to rain here)
Service: *****

Bussey Rooftop Bar

133 Rye Lane, Peckham Rye,
London SE15 4ST

http://www.busseyrooftopbar.com/

Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings, Clerkenwell

May27

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, Victorian, Vintage
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, Lounging

You want a summer bar? We have a summer bar.

Bank Holiday Friday was the best afternoon to be at the third installment from the B&H Group, who’ve brought us classics like the Bourne & Hollingsworth Bar (Click HERE for Review!), and the Reverend JW Simpson (Review HERE!), but thankfully, this one isn’t in a basement.

Sun danced off the greenery outside and shone through the vast windows of the venue, illuminating the climbing wall-gardens and glorious mosaic bar that snakes along the beautifully bright venue. The summer heat wafted away by canopy fans, dear Powder Keg Diplomacy, this is how you do colonial-Victoriana right (and not be a douche about it).

The Hoodooist is in love with the venue, and whiled away a good few hours propped up on that gorgeous bar with his books, as a smattering of others laid back on couches and banquettes in conversation over prosecco. The bar isn’t the easiest to get to, which might be a good thing – the late evenings can bring crowds, so it being a bit hidden away keeps the afternoons wonderfully quiet to lounge.

Cocktails have a signature B&H feel to them, fruits, berries, and distinct sweetness are a running theme.

Beginning with the New Willy Bourne – Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt stirred with Laphroaig, Campari and Cinzano Rosso sweet vermouth, finished with house bitters and lemon oils. Confident, the cocktail strides in with the initial Monkey Shoulder notes of creamy butterscotch, sweet and buttery, followed by the powerful oak and smoke of the Laphroaig, hints of iodine tracing behind alongside the Campari. A finish of the sweeter fruit notes of the Cinzano and lemon oils.

Easily the best of the night, and a must order on the menu.

The Baci is a surprisingly strong and punchy drink – Grappa shaken with strawberry vermouth, homemade Seville orange liqueur and a hint of citrus, finished with aromatic maraschino liqueur and a twist of grapefruit. The first millisecond of the sip seems blank, but then all of a sudden the orange and maraschino assault the drinker as the grappa develops – finishing on the strawberry vermouth. A fun cocktail, playful and summery. One will have to be prepared for the powerful citrus and sweet fruit flavours of this drink.

bourne and hollingsworth buildings cocktails

The New Willy Bourne

The Fig and Thyme Scofflaw is a powerfully flavoured cocktail – fig and thyme-infused cognac, lemon, vermouth and grenadine. The vanilla is strong on the nose, and the sweeter notes in the cognac come forward first, with the apple from the vermouth and grenadine, before giving way to the figs.
The West Indies Gimlet is exactly what it sounds like – Navy Strength Gin, Steve’s Falernum #7, fresh lime juice and house bitters. The lime is a tad overwhelming here, and distracts from the complexity of the Falernum, it’s the one thing I’d change about this otherwise bright, citrusy drink.

L-R: The Rum & Plum, the West Indies Gimlet

The Cydonian Smash brings quince and thyme jam smashed together with fresh ginger, lemon wedges and mead, rolled with rye whisky and frozen with crushed ice. Other than the quince and bits of ginger and thyme, little can be tasted in this cocktail, maybe because of the quickly melting crushed ice. There is a bit of rye that comes through, but struggling.

Finally, the Rum & Plum stands out with the biggest price tag at 12 pounds (versus the others at around 8.50), Santa Teresa 1796 rum stirred with prune vermouth and bitters. Unfortunately, the raised priced tag does little for the actual drink, which is overpowering and rather sickly sweet.

L-R: The Cydonian Smash, the Fig & Thyme Scofflaw

At the bar, service is excellent. Even when crowds roll in (around 7PM), drinks come in swift, with close attention paid to customers. Bartenders are keen to discuss drinks and provide recommendations, always a plus.

The Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings are a beautiful and atmospheric addition to the B&H collection, and can teach many a thing or two about running a summer bar. Spotless surrounds and impeccable service make it a must-see. The cocktails suit the venues style, and still have a certain B&H tendency to sweetness. It might be a bit out of the way, but still garners quite a bit of attention, and recommend it for an early escape to finish that book you’ve had lying on the coffee table for the past month. It’s a walk, but worth the trek.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: *****
Service: ****

Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings

42 Northampton Road,
London EC1R 0HU

http://bandhbuildings.com/

Bourne & Hollingsworth Bar, Fitzrovia

Apr20

Type of Bar: Basement, Speakeasy, Quirky, Vintage, Tiny
Damage: ££
Ideal for: After Work, Nightcap, Small Groups, Date

When the B&H Bar opened a few years ago, a marked a then-change in cocktail culture and turned the tide toward a fascination with speakeasies, gin, and vintage-England. It was a tastemaker, and has developed into a brand name with its sister bars (Reverend JW Simpson: Click HERE for Review!, and the B&H Buildings, Review HERE!) and its vintage and chap themed events from the Blitz Party to Belle Epoque.

And for those years, this tiny, one-square-granny’s-living-room (complete with a distinct odour of damp) was a spot the Hoodooist would pop by for a last drink before heading home when in the area.

However, the new menu has taken a Spring turn in not *quite* the best direction. Said direction has been the elimination of many of the drinks that stood out, and resulting homogenisation of flavours and ingredients – the new menu now boasts a numerous (easily 25 or more) cocktails, that seem to blend into each other instead of standing with independent personalities, and taste too similar to each other (whereas Rev JW Simpson did the opposite and developed a greater variety of flavours than before, the B&H Buildings provide a greater variety as well).

The new menu has a tendency towards being incredibly sweet (so perfect if you enjoy sweet!), and an overbearing of berries and gin – so for the evening we tried our best to go for those that stood out.

L-R: The Madame Elisa’s Breakfast; The Honey Berry Bison

The then Cherry Sidecar has reverted to a slightly more classic Sidecar (Cognac, with marmalade instead of triple sec) in the Madame Elisa’s Breakfast – a drink that stood about a bit further from the others of the evening with the tartness of the marmalade – probably the most enjoyed of the evening in its simplicity.

The Honey Berry Bison goes for Zubrowka vodka and berries, shaken with lemon juice, acacia honey and egg white. Berries range from rasp- to black- and the cocktail itself has a distinctly cinnamon flavour after the first few sips – but it doesn’t take away from the intense sweet berries of the cocktail.

Tequila finally takes the stage in the Plum Plume: Reposado tequila shaken with lime juice, plum wine and bitters, topped with lemonade – but comes off without much flavour outside the plum wine and lemonade’s sweetness. But at least that went down better than the Black Jack – Bourbon with spiced honey whisky liqueur, seasonal fruits, mint infused sugar and lemon that was entirely too much to drink when it tastes like an iced glassful of watered down Jack Daniel’s Honey and berries.

Service is good, even on days when the room is crowded, you can trust that someone will be served. Often, there are free tables (especially weekdays) to walk-in, but for Saturday nights, a booking is recommended. Normally quite chilled out and relaxed, event nights can get very crowded – so do check in advance.

With other great bars like Rev JW and B&H Buildings in their roster, it won’t take long for a banging new menu to be on the cards, but for now, this spring/summer might have to wait.

Drinks: **
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ***

Bourne & Hollingsworth

Rathbone Place,
London W1T 1JF

http://www.bourneandhollingsworth.com/bournes/

Reverend JW Simpson, Fitzrovia

Apr7

Type of Bar: Basement, Speakeasy, Vintage, Quirky
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, After Work

A door is not a door, and a wall is not a wall at the Reverend JW Simpson – Bourne and Hollingsworth’s sister bar (Click HERE for Review!) resides in a basement apartment just minutes away in Fitzrovia. The third of the B&H bars being the B&H Buldings, Clerkenwell (Review HERE!).

Named after an ex-resident of the space, the apartment now houses white banquettes set up against tattered wallpaper, overseen by a large and impressive bar, amusingly presented as ‘windows’ to the visitors, from where the drinks are served. There is a strange kind of shabby-Art-Deco-dissonance about the venue, especially with honkytonk, swamp rock, and everything from the Talking Heads to Red Hot Chilli Peppers playing in the background.

On a weekend night, the venue can get swamped with people, so reservations are highly recommended – but this doesn’t harm service too much. It’s swift and attentive even with the crowd.

The two menus – one seasonal and one permanent (in the form of a paper fortune teller!) – have running themes: light, fruity, but there are the occasional heavyweights like the beautiful Larder Batch (The Hoodooist’s favourite at the Cocktails in the City 2014 event, Click HERE for Review).

So whether you pick out a seasonal drink, or play a schoolyard game to make your order, the Hoodooist tried a few from each for your consideration!

The Fir Douglas Rathbone, Esq.

The Fir Douglas Rathbone, Esq. immediately catches the eye: Rathbone New London Dry Gin, homemade Douglas Fir liqueur, lemon juice, and a touch of maple syrup – finished with a spray of bergamot oils. The Hoodooist could sit back and just sniff this one all day. The fir and bergamot is sharp and fragrant, incredible. However, considering the ingredients, there are two ways to approach this cocktail – the heavy maple syrup sinks to the bottom of the glass, so either you stir it to spread the sweetness throughout the drink, or just drink it straight.

Drinking it straight results in the bottom half becoming a sweeter version of the top half – which, though wonderfully piney, and strongly juniper, risks tasting like disinfectant (although I think that comes more from the scent than from the actual flavour!). Personally, I rather enjoyed the bright, vivid drink, but it is easy to see how it can be an acquired drink for some. Stirring it will result in a maple sugariness toning down the tartness, while keeping in like with the evergreen theme.

L-R: The Blue Leaf Clover; and the Pomegranate Haze

The Blue Leaf Clover from the seasonal menu goes straight for the Bourne and Hollingsworth favourite flavours: berries. Rathbone New London Dry Gin, homemade blackberry and rosemary syrup, lemon juice and egg white result in a drink that is very easy sipping, smooth and delicate. It might not be complex, or a showstopper, but does its job as a refreshing semi-sweet cocktail you’d want at a picnic on the kind of sunny mornings we’ve had this Easter. And you can’t argue with the beautiful garnish that comes with it.

The Hoodooist’s love affair with Mastiha gum mastic liqueur is back with the Pomegranate Haze! Hendricks Distilled Gin, Mastiha liqueur, pomegranate tea syrup, lemon juice. This is not as sweet as you’d expect, and has a distinct earthiness a friend described as ‘like being in a forest’ – which I find is characteristic of Mastiha. There is an added bitter depth from the pomegranate tea syrup, slightly herbal, somewhat spicy, this drink in surprisingly adventurous.

Foreground: The Gardenier; Background: The Rumplestiltskin

A young apple is used instead of an ice cube in the Gardenier: Aged Calvados, Suze Aperitif, honey and orange liqueurs, apple shrub. The first sip of this drink is overwhelmingly sweet, the Calvados, honey and shrub assault the palate – but after the first sip, it seems to mellow out a bit, with help from the bitter Suze, whose spice complements the apple nicely. Still, a bit too much on the sweet side for myself, but a useful dessert drink nonetheless. This is more suited to autumn in front of a fire.

The Rumplestiltskin, on the other hand, is sweet in less appealing ways: Rum, homemade apple and spiced Falernum syrups, lime juice and dry chocolate liqueur present an intensely sugary long cocktail with a bit of a chocolate kick. This cocktail seems a bit jumbled and confused. Not far off, the Serena, with Polish Vodka, carrot shrub, vanilla liqueur, lemon and honey; lacks character and seems to taste more berryish than carrot, though the vanilla makes an appearance.

The Larder Batch

The Larder Batch really does need to be eaten with steak. An excellent short bourbon drink, Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, Pinot Noir reduction, seasoned with pink peppercorn, spiced cardamom and Angostura bitters. Here the Reverend presents us with a steak dinner in a cocktail format; the natural winter spiciness and vanilla/honey sweetness of the Four Roses Small Batch, and the bite of the peppercorn and cardamom suits the Pinot Noir (PIIINOOOOT NOIIR…sorry) reduction perfectly. The Reverend excels here, with a style that is daring and stands out from the rest of the menu. Would love to see more in the style of the Larder Batch next season.

More adventurous than its original cousin, the Rev still displays a certain amount of conservatism with the flavours explored on the menu. Nonetheless, there are a large number of drinks to choose from, each bringing something new to the table – they know vintage, and they do it right.

Drinks: *** – ****
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

Reverend JW Simpson,

32 Goodge Street, Fitzrovia,
London, W1T 2QJ

http://www.revjwsimpson.com/

Quaglino’s, Mayfair

Apr2

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant
Damage: ££-£££
Ideal for: Food, Live Music, Date, Small Groups, Large Groups

A 3.5million pound face-lift later, Quaglino’s has reinvented itself into the enormous, Fashion Week meets fin de siècle-stage and live music venue it is today.

Compared to the airy, minimalist, marble and mirror affair it was before, the updated Quaglino’s has developed a rather cabaret style vibe with heavy drapes and dark walls – though it could be bit more cosy now, I’d want a table hushed away, since it does risk being slightly on the ‘oppressive side of plush’, if I communicate that idea correctly.

Nonetheless, the bar upstairs is a vantage point over the main arena of the venue, and one way of avoiding the hustle and bustle downstairs. A dimly lit space, where your best bet is sitting up at the bar, where service from the team, Milos and Davide, is en pointe. Conversational, effervescent, and always up to help.

Featuring the Diplomatico Rum range

This day, Ambassador of Diplomatico Rum, Jon Lister, introduces three specials (at 7.50 each) added to Quaglino’s already lengthy cocktail menu – all using the rum range from Diplomatico, exhibiting their versatility.

The Final Word

Beginning with a twist on a classic, the Final Word demonstrates that rums can indeed make excellent aperitifs – by substituting rum for gin in a ‘Last Word’. Diplomatico blanco, Green Chartreuse, St. Germain Elderflower and fresh citrus – is almost deceptively similar to a Last Word (going to show you how reliant on Chartreuse the cocktail actually is!). The rum, however, softens and sweetens the edges slightly, making it a fantastic introduction to those afraid of the sour and dry edges of many gin based aperitifs.

The Final Word still keeps a bit of an edge with the peppery notes of the blanco, but its softer vanilla and sugar round out the cocktail for the drinker less accustomed to Last Words.

The Swanky Panky

The Swanky Panky twists the classic Hanky Panky to rum as well. If Swanky Panky sounds oddly familiar, though – you’ve probably been watching too much of Bob’s Burgers.

“You ever hear of a cocktail called the Swanky Panky? It’s made with two parts vermouth-“
“Teddy, Teddy, Teddy. Get me out of here.”

And it is indeed made with vermouth – Diplomatico Reserva, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, and Fernet Branca. Whereas the Reserva makes an initial sugary appearance, it’s immediately subjugated by the Cocchi – orange peel and menthol suddenly dominate the cocktail, followed by the herbal and bitter flavours of gentian and quinine from the Fernet. This cocktail is nothing like what the Hoodooist expected it to be initially (smoother mouthfeel, slightly sweeter, less herbal), and instead takes a much sharper, minty flavour.

The Diplomatico Old Fashioned

Now this one is a bit more complex, a fantastic digestif, and the ‘hug goodbye’ of cocktails – the Diplomatico Old Fashioned gives us Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva (both natural and infused with ground coffee), sweet sherry (Pedro Ximinez, if I’m correct), and Mozart chocolate bitters.

One could easily replace dessert with this drink. Though sweet (very sweet), not sickly or overbearingly so. Though Mozart has a tendency to be rather pungent, it collaborates well in this drink, helping balance out the sweetness of the sherry and the Exclusiva, as does the bitterness of the Arabica.

The vanilla, figs, and various mince-pie-esque notes of the rum are still very much present – really, this drink is dessert in a glass, covering all bases of the course, coffee and little glass of sherry.

Wonderful, though its powerful flavours means it did take the Hoodooist a good half hour to take this one down.

The regular cocktail menu at Quaglino’s is fairly long, and runs at about 12.50 GBP per drink – themed by the era of the cocktail’s release.

The Fresh As a Daisy tastes exactly how you’d expect it to – Hendrick’s gin. Muddled cucumber, elderflower liqueur and apple juice – long, refreshing, simple, classic.

The RAF got bit of an update here, Botanist gin, Maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, egg white and violette liqueur – personally couldn’t stomach it, simultaneously too sour and too sweet, bit overwhelming. I suppose if you like your drinks very, very sweet, this is it.

The RAF

However, winner of the evening was easily the Fisherman – competitor in this year’s World Class Diageo cocktail competition. Talisker 10yr whisky, sage infused Cocchi Americano, a splash of Pedro Ximinez and bitters. Brilliant – absolutely wonderfully constructed. The nose is heavily leaning on the Talisker, smoky and thick, with an island beach salty touch. The drink keeps the Talisker’s intense spicy peat, with a long malty finish – smoothed out by the Cocchi Americano and its accompanying bitter quinine kick, all balanced out wonderfully with that touch of sherry for a sweeter overlay toward the end of the sip that coats the tongue.

The Fisherman

I suppose what you must keep in mind is that the cocktails on offer at Quaglino’s are massively varied (though they lean towards the sweet and many Sours), and with the wonderful service, will be willing to knock up any classics you need. Thinking of returning for a live band and another Fisherman!

Drinks: ***-****
Atmosphere: ***-****
Service: *****
Quaglino’s

16 Bury Street, Mayfair
London SW1Y 6AJ

http://www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk/

Bunnychow, Soho

Mar23

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, South African
Damage: £
Ideal for: Food, Date, Bunnies

The popular Bunny truck has gotten a foothold in Soho to open the new Bunnychow Bar on Wardour Street! Serving up South African Durban street food, Bunnychow also offers various South African snacks and mixed juices with added spirits if so liked.

Bunnies themselves are pretty brilliant – a mini-scooped out loaf of bread – all healthy options! From charcoal brioche, to matcha green tea loaf – packed with various fillings with international influences thanks to the trade route passing from India through Cape Town to Europe. Served with a slaw on the side at 6 pounds what’s not to love? You’d be surprised how filling a bunny is.

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A Bobotie Meatball Bunny gets you beef slathered with signature Nokey Gland BBQ sauce, with cloves, nutmeg and pepper, and a Chakalaka Bunny brings in the Indian flavours with spicy chicken and ginger, garlic, chilli and lemon, with a Peri Peri sauce – and if it ain’t spicy enough, you haven’t tried their hot sauce (yowza). Hell, the Hoodooist’d pop by just to take away a side of chewy Biltong. Don’t worry, the recently added Veggie option of roasted aubergine, butternut squash, fennel and onion and quinoa, served in a courgette and pea sauce is on the menu – let’s not forget gluten-free and bread-free options!

The menu is meant to be short, simple and specific – and thankfully the recent addition of a dark chocolate part in a mini brioche is a great bitter-sweet dessert to finish off your spicy meal.

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Cocktails run at 5 pounds each! Bunnychow isn’t a cocktail bar, so the simplest combinations work: bottled mixed drinks come in for 3 pounds, with a measure of spirit thrown in for another 2 quid.

An Invictus – Greek Yoghurt, nut and raisin mix, chilli and mint- with a measure of spicy rum – comes up a as a spicy side to your already spicy meal. On the other hand, a Cucumber Mojito – Cucumber, mint, elderflower, lemon and lime juice – ticks all the right boxes! A bright, spry drink, wins this round.

I certainly see myself returning for a Madiba – Orange, vanilla elderflower, lemon and lime juice in the summer.

The Soho Bunnychow Bar itself is miniscule, and simplistic, with very outdoor furniture and the occasional Donnie Darko Frank mask (Oookay.), and service is excellent, helpful and explanatory.

For a little pitstop to grab a bite before running off to your next adventure, or some much needed protein and carbs after a hard day’s drinking – Bunnychow is an excellent addition, and hopefully fixture, in Soho’s food scene.

Drinks: *** (Value for money!)
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

Bunnychow

74 Wardour Street, Soho,
London W1F 0TE

http://bunnychow.com/

Jackson + Rye, Soho

Mar19

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, American
Damage: £ (for cocktails)
Ideal for: Rye/Whiskey, Food, Date, Small Groups

Jackson + Rye has been a Soho staple for a while now, and seems to be almost constantly full – with good reason! The American South meets a Wild West saloon meets a glance of Corbin and King styled suaveness results in J+R’s dimly lit, two-floor hardwood den and take on a zinc bar.

Something about the décor is still very European – even the menu is set out very brasserie-style, though the dishes themselves are from the hearty South. Chilli and garlic grilled shrimp on a bed of grits and sweetcorn and showered with shallots accompanied by and easy and citrusy Rittenhouse Rye to cut through the grits without over powering it. A main of buttermilk fried chicken and sweet potato fries with the warm spiciness of High West Double Rye, and finally, pecan pie with a spectacular rye whiskey ice cream alongside a thick, sugary sweet Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye.

Background: Rittenhouse Rye Manhattan; Foregorund: Woodford Reserve Rye Old Fashioned

For cocktails, the evening begins and ends with a Rittenhouse Rye Manhattan (classic Gangster recipe) of whiskey, Martini Rosso and Luxardo Maraschino to provide a smooth, sweet, but bold take on the Manhattan that isn’t served in London that often lest asked for.

Finally, a classic Woodford Reserve Rye Old Fashioned is heady and not kidding around with the citrus – classic in every sense of the word.

Besides the (incredibly) filling meal, a rye whiskey tasting that will soon be a regular attraction at Jackson + Rye!

A preview got us a history of rye, and the relationship between the UK and the USA regarding rye imports – and a tasting of four ryes;

Tasting of four Ryes

Beginning with an everyday Jim Beam Rye, it comes off a bit more like a bourbon than a rye, a bit thin and flat. The nose is a myriad of spices, the palate begins with a vanilla sweetness, then a collection of spices and distinct warmth and a peppery finish.

The High West Double Rye is a lot more fun – with an immense rye content, you can smell the spiciness from a mile away, as well as a caramel. The mixture of old and young whiskeys that make HWDR result in a contradictory mix of powerful pepper and cinnamon, as well as a thick honey and nutty caramel. A fun ride, this one!

Bulleit makes an appearance – more famous for their bourbon, their new rye is popping up everywhere in London these days. (Personal note? I feel I’m a bigger fan of their bourbon.) Initially, you get kicked in the face with the spice and…tobacco? Followed by a light sweetness of fruits, strongly orange zest. All smoky.

Finally, the Smooth Angler Old Scout 7yr arrives to the table. Probably the most unique in the tasting, this was also the sweetest. It comes off in the nose too, chocolatey. The palate is as well, along with Demerara sugar, but still warming and spicy. A fantastic digestif.

Fun, conversational, and informative, the quality service at the tasting extends to the bartenders upstairs. No complaints here.

Jackson + Rye provides a beautiful environment (if not a bit noisy, it’s crowded enough, the Imelda May soundtrack doesn’t have to be as loud), with excellent service – substantial meals with quality cocktails and an excellent selection of ryes. And the tasting – excellent for introductions to rye – have a confident, conversational environment to both learn, *and* get drunk in. What’s not to love?

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: ***-****
Service: ****

Jackson + Rye

56 Wardour Street, Soho,
London W1D 4JF

http://www.jacksonrye.com/

Highball Hoodoo

London, Cocktails, you know the drill

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